6.0- The Angel Gabriel Explains the Vision
In Daniel 8 verses 15
through 27 we read:
15 I was trying to understand what the vision
meant, when suddenly someone was standing in front of me. 16 I heard a voice call out over the Ulai River,
“Gabriel, explain to him the meaning of what he saw.” 17 Gabriel came and stood
beside me, and I was so terrified that I fell to the ground.
He said to me, “Mortal man, understand the
meaning. The vision has to do with the end of the world.” 18 While he was
talking, I fell to the ground unconscious. But he took hold of me, raised me to
my feet, 19 and said,
“I am
showing you what the result of God's anger will be. The vision refers to the
time of the end.
20 “The ram you saw that had two horns
represents the kingdoms of Media and Persia. 21 The goat represents the kingdom
of Greece, and the prominent horn between his eyes is the first king. 22 The
four horns that came up when the first horn was broken represent the four
kingdoms into which that nation will be divided and which will not be as strong
as the first kingdom.
23 “When the end of those kingdoms is near and
they have become so wicked that they must be punished, there will be a
stubborn, vicious, and deceitful king. 24 He will grow strong—but not by his
own power. He will cause terrible destruction and be successful in everything
he does. He will bring destruction on powerful men and on God's own people. 25
Because he is cunning, he will succeed in his deceitful ways. He will be proud
of himself and destroy many people without warning. He will even defy the
greatest King of all, but he will be destroyed without the use of any human
power. 26 This vision about the evening and morning sacrifices which has been
explained to you will come true. But keep it secret now, because it will be a
long time before it does come true.”
27 I was depressed and ill for several days.
Then I got up and went back to the work that the king had assigned to me, but I
was puzzled by the vision and could not understand it.