July 23: LEARN TO LOVE TRUTH
“I watched then, because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn was speaking; I watched till the beast was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame.” Daniel 7:11
Daniel sees and hears a continuation of the fourth beast (v.7). No change of character has ensued, as indicated by the second mention of the pompous words which the horn was [still] speaking. This passage (vv.7-11) indicates that the judgement scene sets up to begin (v.9) after the little horn has settled into arrogant and erroneous teachings, as signified by its initial pompous words (v.8). And this judgement scene is still going on as the little horn continues to prattle on in arrogance (v.11).
All during the life of the fourth beast, it is vital to understand that God’s truth overpowers the errors being continuously taught by this little horn power. This is the internal struggle of every individual. Battles are fought and the war won or lost within the heart of each person. People have a tendency to assume that, because of their connection with this group or that group, they are in good standing with the Ancient of Days. But He has made it clear that He is saving people individually. Paul’s statement “And so all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26) is best understood through a clear understanding of the name. When first introduced (see Genesis 32:24-30), the name Israel was given by God to an individual man, Jacob, and it means Overcomer With God.*
The body of followers of the little horn consists of those who prefer to believe pompous words over the Word of God. What Daniel saw in prophetic vision was not this body’s conversion, but its destruction. It was destroyed and given to the burning flame. Paul helps to clarify: There will be unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved…but [instead] had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:10,12b)
“As for the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” (Daniel 7:12) This contrasts with the life of the fourth beast which will not be prolonged after it loses dominion, as the previous three were. After Babylon’s defeat, its territory and subjects still existed under the Medes and Persians. Later, the Persian kingdom became subjects of Greece; and then Greece came under Rome’s dominance. But what is to follow the fourth kingdom? There is not another state or government coming over which mortal man will preside. The lion merged into the bear, the bear into the leopard, and the leopard into the dreadful, terrible, exceedingly strong (v.7) Rome. There are pagan philosophies and superstitions from the previous three that are found in the fourth, which is to be cast into a lake of fire. Now is the season, and now is the time to depart from error and learn to love truth.
Therefore “Come out and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you.” 2 Corinthians 6:17
* Israel was the name given to Jacob after he struggled with God and made the decision to cling to Him instead of his former worldly ways. Grow your faith as you find forgiveness for your failures and promises for the Lord’s faithful ones in His Word. Be sure to look closely at the promises to each Overcomer in chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation! The currently popular emphasis among mainstream Christians on national Israel in the Middle East, referring only to a geographic boundary or a particular DNA, misrepresents the meaning of the name and the character of God. See also Romans 2:29.