The book of Daniel in the Old Testament is full of prophecies about the past, the present and the near future. The predictions about the events that have already largely been fulfilled even contain times, albeit in a prophetic form.
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Most prophecies have already been fulfilled
In addition to the interpretation of “mysterious” dreams of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, the book of Daniel also deals with a whole series of prophecies about future events from the perspective of that time. This includes in particular the descriptions in the book of Daniel chapter 11. Most of the predictions have already been fulfilled.
Only a small part of the prophecies are currently being fulfilled. This also includes the start of the upcoming “grand finale”. It is also interesting to know that the book of Daniel does not contain a mere collection of stories, but has important structures.
The temporal prophecy in Daniel chapter 7
The fourth beast in Daniel 7 means a fourth political power. Looking at written history, one clearly recognizes the Roman Empire as the power after the Greek Empire (the 3rd beast in Daniel 7). The last emperor of western Rome was Romulus Augustus. He ruled until 476 AD. Western Rome was divided into 10 Germanic territories. After the last emperor of the Western Rome left, the power of the local bishop of Rome steadily increased. Since the time of Emperor Siricius (384-399 AD), this bishop was officially called “papa”, i.e. Pope. After the “purifying” First Council of Constantinople (381 AD), he was given the title “pontifex maximus” (“Supreme Bridge Builder”) by the Emperor Gratian (reign 375-383 AD).
3 kings are humbled
With the fall of the Western Roman Emperor, the Pope took political fate into his hands. This even went so far that he used allied kings to attack those Germanic rulers who did not want to recognize the authority of the Pope. These campaigns began with the Heruli tribe. Their destruction was sealed and carried out in 508 AD. This was followed by the Vandal tribe in 534 AD and the Ostrogoths in 553 AD. The Bible predicted the collapse of the Western Rome into 10 Germanic tribes and the destruction of 3 tribes, found in Daniel 7:24:
“And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.”
Historical fulfillment of Daniel 7
In 508 AD the Pope exercised secular or political power for the first time. Just under 30 years later, the new political ruler of Rome was given the title of “corrector of heresy” by the East Roman Emperor Justinian I. This made the Pope the highest religious leader with the power to determine what people should believe. The Pope played this role from the year 538 AD. The “Dark Ages” began. According to the Bible, this condition will last for “three and a half times,” found in Daniel 7:25:
“And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
Catechism is elevated above the Bible
The Catholic Church under the Pope actually changed for its own teachings (catechism) the 10 commandments of God. Added to this was the shifting of the Sabbath from the original seventh day to the first day of the week. At the same time, the command given by God for all people to keep the Sabbath holy was simply redefined as the “Jewish Sabbath” and Sunday was declared the “Lord’s Day”.
In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII changed the former Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar that is still used today. Incidentally, Gregory XIII had depicted a dragon in his coat of arms, but only marginally.
The prophecy reported by Daniel was so accurate that one might think the popes saw Daniel 7:25 as a script to be fulfilled.
The 3:5 times in Daniel 7:25
The three and a half times described in Daniel 7:25 are 3.5 times 360 days, i.e. 1260 days. Prophetic days are counted as years (more). The three and a half times mean 1260 years. This results in an absolute period of rule from 538 to 1798 AD. In this year, Napoleon Bonaparte actually disempowered Pope Pius VI politically. This was removed from St. Peter’s Basilica and was exiled.
The temporal prophecy in Daniel chapter 8
As in Daniel 7, in Daniel 8 verse 9 speaks of a little horn. This horn drives its unholy mischief against the truth of the gospel as well as the believer, as in Daniel 8:11-12:
“Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.”
