Welcome to CALLED Men’s Group!  If you're looking to move forward in your faith, then this is the place for you!  We are a group of men, called by God to understand who He is, who we are, and what we are CALLED to do for Him!  We study the Bible & discuss together, find projects where we can give back, and encourage each other in spiritual growth! 

INTRODUCTION: Welcome everyone, this is the eigth meeting of the Fall 2026 Semester for the Called Men’s
Growth Group. We have 4 weeks left this semester; we will meet every Wednesday through November 11, 2026.

BACKGROUND, HISTORY AND AUDIENCE:
The Book of Daniel stands out in the Old Testament as a unique combination of stories and visions. Written partly in
Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, it captures the tension of God's people living as exiled minorities in a hostile, pagan
empire.

It is also a survival manual for believers living as a minority in a secular culture. Written in a blend of court narrative
and visions, the Book shows how God remains sovereign even when His people are living under pagan rule.

1. Historical Setting: The Babylonian Exile
The book begins in 605 BC, during the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah. King Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon besieged
Jerusalem. Rather than destroying the city immediately, Nebuchadnezzar took the young men of noble and royal
families back to Babylon. The goal was forced assimilation: strip them of their culture, rename them after pagan gods,
re-educate them in Babylonian literature and science, and deploy them into royal service.
Daniel (renamed Belteshazzar) and his three friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (renamed Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego)—were swept into this system as teenagers and subjected to a three-year Babylonian re-education
program designed to strip them of their Jewish identity and assimilate them into pagan service.
Daniel served faithfully through the rise and fall of two world empires: the Babylonian Empire (under Nebuchadnezzar
and Belshazzar) and the Medo-Persian Empire (under Darius and Cyrus).

2. Structural Overview: Two Distinct Halves, The book splits cleanly into two major sections across 12 chapters:
Chapters 1–6 Court Narratives -- Daniel and his friends standing firm under pressure in Babylon and Persia (Fiery
Furnace, Lion's Den, Writing on the Wall).
Chapters 7–12 Apocalyptic Visions -- Symbolic visions granted directly to Daniel, predicting the rise and fall of world
empires and God's final victory.

The Book of Daniel speaks to two distinct audiences—the immediate historical readers and future generations:
1. Jewish Exiles in Babylon and Persia (6th Century BC):
The primary audience consisted of God’s displaced people living in captivity. Stripped of their land, the Temple,
and political independence, many Jews wondered if the pagan gods of Babylon had defeated the God of Israel.
Daniel was written to reassure them that God had not lost control.

2. Believers Facing Cultural & Political Pressure, The bilingual structure of the book highlights its dual audience:
The Two Languages: Uniquely, Daniel was written in both Aramaic, and Hebrew.
o Aramaic Section (Chapters 2–7): Written in the common trade language of the empire to declare
God’s ultimate authority to the gentile nations and surrounding cultures. , making it readable to the
broader ancient world.
o Hebrew Sections (Chapters 1 & 8–12): Written specifically for the Jewish people to provide comfort,
hope, and prophetic clarity about the future.

3. Timeline of Empires
Daniel lived a remarkably long life, serving through the fall of the Babylonian Empire and into the rise of the Medo-
Persian Empire.
 605 BC: Deportation to Babylon, Reign of Nebuchadnezzar - Daniel is taken captive to Babylon as a teenager
and enters royal service (Daniel 1).
 539 BC: Fall of Babylon, Reign of Belshazzar - Babylon falls in a single night after the "handwriting on the wall"
judgment (Daniel 5).
 539–536 BC: Medo-Persian Rule, Reign of Darius & Cyrus - Persia takes over; Daniel serves under King Darius
and experiences the lions' den (Daniel 6).

4. Core Purpose and Takeaways
For a reader navigating the text today, the Book of Daniel delivers three primary themes:
1. Uncompromising Integrity: Showing how to draw a line in the sand or establishing a boundary on convictions
while maintaining respect and excellence in work (Daniel 1 & 6).
2. The Limits of Human Power: Kings, presidents, and empires think they hold ultimate power, but God sets
boundaries on every earthly ruler (Daniel 4).
3. The Coming Kingdom: The visions in the second half point forward to an eternal kingdom established by
"someone like a Son of Man" (Daniel 7:13–14)—a prophecy Jesus directly applied to Himself in the Gospels.

5. Major Themes in Daniel
The Book of Daniel serves as the apocalyptic anchor of the Old Testament, bridging ancient Near Eastern history with
end-times prophecy. The book is structured around five major visions and prophetic dreams that outline the rise and
fall of world empires, the arrival of the Messiah, and the ultimate establishment of God's everlasting kingdom.
A. The Sovereignty of God Over World Empires
The dominant theme throughout the book is that human kingdoms, no matter how powerful, are temporary. God
determines who rises and falls.

