Daniel 6-8 - Prayer Tents

Daniel 6

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

6Darius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province.H6925H8232H1868H6966H5922H4437H3969H6243H324H1934H3606H44372The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests.H5924H4481H8532H5632H4481H1841H2298H459H324H1934H3052H2941H4430H1934H3809H51423Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s great ability, the king made plans to place him over the entire empire.H116H1836H1841H1934H5330H5922H5632H324H3606H6903H3493H7308H4430H6246H6966H5922H3606H44374Then the other administrators and high officers began searching for some fault in the way Daniel was handling government affairs, but they couldn’t find anything to criticize or condemn. He was faithful, always responsible, and completely trustworthy.H116H5632H324H1934H1156H7912H5931H1841H6655H4437H3606H3202H7912H3809H5931H3809H7844H6903H540H3809H3606H7960H7844H7912H59225So they concluded, “Our only chance of finding grounds for accusing Daniel will be in connection with the rules of his religion.”H116H560H479H1400H3809H7912H3606H5931H5922H1836H1841H3861H7912H1882H4266So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, “Long live King Darius!H116H459H5632H324H7284H4430H560H3652H5922H4430H1868H2418H59577We are all in agreement—we administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors—that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions.H3606H5632H4437H5460H324H1907H6347H3272H6966H4430H7010H8631H633H1156H1159H4481H3606H426H606H5705H8533H3118H3861H4481H4430H7412H1358H7448And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”H3705H4430H6966H633H7560H3792H3809H8133H1882H4076H6540H5709H38099So King Darius signed the law.H3606H1836H6903H4430H1868H7560H3792H63310But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.H1841H3046H3792H7560H5954H1005H3551H6606H5952H5049H3390H1289H5922H1291H8532H2166H3118H6739H3029H6925H426H6903H3606H1934H5648H4481H1836H692811Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.H116H479H1400H7284H7912H1841H1156H2604H6925H42612So they went straight to the king and reminded him about his law. “Did you not sign a law that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human—except to you, Your Majesty—will be thrown into the den of lions?” “Yes,” the king replied, “that decision stands; it is an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked.”H116H7127H560H6925H4430H5922H4430H633H3809H7560H633H3606H606H1156H4481H3606H426H606H5705H8533H3118H3861H4481H4430H7412H1358H744H4430H6032H560H4406H3330H1882H4076H6540H5709H380913Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.”H116H6032H560H6925H4430H1841H4481H1123H1547H3061H7761H2942H3809H5922H4430H633H7560H1156H1159H8532H2166H311814Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament.H116H4430H8086H4406H7690H888H7761H1079H5922H1841H7804H1934H7712H5705H4606H8122H533815In the evening the men went together to the king and said, “Your Majesty, you know that according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, no law that the king signs can be changed.”H116H479H1400H7284H5922H4430H560H4430H3046H4430H1882H4076H6540H3606H633H7010H4430H6966H813316So at last the king gave orders for Daniel to be arrested and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to him, “May your God, whom you serve so faithfully, rescue you.”H116H4430H560H858H1841H7412H1358H744H4430H6032H560H1841H426H607H6399H8411H780417A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den. The king sealed the stone with his own royal seal and the seals of his nobles, so that no one could rescue Daniel.H2298H69H858H7761H5922H6433H1358H4430H2857H5824H5824H7261H6640H3809H8133H184118Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night fasting. He refused his usual entertainment and couldn’t sleep at all that night.H116H4430H236H1965H956H2908H3809H1761H5954H6925H8139H5075H592219Very early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den.H116H4430H6966H8238H5053H236H927H1358H74420When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?”H7127H1358H2200H6088H7032H1841H4430H6032H560H1841H1841H5649H2417H426H426H6399H8411H3202H7804H4481H74421Daniel answered, “Long live the king!H116H4449H1841H5974H4430H4430H2418H595722My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in his sight. And I have not wronged you, Your Majesty.”H426H7972H4398H5463H744H6433H3809H2255H3606H6903H6925H2136H7912H638H6925H4430H5648H3809H224823The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God.H116H4430H7690H2868H5922H560H5267H1841H5267H4481H1358H1841H5267H4481H1358H3809H3606H2257H7912H540H42624Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor of the den.H4430H560H858H479H1400H399H7170H1841H7412H1358H744H581H1123H5389H744H5705H7981H1855H3606H1635H1855H3809H4291H773H135825Then King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you!H116H4430H1868H3790H3606H5972H524H3961H1753H3606H772H8001H768026“I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end.H4481H6925H7761H2942H3606H7985H4437H1934H2112H1763H4481H6925H426H1841H2417H426H7011H5957H4437H3809H2255H7985H5705H549127He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”H7804H5338H5648H852H8540H8065H772H7804H1841H4481H3028H74428So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.H1836H1841H6744H4437H1868H4437H3567H6543

