Rams and Goats and Beasts, Oh My!

Summary

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Podcast Summary: Christ in Prophecy – "Rams and Goats and Beasts, Oh My!"

Host: Tim Moore & Nathan Jones
Date: March 9, 2026

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Overview

This episode of "Christ in Prophecy" titled "Rams and Goats and Beasts, Oh My!" delves deep into the prophetic visions in the Book of Daniel, interpreting their symbolic meaning and relevance for today. The hosts, Tim Moore and Nathan Jones, encourage believers to engage with biblical prophecy, dispelling fears about its complexity and highlighting the hope these prophecies offer—ultimately focusing on Christ's eternal kingdom and the signs leading up to His return.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Encouragement to Study Bible Prophecy

• Prophecy Is Not "Too Hard"
  • Many dismiss Bible prophecy as impenetrable, but the hosts stress that with prayer, diligent study, and guidance from the Holy Spirit, anyone can understand it.
  • "You believe it, you will understand it, you know." – Nathan Jones [00:53]
• Literal Interpretation vs. Spiritualizing
  • The hosts advocate a literal reading to avoid confusion or speculative interpretations.
  • Reference to Henry Morris: "Even Revelation is not hard to understand." – Nathan Jones [00:35]
• Prophecy isn't just for scholars; it is meant to encourage and inform all believers.

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2. Review of Daniel’s Visions: The Statue and the Beasts

• Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue—Daniel 2 [02:23–04:27]

  • Statue represents the succession of Gentile world kingdoms:
    • Head of Gold: Babylon
    • Chest & Arms of Silver: Medo-Persia
    • Belly & Thighs of Bronze: Greece
    • Legs of Iron & Feet of Iron and Clay: Rome and future revived Roman Empire
    • Stone Absent Human Hands: The eternal kingdom of Messiah (Jesus Christ)
    • "The stone grew and became a mountain and filled the entire earth. And it was the Messiah's kingdom." – Nathan Jones [04:13]

• Daniel’s Vision of Four Beasts—Daniel 7 [17:23–19:15]

  • Lion with Eagle’s Wings: Babylon
  • Bear with Three Ribs: Medo-Persia
  • Leopard with Four Wings/Heads: Greece and its division after Alexander
  • Terrifying Beast with Iron Teeth and Ten Horns: Rome (and its ultimate future revival)
  • Little Horn: Foreshadowing of Antichrist

• Symbolism of Degradation in Metal Value but Increase in Strength

  • "As it goes down to silver, bronze, iron, and then clay, you see a diminishing of value, yet the empires get stronger and stronger." – Nathan Jones [05:31]

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3. God’s Sovereignty and the Coming Kingdom

• Even while human society and its systems degrade (social entropy), God's promise is unchanging.
• "Adam and Eve were much wiser, much more intelligent than us." – Tim Moore [06:25]
• For believers, hope lies in becoming part of Christ’s unshakeable, everlasting kingdom, not earthly ones.

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4. Contemporary Application: What’s Going on Today?

• Focus on the Middle East—Peace and Prophecy

  • Ongoing turmoil in Israel and its region mirrors biblical prophecy; there is no true peace until Christ, the "Prince of Peace," reigns.
  • "Although there is rumors of peace... there really is no peace because the hatred and animosities are so ingrained." – Tim Moore [10:05]
  • Discussion of prophecy in Ezekiel 38–39 and the potential for a sudden invasion during a time of deceptive peace [10:53–11:46].

• Global Tensions: Political & Economic

  • The world is longing for a strong leader amidst chaos, which foreshadows the coming rise of the Antichrist.
  • "They don't want Donald Trump. But we see those in Europe... clamoring for a strong leader... the Antichrist will offer to do." – Tim Moore [11:46]
  • Rising debt and financial instability could drive the world toward a new economic order, ripe for a single ruler to emerge [12:38].