B. Faithfulness in Culture (Uncompromising Integrity)
Daniel and his friends demonstrate how to live faithfully under hostile pagan rule without compromising core
convictions, whether refusing non-kosher royal food (Ch. 1), refusing to bow to an idol (Ch. 3), or continuing daily
prayer despite a royal decree (Ch. 6).

C. The Coming Eternal Kingdom
Daniel's visions introduce the foundational Old Testament imagery of the "Son of Man"—a messianic figure who
receives an everlasting kingdom from God (the Ancient of Days). Jesus frequently used this exact title ("Son of
Man") for Himself in the Gospels.

PRAYER: This Week’s Prayer:  Father God, we thank you for allowing us to come together tonight and we thank
you for sending us your Son, Jesus. Father, we may not always understand the big picture, but we know that when we
go through storms; that bad things aren’t always bad things; but opportunities for growth, or to show others our faith
through the turmoil. Lord, we trust in you no matter what; we know that you are ALWAYS with us. You are
trustworthy and true. In Jesus name – Amen


Scripture - Read: Daniel Chapter 8 (27 verses)


Observation, Application & Questions: (Identify/Discuss Among the Group)

Discussion Questions: Daniel Chapter 8
In Daniel chapter 8, the language of the book shifts from Aramaic back into Hebrew, signaling a direct focus on the
covenant people of God and their temple. Set during the third year of King Belshazzar's reign, Daniel receives a vision
by the Ulai Canal that zooms in on the collision between two empires: Medo-Persia (the two-horned ram) and Greece
(the swift male goat). Out of Greece’s fractured remnants emerges a ruthless ruler who assaults the sanctuary, stops
the daily sacrifices, and foreshadows the ultimate rebellion against the Prince of princes.

Key Takeaway: "He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many who had no idea
they were in danger. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human
power." — Daniel 8:25

Discussion Questions
1. The Charging Ram and the Illusion of Invincibility (Daniel 8:1–4, 20) Daniel sees a ram standing beside the Ulai
Canal with two long horns, one longer than the other and growing later (Medo-Persia). The ram charges west, north,
and south, and verse 4 notes: "No one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became
very great."

• Question: The ram appeared entirely unstoppable to everyone around it. When corporations or popular-

culture just do whatever with zero accountability, how does knowing that boundaries are set by God change
your perspective?

2. Blinding Speed and Sudden Fracturing (Daniel 8:5–8, 21–22) A male goat with a prominent horn between its eyes
comes from the west rushing across the earth without touching the ground (Alexander the Great of Greece). In furious
rage, he shatters the ram's horns and tramples it. Yet at the height of his power, the large horn breaks off, replaced by
four prominent horns pointing toward the four winds of heaven (Alexander's four generals: Cassander, Lysimachus,
Seleucus, and Ptolemy).

• Question: Alexander conquered the known world, only to die suddenly at 32 years old; immediately shattering

his empire. How does this vision warn us against putting our security on worldly goals?

3. The Rise of the Defiant Small Horn (Daniel 8:9–12, 23–25) From one of the four horns emerges a small horn that
grows in power toward the south, the east, and "the glorious land" (Israel). Historically fulfilled in the Seleucid tyrant
Antiochus IV Epiphanes, this ruler makes war against the host of heaven, stops the daily sacrifices, defiles the
sanctuary, and throws truth to the ground.

• Question: Verse 12 records the chilling phrase: "Truth was thrown to the ground." What does that mean to us

as believers, and how do we as believers keep our morals when deception and rebellion seem to prosper?

4. The Agonized Cry: "How Long?" (Daniel 8:13–14) Daniel overhears two holy ones speaking. One asks: "How long
will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desolation stop the daily sacrifices?" The other
answers: "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again."

• Question: "How long?" is one of the most common, honest cries of God’s people in times of intense suffering.

Why is it comforting that God gave a precise number of days (2,300 evenings and mornings) to mark the exact
end of the oppression?

5. Gabriel’s Commission and Daniel’s Prostration (Daniel 8:15–18) As Daniel tries to understand the vision, a man’s
voice calls out from the Ulai Canal: "Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision." As the angel approaches, Daniel is
terrified and falls face down, falling into a deep sleep with his face to the ground until Gabriel touches him and stands
him upright.

• Question: Daniel was a faithful man of God, yet in the presence of a holy messenger he was overwhelmed.

How do we believe we would react?

