WHEN ‑ SETTING (1-2): 3^rd year of King Belshazzar

WHAT ‑ VISION (3-14): RAM AND A GOAT BATTLE

Little Horn’s identity:

POWERFUL: 

“⁹ Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land” (9); “His power shall be great– but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does,”

“¹⁰ It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. ¹¹ It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host.”

DESTRUCTIVE TOWARD GOD’S PEOPLE: -

“and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.”

-“And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. ¹² And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression”

EVIL: 

“and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.”

 “By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes”

1.     Life, EVEN FOR THE CHRISTIAN, will have its share of pain

²⁹ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, ³⁰ engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have. Phil 1:29

APP: Remember, in this life, we have suffering, pain, and seasons of perplexity.

2  GOD has put a LIMIT on evil He permits

13-14a: “Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings”

APP: We can HAVE HOPE because Evil is limited by God: 

Any evil God permits in our life is under his rule and not beyond it.

3. There is hope because God has promised a RESTORATION

“Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state” (14).

Rev 21:5: “I am making ALL things new”

THINGS WENT WRONG IN THE BEGINNING WITH SIN.

Jesus is the

“Light that comes into the world” (John 8:12)

Jesus said

“I came that they might have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10)

“if anyone would follow me, let him deny himself and

take up his cross and follow me.” (Matt 16:24).

APP: BELIEVER: Life will have its share of pain and perplexity,

 but there is always hope for those who know God.