Speaker 1: He was such a powerful prophet that even after his death,
Speaker 1: his legacy continued, shaping entire empires. Daniel, the man who
Speaker 1: survived the Lion's den and interpreted dreams that made kings tremble,
Speaker 1: left a trail of prophecies that unfolded across the centuries.
Speaker 1: What happened after this spiritual giant closed his eyes for
Speaker 1: the last time, seven events marked the ancient world, fulfilling
Speaker 1: exactly what he had foretold. Daniel, already advanced in age,
Speaker 1: had served faithfully under the Babylonian and Persian kingdoms. According
Speaker 1: to historical and biblical records, he lived until he was
Speaker 1: about eighty five years old, dying in Susa in Persia
Speaker 1: during the Empire of Cyrus. His last recorded words in
Speaker 1: scripture were but you Daniel shut up these words and
Speaker 1: sealed the book until the time of the end Daniel
Speaker 1: twelve four. With these words, he sealed prophecies that would
Speaker 1: remain as a guide for future generations. The Bye does
Speaker 1: not describe Daniel's death in detail, but we know he
Speaker 1: reached an age considered long for his time. Taken as
Speaker 1: a youth into Babylonian exile, he witnessed the fall of
Speaker 1: Babylon and the rise of the Persian Empire, serving various
Speaker 1: foreign monarchs with integrity. His last recorded position was as
Speaker 1: one of the three administrators who governed under King Darius
Speaker 1: of Persia. While Persian officials prepared his body for burial
Speaker 1: according to the customs of the time, the royal palace
Speaker 1: was immersed in sincere mourning. Even though he was a
Speaker 1: Hebrew in a foreign land, Daniel had won everyone's respect
Speaker 1: for his wisdom, integrity, and unique connection with the God
Speaker 1: of Israel. Few knew, however, that his prophecies were only
Speaker 1: beginning to unfold. First shocking event the precise fulfillment of
Speaker 1: his prophecy about the return of the Jewish exiles to
Speaker 1: their homeland. As Daniel had foretold in chapter nine of
Speaker 1: his book, King Cyrus of Persia issued a decree allowing
Speaker 1: the Jews to return to Jerusalem. This decree came about
Speaker 1: seventy years after the start of the exile, exactly as
Speaker 1: Daniel had interpreted from the words of the prophet Jeremiah.
Speaker 1: Cyrus's edict stated thus, says Cyrus, King of Persia, the
Speaker 1: Lord God of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms
Speaker 1: of the earth, and has charged me to build him
Speaker 1: a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever among
Speaker 1: you belongs to his people, let him go up, and
Speaker 1: may the Lord his God be with him Ezra one,
Speaker 1: two three. This official document circulated through all the provinces
Speaker 1: of the Empire, causing a stir among the Jewish exiles.
Speaker 1: As the news spread among Jewish communities in Babylon and Persia,
Speaker 1: many recalled Daniel's words. He had accurately predicted not only
Speaker 1: when it would occur, but also who would serve as
Speaker 1: God's instrument for this liberation. Entire families began preparing for
Speaker 1: the long journey back to a land many knew only
Speaker 1: through stories told by per parents and grandparents. Second impact
Speaker 1: the reconstruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Daniel had prophesied
Speaker 1: about the restoration of Jerusalem, including the sanctuary. Under the
Speaker 1: leadership of Zerubabel and with the encouragement of the prophets
Speaker 1: Hagai and Zechariah, the returning Jews began rebuilding the temple
Speaker 1: amid great difficulties and opposition from neighboring peoples. Who among
Speaker 1: you saw this house in its former glory, and how
Speaker 1: do you see it now? Is it not as nothing
Speaker 1: in your eyes, Hagai two three. These words from the
Speaker 1: prophet Hagai expressed the feelings of the elders who remembered
Speaker 1: the splendor of Solomon's temple. However, Daniel's prophecy assured them
Speaker 1: that this second temple, though less magnificent in appearance, would
Speaker 1: be more glorious in meaning. Progress was slow, each stone
Speaker 1: laid was a victory against adversaries who constantly sought to
Speaker 1: halt the work. Letters sent to the per Persian king
Speaker 1: by the enemies nearly succeeded in bringing construction to a
Speaker 1: complete stop, but Daniel's sealed words kept coming to pass
Speaker 1: even when it seemed impossible. After twenty one years of hardship,
Speaker 1: the temple was finally dedicated, marking the fulfillment of another
Speaker 1: prophetic vision left by the man who had served foreign
Speaker 1: kings without ever forgetting his commitment to the king of kings.