Note: The translations also contain the word “sacrifice”. However, this does not exist in the original Hebrew – More Info
The “destroyer” in the book of Daniel 8
A renewed description of the “devastator” is found in Daniel 8:24-25:
” And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”
The events relevant to the prophecy
The kingdom of the Medo-Persians, which was dominant in the 5th century BC, allowed the Judeans to return to Jerusalem with the decree of King Artaxerxes I, in order to first rebuild the temple there after its destruction by the Babylonians. The first delegation set up a temporary structure so that the sacrificial service could be resumed. That was in 457 BC. The temple of Jerusalem and its facilities symbolized the heavenly sanctuary. Before the temple was built, the (transportable) tabernacle of the people of Israel served this purpose.
The earthly sacrificial service necessary for the forgiveness of sins was ended by Jesus Christ and His own sacrifice. Jesus’ sacrifice was unique and also final. But this “horn” according to Daniel 7 or “cunning king” according to Daniel 8 took over the “constant” (the paganism of the Romans) and abolished the one-time and everlasting sacrifice of Jesus Christ, banned the biblical truths and introduced his own teachings instead. The paganism disguised as Christianity and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church to this day.
The “Permanent” is abolished
The Catholic catechism only has something in common with the gospel in parts. The one-time and final sacrifice of Jesus is denied by the papacy in that the so-called Eucharist represents a constantly repeated sacrifice of Jesus. It is not even a symbol, but Catholicism insists that this “wafer” truly transforms into the body of Jesus after it has been eaten (transubstantiation). In addition to the multiple new sacrifices of Jesus, quasi-cannibalism also comes into play.
All this with prior adoration of the wafer held high (Babylonian sun symbol, idolatry), accompanied by the “physical presence” of Jesus and the spirits of the deceased “saints”. Occultism, pure spiritism and maximum mockery of Jesus Christ. (more Info)
In Daniel 8, note that the “daily [sacrifice]” in verses 11-13 does not represent the one-time sacrifice of Jesus, but rather the paganism adopted by the Church of Rome (Info).
The course of the 2300 evenings and mornings
The state of “trampling” the sanctuary will not always remain. The sanctuary will one day be cleansed (justified) again, and with that it also literally goes to judgment. With Jesus’ acceptance of service in the heavenly sanctuary as our high priest, the day will also come that was celebrated in the earthly image (task or temple) as the Great Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, 10th Tishrei).
When this will be says Daniel 8:13-14:
“Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
Resumption of Temple Service
With the resumption of temple service in 457 BC and the subsequent 2300 years (evenings and mornings), the year is 1844 AD (arithmetically 1843, but there is no year “0”). The judgment thus began in 1844 and at the same time the 1. Message of the three angels “activated” in Revelation 14. This cleansing or judgment affects only those people who ever professed Jesus Christ. Judgment for the ungodly will take place during the 1,000-year kingdom (Millennium), which, however, will not take place on earth, as is so often wrongly believed.
The fact that the starting point of the prediction of the 2,300-year period refers to 457 BC can again be seen in Daniel 9. Daniel did not understand the description of the 2300 evenings and mornings and asked for an explanation. Daniel also received this in connection with the “precise” prophecy about the appearance and work of Jesus Christ on earth. So in Daniel 9:25:
“Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.”
History shows that the “Decree of the Command” was given in 457 BC.
The temporal prophecy in Daniel chapter 12
Daniel 7 already described the political power achieved by the papacy in 508 AD. This also began what are known as the “abominations of desolation” to destroy the true gospel and those opposed to the papacy and its dogmas. The descriptions in Daniel 12 can also be viewed as a repetition of the prophecies. The events of “the end of time”.
The descriptions 1290 and 1335 days
Daniel 12:11-12:
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”
The manifestation of political power by the papacy occurred in 508 AD. After another 1290 years, the year 1798 was reached. This year the Pope was politically removed from power by Napoleon. With the passage of 1,335 years, the cleansing of the sanctuary was imminent in 1843, as described in Daniel 8:14.
This also ends the prophetic dates in the Bible. However, there are still the event-oriented predictions that will come true until Jesus returns. A few descriptions of the conditions in this world just before the final end are described here.
Bible verses from King James Version