Daniel 7

Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts

7Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’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.H2298H8140H1113H4430H895H1841H2370H2493H2376H7217H5922H4903H116H3790H2493H560H7217H44062In my vision that night, I, Daniel, saw a great storm churning the surface of a great sea, with strong winds blowing from every direction.H1841H6032H560H2370H1934H2376H5974H3916H718H703H7308H8065H1519H7229H32213Then four huge beasts came up out of the water, each different from the others.H703H7260H2423H5559H4481H3221H8133H1668H4481H16684The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ 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.H6933H744H5403H1611H1934H2370H5705H1611H4804H5191H4481H772H6966H5922H7271H606H606H3825H30525Then 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!”H718H317H2423H8578H1821H1678H6966H2298H7859H8532H5967H6433H997H8128H560H3652H6966H399H7690H13216Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.H870H1836H1934H2370H718H317H5245H5922H1355H703H1611H5776H2423H703H7217H7985H30527Then in my vision that night, I saw a 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 ten horns.H870H1836H1934H2370H3916H2376H718H7244H2423H1763H574H8624H3493H7260H6523H8128H399H1855H7512H7606H7271H1932H8133H4481H3606H2423H6925H6236H71628As 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.H1934H7920H7162H431H5559H997H317H2192H7162H6925H4481H8532H4481H6933H7162H6132H431H1668H7162H5870H5870H606H6433H4449H72609I watched as thrones were put in place and the Ancient One 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,H1934H2370H5705H3764H7412H6268H3118H3488H3831H2358H8517H8177H7217H5343H6015H3764H5135H7631H1535H1815H513510and 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 opened.H5135H5103H5047H5312H4481H6925H506H506H8120H7240H7240H6966H6925H1780H3488H5609H660611I continued to watch because I could hear the little horn’s boastful speech. I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire.H1934H2370H116H4481H7032H7260H4406H7162H4449H1934H2370H5705H2423H6992H1655H7H3052H3346H78512The other three beasts had their authority taken from them, but they were allowed to live a while longer.H7606H2423H7985H5709H2417H3052H5705H2166H573213As 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.H1934H2370H3916H2376H718H1247H606H858H5974H6050H8065H4291H5705H6268H3118H7127H692514He 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.H3052H7985H3367H4437H3606H5972H524H3961H6399H7985H5957H7985H3809H5709H4437H3809H2255

