Emily: Welcome to immerse: the daily bible reading experience.
Day 300 and 64.
earlier during the first year of King, be Shazer's reign in Babylon.
Daniel had a dream and saw visions.
As he lay in his bed, he wrote down the dream, and this is what
he saw in my vision that night.
I, Daniel saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea with strong
winds blowing from every direction.
Then four huge beasts came up out of the water.
Each different from the others.
The first beast was like a lion with eagle's wings.
As I watched its wings were pulled off and it was left standing with its two
hind feet on the ground, like a human being, and it was given a human mind.
Then I saw a second beast and it looked like a bear.
It was rearing up on one side and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth.
And I heard a voice saying to it, get up, devour the flesh of many people.
Then the third of these strange beasts appeared and it looked like a leopard.
It had four birds wings on its back, and it had four heads.
Great authority was given to this beast.
Then in my vision that night, I saw fourth beast, terrifying,
dreadful, and very strong.
It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled
their remains beneath its feet.
It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had 10 horns.
As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them.
Three of the first horns were torn out by the roots to make room for it.
This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.
I watched as thrones were put in place and the ancient ones sat down to judge.
His clothing was as white as snow.
His hair like purest wool.
He sat on a fiery throne with wheels of blazing fire and a river of fire was
pouring out, flowing from his presence.
Millions of angels ministered to him.
Many millions stood to attend him.
Then the court began its session and the books were open.
I continued to watch because I could hear the little horns boastful speech.
I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed, and
its body was destroyed by fire.
The other three beasts had their authority taken from them.
But they were allowed to live a while longer.
As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man
coming with the clouds of heaven.
He approached the ancient one and was led into his presence.
He was given authority, honor and sovereignty over all the nations of
the world so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him.
His rule is eternal.
It will never end.
His kingdom will never be destroyed.
I, Daniel was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me.
So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and
asked him what it all meant.
He explained it to me like this.
These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth,
but in the end, The holy people of the most high will be given the kingdom,
and they will rule forever and ever.
Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different
from the others, and so terrifying.
It had devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws
trampling their remains beneath its feet.
I also asked about the 10 horns on the fourth bes head and the little
horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns.
This horn had seemed greater than the others, and it had human eyes and a
mouth that was boasting arrogantly.
As I watched this horn was waging war against God's holy people
and was defeating them until the ancient one, the most high came and
judged in favor of his holy people.
Then the time arrived for the holy people to take over the kingdom.
Then he said to me, this fourth beast is the fourth world
power that will rule the earth.
It will be different from all the others.
It will devour the whole world, trampling and crushing everything
in its path, and it's 10 horns are 10 kings who will rule that empire.
Then another king will arise different from the other 10.
Who will subdue three of them.
He will defy the most high and oppress the holy people of the most high.
He will try to change their sacred festivals and laws, and they will
be placed under his control for a time, times and half a time.
But then the court will pass judgment and all his power will be taken
away and completely destroyed.
Then the sovereignty, power, and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be
given to the holy people of the most high.
His kingdom will last forever, and all rulers will serve and obey him.
That was the end of the vision.
I, Daniel was terrified by my thoughts and my face was pale with fear,
but I kept these things to myself.
During the third year of King, be Shazer's reign.
I, Daniel saw another vision following the one that had already
appeared to me in this vision.
I was at the fortress of Suse in the province of E Elam
standing beside the Eli River.
As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river.
One of the horns was longer than the other.
Even though it had grown later than the other one, the Ram butted everything
out of his way to the west, to the north and to the south, and no one could
stand against him or help his victims.
He did as he pleased, and became very great.
While I was watching.
Suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly
that he didn't even touch the ground.
This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes, headed toward the
two horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him.
In a rage, the goat charged furiously at the ram and struck
him, breaking off both his horns.
Now the ram was helpless and the goat knocked him down and trampled him.
No one could rescue the ram from the goat's power.
The goat became very powerful, but at the height of his power, his large horn
was broken off, and the large horn's place grew four prominent horns pointing
in the four directions of the earth.
Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great.
It extended toward the south and the east, and toward the glorious land of Israel.
Its power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some
of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them.
It even challenged the commander of Heaven's army by canceling the
daily sacrifices offered to him, and by destroying his temple.
The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion.
So the daily sacrifice was halted and truth was overthrown.
The horn succeeded in everything it did.
Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other.
One of them asked, how long will the events of this vision last?
How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices?