• Rise of Surveillance and Technology

  • Technology enables unprecedented control over peoples' lives, echoing biblical warnings (Revelation 13) of the Antichrist controlling buying/selling.
  • "Grocery stores now enabling facial recognition... everywhere there's databases tracking you..." – Nathan Jones [13:30]
  • Caution about sacrificing freedoms for convenience—a tool Satan might use to increase control.
  • "We do need to be wary to read the word of God... to understand there are times when we simply can't go along with what the world is trying to perpetrate." – Tim Moore [14:06]

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5. Detailed Exegesis: Rams, Goats, and Beasts (Daniel 7–8)

• Review of Animal Symbolism in Daniel’s Visions

  • Daniel 8:
    • Ram with Two Horns: "Represents the kings of Media, Persia." – Tim Moore [19:15]
    • Shaggy Goat with Large Horn: "Represents the kingdom of Greece... the large horn... is the first king [Alexander the Great]." [19:15–20:09]
    • Prophecy accurately foreshadows Alexander’s conquests and the division of his kingdom into four parts [20:09].
  • Out of Greece’s Four Generals—Another Little Horn
    • Ultimately, from these historical empires emerges the final "little horn," the Antichrist, connected to a revived Roman Empire and end-times events.
    • "He will rise up, he will conquer what we know today as the European Union and eventually the world." – Nathan Jones [18:26]

• Scriptural Consistency

  • Both Daniel and Revelation's visions reinforce each other, emphasizing the integrity of God's message across centuries.
  • "The consistency of scripture over dozens of authors and thousands of years. This consistency should greatly encourage us as we study these prophecies." – Nathan Jones [15:41]

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6. Encouragement and Application for Today

• Daniel as a Role Model
  • Daniel’s character is unstained—he prays, fasts, intercedes selflessly, prefiguring Christ’s ultimate role.
  • "Throughout his extensive biblical biography, there is no record of a character flaw or moral failing." – Tim Moore [22:40]
• No Fear for Believers
  • Despite frightening beasts and scenes of judgment, those in Christ are assured: "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1).
  • "If you belong to Jesus Christ, you have nothing to fear from the Antichrist or any of Satan's schemes, or from the ancient of days." – Tim Moore [22:40]
• Call to Action
  • Study the prophecies, pray for understanding, trust the Holy Spirit, and ensure your relationship with Jesus is secure.
  • "Don’t let the complexity of Bible prophecy and symbols keep you from the hope they contain." – Tim Moore [22:40]
  • Echo the longing of Revelation 22:20: "Come, Lord Jesus."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "[About prophecy] You believe it, you will understand it, you know."
  – Nathan Jones [00:53]

• "There's a degradation of the capability of mankind... the point being, we are wearing out as a species, mankind. And yet those who have put our trust in Christ know... we are already part of his kingdom."
  – Tim Moore [06:25]

• "He will rise up, he will conquer what we know today as the European Union and eventually the world."
  – Nathan Jones [18:26]

• "If you belong to Jesus Christ, you have nothing to fear from the Antichrist or any of Satan's schemes, or from the ancient of days."
  – Tim Moore [22:40]

• "Don’t let the complexity of Bible prophecy and symbols keep you from the hope they contain. Study God's word, pray for understanding, and trust the Holy Spirit to eliminate these truths."
  – Tim Moore [22:40]

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Key Timestamps

• 01:15 – Introduction to Daniel’s vision: "Rams and Goats and Beasts. Oh, my."
• 02:23–04:27 – Recap of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue dream and summary of world empires.
• 06:25–07:31 – Discussion on humanity’s and civilization’s decline.
• 10:05–11:46 – Middle East peace, Ezekiel 38–39, and signs of prophecy.
• 12:38–14:06 – Financial collapse, rise of technology, and implications for control.
• 17:23–20:09 – Detailed explanation of animal visions in Daniel 7–8.
• 22:40 – Final encouragement: No fear for believers, call to ready faith, and focus on Christ's eternal kingdom.

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Conclusion

The episode underscores that, while the prophetic books—filled with symbolic imagery of rams, goats, and beasts—might seem daunting or frightening, they are ultimately messages of hope for believers. By grounding interpretation in scripture and trusting the Holy Spirit, Christians can move past confusion and fear to joyful anticipation of Christ's soon return. The hosts remind listeners to remain vigilant, hold fast to God’s promises, and echo the scriptural hope: “Come, Lord Jesus.”