6. Understanding the Time of the End (Daniel 8:17, 19, 26) Gabriel repeatedly emphasizes that the vision relates to
"the time of the end" and the "appointed time of the end." Though Antiochus IV fulfilled the historical atrocities in the
2nd century BC, the prophecy extends forward as an archetype of the final end-times dictator.

• Question: Why did God reveal the dark, future intense testing to His people centuries before they occurred?

How does prophecy provide comfort?

7. Defeating the Fierce Master of Deception (Daniel 8:23–25) Gabriel describes this king as "a fierce king, a master of
intrigue... a master of deception" who will "destroy many who had no idea they were in danger." He will even take on
the Prince of princes (the Messiah), yet verse 25 concludes: "he will be broken, though not by human power."

• Question: This ruler destroys people not just by military force, but by deceit and catching them when they are

secure. How does the enemy use our complacency and cultural compromises to weaken us spiritually?

8. The Physical Cost of Spiritual Insight (Daniel 8:27a) After hearing the full interpretation, Daniel records: "I, Daniel,
was overcome and lay sick for several days."

• Question: Daniel was not distant; the suffering of God's people and the horror of the coming desecration

made him physically ill. How can we have empathy for others in a broken world, rather than accepting moral
decay with indifference?

9. Returning to the Daily Calling (Daniel 8:27b) Despite being exhausted, sick, and deeply perplexed by what he saw,
Daniel writes: "Then I got up and went about the king's business, though I was greatly shaken by the vision and could
not understand it."

• Question: Daniel was carrying terrifying revelations about world empires, yet he got up and faithfully showed

up for work in the royal palace. How does Daniel’s example challenge us to remain faithful even when we feel
burdened by spiritual realities or cultural anxiety?

Supporting Scripture to Review: (Discuss Among the Group)
1. On World Superpowers Overrun and Trampled by Divine Decree
Isaiah 10:12–14 "After the Lord has used the king of Assyria to accomplish his purposes on Mount Zion and in
Jerusalem, he will turn against the king of Assyria and punish him—for he is proud and arrogant. He boasts, 'By my own
powerful arm I have done this. With my wisdom I have outsmarted them. I have broken down the defenses of nations
and carried off their treasures. I have knocked down their kings like a bull. In an instant I have plundered the wealth of
nations, like someone grabbing eggs from an abandoned nest. No one fluttered a wing or opened a mouth to squeak at
me.'"

• Connection to Daniel: In Daniel 8:3–4, the two-horned ram (Medo-Persia) charges west, north, and south, and

"no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great." Isaiah
demonstrates how world empires interpret their military conquest as absolute self-sufficiency, completely
unaware that God merely permits their expansion for an appointed season before bringing them to account.

2. On the Rapid Rise and Sudden Destruction of Ambitious Rulers
Psalm 73:18–20 "Truly, you put them on an unruly path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an
instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly
ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning."

• Connection to Daniel: Connects directly to Daniel 8:7–8, where the swift male goat (Greece) conquers the

known earth at blinding speed under Alexander the Great. Yet "at the height of his power, his large horn was
broken off," mirroring the sudden, unexpected death of Alexander at age 32 and showing that human power
collapses in an instant when its God-ordained boundary is reached.

3. On Oppressive Tyrants Throwing Truth to the Ground
Isaiah 59:14–15 (end at evil is attacked) "Our courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth
stumbles in the streets, and uprightness has been banned. Yes, truth is gone, and anyone who renounces evil is
attacked."

• Connection to Daniel: Directly echoes Daniel 8:12, where the defiant small horn (fulfilled historically in

Antiochus IV Epiphanes) attacks the Lord's people and the daily sacrifices: "It prospered in everything it did,
and truth was thrown to the ground." Both passages describe the tragic moral inversion under godless
regimes, where divine truth is publicly suppressed and replaced with state-enforced deception.

4. On the Honest Cry of God's Suffering People: "How Long?"
Psalm 13:1–3 "O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way? How long must I
struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day? How long will my enemy have the upper hand?
Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die."

• Connection to Daniel: Parallels the angelic conversation in Daniel 8:13, where an angel cries out: "How long

will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desolation stop the daily sacrifices?"
Scripture validates the heart-cry of the persecuted who ask God "how long," while Daniel 8:14 reassures the
faithful that God has assigned an exact limit ("2,300 evenings and mornings") after which the temple will be
made right.

5. On Overwhelming Terror and Frailty Before Heavenly Messengers
Revelation 1:17–18 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said,
'Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold
the keys of death and the grave.'"

• Connection to Daniel: Directly parallels Daniel 8:17–18, where Daniel is terrified at the approach of the angel

Gabriel, collapses face down in a faint, and must be touched and stood upright by the heavenly messenger.
Both texts emphasize the vast gulf between mortal human weakness and holy, celestial glory.