Speaker 1: Third remarkable event the rise and fall of the Persian Empire,
Speaker 1: just as he had foreseen in his symbolic visions recorded
Speaker 1: in chapter eight of his book. Daniel had seen a
Speaker 1: ram with two horns representing the Medes and Persians being
Speaker 1: defeated by a swift goat coming from the west, representing
Speaker 1: the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great. While I was
Speaker 1: considering this, behold, a male goat came from the west
Speaker 1: across the face of the whole earth, without touching the
Speaker 1: ground Daniel eight five. This detailed depiction of the speed
Speaker 1: and power with which Alexander w conquered the ancient world
Speaker 1: was fulfilled when, in three hundred thirty one before Christ,
Speaker 1: the Persian Empire was definitively overthrown by the Greeks at
Speaker 1: the Battle of Gaugamela. In the royal halls of Persepolis,
Speaker 1: now occupied by Greek governors, people recalled Daniel's ancient writings
Speaker 1: with astonishment. How could a man have predicted so precisely
Speaker 1: more than two hundred years earlier the fall of the
Speaker 1: greatest empire the world had ever known. As Hellenism spread
Speaker 1: rapidly throughout the region, changing customs, languages, and traditions. People
Speaker 1: realized that the world was following exactly the course Daniel
Speaker 1: had drawn out in his visions. Inspired by God. Fourth
Speaker 1: impact the division of the Greek Empire after Alexander the
Speaker 1: Great's death. With extraordinary accuracy. Daniel had prophesied and the
Speaker 1: goat became exceedingly great, But when he was at his strongest,
Speaker 1: the great horn was broken, and in its place four
Speaker 1: notable horns arose toward the four winds of Heaven. Daniel
Speaker 1: eight eight in three hundred twenty three before Christ, Alexander
Speaker 1: suddenly died in Babylon at thirty two years of age.
Speaker 1: After years of internal struggles among his generals, his vast
Speaker 1: empire was divided among four of them. Cassander took Macedonia
Speaker 1: and Greece, Lysimachus took Thrace and parts of Asia Minor
Speaker 1: Seleucus took Syria and Babylon, and Ptolemy took Egypt and Palestine.
Speaker 1: The Jews, who were familiar with Daniel's prophecies, observed these
Speaker 1: events with awe. The precision with which the division into
Speaker 1: four took place could not be mere coincidence. Some scribes
Speaker 1: in Jerusalem began studying Daniel's sealed writings more closely, realizing
Speaker 1: that if these prophecies were coming to pass with such exactness,
Speaker 1: the others would also be fulfilled at the appointed time.
Speaker 1: Fifth significant event the emergence of Antiochus, the fourth Epiphanes
Speaker 1: and his persecution of the Jews. Daniel had predicted the
Speaker 1: rise of a cruel king from the north, the Seleucid
Speaker 1: dynasty of Syria, who would persecute God's people. A king
Speaker 1: of fierce countenance shall arise, who understands riddles. He shall
Speaker 1: destroy the Mighty and the Holy people Daniel eight twenty
Speaker 1: three twenty four. In one hundred sixty seven before Christ,
Speaker 1: Antiochus desecrated the temple in Jerusalem by erecting an altar
Speaker 1: to Zeus and sacrificing pigs on the sacred altar. He
Speaker 1: banned circumcision, sabbath observance, and possession of sacred writings, punishing
Speaker 1: with death those who disobeyed his orders. This abomination of
Speaker 1: desolation mentioned by Daniel became a terrible reality for the
Speaker 1: faithful Jews. Many of those who sleep in the dust
Speaker 1: of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and
Speaker 1: some to shame and everlasting contempt Daniel, twelve two. During
Speaker 1: this period of intense persecution, many Jews were martyred for
Speaker 1: their faith, remaining steadfast in the teachings of their ancestors.