The Vision Is Explained

15I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me.H576H1841H3735H7308H1459H5085H2376H7217H92716So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant. He explained it to me like this:H7127H5922H2298H4481H6966H1156H4481H3330H3606H1836H560H3046H6591H440617“These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth.H459H7260H2423H581H703H703H4430H6966H4481H77218But in the end, the holy people of the Most High will be given the kingdom, and they will rule forever and ever.”H6922H5946H6902H4437H2631H4437H5705H5957H5705H5957H595719Then 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.H116H6634H3321H5922H7244H2423H1934H8133H4481H3606H3493H1763H8128H6523H2953H5174H399H1855H7512H7606H727120I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s 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.H5922H6236H7162H7217H317H5559H4481H6925H8532H5308H7162H1797H5870H6433H4449H7260H2376H4481H7229H4481H227321As I watched, this horn was waging war against God’s holy people and was defeating them,H1934H2370H1797H7162H5648H7129H5974H6922H320222until 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.H5705H6268H3118H858H1768H1780H3052H6922H5946H2166H4291H6922H2631H443723Then 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.H3652H560H7244H2423H1934H7244H4437H772H8133H4481H3606H4437H399H3606H772H1759H185524Its ten horns are ten kings who will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them.H6236H7162H4481H4437H6236H4430H6966H321H6966H311H8133H4481H6933H8214H8532H443025He 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.H4449H4406H6655H5943H1080H6922H5946H5452H8133H2166H1882H3052H3028H5705H5732H5732H6387H573226“But then the court will pass judgment, and all his power will be taken away and completely destroyed.H1780H3488H5709H7985H8046H7H5705H549127Then 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.”H4437H7985H7238H4437H8460H3606H8065H3052H5972H6922H5946H4437H5957H4437H3606H7985H6399H808628That 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.H5705H3542H5491H4406H576H1841H7476H7690H927H2122H8133H5922H5202H4406H3821

Daniel 8

Daniel’s Vision of a Ram and Goat

8During the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me.H7969H8141H4438H4428H1112H2377H7200H1840H310H7200H8462 2In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.H7200H2377H7200H7800H1002H4082H5867H7200H2377H180H195 3As 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.H5375H5869H7200H5975H6440H180H259H352H7161H7161H1364H259H1364H8145H1364H5927H314 4The 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.H7200H352H5055H3220H6828H5045H2416H5975H6440H5337H3027H6213H7522H1431 5While 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,H995H5795H6842H935H4628H6440H776H5060H776H6842H2380H7161H5869 6headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him in a rage.H935H352H1167H7161H7200H5975H6440H180H7323H2534H3581 7The 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.H7200H5060H681H352H4843H5221H352H7665H8147H7161H3581H352H5975H6440H7993H776H7429H5337H352H3027 8The goat became very powerful. But at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off. In the large horn’s place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.H6842H5795H3966H1431H6105H1419H7161H7665H5927H702H2380H702H7307H8064 9Then 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.H259H3318H4704H7161H3499H1431H5045H4217H6643 10Its 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.H1431H6635H8064H5307H6635H3556H776H7429 11It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple.H1431H8269H6635H8548H7311H7311H4349H4720H7993 12The 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.H6635H5414H8548H6588H7993H571H776H6213H6743 13Then 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?”H8085H259H6918H1696H259H6918H559H6422H1696H2377H8548H6588H8074H5414H6944H6635H4823 14The other replied, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.”H559H505H7969H3967H6153H1242H6944H6663

Gabriel Explains the Vision

15As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me.H1840H7200H2377H1245H998H5975H4758H1397 16And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.”H8085H120H6963H195H7121H559H1403H1975H995H4758 17As 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.”H935H681H5977H935H1204H5307H6440H559H995H1121H120H6256H7093H2377 18While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet.H1696H7290H6440H776H5060H5975H5977 19Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.H559H3045H319H2195H4150H7093 20The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.H352H7200H1167H7161H4428H4074H6539 21The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire.H8163H6842H4428H3120H1419H7161H5869H7223H4428 22The 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.H7665H702H5975H702H4438H5975H1471H3581 23“At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power.H319H4438H6586H8552H4428H5794H6440H995H2420H5975 24He 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.H3581H6105H3581H7843H6381H6743H6213H7843H6099H6918H5971 25He 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.H7922H4820H6743H3027H1431H3824H7962H7843H7227H5975H8269H8269H7665H657H3027 26“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.”H4758H6153H1242H559H571H5640H2377H7227H3117 27Then 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.H1840H1961H2470H3117H6965H6213H4428H4399H8074H4758H995