“While I was considering the horns suddenly another horn, a little one, came up among them, and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. There were eyes in this horn like a man’s and it had a mouth that spoke arrogantly.” Daniel 7:8 HCSB
Today’s verse is part of a vision that Daniel had about the end times. The first six chapters of Daniel presented visions and dreams that provided a historical account of the terrible condition (both physically and spiritually) of the people of Israel. The last six chapters presented encouraging words and revelations about the end times. God is in control of our evil and sinful world even when we may doubt His existence. The ten horns represent the ten nations that will rise to power in the end times. They will form a pact and a treaty together. The little horn represents the Antichrist who will rise to power at the end of the world and deceive people (read 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Revelation 13;5-6). He will destroy three of the other kingdoms and become very arrogant and proud.
This revelation provided Daniel with a vision that God was in control and in the end He would have victory. Evil persists in our world and threatens Christians in many ways. In John 16:33 Jesus warned His disciples that they would face evil in the world but that He had overcome the world and the evil in it.
Challenge: Be assured that God is in control and that the Antichrist and the evil of the world will not win in the end. Pray for God to give you the strength to resist temptation. Pray that you can withstand life’s pressures and remain faithful, even in trying and difficult circumstances.