Daniel 8: The King’s Business
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Written on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 and posted today as a Favorite . . . Even when – and perhaps especially when we are in the midst of darkness, we must arise to be about the King’s business . . .
In the vision I was looking and saw myself . . . I looked up and saw . . .
The symbols in this oracle were understood by the ancient people; we will need a bit of explanation. Scholars tell us that the two-horned ram is the combined kingdoms of Medes and Persia, and these were destroyed by Alexander the Great. The swiftly advancing goat is the Macedonian army; the horn between its eyes is Alexander. The little horn in verse 9 represents Palestine. The host of the heaven is either God’s people or angels, and the prince is God himself. The sin here is the placement of the statue of Antiochus – the abomination – in the Jerusalem temple; the end time is the day when God will judge the nations. The beautiful land is Judea. It is clear that the pagan ruler Antiochus is seen as challenging heaven itself. Daniel is to keep this vision secret for a time; further emphasizing the mystery already engendered by the many symbols.
As I was watching . . .
In the book of Daniel we have a series of oracles and stories along with the appearance of the Son of Man, the one who prefigures Christ and whose title is used to describe Jesus. This particular oracle is laden with symbolism and foretells without equivocation the future of Daniel’s people. It foretells our own future as well.
When I had seen the vision I tried to understand it . . .
When we dream, either in our sleep or in our waking, we envision the life we wish to have, the person we wish to be. Sometimes our imaginings are close to reality and other times not so much.
I was overcome . . .
We carry the vision of our possibilities within, expecting that the goodness comes to fruition, hoping that the darkness does not overcome the small aura of light we manage to engender. Conserving our energy and working from the synergy created by our solidarity with other faithful we arise. We unite with one another in Christ to go about the business of building the kingdom, knowing that the king has taken us all well in hand.
And then I arose and went about the king’s business.
A re-post from September 27, 2011.
Image from: http://www.rajeshsetty.com/2008/10/27/diwali-wishes-and-a-related-thought/
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