Transcript

[Tim Moore]

A common complaint about Bible prophecy is that it's hard to understand. People assume it's beyond their grasp, so they stop without giving it much more thought. But here at Christ in Prophecy, we encourage you to seek understanding with the help of diligent study in the Holy Spirit, you can understand Bible prophecy. After all, God gave us his word because he wants us to know. I'm Tim Moore, director and senior evangelist for Lamb and Lion Ministries, joined by Nathan Jones, our Internet evangelist. Together we're continuing a series called Inquiring Minds, explaining Bible passages that puzzle many believers.

[Nathan Jones]

While we acknowledge some concepts require careful study, prayer, and the Holy Spirit's guidance, we're convinced that a literal interpretation keeps us from going down rabbit holes or spiritualizing away what God wants us to grasp. As Henry Morris wisely said, even revelation is not hard to understand.

[Tim Moore]

It was.

[Nathan Jones]

You believe it, you will understand it, you know.

[Tim Moore]

Another complaint leveled against Bible prophecy, especially Revelation, is that it is too scary, filled with beasts and frightening scenes. Now we'll concede that for unbelievers, there is holy terror awaiting them at the judgment. But for those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ, there is no condemnation and therefore no need to be frightened.

[Nathan Jones]

With that in mind, today we are returning to Daniel's vision of beasts with a lesson titled Rams and Goats and Beasts. Oh, my God. Borrowing from that famous line of the wizard of Oz. While some may look at these passages and say, oh my, I don't want anything to do with it, we're not skipping. There's much to understand about the future from these prophetic passages. If you'd like to know more about Bible prophecy, we invite you to our [e-mail] or download our Lamb and Lion app. You'll find a wealth of information to help you understand God's prophetic word. And if this program has been a blessing to you, please click that donate button. Of course. Okay, we'll be back in just a moment.

[Narrator/Announcer]

In addition to this broadcast, Christ in Prophecy offers a fascinating weekly TV program that digs deeper into God's prophetic word. Christ in Prophecy TV airs on several networks and online to give you a biblical perspective on unfolding events, find out what's happening with AI, Middle Eastern politics, the United States, and so much more when you watch Christ in Prophecy TV, available now at christinprophecy.org

[Tim Moore]

well, last week we talked about Daniel's visions of beasts, and this week again, we're reviewing the rams and goats and beasts because there's so much to unpack in what Daniel reveals things that are still manifesting in our own day and age. And to understand Daniel 7 and 8, we must first recall the vision from Daniel, chapter 2. Nebuchadnezzar's vision or dream of a great statue. The dream revealed the succession of Gentile kingdoms that dominated the world during the times of the Gentiles. So, Nathan, let's go back through that statue.

[Nathan Jones]

You know, it's a wonderful story. You have this king, Nebuchadnezzar, the ultimate authority of Babylon. And he's troubled by this vision he had in his dream. And so he calls very occultic at that time period, all the enchanters and sorcerers and Daniel, and he calls him, and he says, knowing that a lot of them are frauds, he says, okay, I don't want you to just interpret the dream. I want you to tell me what the dream was. They were in a panic. Daniel said, okay, don't worry, I'm going to go to God and I'm going to pray and get the answer. And he did. And he then went to Nebuchadnezzar and amazed him by revealing what he dreamed and its interpretation. And this is what he dreamed. He saw a magnificent statue, massive statue with a head of gold, which he would interpret to be Babylon. Chest of silver and arms were the Medo Persian Empire. Replaced then by the belly or thighs of bronze, which is the Greeks under Alexander the Great. Then the iron legs which would represent the Roman Empire, which would split in two, which it did in history, and end up with feet, which is a mixture of iron and clay. A revival of that Roman Empire when the world will finally be divided into 10 regions. But he also saw this. He said he saw a stone, and he says, not cut by human hands. And it came coming out of the sky and it hit the statue and blew it up and the dust blew away. And that stone grew and became a mountain and filled the entire earth. And it was the Messiah's kingdom. The kingdom of Christ would destroy that Gentile rule, government and succeeding empires and replace it with an everlasting kingdom.