Speaker 1: The family of the Maccabees led a revolt against Antiochus,
Speaker 1: driven by the conviction that Daniel's prophecies guaranteed divine protection
Speaker 1: to those who stayed faithful in times of tribulation. Sixth
Speaker 1: profound impact the purification and rededication of the Temple, an
Speaker 1: event Daniel had foreseen when he spoke of the restoration
Speaker 1: of the sanctuary after its desecration. After three years of war,
Speaker 1: Judas Maccabeus and his followers reclaimed Jerusalem and purified the
Speaker 1: defiled temple until two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings.
Speaker 1: Then the Sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state
Speaker 1: Daniel eight fourteen. This prophecy was fulfilled when, in one
Speaker 1: hundred sixty four before Christ, the Temple was purified and
Speaker 1: rededicated to God's service. This event is still commemorated today
Speaker 1: by the Jewish people during the festival of Hannaka, remembering
Speaker 1: how the Menora light miraculously stayed lit for eight days
Speaker 1: with only enough oil for one. As the celebration spread
Speaker 1: throughout Jerusalem, the priest's recited passages from Daniel's book, acknowledging
Speaker 1: how his sealed words had guided the people through dark times,
Speaker 1: the exactness with which he had predicted not only the
Speaker 1: desecration but also its precise duration and subsequent purification strengthened
Speaker 1: the faith of many who had wondered whether God was
Speaker 1: still with his chosen people. Seventh significant event the rise
Speaker 1: of the Roman Empire, the fourth beast of Daniel's vision
Speaker 1: in his prophecy about four successive world empires. After the Babylonian,
Speaker 1: the Meadow, Persian, and the Greek, Daniel describes a fourth
Speaker 1: kingdom strong as iron, because iron breaks and crushes everything
Speaker 1: Daniel two forty. In sixty three, before Christ Pompey conquered Jerusalem,
Speaker 1: bringing Judea under Roman rule. When the Roman legions marched
Speaker 1: on Jerusalem, scripture scholars recognized the arrival of the fourth Beast,
Speaker 1: described by Daniel terrifying, dreadful, and exceedingly strong. It had
Speaker 1: great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and
Speaker 1: stamped what was left Daniel seven seven. Roman domination over
Speaker 1: Judea signified the fulfillment of another layer of Daniel's prophetic visions.
Speaker 1: As the Romans implemented their system of government, taxation, and law,
Speaker 1: the Jews realized they were living in the period Daniel
Speaker 1: had called the time of the End for many of
Speaker 1: his prophecies. This understanding created a climate of Messianic expectation
Speaker 1: that permeated Jewish culture in the following years. During the
Speaker 1: Roman period, many Jewish religious groups intensified their study of
Speaker 1: Daniel's prophecies, especially the prediction about the seventy weeks Daniel
Speaker 1: nine twenty four, twenty seven. This complex prophecy indicated the
Speaker 1: timing of the coming of the Messiah called the Most Holy.
Speaker 1: Groups such as the Asscenes, who lived in isolated communities
Speaker 1: near the Dead Sea, dedicated themselves to copying and studying
Speaker 1: Daniel's writings. They believed they were living in the last
Speaker 1: days mentioned in the prophecies, and prepared themselves for the
Speaker 1: Messiah's arrival. The Pharisees debated intensively the exact meaning of
Speaker 1: the seventy weeks, calculating dates and watching for signs of
Speaker 1: the times. Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and
Speaker 1: your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an
Speaker 1: end to sin, to atone for iniquity, to bring in
Speaker 1: everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and profit, and to
Speaker 1: anoint a most holy place Daniel nine twenty four. This
Speaker 1: prophecy created an atmosphere of expectation among devout Jews, who
Speaker 1: awaited the precise moment when the Anointed One would appear
Speaker 1: to deliver Israel. Amid Roman oppression and polit political tensions
Speaker 1: in Judea, various messianic movements emerged inspired by Daniel's prophecies.
