Daniel 8 (6)

Introduction
Where men will not submit to the truth of God, they will be ruled by the lies of men. Gabriel explained to Daniel that this would be the case under Antiochus, who would rule over an administration of lies and deceit. His lying to himself and all those “under his rule” would lead him to challenge the authority of God, which he did by presuming to “redecorate” the temple with his own preferred deity and sacrifices, and by seeking to erase the Word of God from Israel. His fate would be the fate of all who choose the lie over the truth.

Meditate on Psalm 12.

Read Daniel 8.25-27.

Think it Through
1.  What makes something true or false? How would David (Ps. 12) answer that question? Why are rulers, like Antiochus Epiphanes, inclined to lie to and deceive the people they rule? How can you see that such lying and deceiving often leads rulers to assume the place of God, as the ultimate definers of right and wrong, good and evil, truth and falsehood? What happens to people who disagree with or oppose such rulers? What is the Christian’s duty with respect to truth in matters of governance, public policy, and elected officials?

2.  Antiochus was removed from rule “without human means.” He died of “natural causes” before the Maccabees could dethrone him. What does that phrase, “natural causes”, suggest? Meditate on Ephesians 1.11 and Acts 12.20-24. Are there such things as “natural causes”? Explain. God sets kings up and brings them down, and any cause He uses to that end is certainly more than merely “natural”. Antiochus offers a variety of lessons. First, he shows us we should guard our hearts (v. 25). How can we do this? Second, his life is a warning about thinking we know better than God how anything in our lives should go. Explain. Why do you suppose this vision affected Daniel so viscerally (v. 27)? Does your reading of God’s Word ever affect you like this? Should it?

Meditate
“If there was no one who could interpret it, how was it that the angel interpreted it in the previous passage? What he means is that he had heard mention of kings and did not know what their names were; he learned of things to come, but he was tossed about with uncertainty as to what time they would come to pass. And so he did the only thing he could do: he marveled at the vision and resigned everything to God’s omniscience.” Jerome (347-420 AD)

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1.24, 25

Lord, I am sometimes tempted to exchange the truth of your Word for the lies of the world and my own lusts. Whenever I sense this happening, help me to…

Pray Psalm 2.1-3
Let the Spirit search your heart, mind, and conscience. Are you harboring any lies that might lead you to rebel against God’s truth?

Psalm 2.1-3 (Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High!
Why do the nations vainly rage,
Conspiring together from age to age?
Earth’s kings and all of their counselors stand
Against the Lord and His Right Hand:

“Now let us cast His yoke below,
His Kingdom authority overthrow!
Throw off His Law, reject His Word;
No more be governed by this Lord!”

T. M Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.