Daniel 8 Life Group

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Five Stones Church Our Purpose is to encourage people to know God and to take their next step with Him. Which will result in our Vision…Christ followers that are changing the community and the world by actively living out their faith. The majority of the Life Group Questions this week come John MacArthur’s Bible Study on the Book of Daniel Text: Daniel 8 The Big Idea: You can trust God even when His plans create fear and uncertainty Group Intro What’s one of the craziest predictions about the future that you’ve ever heard on the radio, seen in a movie or read in a book? In your Christian studies how much attention have you given to the End Times? Life Group Questions What types of animals did Daniel see in his vision and what were they doing? Where do the creatures fit in relation to the dreams of Daniel 2 and 7? What did you learn about the “little horn” that comes from one of the four horns of the goat?

How does history confirm the statements found in Daniel 8? 
 Read 2 Thessalonians 2 . What does Paul say must occur before the Second Coming of Christ? Why do you think Daniel became afraid and collapsed when Gabriel came near?

In the message one of the application points was that we should allow what we know about the future to impact how we live today? What steps can you begin to take to live your life with more purpose? What is the value of studying prophecy in Scripture? How can it benefit a Christ Follower? How can it hinder a Christ Follower? The word of God tells us that the saints will be removed prior to the wrath of God to come, but we are never told that we won’t go through trials and tribulations prior to the Rapture. On the contrary, we are told by our Lord Himself that we will face much persecution, hatred, and menacing times.” Have you reached a place in your Christian Maturity that you can face these dark days? In what areas do you need to take some steps to prepare for those dark days that lie ahead for our world? To what extent and to what purpose will you prepare? When Joel Rosenberg writes, Pray for peace, but prepare for war, what do you think that means ?

The world as we know it is coming to an end. Not because some madman will push a button. Rather, the end is near because God has a plan. We can take comfort knowing that our Sovereign God is in control even to the smallest detail. I’m sure in your conversation the issue of “Prepping” has surfaced. The action of storing up food and supplies etc. Just know that the best prepping is going on right now. “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. (John 14:3)

BACKGROUND ON THE PASSAGE: The Book of Daniel can be divided into three broad sections: (1) the personal background of Daniel the prophet (1:1–21); (2) the prophetic course of Gentile dominion (2:1—7:28); and (3) the prophetic course of Israel’s destiny (8:1—12:13). We now turn to this third topic. Chapter 8 reveals Daniel’s vision of a ram and a goat. The ram is a picture of the MedoPersian Empire, the two horns standing for the two entities (the Medes and the Persians) that merged into one. The goat represents Macedonian Greece with its great horn, Alexander, who with his army of thirty-five thousand men moved with such speed that he is pictured as not even touching the ground. His death (in 323 b.c.), and the division of his world empire among his four generals are prefigured. The chapter also prophetically outlines the career of Antiochus Epiphanes (175–164 b.c.), called the “little horn,” who, in his idolatry and desecration of the temple, would foreshadow the little horn of chapter 7, that is, the Antichrist (see Revelation 13). Only with the help of the angel Gabriel was Daniel able to interpret this vision. It serves as a great reminder of the faithfulness of God. Not even when God’s covenant people are under divine discipline does He forsake them. On the contrary he deals patiently with them and will ultimately bring them to a place of unparalleled blessing. John MacArthur, Daniel: God’s Control over Rulers and Nations, MacArthur Bible Studies (Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group, 2000), 78.