As I read this portion of the book of Daniel, I marvel that it was written 535 BC, but addressed some of the same things written in Revelation in 95 AD. It talks about the Annointed One (Christ) being rejected and killed by His own people, when obviously that won’t have happened for another 573 years. Also talks about the antichrist and the battle between him and his minions and the powers of God’s army, relayed later in John’s writings in Revelation.

I found it difficult to sort through Daniel’s visions, even when offered the explanations by Gabriel, so I went to my “cheater” bible and other sources to get a better feel for what was going on in those visions. Interesting that one of the “horns” in the vision represented Greece, but Greece as a world power, and Alexander the Great, had not really come to their positions of power until much later in time.

But the main thing I got of these readings was that Israel was still going down the wrong direction and not being righteous and Daniel realized it when Gabriel explained it to him. Daniel prayed fervently to God for mercy and God listened to him. I think that sometimes I need Gabriel to come alongside me and help me to see clearly and act accordingly. Guess I need to work on my prayer life.