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| Daniel's prophetic vision |
Nearly 2,600 years ago, the ancient Hebrew prophet Daniel received an allegorical vision from God concerning the last days. In the vision, Daniel witnessed a one-horned goat travel from a distant land to confront and ultimately destroy a powerful two-horned ram.
When Daniel received his vision in the 6th century B.C., the Jews were living in captivity in Persia. Their captivity began in 586 B.C. when Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem, and it finally ended in 445 B.C. when Persian ruler Darius II allowed them to return to Israel.
Here's what Daniel saw and recorded: "In my vision I saw myself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam; in the vision I was beside the Ulai Canal. I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. I watched the ram as it charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against it, and none could rescue from its power. It did as it pleased and became great." (Daniel 8:2-4)
Daniel's vision was metaphorical. The animals represent two powerful nations that will confront each other in the end times before the goat finally destroys the ram. What nations do the goat and the ram represent? An angel appeared and interpreted the vision for the prophet: "I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power." (Daniel 8:19-22)
Many biblical scholars believe that Daniel's vision was fulfilled in 331 B.C. when Alexander the Great invaded and conquered Persia. But the prophecy couldn't have been fulfilled then because that wasn't the time of the end. In fact, Jesus Christ hadn't even appeared on earth and wouldn't do so for another three centuries.
If the prophecy concerns the end times, then it raises some serious questions. We know who Greece is. But Media and Persia? Those ancient kingdoms vanished long ago. Who was the prophet referring to? Ancient Media is now part of modern Iraq and Iran. Ancient Persia was located in what is now Iran. We know how dangerous Iran has become in recent decades.
But Greece? Modern Greece is bankrupt. Its military couldn't conquer the island of Fiji, let alone Iran. And so, how can we interpret Daniel's prophecy? Is it true? Is it a revelation from God concerning the end times on earth? Or, is it a fraud? Indeed it's a revelation from God.
Then how do we explain Greece? Very easily. Greece was the most predominant gentile nation on earth in the ancient times. In fact, the ancient Greeks were synonymous with gentiles, and the apostle Paul frequently equated Greeks with gentiles in his epistles. For example: "There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
Therefore, the kingdom of Greece mentioned in Daniel's prophecy isn't the literal nation of Greece, but rather is a metaphor for a powerful gentile nation. What nation could that be? Daniel revealed that the goat traveled "from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground." (Daniel 8:5) That can't be the literal nation Greece that exists just to the northwest of Iran. It has to be another nation that comes from the distant west. Note that Daniel saw this allegorical goat travel a vast distance without touching the ground. That sounds like a metaphor for a military invasion of fighter jets and possibly ICBMs.
Who then is Daniel's Greece? I believe it's the United States that still possesses the most powerful military and nuclear arsenal on earth. And I believe that America's recent nuclear agreement with Iran, a horrible deal brokered by the uber-mendacious and arch-corrupt Obama administration, brings us closer to the fulfillment of Daniel's ancient prophecy.
There's no need to recap the deal. Suffice to say, it was an agreement drawn up in hell that will fast-track Iran to a nuclear power. That's bad for Israel, the Middle East, Europe, the United States and the entire world. Iran is a Shiite nation that possesses an apocalyptic vision for the end. The Iranian Mullahs believe that the Imam Mahdi (Islamic messiah) cannot appear until Israel is destroyed; all the Jews have been removed from the earth and all the infidel nations have been conquered by Islam.
However, God isn't going to allow Iran to succeed. He's going to intervene by using the U.S. to destroy the Islamic regime before the Iranians begin launching nukes all over the planet. The U.S. certainly won't stop the Iranians on Obama's watch. That task will be fulfilled by someone else--perhaps the next president, unless America's next president is Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or (God help us) Bernie Sanders.
Oh yes. There's more to Daniel's prophecy. After the allegorical goat destroys the ram, its "large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven." (Daniel 8:8) The large horn represents the U.S. The United States will fall from its status as a superpower after the nation destroys Iran. Why? Because of America's multiplied sins from abortion to same-sex marriage to her betrayal of Israel.
God has given America time to repent. And she refuses. And so, judgment has come upon her. Indeed, we're living in the prophetic last days.
Many biblical scholars believe that Daniel's vision was fulfilled in 331 B.C. when Alexander the Great invaded and conquered Persia. But the prophecy couldn't have been fulfilled then because that wasn't the time of the end. In fact, Jesus Christ hadn't even appeared on earth and wouldn't do so for another three centuries.
If the prophecy concerns the end times, then it raises some serious questions. We know who Greece is. But Media and Persia? Those ancient kingdoms vanished long ago. Who was the prophet referring to? Ancient Media is now part of modern Iraq and Iran. Ancient Persia was located in what is now Iran. We know how dangerous Iran has become in recent decades.
But Greece? Modern Greece is bankrupt. Its military couldn't conquer the island of Fiji, let alone Iran. And so, how can we interpret Daniel's prophecy? Is it true? Is it a revelation from God concerning the end times on earth? Or, is it a fraud? Indeed it's a revelation from God.
Then how do we explain Greece? Very easily. Greece was the most predominant gentile nation on earth in the ancient times. In fact, the ancient Greeks were synonymous with gentiles, and the apostle Paul frequently equated Greeks with gentiles in his epistles. For example: "There is neither Jew nor Greek (Gentile), neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)
Therefore, the kingdom of Greece mentioned in Daniel's prophecy isn't the literal nation of Greece, but rather is a metaphor for a powerful gentile nation. What nation could that be? Daniel revealed that the goat traveled "from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground." (Daniel 8:5) That can't be the literal nation Greece that exists just to the northwest of Iran. It has to be another nation that comes from the distant west. Note that Daniel saw this allegorical goat travel a vast distance without touching the ground. That sounds like a metaphor for a military invasion of fighter jets and possibly ICBMs.
Who then is Daniel's Greece? I believe it's the United States that still possesses the most powerful military and nuclear arsenal on earth. And I believe that America's recent nuclear agreement with Iran, a horrible deal brokered by the uber-mendacious and arch-corrupt Obama administration, brings us closer to the fulfillment of Daniel's ancient prophecy.
There's no need to recap the deal. Suffice to say, it was an agreement drawn up in hell that will fast-track Iran to a nuclear power. That's bad for Israel, the Middle East, Europe, the United States and the entire world. Iran is a Shiite nation that possesses an apocalyptic vision for the end. The Iranian Mullahs believe that the Imam Mahdi (Islamic messiah) cannot appear until Israel is destroyed; all the Jews have been removed from the earth and all the infidel nations have been conquered by Islam.
However, God isn't going to allow Iran to succeed. He's going to intervene by using the U.S. to destroy the Islamic regime before the Iranians begin launching nukes all over the planet. The U.S. certainly won't stop the Iranians on Obama's watch. That task will be fulfilled by someone else--perhaps the next president, unless America's next president is Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or (God help us) Bernie Sanders.
Oh yes. There's more to Daniel's prophecy. After the allegorical goat destroys the ram, its "large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven." (Daniel 8:8) The large horn represents the U.S. The United States will fall from its status as a superpower after the nation destroys Iran. Why? Because of America's multiplied sins from abortion to same-sex marriage to her betrayal of Israel.
God has given America time to repent. And she refuses. And so, judgment has come upon her. Indeed, we're living in the prophetic last days.
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