Speaker 1: Some were led by charismatic figures who proclaimed themselves the
Speaker 1: fulfillment of these Messianic expectations, often leading revolts against Roman authority.
Speaker 1: Daniel's words about the son of Man who would receive
Speaker 1: eternal dominion Daniel seven thirteen fourteen fueled hopes of political liberation. However,
Speaker 1: many misunderstood these prophecies as promises of an immediate earthly
Speaker 1: kingdom that would defeat Rome by military force. I saw
Speaker 1: in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven,
Speaker 1: there came one like a son of man, And he
Speaker 1: came to the ancient of days, and was presented before him,
Speaker 1: and to him was given dominion and glory, and a
Speaker 1: kingdom that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. Daniel,
Speaker 1: seven thirteen fourteen. The tension between spiritual and political interpretations
Speaker 1: of this passage caused divisions among various Jewish factions, each
Speaker 1: holding its own view of how the Messianic kingdom would manifest.
Speaker 1: In the midst of this atmosphere of Messianic expectation, Jesus
Speaker 1: of Nazareth was born. His teachings frequently referred to Daniel's prophecies,
Speaker 1: particularly when he used the title Son of Man for
Speaker 1: himself and spoke of the Kingdom of God that was
Speaker 1: coming not as a political domain, but as a spiritual reality.
Speaker 1: During his ministry, Jesus explicitly cited Daniel when speaking of
Speaker 1: future events. So when you see the abomination of desolation
Speaker 1: spoken of by the prophet Daniel standing in the Holy
Speaker 1: Place Matthew, twenty four, fifteen. This direct reference shows how
Speaker 1: Daniel's prophecies remained relevant and awaited further fulfillments even centuries
Speaker 1: after his death. The crucifixion of Jesus around four hundred
Speaker 1: ninety years seventy weeks of years after art Exerx's decree
Speaker 1: to rebuild Jerusalem, was seen by many early Christians as
Speaker 1: the exact fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy concerning the time when
Speaker 1: the Messiah would be cut off Daniel nine twenty six. Thus,
Speaker 1: the life and death of Jesus became part of the
Speaker 1: ongoing unfolding of the prophetic visions sealed by the ancient
Speaker 1: Babylonian prophet. The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem in
Speaker 1: the year seventy of the Common Era by the Romans
Speaker 1: marked another striking fulfillment of Daniel's words. He had prophesied,
Speaker 1: the people of the Prince who is to come, shall
Speaker 1: destroy the city and the sanctuary Daniel nine twenty six.
Speaker 1: When the Roman legions under Titus besieged Jerusalem and finally
Speaker 1: took the city, setting fire to the Temple and tearing
Speaker 1: down its structures, Christians and many Jews recognized in these
Speaker 1: tragic events the literal fulfillment of the prophetic words Jesus
Speaker 1: had warned his followers about this imminent dist struction, basing
Speaker 1: his warning on Daniel's prophecies. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus
Speaker 1: recorded that more than one million Jews died during the
Speaker 1: siege and fall of Jerusalem, and around one hundred thousand
Speaker 1: were taken captive. The dispersion of the Jews around the world,
Speaker 1: known as the diaspora, that intensified after this event, also
Speaker 1: aligned with Daniel's predictions about what would happen to the
Speaker 1: Holy People in the latter days. Daniel's prophecies about the
Speaker 1: time of the end continued to influence both Judaism and
Speaker 1: Christianity in the centuries that followed. His visions of kingdoms
Speaker 1: that would rise and fall, periods of persecution and the
Speaker 1: final resurrection became central to the development of eschatology, the
Speaker 1: study of last things in both religious traditions. During periods
Speaker 1: of Christian persecution in the Roman Empire, Jesus followers found
Speaker 1: solace in Daniel's words. At that time shall arise Michael,
Speaker 1: the great Prix Vince, who has charge of your people,
Speaker 1: And there shall be a time of trouble such as
Speaker 1: never has been since there was a nation until that time.
