Well, we are, those of you who were with us last night, realize that we are preaching through the prophetic portion of the book of Daniel. And last night we looked at Daniel chapter two, which is both a long but very important and fundamental book or chapter in biblical prophecy. And we saw set out for us last night, the course of Gentile rule. What will take place in a period of time, which our Lord Jesus Christ in Luke chapter twenty-four and verse twenty-one called the times of the Gentile. And we saw that there are going to be four world empires symbolized by these various metals on this statue that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about. There is going to be a head of gold, there's going to be arms and breasts of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, and legs of iron and toes of iron mixed with clay. And each one of those medals symbolizes the progression of a world empire. The head of gold we saw last night was Babylon. It was to be followed by a second kingdom. Nito-Persia, symbolized by the breasts and the arms of silver. That was to be followed by a third world empire, the Greek Empire, pictured under the symbol of bronze, belly, and thighs, and then a fourth kingdom, symbolized by the iron and then the toes made of both iron and clay. And we saw last night that this fourth kingdom is extremely important because it has both what I call a historical phase, a phase that is passed, and it has an eschatological or a future phase. This kingdom was in existence at the time of our Lord Jesus Christ, and on into the Christian era, but it will also be revived again just before our Lord Jesus Christ returns. We saw last night that this course of Gentile rule comes to an end through the cataclysmic intervention of our Lord Jesus Christ into history. and the establishment of His reign and His rule on this earth. And tonight we want to look at chapter seven and chapter eight. For in these two chapters, dear friends, we learn about two central figures who are going to play important parts in the period of time called the tribulation just before our Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth in great power and glory to establish His kingdom. As I said last night, Daniel chapter seven is a parallel chapter to Daniel chapter two. In Daniel chapter two, the course of Gentile rule, these tremendous world empires and world kingdoms are pictured in their external brilliance. We see them under the symbols of gold and silver and bronze and iron and iron mixed with clay. In Daniel chapter seven, we see the same four kingdoms pictured, but we see them under different figures or different symbols. We see them under the figure and the symbol of ravenous beasts of the field. They are pictured as lions, as leopards, as bears, as a conglomerate animal. Dear friends, this is to teach us that for all the external pomp and ceremony, for all the external magnificence of these world empires and world dominions. And if you've had the opportunity, I know what some of you have had, to travel, you know something of the magnificences of the palaces and the ruling centers of authority throughout the world. Quite apart from all of that, we see that morally and spiritually, these governments do not govern for God. but they are morally and spiritually bankrupt. They are like the beasts of the field. Sometimes that's hard for us to remember. God has blessed us greatly. I've talked to a number of you, and we in this area primarily are from England and the British Isles and from Canada, from the United States, and God has blessed us. We are most fortunate to live in countries where there is great freedom. But we see now and then again that even our forms of government, even our government, as fine as they are, do not govern for God, that there is at work the forces of evil and immorality. And so that's the first thing we see in Daniel chapter seven. We also learn more about this fourth kingdom. There is supplementary material about the eschatological phase of this fourth kingdom. If you have your Bible, I invite your attention to Daniel chapter seven and verse eight. Daniel chapter seven and verse eight. Daniel says, and notice at verse one, this prophecy comes to Daniel. The prophecy in Daniel chapter two, I pointed out last night, came to a Gentile, heathen pagan monarch. This Prophecy, Daniel seven and verse one comes to Daniel. And look at what it says. While I was contemplating the horns, well, let me pick up the very last phrase of Daniel seven, seven. And it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. Now, you see, this is parallel to what in chapter two? The ten horns. toes. This in chapter seven is the parallel to the ten toes in Daniel chapter two. So just as there's going to be an eschatological phase predicted in Daniel chapter two, so in Daniel chapter seven we are told of an eschatological phase of this fourth kingdom. Pictured under the figure of ten horns. Now watch what happens verse eight. While I was contemplating the horns, behold another horn, an eleventh horn. Not one of the ten, but an eleventh horn came up from among them, and three of the first horns were pulled out by the roots before it, and behold, this horn possessed eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great bows. So what happens out of this revived eschatological phase of this fourth kingdom. Pictured in Daniel chapter two under the symbol of ten toes. In Daniel chapter seven, under the figure of ten horns, an eleventh horn called the little horn arises and he comes to power by