If you have been on this journey through Daniel with us the last seven weeks, you might start feeling tempted to stop and read something a little more “understandable” for your family. I mean what are these visions? How am I supposed to explain these to my family? Can’t I just read the more “relevant” parts of the New Testament? I confess, I have felt this way. But, let me encourage you to stay with us! Stay with us other parents have felt the same way, who, like you, have grown weary on this path of family worship.

Daniel 7 is indeed a tough passage and an understandable place to start feeling this way. But Daniel 8 is a great place to keep trudging along. Daniel 8 is another chapter of a strange vision, but ends with a word of comfort saying that even Daniel did not understand its meaning.

The reality is real. “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you” (Gen. 4:7) and for your family. This is not a “for” that roots for you, but a “for” that roots you out. And we as parents must rule over the temptation to stop. We must rule over the lie that we must be able to explain everything to our family when we sit down around the Scriptures, and we must continue to take up and lead. Read. Pray. Sing. That’s it. Sow. Ask. Water. Be faithful to what you’re responsible for, and trust God to be faithful with what only He can do.

John Rogers attends Connection Community Church (C3) in Rowlett. John serves as the Children's and Family Pastor and as an elder. John and his wife Chassidy are passionate about teaching good doctrine and stumbling along side parents to make disciples of children. They have two children: Sophia and Josiah.

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Day 1: Daniel 8:1-4

Weekly Catechism:

Q35: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?
A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.

READ:

[1] In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. [2] And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. [3] I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. [4] I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
-Daniel 8:1-4 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

Suggested Question: There is something very important about visions in the Bible: The people who see them, don’t go looking or seeking them. They always come to them. Did this vision come to Daniel or did Daniel do something special to receive this vision? If it was sent to him, then who do you think sent it?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer: God thank you that you chose to reveal this vision to Daniel.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

Day 2: Daniel 8:5-8

Weekly Catechism:

Q35: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?
A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.

READ:

[5] As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. [6] He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. [7] I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. [8] Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
-Daniel 8:5-8 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

Suggested Question: In the last section we saw a ram coming from the east. In this section we see a goat coming from the west. What did the goat do to the ram?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer: God thank you that visions reveal important things about the future.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

DAY 3: Daniel 8:9-14

Weekly Catechism:

Q35: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?
A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.

READ:

[9] Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. [10] It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. [11] It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. [12] And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. [13] Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?” [14] And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
-Daniel 8:9-14 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

Suggested Question: Bad things seem to be happening here. It says that truth is thrown down. What is truth? Why is truth so important?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer: Jesus you are the way, you are the truth, and you are the life.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

Day 4: Daniel 8:15-17

Weekly Catechism:

Q35: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?
A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.

READ:

[15] When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. [16] And I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” [17] So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
-Daniel 8:15-17 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

Suggested Question: Daniel wanted to understand the vision. Who came to him? When Daniel saw him what did he do?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer: Lord, thank you that you help us understand truth.

SING:

Play or sing a family favorite worship song, hymn, or kids church song.

Day 5: Daniel 8:18-27

Weekly Catechism:

Q35: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through faith alone, where does this faith come from?
A: All the gifts we receive from Christ we receive through the Holy Spirit, including faith itself.

READ:

[18] And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up. [19] He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end. [20] As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. [21] And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king. [22] As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. [23] And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. [24] His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. [25] By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. [26] The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
[27] And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.
-Daniel 8:18-27 (ESV)

Teach/Talk: Talk about what you observe from this passage. What stands out to you? What can we learn?

Suggested Question: Gabriel helped Daniel understand the vision, but did Daniel fully know what it was all about?

PRAY:

Pray through the text and for your family’s specific needs.

Suggested Prayer:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
-Romans 11:33-36 ESV