In keeping with the overall theme throughout Daniel (and my series of posts) that God is indeed sovereign, holy, omnipotent, etc. And also in keeping with the idea that all things have their very being in Him, I posit these last set of thoughts for my conclusion based on what I have seen in Daniel 7.
I suppose the obscene truth of Daniel 7 and Scripture that relates to the Little Horn is a truth of ontological parasitism (hence the subtitle this paper). The idea of ontological parasitism is essentially a conjecture that a thing or being can only have its existence because of the being or existence of another first. It is the original Augustinian argument for the existence of evil. Evil itself is not a thing but rather and absence of a thing or being. Evil is ontologically dependent. It is dependent on a Sovereign God. God...who gave everything at the cross and Satan and his agent...who try to take everything by sucking the life or meaning out of it. Sometimes things just need to be quarantined, removed and killed before they cause more damage.
Colossians 1:17 ~ “And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”(ESV)
Hebrews 1:3 ~ "He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." (ESV)
Evil is the absence of good just as cold is the absence of heat. What we see in the entire scope of history are parasites feeding off the life of something originally created good or systems created God. An intended theocracy becomes in lessening degrees a human democracy, hegemony, oligarchy, monarchy, tyranny, anarchy, etc. as it falls away from the Most High God.
The Little Horn only exists because of his satanic impetus or momentum and because he feeds off of the evil empires that give him his existence. If there is no empire, there is no object to subjugate and persecute. These Empire in turn are only allowed to continue to exist by the Sovereign hand of God. Had God not even created the Earth, people, and allowed empires, Satan and the Little Horn would have nothing to corrupt and take over for periods of time. The very existence of these leeches is allowed in the end for the ultimate purpose of God’s glory through the salvation of His people, which ironically, are integrally involved in this story of Daniel’s visions. Without God allowing even the smaller aspects of this scenario the Little Horn and Satan are powerless to do anything. Without God, they really have no point of being or reason for existence…therefore they are parasites. I mean good grief man! --The Little Horn even comes into being as parasite and gestates and grows consuming the very thing he arises from! He ends up taking over the whole system with the underlying satanic intent to destroy it!
In the case of Satan and his puppet the “Little Horn/Antichrist” God will not allow this as a just God cannot allow evil or injustice to triumph or last forever (or he would not be sovereign or just). He therefore destroys the one that would dare blaspheme and attack the Most High God directly (or at least try to). Like humanity at-large even the Little Horn/Antichrist has a choice but like anything else turned over to its wickedness it will continue a long slow spiral away from a holy God. By his own hand Little Horn will defeat himself by pursuing his wicked ways, evil and sin. What we see in the Little Horn is the sum end result of a complete apostasy based in freewill or freedom to choose. He is given over to it (a la Romans 1). The same is true of Satan in the end. God will inevitably intervene in justice and will end the control of satanic megalomaniacal tyrants including Satan himself. These two evil beings given over to ultimate wickedness and depravity knows no bounds so God will have to put an end to them, both will be cast into the fire. This will be followed by the ushering in of His Kingdom with His saints. The Most High God will literally wipe the slate clean and begin to build the foundation again on the Cornerstone...Jesus Christ to whom was given, "dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed." Daniel 7:14 (ESV)
Praise to His glorious name! Jesus Christ! δόξα !!
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Bibliography
ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Bibles, 2008. Print.
Hill, Andrew E. “Daniel,” in Daniel-Malachi, Vol. 8 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary. Ed. Garland, Tremper Longman III & David E., and general editors. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2008.
Lucas, Ernest. Daniel. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2002.
McGee, Dr. J. Vernon. Proverbs-Malachi. Vol. 3 of Thru the Bible. Nashville,TN: Thomas Nelson, 1983. 524-606. Print
McLaughlin, Vince. "Daniel 4C." Class lecture, Valley Forge Christian College, January 9, 2012.
McLaughlin, Vince. "Daniel 6B." Class lecture, Valley Forge Christian College, January 9, 2012.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. “Daniel,” The Bible Knowledge Commentary: an Exposition of the Scriptures. Ed. Walvoord, Roy B Zuck & John F., and Dallas Seminary Faculty. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1985. 1343-1375. Print.
Walton, John H., Victor H. Matthews, and & Mark W. Chavalas. “7:1-28 Vision of the Four Beasts” The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic, 2000. 740-742. Print
Walvoord, John F. “Daniel’s Vision of Future World History,” Daniel : The Key to Prophetic Revelation. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 1989. 145-176. Print
Wiersbe, Warren W. “Daniel 7: Thy Kingdom Come,” Old Testament: The Prophets, Vol. 4 of The Bible Exposition Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Victor, 2001. 282-285. Print
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