knocking down three of the original ten horns. And this little horn is possessed with eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth uttering great boast. Let me suggest to you that it is helpful as you read the Bible to note what is said about individuals' eyes and about their mouths. The eyes and the mouth are revealing of the innermost character of individuals. And here is one who had eyes that appeared to be the eyes of a man, but he had a mouth that boasted great things. Well, Daniel was looking, verse eleven, because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking, and I kept looking. until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beast, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. So as Daniel watched, this little horn which spoke great words, was slain and his body was destroyed, and it was given over to the burning fire. Now, as I said last night, sometimes I think as children of God, we shy away from the prophetic word of God because we read a portion of Scripture and we find symbols to convey truth, and we get the idea that no one may be possibly the most trained and the brightest among us. might have some guess about what all of this means, but certainly the average Bible student, someone who's a lay person who loves the Lord and reads their Bible, that kind of a person wouldn't have the faintest hope of ever figuring out what this meant. And I tried to show you last night that the Spirit of God quite often has given the interpretation of the text if we just keep reading on. And the same is true here tonight. Let your eye drop down to verse twenty three. Thus he said, the fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns out of this kingdom, ten kings will arise. So what are those ten horns? They are ten kings. In the area of the old Roman Empire, there is going to arise at the time of the end a confederation, a group of ten kings. Look at what's said in verse twenty-three. And Or verse twenty-four. And another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous one, and he will subdue three kings. You see, this eleventh horn, this one who is different from the other ten, is another king who is going to gain power over these original ten by taking power away. from three of those original ten. Now, who is the little horn of Daniel chapter seven? Well, dear friends, as you read the Word of God and as you look at Daniel and an extremely important passage in Revelation chapter thirteen verses one to eighteen, you find that Before our Lord Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom, Satan is going to offer the world a counterfeit kingdom. Satan is a great counterfeiter. Satan seeks to mislead people. by appearing as an angel of light. And he realizes that Christ is going to return and he is going to establish his millennial reign. And Satan says before God does that, I am going to offer the world a counterfeit kingdom. And he is going to do that in the hands of a counterfeit Trinity. there is going to be a counterfeit Trinity that will appear during the tribulation period. Satan himself, pictured as the dragon of Daniel, or excuse me, Revelation chapter twelve, and then he is going to be, he is going to empower and motivate two masterpieces, one a world political leader, one who will seek to rule, to establish his authority over the then known world, and the other will be a world religious leader who will be in league with this first political leader And he will seek to bring the nations of the world together in the united worship. Listen to this. In the final form of apostate religion, which is the worship of Satan as God. Now, hear me carefully. Where is this world headed? It is headed, dear friends, inexorably, and we'll talk about this before we're through tonight, it is headed inexorably to the final form of apostate religion where Satan will be worshipped and his ungodly cohorts as God. Paul in Thessalonians, too, says, that there will be this one who is in the holy place, who does what? Who calls himself God. And you read Revelation chapter thirteen, one to ten. That will tell you about this world political leader. You read Revelation chapter thirteen, verses eleven to eighteen, and you will learn about this world religious leader and how they work in conspiracy with one another to bring the whole world under the rule and the domination of Satan himself. That last three and a half years of the tribulation period to be able to buy or sell, to be able to have any kind of economic freedom or social mobility is going to require that one take the mark of the beast. Now, who is this little horn of Daniel chapter seven? Dear friends, I think he is this world's political leader. He will arise out of this fourth kingdom. He will be a Gentile, if I understand it correctly. and he will have his center of authority in Rome. Look at what we read about him. He will speak out against the most high and wear down the saints of the most high one. He will intend to make alteration in times and in law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times and half a time. This one is going to gain authority. He is going to seek to subdue all of the nations of the world under His power. He will wear out the saints. He will wear out the saints. Turn, if you will, now to Chapter Eight. We'll come back to Chapter Seven. Let me just relate. Daniel chapter eight to the course of these four kingdoms in Daniel chapter two and Daniel chapter seven. Remember we said Daniel chapter two and Daniel chapter seven talk about the passing of four