[Tim Moore]

And yet all of this grandeur is contrasted with the series of visions we talked about last week. When Daniel sees a sequence of beasts representing the same kingdoms, but regardless of the nature of those kingdoms, obviously Medo, Persia being the silver chest in arms, as you said, Nathan, Greece being the bronze belly and thighs, and the Roman Empire being the iron legs, which will give way eventually to a revived Roman Empire with ten kingdoms. The divine kingdom is represented by that stone. And in Daniel 2:44. Daniel reinterprets and says, in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which, which will never be destroyed. And that kingdom will not be left for another people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. I'm so encouraged that not only did God provide a vision that we can look back with hindsight and recognize, but he also pointed to a coming kingdom, and that being the kingdom of God under the lordship and reign of Jesus Christ.

[Nathan Jones]

That's a good point. You know, our friend Al Gist, he's an evangelist from Louisiana, he has this wonderful presentation about this statue. And something that he taught that really wowed me was the fact that when you look at the metals of the statue, they go from a very vital, a very rich, expensive metal, gold, but as it goes down to silver, bronze, iron, and then clay, you see a diminishing of the value of that metal. Yet the empires get stronger and stronger. And so it's the point for the fact that when you look at Nebuchadnezzar as king, he was the ultimate authority. He was judge, jury and executioner. But the next government, the Medo Persian Empire, it operated by laws, same with Alexander the Great. Then you get the Roman Empire, which had a senate, you can see a delusion of that power until again, you get Christ's kingdom, where we have the ultimate monarch, but a perfect divine monarch.

[Tim Moore]

Yeah. You know, the other thing that we can say, again with the advantage of hinds, is we sometimes think that we're living in a day and age that exceeds all the others. I think part of the problem with our culture is that we dismiss the wisdom of the former ages and we judge them according to our own culture, our own contemporary moment. But in reality, there's a degradation of the capability of mankind. Things are not as glorious as they used to be. I actually believe, Nathan, that Adam and Eve were much wiser, much more intelligent than us. I mean, goodness, Adam had to name all of the animals. I think we've had social entropy or breaking down of civilization and society. And individually we are wearing down. I mean, we have much more physical ailment today than I think our forebears did, even though they didn't have all the sanitation and medicines and everything else we have. The point being we are wearing out as a species, mankind. And yet those who have put our trust in Christ know that the true King of kings is coming and we are already part of his kingdom, the kingdom of God.

[Nathan Jones]

You're Right. Not only is the human body degrading, but we're seeing societies degrading. Even with our wonderful technology and our better health as a society, we can't get anything done because there's so many voices. The days of Nebuchadnezzar being the ultimate authority are gone. But we look forward to the day when the ultimate king, King Jesus, returns. He is a monarch, but a benevolent monarch. We're going to live in a theocratic monarchy, Tim, for the millennial kingdom going forward. And all his decisions are perfect. And just because he is perfect.

[Tim Moore]

You know, you talk about multiplicity. My favorite example of multiplying a person is Calvin and Hobbes. When Calvin made copies of himself.

[Nathan Jones]

Duplicator.

[Tim Moore]

Yeah, the duplicator. And he assigned all the other little Calvins to do the chores, but inevitably they created havoc that he took the blame for. Well, folks, we don't have to have someone else copied to be our servant or to take the blame for us. There is one who has already taken the blame for each and every one of us who puts our trust in him, and that is Jesus Christ. And so you don't need another mini you. You need the Lord God Almighty in the person of Jesus Christ. Well, in the midst of this terrifying vision, Daniel sees something magnificent. A courtroom scene in heaven itself where the ancient of days takes his seat as the Son of man. Yes, we've just been talking about him, approaches to receive an everlasting kingdom. So there's more to come. But next we're talking about today's headlines in a segment called what's really Going On, Folks. Stay with us. And as we've said already, if these programs are a blessing to you, if you've become a listener of Christ in Prophecy Radio, we would encourage you to share that good news. And if you'd be interested, help us pay it forward so that other listeners, other audiences, other lives can be impacted for the Kingdom of God. We'll be right back.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Swipe away the endless bad news and open up our Lamplighter magazine to discover your blessed hope. Our bi monthly magazine sheds God's light on today's headlines through powerful articles written by men and women who love God and His word. Find out what's really happening and how you can have hope in Christ. The Lamplighter magazine is available in print, email and downloadable formats. Request your copy when you go to

[Nathan Jones]

christinprophecy.org welcome back to Christ in Prophecy Radio. I'm Nathan Jones. I'm here with Tim Moore, and we're at the segment that's titled what's really Going On? Well, folks, the whole world's focus seems to be on the Middle East. What is going on over there? Will there ever be peace? President Trump says that he's brought eternal peace to the Middle East. Is that true? What does the Bible prophesy?

