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Daniel 8

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1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had there seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.

11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Scriptural Confirmations #38

  
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38. 10. The vastation of the good of charity by the falsities of faith is described by the ram and by the he-goat of the goats, by the former of which the good of charity is described (8:4), but that it was thrown down by the he-goat, wherefore it is said that he will cast the truth to the earth, and also take away the continual sacrifice and the habitation of the sanctuary (verses 11-12); that he will rise against the prince of the army and the princes, that is, against the Lord (verses 10, 25); and that he destroys the holy people, that is, the church (verses 24-25) (Daniel 8:1 to the end).

That this prophecy treats of the Christian Church is clear, for it is said, that at the time of the end shall be the vision. That it would take place in the end of his anger, because the vision was for many days (verses 17, 19, 26); and that it was the vision of the evening and the morning (Daniel 8:1 to the end).

In the ninth chapter the future state of the Christian Church is especially treated of, which the Lord the Savior revealed to him; He Himself is there meant by the Lord God (verses 3-4, 7-9, 15-19); also by the Lord (Psalms 110:1), and elsewhere; but by Jehovah God is meant God the Father (Daniel 9:2, 13-14, 20).

By "the destructions of Jerusalem" (Daniel 9:2) is meant the devastation of the church in general; and afterwards by it (verses 25-27) is meant the devastation of the Christian Church, as is clearly evident from the Lord's words (Matthew 24:15).

In verse 25, it treats of the first state of the Christian Church, while it was called Apostolic, thus until the Council of Nice, which was then in straitness of times on account of the heresies of that time. In verse 26 it treats of the second state of that church which was when the Papal power prevailed, in which all the Divine power of the Lord was transferred to the Pope; and the Word was almost buried, and with it all knowledge of the Lord, and all knowledge of the truth. This is meant by the Messiah or Christ being slain. It treats of the third state of that church which is called the Reformation in verse 27. In it the worship of the Lord ceased, because they departed from Him to three Gods from eternity, and thus relapsed into mere falsities, so that not one spiritual truth remains. Therefore it is there called the bird of abominations, desolation, consummation, destruction, and devastation (verse 27); and by the Lord the abomination of desolation foretold by Daniel the prophet (Matthew 24:15).

In the end of the days, for yet the vision is for days (Daniel 10:14).

For yet the end shall be at the time appointed (Daniel 11:27, 35, 45).

Seal the book until the time of the end (Daniel 12:4,9,13).

Michael shall rise up, but it shall be a time of trouble such as was not since there was a nation even unto this time; at that time thy people shall be delivered, everyone that shall be found written in the book (Daniel 12:1).

The intelligent shall shine as the stars (Daniel 12:3). At the appointed time of the stated times and the half time, all these things were to be consummated; and this is called the abomination that devastateth (Daniel 12:7, 11).

That these things have reference to the end of the Christian Church is evident from similar things which are said in Matthew and in Revelation (Daniel 12:1, 2, 7, 10-12), besides other places; and that they are sealed until the time of the end.

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Foundation for their permission to use this translation.