kingdoms, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. In Daniel chapter eight, We have supplementary information. We have expanded prophetic detail about the second and the third kingdom. So that in Daniel chapter eight, we learn more about Medo-Persia and Greece. Now, watch as we read through this eighth chapter and I comment on it. It divides nicely between the dream of the ram and the rough he-goat, eight, one to fourteen, the interpretation of the dream, fifteen to twenty-seven. Isn't that nice? Breaks right in the middle of the chapter. The dream, the interpretation. Did you notice that again? Divinely given interpretation of this dream. Okay, let's follow it in verse one. In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, the king of vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. So we know that chapter eight came to Daniel after chapter seven. Daniel had this vision after the vision of Daniel chapter seven. And I looked in the vision and it came about while I was looking that I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam, and I looked in the vision, and I myself was beside the Yuli Canal." Daniel is taken, dear friends, in prophetic vision to what would be the capital of the Persian Empire. Remember at this time, Persia had not ascended to power. But God took his prophet in prophetic vision and transformed and took him, transferred him to Shushan, which was going to be the capital of the Persian Empire, which would arise after Babylon fell. Verse three, then I lifted my gaze and behold a ram which had two horns was standing in the front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other with the longer one coming up last. So if Daniel watched, he saw a ram by the canal. This ram had two horns. One was longer than the other. The one that was longer came up after the one that was shorter. Look, if you will, at verse twenty. The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Meda and Persia. So that this ram that Daniel saw at the river looked at this second canal, I mean looked at this second kingdom, Each of these horns represented one of the two countries that came to make that kingdom Medo and Persia. And notice the absolute accuracy of the Word of God. The longer one came up last, right? Persia was the stronger actually gaining ascendancy over media, and it was the one that came up later. Now, dear friends, do I have to say that one of the books that has received the most scathing treatment at the hands of liberal critics is the Book of Daniel? Why? Because, dear friends, unbelievers cannot accept the fact that God knows the future, that there is a God who knows the future and who is in control of it. And for that reason, they want this book to have been written in the time of the Maccabees in the second century BC, when all of this detail would have been history. Beloved, we see the foolishness here, too, of people. seeking to gain information about the future through illicit means, through illicit channels. Do any of you ever, just glance a little bit about, a little bit at these sort of trashy newspapers that are always in your view when you check out of the grocery store, the Star or the National Inquirer or who knows what. About the end of the year, someone's, or ten psychics, or some psychic's going to give you his or her twenty best predictions for nineteen eighty-eight. Well, let me tell you two things about them. The predictions are so nebulous that almost anything, almost anything, would serve as a fulfillment. Psychic says, I see a black cloud over Washington and something bad is going to happen between September and December. Well, beloved, if that prophecy doesn't come true, something's really bad, isn't it? I mean, I can't think of any year when that wouldn't be the case. And then when they do get specific, like, Lady Diane is going to leave Prince Charles or Elizabeth Taylor is going to get married. The last is probably, you know, you have a high probability. But, you know, when you begin at the end of the year to check these things out, you find out that you could put a whole list of predictions on the back door and on New Year's Eve have people take darts and throw them at that list of predictions and say that's what's going to happen in nineteen eighty eight and your guess would be as good as theirs they have a fulfillment rate just about equal to chance now those of you who've read your bible says that if a prophet is of god what kind of percentage of accuracy do they have That's right. We've got some people here who know their Bible, one hundred percent. And so people who say, you know, Jeannie Dixon got this one thing right. Well, listen, if you take guesses like that, you know, and you miss for thirty-two years at least on the thirty-third, you know, the president is going to die. Well, I mean, if you keep predicting that thirty-three years in a row, one year you're going to be right. But look at how accurate the Spirit of God is. I mean, there's none of this, a black cloud over Washington kind of stuff. It says, rather, they're going to be two horns. This is going to be a government that comes to power with two countries. The latter is to be stronger than the other. Look back, if you will, at verse four. This ram butted eastward, northward. and southward so that it this he goat I mean ram expands its territory in every direction but eastward and there was no one who was able to rescue them from his power but he did as he pleased and he magnified himself verse five while I was observing behold A male goat, a rough