[Tim Moore]

Well, obviously, if we turn our attention to the Middle east, we see that although there is rumors of peace, in fact peace, peace, as President Trump might be saying, there really is no peace because the hatred and the animosities are so ingrained. And yet this is just a microcosm of what's happening around the world. And so all of these things have prophetic implications. Yes, Israel will not see peace until the prince of Peace reigns. But there is also an alliance, so to speak, coming together in the old Roman Empire, where nations are realizing that for economic prosperity, they need to realign, they need to break down some of the barriers, and they need to be, as you said earlier, at hegemony against the rest of the west, even as the European empire, that new re established Roman Empire.

[Nathan Jones]

Yes. You know, we've been trying to get to Israel on tours every year, and this year we've got one coming up in 2026. And Tim, you can tell us more a little about that later. But one thing about that is the fact that there hasn't been peace in the Middle east over the last few years because of Israel's response to dealing with the hostilities, Hamas and Hezbollah and all that. So folks are looking at now and saying, okay, 2026 seems to be a year of peace, a time where Israel is at rest. And a lot of folks in the prophecy circles looking to Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, it prophesies a Russia leading an Islamic coalition against Israel. But as a precursor to it, Israel is at a time of peace. They're not expecting this great invasion from Russia, Iran, Turkey and the Islamic world. So we're wondering and what are your thoughts, Tim, on are we in that peace now? Could that be that peace that leads up to that great invasion?

[Tim Moore]

I think we are about to the place that Israel, if it were to see Iran move away from its animosity, in other words, a true re establishment of some kind of common sense in Iran that we haven't seen now for 50 years, that Israel would feel relatively secure and it could begin to let down its guard. So, yeah, we see all these things coming together. We also see a rise in global tensions. You know, in spite of what seems to be a little bit of moment of Buoyancy here in America, there is much unrest around the world. And the world continues to clamor for someone to lead it. They don't want Donald Trump. But we see those in Europe who are clamoring for a strong leader who would emerge to lead them out of the chaos and to lead them to greater days. And that's exactly what the Antichrist will offer to do.

[Nathan Jones]

And it's not just political turmoil and tension, but it's also financial. Tim, I've been reading a lot lately about the economies of most countries in the world. They are bankrupt. They are going under soon. Even the United States, with the money that we got, we are drowning in almost $40 trillion in debt. So we could see that all this debt eventually is going to lead to a global financial collapse with a new empire rising up out of it. And we can feel those financial tensions even now.

[Tim Moore]

We can also see the rise of technology that is enabling global surveillance and control, that is allowing for one person, if they knew the right switch to turn, could shut off anyone's buying and selling capability, controlling the global economy. And so technology as well is another sign that we are entering a period when one person, the Antichrist, as we recognize from scripture, could take over and rule the world. And that's exactly what the word of God says will happen.

[Nathan Jones]

Yeah, we're seeing grocery stores now enabling facial recognition to keep databases of people. The next generation of ring cameras is supposed to have AI facial recognition. Airports used to be that it was optional. Now when I go in, they do facial recognition on me. It'll be nice eventually that it'll make it easier to get in and out of an airport. But to think that everywhere there's databases tracking you, tracking everything you buy and you sell. And we saw that with Justin Trudeau in Canada and the truckers revolt. And is that you can silence opposition just by turning off their money. And that's exactly what we read in Revelation 13.

