Prophecy in Daniel: A last Fierce-looking King

by Kosonen 30 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Kosonen

  There is an unfulfilled prophecy in Daniel about the last king that will be broken without human hand. The prophecy says he will be fierce-looking, deceptive, efficent in his doings, smart and causing ruin to many. And he will exalt himself. And he will persecute the holy people.

  Do you recognize any politician that is already displaying such qualities?

  Here is one of a few prophecies about him in Daniel 8:23-25

  “And in the final part of their kingdom, as the transgressors act to a completion, a fierce-looking king who understands ambiguous sayings will stand up. His power will become great, but not through his own power. He will bring ruin in an extraordinary way,and he will be successful and act effectively. He will bring mighty ones to ruin, also the people made up of the holy ones. And by his cunning he will use deception to succeed; and in his heart he will exalt himself; and during a time of security he will bring many to ruin. He will even stand up against the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human hand.
  
• 

  freemindfade

  Working as an attendant at the conventions I saw the ruin this king caused to the holy people! Yuck. I was always like what the hell I can't smoke but these fat bastards can sit here horfing down loads of factory farmed low grade fast food!?
  
• 

  sir82

  Do you recognize any politician that is already displaying such qualities?

  Donald Trump?
  
• 

  DJS

  Do you recognize any politician that is already displaying such qualities?

  No, but something tells me you are about to make it all clear and identify said politico. If I had to guess this OP is going to be a Far Right X-tian Fundie End-of-Time Sunday School lesson for those of us in the dark.

  And you get to fill us all in with your sageness and your knowledge of all things scripture and prophecy and how you have a direct link to the big girl in the sky and knowledge no one else to this point has obtained.

  But please, continue. I'm trying to be kinder and gentler.
• 

  FadeToBlack

  >> Do you recognize any politician that is already displaying such qualities?

  Ok. I'm in. Give me Putin and I'll raise you 20....
  
• 

  freemindfade

  Who is any politician since the beginning of politics who fits this vague biblical description that would allow anyone to squeeze any politician they felt into said description as long as it was convenient to their own eisegesis agenda.

  Not a friendly place here for Eschatology unless this is meant to be humuours
• 

  Viviane

  There is no prophecy in Daniel that has ever been fulfilled.

  With regard to this prophecy, I do not know of any king now ruling that fits this description.
• 

  freemindfade

  Well hello pumpkin, should you have said in any of the Daniels (plural)? Unless I am mistaken and you know what a slacker I am and I trust you to correct me if I am, weren't there 3 version of Daniel? and the modern bible has the least crazy sounding of the 3?
• 

  CalebInFloroda

  Viviane is 100% correct.

  First of all, the Book of Daniel is not found in the “Prophets” section of the Hebrew Scriptures. It contains personal visions given to kings and Daniel himself, but since it contains no oracles for Israel, it is not considered a book of prophecy. Daniel is found in the “Writings” instead.

  Jews did not consider dreams and visions to be fundamental to prophecy as prophecy had to be publicly issued among the Jews with a verified fulfillment to be considered “prophecy.” Visions are personal, not public, and do not qualify as oracle pronouncements. That being said, the visions of Daniel concern only the time leading up to the Seleucid period of persecution and its demise.

  Jewish and Christian (and even historical) scholars agree that the writings are not foretelling the future but employing a narrative genre known as “apocalyptic composition.” This type of genre used the backdrop of dreams and images as devices to give commentary and opinion regarding current political intrigue. They are similar to today’s “talking heads” on news outlets who interpret what the news “means,” specializing in offering opinion regarding politics and intrigue stirred up by the same. Since freedom of speech did not exist in ancient times, apocalyptic composition was employed.

  The “visions” were all fulfilled before Jesus of Nazareth walked the earth, and in fact lead up to the events that are now celebrated by the Jews at Chanukah. The “king” mentioned is Antiochus Epiphanes whose attempt to dedicate the Second Temple to Zeus by sacrificing a pig on the altar was met with the rebellion of Judas Maccabeus.
• 

  Viviane

  Unless I am mistaken and you know what a slacker I am and I trust you to correct me if I am, weren't there 3 version of Daniel? and the modern bible has the least crazy sounding of the 3?

  There was Daniel, Daniel with some extra stuff, then an addition to Daniel hundreds of years later. The modern Bible is an amalgamation of all three.