Daniel 7:25
He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed is that this powerful figure doesn't just oppose God; he "thinks to change times and the law." This isn't merely about rejecting divine authority, but about actively attempting to reorder God's established rhythms and moral framework. The phrasing suggests an internal intention or a grand scheme, highlighting a subtle but crucial distinction between outward defiance and the audacious internal desire to usurp God's role as the ultimate Lawgiver.
Daniel has just seen a vision of four beasts rising from the sea, representing successive kingdoms, with a fourth beast appearing particularly fearsome. He then sees a "little horn" emerge from this fourth beast, which grows powerful and speaks arrogantly. This verse explains the actions and the ultimate, though temporary, success of this horn against God's people.
Ever felt like the world is pushing back against your faith? This verse speaks of an enemy who doesn't just oppose God, but declares war on Him.
The passage describes a power that will 'speak great words against the Most High.' This isn't just casual criticism; it's a direct, arrogant challenge. This enemy will utter blasphemies and try to elevate itself above God.
The Nature of the Attack
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Faith isn't always a battle; sometimes it's a marathon of endurance. This verse reveals an enemy's strategy to wear God's people down.
The enemy's goal isn't just to speak against God, but to actively 'wear out the saints of the Most High.' This describes a relentless, grinding persecution designed to exhaust and break the spirit of believers.
The Strategy of Endurance
Even in the darkest hours, Scripture offers a crucial reminder: this trial has an appointed end.
The verse concludes with a specific timeframe: 'for a time, times, and half a time.' While the exact duration is debated, the prophetic language emphasizes that this period of intense opposition is limited and under God's ultimate control.
Divine Control Over Time
Understand the original words
mallel millin ‘al ‘illaya’ · Aramaic Verb Phrase
To speak blasphemously or arrogantly against God; it signifies a challenge to God's authority, character, or supremacy.
bela' · Aramaic Verb
To exhaust, harass, or persecute continuously, specifically regarding the patience and endurance of God's people under intense suffering.
dath · Aramaic Noun
The divinely established order or religious statutes given by God. Changing them implies an attempt to usurp God's legislative authority over human life and morality.
‘iddan, ‘iddaniyn, uw-phlag ‘iddan · Aramaic Noun Phrase
Refers to a specific, limited period of divine allowance; often interpreted as representing the duration of the persecution of the saints before God intervenes.
This prophecy points to a period of intense persecution by a powerful ruler who blasphemes God, attacks His people, and attempts to abolish their religious laws. The 'time, times, and half a time' likely refers to the approximately 3.5 years of Antiochus IV's most severe oppression, from the Temple's desecration to its rededication, a historical event that deeply impacted the Jewish people and is seen as a precursor to later persecutions throughout history.
c. 175 BC
Antiochus IV Epiphanes Ascends Throne
Antiochus IV, ruler of the Seleucid Empire, comes to power. He would later enact harsh policies against the Jews.
168 BC— this verse
Desecration of the Jerusalem Temple
Antiochus IV desecrates the Second Temple in Jerusalem by offering a pig on the altar and forbidding Jewish religious practices. This act ignites the Maccabean Revolt.
c. 167-164 BC
Maccabean Revolt and Jewish Resistance
Judas Maccabeus and his followers lead a rebellion against Antiochus' oppressive rule, fighting for religious freedom. The persecution of Jews intensifies during this period.
165 BC
Rededication of the Temple
The Temple is cleansed and rededicated by Judas Maccabeus, marking a significant victory for the Jewish people and a turning point in the revolt.
This passage describes a beast with similar characteristics to the 'little horn' in Daniel, speaking blasphemies against God and having authority to wage war against God's people for a limited time.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4This passage speaks of a 'rebel' or 'man of lawlessness' who will oppose and exalt himself above God, even claiming to be God, mirroring the blasphemous speech and defiance of divine authority mentioned in Daniel.
Matthew 24:21-22Jesus speaks of 'a great tribulation' unlike any other, referencing a period of intense suffering. This echoes Daniel's prophecy of the saints being worn out and given into the hand of an oppressor, though Jesus assures these days will be shortened for the sake of the elect.
Daniel 12:7This passage, spoken by the same angel to Daniel, describes a period of time, 'a time, times, and half a time,' during which the 'shattering of the power of the holy people' will come to an end, directly referencing the duration of the oppression described in chapter 7.
Daniel 11:36-37This passage describes a future king who will act with arrogance, exalting himself above every deity and speaking blasphemies, directly correlating with the 'speaking great words against the Most High' and defying divine authority found in Daniel 7:25.
ellicottDaniel 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."
(25) And he shall speak. —The marks of identification of the little horn are—(1) blasphemy of God; (2) persecution and affliction of the saints; (3) attempts, apparently ineffectual (he will “think to change”), against all institutions, whether of Divine or h…
clarkeDaniel 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."
He shall speak great words against the Most High - Sermones quasi Deus loquetur; "He shall speak as if he were God." So St. Jerome quotes from Symmachus. To none can this apply so well or so fully as to the popes of Rome. They have assumed infallibility, whic…
What's easily missed is that this powerful figure doesn't just oppose God; he "thinks to change times and the law." This isn't merely about rejecting divine authority, but about actively attempting to reorder God's established rhythms and moral framework. The phrasing suggests an internal intention or a grand scheme, highlighting a subtle but crucial distinction between outward defiance and the audacious internal desire to usurp God's role as the ultimate Lawgiver.
Daniel has just seen a vision of four beasts rising from the sea, representing successive kingdoms, with a fourth beast appearing particularly fearsome. He then sees a "little horn" emerge from this fourth beast, which grows powerful and speaks arrogantly. This verse explains the actions and the ultimate, though temporary, success of this horn against God's people.
Daniel has just seen a vision of four beasts rising from the sea, representing successive kingdoms, with a fourth beast appearing particularly fearsome. He then sees a "little horn" emerge from this fourth beast, which grows powerful and speaks arrogantly. This verse explains the actions and the ultimate, though temporary, success of this horn against God's people.
"He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a ti…" — What's easily missed is that this powerful figure doesn't just oppose God; he "thinks to change times and the law." This isn't merely about rejecting divine authority, but about actively attempting…
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