[Tim Moore]

I think it's a warning to us that sometimes Satan and his minions use convenience or comfort to move us in a direction toward more and more complacency and really more and more control by the devil. And so we have to be resistant. Yes, there are things that do not rise to the level of being prophetically problematic. You know, I have a credit card. I don't think that's a mark of Satan walking around in my wallet. And I use electronic kind of transfers of cash and money. But we do need to be wary to read the word of God to seek the guidance of the Holy spirit and to understand there are times when we simply can't go along with what the world is trying to perpetrate because it's leading us in a direction away from the God that we know to worship and honor. Well, folks, we're going to come right back and continue our teaching on all of the things that Daniel reveals to us regarding rams, goats and beasts, because we're living in a day and age when our response just indeed might be, oh my, they're coming to pass before our eyes.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Studying Bible prophecy is an important practice for Christians who want to mature in their faith. At Lamb and Lion, we've compiled the best resources to help you explore and explain Bible prophecy. Our online store is stocked with insightful books and charts from authors such as Dr. David Reagan, Tim Moore, Nathan Jones, and more. So why not add a good Christian book to your library today or order one for a friend? Understand Bible prophecy better when you visit christinprophecy.org

[Nathan Jones]

welcome back to Christ in Prophecy Radio In Daniel's vision of the Ancient of days and the Son of Man, we glimpse Heaven's throne room. It's similar to what John saw and recorded in Revelation. Something that stands out to me is the consistency of scripture over dozens of authors and thousands of years. This consistency should greatly encourage us as we study these prophecies. Now we're going to go back to Daniel 7 because we're going to look at the throne room of God.

[Tim Moore]

You know, I love this scene that Daniel describes because it's talking about the Son of Man being presented but first in his night vision. So we recognize that he is contemplating the Lord. He's obviously praying. Daniel was one who was intent upon staying connected with the Lord through his prayers and through his worship. And at night he saw the clouds of heaven and one like a Son of man coming up to what he describes as the Ancient of days. We recognize this as the person of the Son and the Father Himself. And the Son is presented before God the Father, and to him the Son was given dominion, glory and a kingdom. We've talked about that before, Nathan. And yet Daniel is seeing something, describing it in past tense that has not yet happened in terms of Jesus exercise exercising that authority. So even in the New Testament, when Satan was able to tempt Jesus by offering him all the kingdoms of the earth, that was a legitimate temptation because they were still in Satan's possession or in his dominion. Jesus is not yet exercising this dominion given to him in Daniel and yet it's described in past tense. What a beautiful picture folks.

[Nathan Jones]

You know, we promise you rams and goats and beasts. Oh, my. So we're going to look at chapter seven and chapter eight, because both of these chapters are filled with prophetic symbols that are represented by animals.

[Tim Moore]

They certainly are. So we kind of went quickly through the vision that Daniel had last week. Let's review that very quickly because we've talked about the great statue, very impressive, that Nebuchadnezzar saw, but Daniel saw from heaven's perspective, a series of beasts. The first beast was a lion with eagle's wings. We know that represents Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar himself was called a lion, as I said in Jeremiah 49, we have the second beast, a bear with three ribs representing Medo, Persia, less majestic than a lion, but also bulky and slower. And those three ribs represent the three major conquests that you shared with us, Nathan. The third beast being a leopard with four wings and four heads. Obviously that represents Greece under Alexander. A leopard is a very fast animal in Alexander's conquest of the known world around the Mediterranean basin and stretching all the way toward the east. Fast. And of course, his kingdom eventually was divided among four generals. And that represents the four wings and the four heads. And that led to the final great and terrifying beast.

[Nathan Jones]

Yes, this was so frightening that Daniel couldn't even compare it to any other earthly animal. He said it had iron teeth, large iron teeth, it had 10 horns, and it had a little horn that rised up among them. Well, I don't know about you, but when I see an animal that has horns, I. One little horn isn't popping up and talking. And so that's what he's seeing here is that again, these are representative of empires, the Roman Empire. Now, we know that around 500 AD or so that the Roman Empire collapsed. But the Bible prophesies that actually it would continue in a fragmented form and then reconstitute in the last days. So the Roman Empire never really died. It's going to be the birthplace of the one world ruler, the Antichrist, who is the little horn. He will rise up, he will conquer what we know today as the European Union and eventually the world.

[Tim Moore]

And that takes us to his next vision in Daniel 8, of a ram and of a goat. And these can be very mysterious in our day and age because we don't spend a lot of time, I would dare say, Nathan, most of us around rams or goats. I've spent a little time around both. But why a ram and a goat? Well, the Bible explains exactly who the ram is. In Daniel 8, 20, it talks about this ram that is butting in different directions with two horns, by the way, representing the kings of Media, Persia. And then in the very next verse, talking about this shaggy goat, it says that that represents the kingdom of Greece. And the large horn that is between his eyes, this goat's eyes, is the first king. That's exactly what was pointed out to Alexander when he came. And he was so impressed that this Hebrew God through this Hebrew prophet, had revealed his ascension as a Greek king ruling a Greek empire. Being the shaggy goat.

