Daniel 7-9; Psalms 57 - Prayer Tents

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

Daniel 9

Daniel’s Prayer for His People

9It was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians.H259H8141H1867H1121H325H2233H4074H4427H4438H37782During 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 seventy years.H259H8141H4427H1840H995H5612H4557H8141H1697H3068H3414H5030H4390H7657H8141H2723H33893So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.H5414H6440H136H430H1245H8605H8469H6685H8242H6654I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O 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.H6419H3068H430H3034H559H577H136H1419H3372H410H8104H1285H2617H157H8104H46875But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.H2398H5753H7561H4775H5493H4687H49416We 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.H8085H5650H5030H1696H8034H4428H8269H1H5971H7767“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.H136H6666H1322H6440H3117H376H3063H3427H3389H3478H7138H7350H776H5080H4604H46038O Lord, we and our kings, princes, and ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.H136H1322H6440H4428H8269H1H23989But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.H136H430H7356H5547H477510We have not obeyed the Lord our God, for we have not followed the instructions he gave us through his servants the prophets.H8085H6963H3068H430H3212H8451H5414H6440H3027H5650H503011All 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.H3478H5674H8451H5493H8085H6963H423H5413H7621H3789H8451H4872H5650H430H239812You 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.H6965H1697H1696H8199H8199H935H1419H7451H8064H6213H6213H338913Every 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.H3789H8451H4872H7451H935H2470H6440H3068H430H7725H5771H7919H57114Therefore, 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.H3068H8245H7451H935H3068H430H6662H4639H6213H8085H696315“O 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.H136H430H3318H5971H3318H776H4714H2389H3027H6213H8034H3117H2398H756116In 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.H136H6666H639H2534H7725H5892H3389H6944H2022H2399H5771H1H3389H5971H2781H543917“O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.H430H8085H8605H5650H8469H6440H215H4720H8076H13618“O 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 in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.H430H5186H241H8085H6491H5869H7200H8074H5892H7121H8034H5307H8469H6440H6666H7227H735619“O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name.”H136H8085H136H5545H136H7181H6213H309H408H430H5892H5971H7121H8034

Gabriel’s Message about the Anointed One

20I went on praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, pleading with the Lord my God for Jerusalem, his holy mountain.H1696H6419H3034H2403H2403H5971H3478H5307H8467H6440H3068H430H6944H2022H43021As I was praying, Gabriel, whom I had seen in the earlier vision, came swiftly to me at the time of the evening sacrifice.H1696H8605H376H1403H7200H2377H8462H3286H3288H5060H6256H6153H450322He explained to me, “Daniel, I have come here to give you insight and understanding.H995H1696H559H1840H3318H7919H99823The 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.H8462H8469H1697H3318H935H5046H2532H995H1697H995H475824“A period of seventy sets of seven has been decreed for your people and your holy city to finish their rebellion, to put an 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.H7657H7620H2852H5971H6944H5892H3607H6588H8552H2856H2403H3722H5771H935H5769H6664H2856H2377H5030H4886H6944H694425Now listen and understand! Seven sets of seven plus sixty-two 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.H3045H7919H4161H1697H7725H1129H3389H4899H5057H7651H7620H8346H8147H7620H7339H1129H7725H2742H6695H625626“After this period of sixty-two 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 and its miseries are decreed from that time to the very end.H310H8346H8147H7620H4899H3772H5971H5057H935H7843H5892H6944H7093H7858H7093H4421H8074H278227The 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 defiler is finally poured out on him.”H1396H1285H7227H259H7620H2677H7620H2077H4503H7673H3671H8251H8074H3617H2782H5413H8074

Psalms 57

57[For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time he fled from Saul and went into the cave. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”] Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until the danger passes by.H5329H516H4387H1732H1272H6440H7586H4631H2603H430H2603H5315H2620H6738H3671H2620H1942H56742I cry out to God Most High, to God who will fulfill his purpose for me.H7121H430H5945H410H15843He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. Interlude My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.H7971H8064H3467H2778H7602H5542H430H7971H2617H5714I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey—whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.H5315H8432H3833H7901H3857H1121H120H8127H2595H2671H3956H2299H27195Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens! May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H7766My enemies have set a trap for me. I am weary from distress. They have dug a deep pit in my path, but they themselves have fallen into it. InterludeH3559H7568H6471H5315H3721H3738H7882H6440H8432H5307H55427My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!H3820H3559H430H3820H3559H7891H21678Wake up, my heart! Wake up, O lyre and harp! I will wake the dawn with my song.H5782H3519H5782H5035H3658H5782H78379I will thank you, Lord, among all the people. I will sing your praises among the nations.H3034H136H5971H2167H381610For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.H2617H1419H8064H571H783411Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens. May your glory shine over all the earth.H7311H430H8064H3519H776