How long will the temple and Heaven's army be trampled on?
The other replied, it will take 2,300 evenings and mornings.
Then the temple will be made right again, as I, Daniel was trying to
understand the meaning of this vision.
Someone who looked like a man stood in front of me and I heard a human voice
calling out from the Uli River Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.
As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified
that I fell with my face to the ground.
Son of man, he said, you must understand that the events you have seen in your
vision relate to the time of the end.
While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the
ground, but Gabriel aroused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.
Then he said, I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath.
What do you have seen pertains to the very end of time?
The two horned ram represents the kings of media and Persia.
The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horned between
his eyes represents the first king of the Greek empire, the four prominent
horns that replaced the one large horn.
Show that the Greek empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as
the first at the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king,
a master of intrigue will rise to power.
He will become very strong.
But not by his own power.
He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and
succeed in everything he does.
He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.
He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant.
He will destroy many.
Without warning, he will even take on the prince of Princes in battle.
But he will be broken, though not by human power.
This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true, but none of these
things will happen for a long time.
So keep this vision a secret.
Then I, Daniel was overcome and lay sick for several days afterward, I
got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by
the vision and could not understand it.
It was the first year of the reign of Darris, the mead, the son of Ahas
who became king of the Babylonians during the first year of his reign.
I, Daniel learned from reading the word of the Lord as revealed to
Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for 70 years.
So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting.
I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.
I prayed to the Lord my God, and confessed, oh Lord, you
are a great and awesome God.
You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those
who love you and obey your commands, but we have sinned and done wrong.
We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.
We have refused to listen to your servants, the prophets who spoke
on your authority to our kings and princes and ancestors, and
to all the people of the land.
Lord, you are in the right, but as you see, our faces are covered with shame.
This is true of all of us, including the people of Judah and Jerusalem
and all Israel scattered near and far, wherever you have driven us
because of our disloyalty to you.
Oh Lord.
We and our kings, princess, and ancestors are covered with shame
because we have sinned against you.
But the Lord, our God is merciful and forgiving even though we
have rebelled against him.
We have not obeyed the Lord our God for we have not followed the instructions he gave
us through his servants, the prophets.
All Israel has disobeyed your instruction and turned away
refusing to listen to your voice.
So now the solemn, curses and judgments written in the law of
Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our sin.
You have kept your word and done to us and our rulers exactly as you warned.
Never has there been such a disaster as happened in Jerusalem.
Every curse written against us in the law of Moses has come true.
Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God, by turning from
our sins and recognizing his truth.
Therefore, the Lord has brought upon us the disaster.
He prepared the Lord.
Our God was right to do all of these things for we did not obey him.
Oh Lord our God.
You brought lasting honor to your name by rescuing your people from
Egypt in a great display of power.
But we have sinned and are full of wickedness.
In view of all your faithful mercies, Lord, please turn your furious anger
away from your city, Jerusalem, your holy mountain, all the neighboring
nations, mock Jerusalem and your people because of our sins and the
sins of our ancestors, all our God.
Hear your servant's prayer.
Listen as I plead for your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.
Oh my God.
Lean down and listen to me.
Open your eyes and see our despair.
See how your city, the city that bears your name, lies and ruins.
We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.
Oh Lord, here.
Oh Lord, forgive.
Oh Lord.
Listen and act for your own sake.
Do not delay.
Oh my God.
For your people and your city.
Bear your name.
I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people.
Pleading with the Lord my God, for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.
As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision came swiftly to
me at the time of the evening sacrifice.
He explained to me, Daniel, I have come here to give you
insight and understanding.
The moment you began praying, a command was given, and now I am
here to tell you what it was for.
You are very precious to God.
Listen carefully so that you can understand the meaning of your vision.
A period of 70 sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy
city to finish their rebellion, to put into end, to their sin, to atone for
their guilt, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to confirm the prophetic
vision, and to anoint the most holy place.
Now listen and understand.
Seven sets of seven plus 62 sets of seven will pass from the time the command
is given to rebuild Jerusalem until a ruler, the anointed one comes, Jerusalem
will be rebuilt with streets and strong defenses despite the perilous times.
After this period of 62 sets of seven, the anointed one will be killed,
appearing to have accomplished nothing, and a ruler will arise whose armies
will destroy the city and the temple.
The end will come with a flood and war in its miseries are decreed.
From that time to the very end.
The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set
of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices
and offerings, and as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set
up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration until the fate decreed for
this defile is finally poured out on him.