[Nathan Jones]

Yeah. So instead of dealing in chapter seven with four empires, Daniel in chapter eight is focusing on two. Specifically the Medo Persian empire, which was the bear in chapter seven, but now is a ram. Two horns. Obviously the Medes and the Persians were worked together to form this empire. They were a two part empire. The Persians today are the Iranians, the Medes are what we call the Kurds today. But there was this, another animal, and this is the goat which was the leopard in chapter seven. And like you said, Tim, it represents Alexander the Great. Now there was a, a lot of bad blood between the Persians and the Greeks. So Alexander was out to destroy the Medo Persian empire as revenge for the battles over the past hundred years. And that's why when he went there in this prophecy, is that this goat just stomped on the ram and destroyed it. And that's exactly what Alexander did to the Medo Persian empire. He utterly obliterated it, put himself in charge, but died very young. And his four generals then took over his empire. And that's why we have this horn break and form into four horns. Because his empire would break into four generals.

[Tim Moore]

Yes, it certainly would. And out of that four generals would rise another little horn. And so one of those four eventually would give way. And we know that this is through another kingdom, that being the Roman Empire. But eventually this little horn would manifest in the person of the Antichrist, who comes to that rebuilt temple during the tribulation halfway through and declares himself to be God. And of course, then all the brakes are out in terms of him coming against the Jewish people. They reject him as being God because they cannot accept it. And so he turns in his rage against them for the last half of the tribulation.

[Nathan Jones]

Well, these prophecies span from Daniel's time to the very end of the age. They demonstrate God's absolute sovereignty over history and his faithfulness to reveal his plans. Most importantly, they point us to Jesus Christ, the son of man, who will receive an everlasting kingdom and that shall not pass away. Well, stay with us. Tim's going to return in just a moment with a word of encouragement.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Recently, a listener named Jim contacted Christ in Prophecy to say, whenever I feel discouraged, your ministry reminds me of the temporary nature of it all and the eternal promises that await us. Thank you for blessing us for so many years. We want to hear from you. Let us know how understanding Bible prophecy has shaped your faith by sharing your [e-mail] contact

[Tim Moore]

other than Jesus Christ himself, Daniel stands as one of Scripture's greatest examples of godly character. Throughout his extensive biblical biography, there is no record of a character flaw or moral failing. Like Christ, Daniel exhibited selfless love when he took personal responsibility for his people's sins, interceding for Israel through intense prayer and fasting. But only one person has truly intervened on behalf of humanity, Jesus Christ. He didn't merely pray for us, he became the sacrifice for our sins, dying in our place so that we could live eternally. The same Jesus who Daniel saw approaching the ancient of days to receive dominion and glory is the one who offers you salvation. Today, the world wants for a leader. As a matter of fact, in the 1970s, a Belgian prime minister said, what we want is a man to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such a man, and be he God or devil, we will receive Him. Folks, the Antichrist will come to fulfill that expectation and that hope. But for those of us who have trusted in Jesus Christ, we know that there is no substitute for the true Son of Man. Many Christians actually avoid studying passages like Daniel 7:8 because they fear the beasts, the violence and the coming judgment. But here's the wonderful truth. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you have nothing to fear from the Antichrist or any of Satan's schemes, or from the ancient of days. Romans 8:1 declares, Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We're not living in terror of what's coming. We're living in anticipation of our Lord's return. The same stone cut without hands that Daniel saw destroying the kingdoms of this world is Jesus Christ, who will establish his eternal kingdom. I encourage you with this word. Don't let the complexity of Bible prophecy and symbols keep you from the hope they contain. Study God's word, pray for understanding, and trust the Holy Spirit to eliminate these truths. More importantly, make certain you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The prophecies of Daniel assure us that every earthly kingdom will fall, but Christ's kingdom will endure forever. As we see these signs of the times converging around us. Let's echo the words of Revelation 22:20 Come, Lord Jesus. Until he comes, keep looking up, for our redemption is drawing near. Godspeed.