Daniel 8:15–9:19
The fulfilment of vision
Daniel was a ‘visionary’ in both senses of the word. He received divine revelation (‘vision’ – a word that appears seven times in Daniel 8:15–27) and had visionary goals for his life.
In the first half of today’s passage, Daniel is given the interpretation of his vision (divine revelation) by the angel Gabriel (v.16, this is the first place in Scripture where an angel is mentioned by name). Gabriel explains to Daniel that the vision he has seen ‘concerns the time of the end’ (v.17). ‘This vision... is accurate... It refers to the far future’ (v.26, MSG).
There is both a historical fulfilment of this vision and a long-term fulfilment. The historical fulfilment is probably to be found in a particularly dark period in Jewish history. Between 175 and 164 BC they were ruled by a foreign king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He persecuted the Jews, outlawing the worship of God, desecrating the temple and killing thousands. But the spirit that possessed Antiochus and allowed him to achieve earthly success (vv.23–25) is the same spirit that will inspire the final antichrist in the last days (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3–8; Romans 13:11,14).
Daniel prophesied that ‘he will be destroyed, but not by human power’(Daniel 8:25). Antiochus’ troops marched into Jerusalem and massacred 80,000 Jews and enforced the worship of Zeus. He died suddenly and unexpectedly in 164 BC from an unknown disease. This prophecy will find its final fulfilment when Jesus returns and destroys the devil ‘with the breath of his mouth’ (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
Daniel was also a visionary in the other sense. He understood ‘from the Scriptures’: ‘I, Daniel, was meditating on the Scriptures... according to the word of God to the prophet Jeremiah’ (Daniel 9:2, MSG; see also Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10), that the exile would last seventy years (that is, from 587 BC to the rebuilding of the temple in 516 BC).
If you want God to give you a specific vision for your life, we see in this passage that there are two essential keys. First, all godly vision needs to come from, and be earthed in, our understanding ‘from the Scriptures’. Second, fulfilment of vision begins with prayer. Daniel turned to the Lord in prayer. He was conscious of the greatness of the God to whom he was praying (Daniel 9:4).
Daniel’s prayer was a free-flowing outpouring of his heart to God. He was conscious throughout of God’s greatness and mercy and his own unworthiness. But he was also confident of God’s ability to answer his prayer.
God longs for you to talk to him about what is on your heart. You don’t need to hold back or censor what you talk to him about or try to come across as something you are not. He already knows everything about you; he wants to hear it from you and to talk it through with you. Be yourself with God when you pray – not the way you think you should be.
Daniel confesses that they have sinned in every way imaginable, ignoring God and doing what they please. They are filled with guilt and shame (vv.3–16, MSG).
Yet Daniel knew that God would never give up on those who love him (v.4, MSG) and that ‘compassion is our only hope’ (v.9, MSG).
On that basis, he prayed for his city and his nation (vv.17–19). Daniel’s prayer was answered. You too can cry out to God for your city and nation, and believe that God will answer your prayers and fulfil the vision he gives you.
Lord, give me a vision for my city and my nation: For the sake of your Name have mercy on us, O Lord. Revive us and heal us. Glorify your Name.