FRIDAY, MAY 25
Daniel 8:1-4, 20
2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“… the inward man is
renewed day by day.”

THE RAM WITH TWO HORNS

God’s Spirit came upon Daniel in the palace at Shushan and gave him a new vision. Notice that unlike in Daniel 7:1, this was not a night-vision in a dream, but a day-vision, fully awake. God can come to His servants whether asleep or  awake, but they must be attuned to His Spirit to be the recipients of His message. What lay ahead? The answer was in the vision. Babylon’s days were numbered. A new power was rising in the east, a ram with two horns. It was an extraordinary animal, exceedingly ferocious and powerful. It advanced in three directions: to the west, north and south. Nothing could stand in its way, not even mighty Babylon.

Daniel was perplexed by the peculiar vision, so he asked and Angel Gabriel explained: The ferocious ram with two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The higher horn which came up last represents the Persians who, under Cyrus, were elevated above the Medes, the lower horn. This dual monarchy of Medo-Persia was the up and coming world power. Gabriel’s authoritative interpretation supplies the vital clues to the understanding of the two dreams (in Dan 2 and 7). The breast and arms of the great image (Dan 2:32, 39), and the bear with three ribs in its mouth (Dan 7:5) are clearly identified as Medo-Persia. Its conquest was in three directions: northward in the direction of Media, westward into Asia Minor and Greece, southward into Babylon and Egypt. Cyrus overran the great Babylonian empire and carved out for himself the greatest empire the near eastern world had ever known. Its territory was approximately double that of the Babylonian empire.

What lesson can we learn from the ferocious ram? It is a picture of unregenerate human nature: covetous, lustful, violent (James 4:1). A second lesson: men’s lusts know no limits. The second world empire exceeds the first, the third exceeds the second, and so on. A third lesson: no human empire stands for ever, it is only for a limited period before another takes over. Men’s empires are so fragile and transient. Ours too!

THOUGHT: What is my hope for the future?
PRAYER: Lord, fix my eyes on the unseen eternal things.