Speaker 1: But at that time your people shall be delivered, every
Speaker 1: one whose name shall be found. Written in the book
Speaker 1: Daniel twelve, one the earliest Christian commentaries on Daniel, written
Speaker 1: by figures such as Irenaeus of Lion and Hippolytus of Rome,
Speaker 1: interpreted the prophecies as descriptions of church history and foreshadowings
Speaker 1: of Christ's return. These interpretations illustrate how Daniel's visions continued
Speaker 1: shaping religious understanding long after his death. The spread of
Speaker 1: Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond was seen by
Speaker 1: many as an additional fulfillment of Daniel's vision of God's kingdom.
Speaker 1: Daniel had described a stone cut out by no human hand,
Speaker 1: that would destroy earthly kingdoms and grow until it filled
Speaker 1: the whole earth Daniel, two thirty four thirty five. As
Speaker 1: Christian communities emerged in various parts of the known world,
Speaker 1: even under intense persecution, many interpreted this expansion as the
Speaker 1: unfolding of the stone that became a great mountain. Emperor
Speaker 1: Constantine's conversion in the early fourth century and the subsequent
Speaker 1: official acceptance of Christianity seemed to confirm this interpretation. In
Speaker 1: the days of those kings, the God of Heaven will
Speaker 1: set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor
Speaker 1: shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall
Speaker 1: break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to
Speaker 1: an end, and it shall stand forever Daniel, two forty four.
Speaker 1: This prophecy continued to inspire Christian missionaries, who took their
Speaker 1: faith to new lands, believing they were establishing the eternal
Speaker 1: kingdom Daniel had foreseen. Daniel's prophecies significantly influenced the development
Speaker 1: of Jewish and Christian apocalyptic literature texts such as the
Speaker 1: Book of Enol, The Apocalypse of Barruch, and the Sybilline
Speaker 1: Oracles followed Daniel's visionary and symbolic style, exploring similar themes
Speaker 1: about humanity's ultimate destiny and God's final victory over evil.
Speaker 1: In the New Testament, the Book of Revelation by John
Speaker 1: presents numerous parallels with Daniel, including visions of symbolic beasts
Speaker 1: representing political powers, tribulation periods for the faithful, and the
Speaker 1: final promise of resurrection and reward. These connections demonstrate how
Speaker 1: Daniel's visions served as a foundational model for later apocalyptic literature.
Speaker 1: Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined,
Speaker 1: But the wicked shall act wickedly, and none of the
Speaker 1: wicked shall understand, But those who are wise shall understand
Speaker 1: Daniel twelve ten. This distinction between those who perceived the
Speaker 1: signs of the times and those who remain in spiritual
Speaker 1: ignorance became a recurring theme in apocalyptic literature influenced by Daniel.
Speaker 1: During the Middle Ages, Daniel's prophecies continued to be studied
Speaker 1: and interpreted by Jewish and Christian scholars commentators such as
Speaker 1: Jerome Augustine and Thomas Aquinas devoted considerable attention to the
Speaker 1: Book of Daniel, viewing his visions as a prophetic road
Speaker 1: map of human history. In Jewish communities, sages like Rashi
Speaker 1: and Mimonodes offered interpretations of Daniel's visions, often linking them
Speaker 1: to contemporary experiences of persecution and hopes for redemption. Jewish
Speaker 1: mystical communities such as the Kabbalists, found profound esoteric meanings
Speaker 1: in Daniel's symbols and numbers. But you, Daniel, shut up
Speaker 1: the words and sealed the book. Until the time of
Speaker 1: the end, many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
Speaker 1: shall increase Daniel twelve four. This passage was often interpreted
Speaker 1: as a prediction about the increase in knowledge and human
Speaker 1: mobility in the last days, inspiring speculation about when exactly
Speaker 1: the time of the end would arrive. The Protestant Reformation
Speaker 1: in the sixteenth century brought renewed interest in Daniel's prophecies.
