Question 1

Who is Gabriel in this passage and what does he do?

Accepted Answer

In this passage, Gabriel is the angel God sends to help Daniel understand a hard vision. Daniel has seen strange pictures of a ram, a goat, and a cruel ruler, and he is troubled and confused. Then he hears a voice call Gabriel by name and tell him to make Daniel understand. Gabriel comes near, Daniel falls on his face in fear, and Gabriel speaks kindly to him. He explains who the ram and the goat represent, tells of a harsh king who will rise, and reminds Daniel that God has set a fixed end to this trouble.

Question 2

What do the ram and the rough goat represent in Daniel’s vision?

Accepted Answer

The angel explains the symbols very clearly. The ram with two horns stands for the kings of Media and Persia, the empire that came after Babylon. The rough goat stands for the kingdom of Greece. The large horn between the goat’s eyes is the first great king of that Greek empire. After that horn is broken, four horns rise up, meaning four weaker kingdoms that come out of that one nation. This picture shows that human power rises and falls, but it all happens under God’s rule and timing.

Question 3

Who is the king of fierce countenance in this prophecy?

Accepted Answer

The “king of fierce countenance” is described as a harsh and crafty ruler who appears later in the history pictured by the goat. He comes when people’s sins have grown full. He is strong, but his strength is not really his own, because God still rules over him. He uses deceit, attacks mighty ones and the holy people, and even dares to stand against the Prince of princes. Many understand this to point to a cruel ruler from the Greek kingdoms who badly harmed God’s people and their worship.

Question 4

What does it mean that he shall be broken without hand?

Accepted Answer

The words “he shall be broken without hand” mean that this fierce king will not fall mainly by human strength or ordinary means. His end will come under God’s direct rule. Just as his rise was allowed by God, his fall is also in God’s hands. This is a way of saying that no matter how proud or powerful a ruler becomes, God can bring him down in a way people would not expect. It is a warning to the proud and a comfort to those who suffer under unjust power.

Question 5

Why does Daniel faint and get sick after the vision?

Accepted Answer

Daniel’s reaction shows how heavy this vision is. He is afraid when Gabriel comes near, falls on his face, and even sinks into a deep sleep on the ground until the angel touches him. After hearing about long seasons of anger, cruel rulers, and suffering for the holy people, Daniel is overwhelmed. He faints and is sick for several days. This reminds us that real encounters with God’s truth can be weighty and hard to bear. Yet after some time, he gets up again and goes back to doing the king’s business.

Question 6

What is meant by the last end of the indignation?

Accepted Answer

The “last end of the indignation” points to a set period when God allows anger and trouble to fall, especially through this cruel king, and then brings it to an end. It shows that God’s anger against sin and unfaithfulness is real, but it is not without limit and not without purpose. There is a fixed boundary to how long such judgment will last. This gives both a warning, because sin brings God’s anger, and also hope, because God himself sets a time when the suffering of his people will stop.

Question 7

Why is Daniel told to shut up the vision for many days?

Accepted Answer

Daniel is told to shut up or seal the vision because it concerns days that are still far off. The events about Media, Persia, Greece, and the fierce king would not happen right away. Sealing the vision does not mean hiding it forever, but keeping it safe until the time when people will need to understand it more fully. It shows that God’s word can speak to future generations, not just to the first hearers, and that his plans unfold on his own timetable, not ours.

Question 8

What does this passage teach about God’s control over history?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God is in charge of history, even when empires rise and fall and a cruel ruler hurts God’s people. God names Media, Persia, and Greece long before their time, shows how one great king will be broken, and how four weaker kingdoms will follow. He allows a fierce king to gain power and harm the holy ones, yet says clearly that this ruler’s strength is not really his own and that he will be broken without hand. God sets both the time of indignation and the time of its end.

Question 9

How can believers today apply the message of this vision?

Accepted Answer

Believers today can see in this vision that God is not surprised by evil rulers or seasons of suffering. He knows the details ahead of time, limits their reach, and promises an end. This can help us endure when we see injustice and feel weak. Like Daniel, we can seek understanding, pray for wisdom, and still be faithful in our daily work, even when we do not grasp everything. The passage also warns against pride and deceit, showing how God brings down those who exalt themselves against him and his people.

Daniel 8:15

¶ And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

Interpretation of the Vision

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Daniel 8:15

¶ And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

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Gabriel Interprets Daniel’s Vision

Interpretation of the Vision

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