he-goat, was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground, and the goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. And he came up to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. And I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him, and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns. and the ram had no strength to withstand him, and he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power. Then the male he-goat magnified himself exceedingly, but as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken, and in his place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven." Look, if you will, at verse twenty-one for the interpretation and the shaggy he goat represents the kingdom of Greece. And the notable horn or the large horn that is between his eyes is his first king. Who's that talking about? Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great. Alexander is pictured here. as a he-goat who moves to the west over the surface of the whole earth, verse five, without touching the ground. That speaks of the rapidity with which Alexander was able to conquer. Alexander was a master military strategist, dear friend. He, it was who used cavalry, horses in battle. It was he who used the phalanx attack. You see, most armies would face one another face to face and they would fight. And Alexander devised attacking from the side, something that seems so very basic today, but which Alexander devised. And because of it, he was able to route the armies before him. But look at what said of him. The broken horn and the four horns that arose in his place represent four kingdoms, which will arise from this nation, although not with his power. You see, the Bible says here that when this male goat, when Alexander was successful, he magnified himself, verse eight exceedingly, But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken. Alexander, by the time he was a young man of thirty-three, had conquered the then known world. When he was in India, he wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. And at the height of his power, he died and he had no air. And notice again, beloved, the incredible accuracy of the Word of God. We read that four horns took his place, but not with his power. From history, we know that the kingdom of Alexander the Great was divided among his four generals, like Amakas, Cassander, Seleucus, and Ptolemy. Two most important, the one we need to remember, are the Seleucid dynasty which settled and gained power in Syria, and the Ptolemies, which you all know from Cleopatra and Anthony, in Egypt. But those four generals who assume power after Alexander did not possess the power that he did. Look at verse nine. Out of one of them, out of one of these four horns that assumed power with the death of the large horn, Alexander, came a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south and toward the east and toward the beautiful land. So what happens? Out of one of the four kingdoms established in the breaking up of Alexander's empire, a little horn arises. Now watch. Are the little horn of Daniel chapter... seven and eight the same? No. The little horn in Daniel seven comes out of what kingdom? Fourth, right? The little horn of Daniel chapter eight comes out of one of the four branches of the third kingdom, correct? Remember, chapter eight only deals with kingdom two and kingdom three. The he-goat is Greece, the notable horn, the large horn is Alexander. He dies, four horns, his generals take power, and out of one of those a little horn arises. Who's this man? Well, from history we know him to be Antiochus Epiphany, a maniac of a ruler, in the Seleucid dynasty in the north of the land of Palestine, which today is Syria. Look at what it says about him. It says that he will go great exceedingly toward the south, toward the east, toward the beautiful land, which is the land of Palestine. And he grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the hosts and some of the stars to fall to the earth. and it trampled them down. It even magnified itself to be equal with the commander of the host, and he removed the regular sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was thrown down. And on account of transgression, the host was given over to the horde, along with the regular sacrifice, and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. Then I heard a holy one speaking and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, how long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply while the transgression causes horror? So as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled. And he said to me for two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the holy place will be restored. What is that talking about? We'll talk about Antiochus again on Sunday night, but let me just say this. It was he who on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, that's near our December, it was he who forced the priest to sacrifice a sow on the altar in Jerusalem. And he stopped the sacrifices and desecrated the temple in Jerusalem. And a group of men called the Maccabees, which is Hebrew for the word hammer, began a guerrilla warfare to gain control of that temple mound. And for three years, they fought, and finally on Kislev, They rededicated the altar in Jerusalem to the worship of the true and the living God. That's celebrated by the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah. Those of you who know something about Jewish history and your Jewish friends realize that the tenth of December this year was the