Speaker 1: Reformers like Martin Luther and John Calvin identified the Roman
Speaker 1: papacy with the little horn of Daniel seven that would
Speaker 1: speak words against the most high and change the Times
Speaker 1: and Law Daniel, seven twenty five. This interpretation contributed significantly
Speaker 1: to a view of history in which the medieval period
Speaker 1: was seen as an era of apostasy, while the Reformation
Speaker 1: represented a return to the purity of the Gospel. Daniel's
Speaker 1: prophecies about persecution and a temporary apostasy followed by the
Speaker 1: final vindication of the faithful offered a framework for understanding
Speaker 1: the religious upheavals of that time. Some of the wise
Speaker 1: shall stumble so that they may be refined, purified, and
Speaker 1: made white until the time of the End Daniel, eleven
Speaker 1: thirty five. Protestants often saw their own martyrs as the
Speaker 1: fulfillment of this prophecy, believing the suffering of the faithful
Speaker 1: was part of the divine plan revealed to Daniel centuries earlier.
Speaker 1: With the arrival of the modern era, Daniel's prophecies continued
Speaker 1: to be interpreted in light of world events. The political
Speaker 1: revolutions of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the rise and
Speaker 1: fall of colonial empires, and the social upheavals of the
Speaker 1: twentieth century were frequently analyzed through Daniel's visions of successive
Speaker 1: world empires. During times of global turmoil, such as the
Speaker 1: Two World Wars. Many turned to Daniel's prophecies for understanding
Speaker 1: and hope. Daniel's apocalyptic language about a time of trouble
Speaker 1: such as never has Been Daniel twelve one, seemed especially
Speaker 1: relevant in an era of unprecedented destruction. Blessed is he
Speaker 1: who waits and arrive at the one thousand, three hundred
Speaker 1: thirty five days Daniel twelve twelve. This and other numerical
Speaker 1: references in Daniel inspired countless attempts at establishing prophetic timelines
Speaker 1: and dates for end time events, showing the enduring power
Speaker 1: of these ancient texts to shape expectations about the future.
Speaker 1: One of the most surprising impacts of Daniel's prophecies was
Speaker 1: their role in the creation of the state of Israel
Speaker 1: in the twentieth century. The promise of national restoration for
Speaker 1: the Jewish people implied in many of Daniel's visions became
Speaker 1: a fundamental part of the Zionist movement that advocated the
Speaker 1: Jews return to their ancestral land. When Israel became an
Speaker 1: independent nation in one thousand, nine hundred forty eight, many
Speaker 1: saw in this event the fulfillment of biblical prophecies, including
Speaker 1: those of Daniel regarding Israel's restoration in the last Days.
Speaker 1: The subsequent Arab Israeli wars and the recapture of Jerusalem
Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty seven were likewise interpreted as developments of
Speaker 1: the prophetic scenarios outlined by Daniel. And many of those
Speaker 1: who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Speaker 1: some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting
Speaker 1: contempt Daniel, twelve two. The national resurrection of Israel after
Speaker 1: centuries of dispersion was viewed by many as a parallel
Speaker 1: to the literal resurrection described by Daniel, a sign that
Speaker 1: history was moving inexorably toward its divine conclusion. Today, Daniel's
Speaker 1: prophecies continue to exert a profound influence on the religious
Speaker 1: and cultural understanding of Jews and Christians worldwide. His visions
Speaker 1: of successive empires, periods of tribulation, and the ultimate triumph
Speaker 1: of divine authority still provide a framework for interpreting contemporary events.
Speaker 1: In a world marked by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East,
Speaker 1: unprecedented technological advances, and complex ethical challenges. Many people look
Speaker 1: to Daniel's words for guidance and hope. His central message
Speaker 1: that God remains sovereign over human history, and that his
Speaker 1: purpose will prevail despite all opposition. Continues to resonate with millions.
Speaker 1: But at the end of the times, many shall rise up.
Speaker 1: Knowledge shall be multiplied Daniel twelve four. This prophecy about
Speaker 1: the increase of knowledge in the last days seems especially
Speaker 1: relevant in our digital information era and in a time
Speaker 1: of exponential scientific progress. As humanity faces unprecedented challenges, Daniel's
Speaker 1: ancient visions still offer perspective and hope, demonstrating the extraordinary
Speaker 1: and lasting impact of this prophet, who, even after his death,
Speaker 1: continues to shape our understanding of history's ultimate meaning.