Deeper Reflection
By the “third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king” (v.1), the Babylonian Empire was weakening with the rise of Medo-Persia. God’s people were anticipating the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile (Dan 9:1; Jer 25:12) and looking forward to good times ahead as promised in the prophets. But Daniel 8 tells them that things are going to get worse. Yet, things getting worse is not the final word. It is simply because “it is Heaven that rules” (Dan 4:26).The self-magnifying “small horn” “removed the regular sacrifice from Him” – from God Himself (v.11), and “trampled” “the holy place” with its unholy feet (v.13). But this arrogant blasphemous power is limited and short-lived. After “2,300” days, “the holy place will be properly restored” (v.14). God has the final say. No one can remove from God His things permanently. And the seemingly all-powerful “small horn” “will break without being touched”⁶⁸ by any human hand (v.25). It is like the Antichrist being slain by the breath of the Lord (2 Thess 2:8).The “small horn” “will fling truth (emet) to the ground” (v.12) by destroying the Scriptures. But this is countered by “the vision…which has been told” – the Word of God – “is true (emet)” (v.26). The “vision” will be fulfilled. The Word of God never fails (Isa 55:10-11). In the posttruth world, however truth – even if it is God’s truth – is flung to the ground, the truth of God prevails. And “the church of the living God” is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).

---

⁶⁸ John E. Goldingay, 195