Scripture to Read: Daniel 8:15–27
In Daniel 8:15–19, Daniel “sought to understand” the vision God showed him. In Daniel 8:20–25, God gave Daniel the interpretation of the vision. Note that Daniel chose to diligently seek an answer. Sadly, today, too many who claim to be Christians in America choose to be apathetic toward hungering for God’s Word. Many don’t have an appetite for God’s Word because they’ve filled their minds with worldly stuff through the internet and their appetite for God’s Word has been lost. God tells us in 1 Peter 2:2, “like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” Like a baby hungers for the milk of its mother, we must diligently hunger for God’s Word to know Him and what He has for us each day. God sent the angel Gabriel to give Daniel the interpretation of Daniel’s vision. Gabriel says in Daniel 8:17, “understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” Gabriel spoke of the end of the empire of Greece because that’s the context of the vision. In Daniel 8:20–21, we’re reminded that the ram is the Medo-Persian Empire and the goat is the Greek Empire. In Daniel 8:23–25, God had Daniel write about Antiochus Epiphanes’ reign. Antiochus brought horrible persecution against the Jews. But Antiochus was simply a pawn carrying out the agenda of Satan (2 Corinthians 2:11, Ephesians 6:11–12) to eradicate the Jewish people. Daniel 8:26–27 gives the time frame and reveals how Daniel suffered, knowing his Jewish brothers and sisters would suffer.
Challenge & Application
• Daniel diligently sought to know what the vision meant; so, how do you diligently seek God and His Word each day?
• Why is it vital for us to seek God and His Word each day, and what happens when we don't?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!