first night of the celebration of Hanukkah. It is called the Feast of Light because tradition says... that in the rededication of the temple, there was only enough oil in the cruise for the temple light to burn one night, but miraculously it burned for eight. Now, let your eye drop down to verse twenty-three. We find that this Antiochus Epiphanes, who desecrates the temple in the second century BC, is a type of this second satanic masterpiece. Remember at the start of tonight's sermon, I said, there is going to be this ungodly Trinity. There is going to be a world political leader, and we met him in the little horn of Daniel chapter seven. Now in Daniel chapter eight, we meet the third member of this ungodly Trinity. And he is the anti-type of Antiochus Epiphanes. Look at what we read about him, verse twenty-three. In the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their course, a king will arise insolent and skilled in intrigue, and his power will be mighty, but not by his own power. We learn from other places in Scripture The military might, the political might, is in the hands of this little horn of Daniel chapter seven, the political leader. He will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will. He will destroy mighty men and holy people. And through his shrewdness, he will cause deceit to succeed by his influence and he will magnify himself in his heart. and he will destroy many while they are at ease. And he will even oppose the prince of princes. But you notice how often we read these ominous words. But he will be broken without human agency. Turn back, if you will, to Daniel chapter seven. See, here we learn, dear friends, of the end of this counterfeit Trinity. Here we learn about the end of these imposters who seek to oppress the world, who seek to bring them under this apostate religion where they seek men to worship Satan as God, and we read that they will wear out the saints. But you know, you look at heaven and you wonder what it's like up there. Rebellion on the earth. You think God is scurrying around heaven saying, ringing his hand saying, boy, I don't know what I'm going to do. Seems to me that things are a little bit out of whack down there. No. I kept looking, Daniel says, until thrones were set up and the ancient of days took his seat, his vesture was like white snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool, His throne was ablaze with flames, its wheels were a burning fire, and the river of fire was flowing and coming out from them before them. Thousands upon ten thousands were attending them, and myriad upon myriads were standing before them. The court sat, and the books were open. And I kept looking in the night vision, verse thirteen, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like the Son of Man was coming. And he came up to the ancient of days and was presented before him. Listen to these words, dear friends. No panic in heaven. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom that all the people and nations and men of every language might serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which will not pass away. You see, this is the stone of two that strikes the kingdom in the leg and fills the earth. There is given to him a kingdom which will not pass away, and his kingdom is one which will not be destroyed. And look at verse twenty-five, and he will speak out against the most high and wear down the saints, of the Holy One, and He will intend to make alterations in times and in laws, and they will be given into His hands for a time, times and half a time. But the court will sit for judgment, and His dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the heavens will be given to the saints of the Most High One. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him. Beloved, this topsy-turvy world is in the hands of a sovereign and omnipotent God. Though Satan may seek To delude men, He may seek to lead them under His worship. God says, at the appropriate time, the court is going to sit. Dominion is going to be taken out of their hands. They're going to be destroyed. And my son, Jesus Christ, is going to come back to take possession of this planet. You know what's beautiful about this? In Daniel seven-fourteen, the rule is given to Christ. In Daniel seven and verse twenty-seven, the rule is given to us. You know why? Because we are going to rule and reign with our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes on this earth. Isn't that a great day? C.S. Lewis said that what sets this planet off from all others is that this is the visited planet. For two thousand years ago, the rightful king of this universe landed incognito on this earth. You see, they didn't recognize him. He was born in Bethlehem in a manger. They didn't expect him to come that way. They crucified him. But someday he's going to come in great power and glory. We read that every eye shall see him in every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God. And C.S. Lewis said this. He said, this is enemy-occupied territory now. But someday the rightful king is coming, and God has called us to a life of sabotage, to sabotage the rule of Satan and his emissaries. And every time we read our Bible, every time we pray, every time we share the gospel with someone who doesn't know Jesus Christ, We are committing acts of sabotage against the ruler of this age and the prince of the power of the air. Isn't that exciting to be a fifth column waiting for the return of Jesus Christ to take up his rightful place on this planet? Let's pray together.