6. On Desecrating the Sanctuary and Stopping Sacrifices
Matthew 24:15–18 "The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious
object that causes desolation standing in the holy place. (Reader, pay attention!) Then those in Judea must flee to the
hills. A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. A person out in the field must not
return even to get a coat."

• Connection to Daniel: Connects to Daniel 8:11–13, which details the defilement of the sanctuary and the

abolition of the daily sacrifice by Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Jesus directly invokes Daniel's phrase ("the
sacrilegious object that causes desolation" / "abomination of desolation"), indicating that Antiochus’s historical
temple desecration also serves as a prophetic foreshadowing of the final Antichrist.

7. On the Fierce Master of Deception and Intrigue
2 Thessalonians 2:8–10 "Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath
of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This man will come to do the work of Satan with
counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to
destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them."

• Connection to Daniel: Aligns with Gabriel’s description of the small horn in Daniel 8:23–25: "a fierce king, a

master of intrigue... a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many who had no idea
they were in danger." Paul explains that the final antichrist operates with this identical tactic—employing
cunning deceit to blind populations at ease until judgment arrives.

8. On Tyrants Shattered by Divine Power, Not Human Hands
Job 34:24, 26–28 "He brings the mighty to ruin without asking questions and sets up others in their place... He strikes
them down in public because they are wicked. For they turned away from him and didn’t care about any of his ways.
They made the poor cry out to him, and he heard the cries of the oppressed."

• Connection to Daniel: Matches the dramatic resolution of Daniel 8:25: "He will even take on the Prince of

princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power." Just like the rock cut without human
hands in Daniel 2:34, Antiochus IV (and the ultimate beast he typifies) will not be brought down by political
rebellion or human military might, but by the direct intervention of God.

9. On Bearing the Burden of Revelation and Faithfulness in Secular Duty
Habakkuk 3:16, 18–19 "I trembled inside when I heard this; my lips quivered with fear. My legs gave way beneath me,
and I shook in terror. I will wait quietly for the coming day when catastrophe will strike the people who invade us... Yet
I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as
surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."

• Connection to Daniel: Parallels Daniel 8:27, where Daniel was physically sick, exhausted, and shaken for

several days after seeing the horrific visions of future oppression. Like Habakkuk, who physically trembled at
the revelation of coming invasion, Daniel did not abandon his faith or give in to despair; he stood back up,
drew strength from God, and faithfully went about the daily business of the king.

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Other questions to explore:

• What was the context? What was going on at the time this was written?
• What and where is this happening?
  • What makes what was happening meaningful?
  • Is there anything special about the location (or locations)?
• Who is involved?
  • How do they respond to God?
  • What character traits do you notice about them?
  • What is the significance of their involvement?

• What do you think is the key message?
• Did anything that surprised or stood out to you? What was it? Share with the group and discuss.
• Are there any key verses that stand out to you? Discuss among the group.
• Were there any repetitive words or themes that stood out to you? What were they?

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• Is there anything that left you with more questions? What were they? Share with group, discuss, and

research.

• Biggest takeaway?

Elements of today’s Bible study were referenced from:
1. NLT Courage for Life Men’s Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2023 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/courageforlifebible/
2. ESV Study Bible, copyright 2008. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV); copyright 2001 by Crossway,
Wheaton, Illinois.
3. NIV Study Bible, Revolution, copyright 2011. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV); copyright 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://www.zondervan.com/p/niv-bibles-for-teens- true-images-revolution/
4. NLT Parallel Study Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2011 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation
5. HCSB/CSB The Apologetics Study Bible, copyright 2007. The Holy Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible
(HCSB/CSB); copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holmon Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
7. https://www.jeremiahstudybible.com/Daniel/

August 2026:
_X_ 001, 08/26 Daniel, Introduction, Chapter 1
September 2026:
_X _ 002, 09/02 Daniel, Chapter 2
_ x_ 003, 09/09 Daniel, Chapter 3
_ x_ 004, 09/16 Daniel, Chapter 4
_x _ 005, 06/23 Daniel, Chapter 5
_ x_ 006, 06/30 Daniel, Chapter 6
October 2026:
_ x_ 007, 10/07 Daniel, Chapter 7
_ x_ 008, 10/14 Daniel, Chapter 8
_ _ 009, 10/21 Daniel, Chapter 9
_ _ 010, 10/28 Daniel, Chapter 10
November 2026:
_ _ 011, 11/04 Daniel, Chapter 11
_ _ 012, 11/11 Daniel, Chapter 12*