Wrath of God in Daniel 8:19 (zaam)

“And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end [shall be].” (Daniel 8:19).

Gabriel is trying to help Daniel understand the timing of a prophetic vision he just witnessed and the unique timing audition which followed. Within the above explanation is this important comment:

“I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation.”

Daniel had just witnessed the torture of the Ram by the he-goat. He had also seen a little horn magnify himself against the Prince of heaven and His host. Was this the “indignation” that Gabriel referred to?

Indignation – meaning:

The Hebrew word for zaam is used often in the Old Testament. It is usually translated “to be indignant” or “indignation,” with one exception (Hosea 7:16).[1] It always refers to God’s anger or wrath against sin or apostasy.

Here in Daniel it refers to God’s wrath at “the last end” (achariyth), meaning future/latter part/or last days. In Daniel 8–12 the “last days” is inferred and implies the end of certain events given Daniel in vision. What events?

1.     End of end of the Ram story (8:7)

2.     End of the little horn story (8:25)

Later, we will see similar messages with specific “ends” [in actually the same time]:

1. End of king of the north (11:45)

2.     End to the vision – deliverance of God’s people and special resurrection (12:1-2)

3.     End to persecution (12:7)

This Hebrew concept is very useful:

There are many ways within Daniel to define this “end” by other timing clues – time of the end, appointed time and specific time prophecies in Daniel 8, 9 and 12. Using the “God’s wrath” (here related to the Ram – He-goat – Little Horn) clue, we discover a link to Revelation.

Those who worship the beast and his image, and receive its mark on the forehead or hand will be forced to drink of the “wine of the wrath of God” (Revelation 14:9-10) from the “cup of his indignation.” Here, two words are used to describe God’s reaction to this sin/abomination.

1.     Wrath/anger (thymou) (fury) (cf. Romans 2:8)

2.     Indignation/wrath (orges) (vented response) (cf. Revelation 5:16-17; 14:10, 19; 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19; 19:15).

3.     cf. Revelation 16:19, 19:15 – “the anger of the wrath of God”

What is God angry over?

·        Transgression (pesha) that leads to desolation (8:13)

·        Desolation is God’s judgment against the

·        Transgression – man’s special sin

·        That sin relates to the law and the Sabbath.

·        Later, in Daniel, he calls it an “abomination.”

Stunning – that’s where Jesus asked us to go to learn more about the time of His second coming (Matthew 24:15).

·    Revelation 14, Daniel 8, Matthew 24 – all speak of the same time.

This is a counterpart to Numbers 12:9, 22:27: “The anger of the Lord.” The visions/
auditions of Daniel clearly refer to this same time. Revelation 14 ends with the harvest at Christ’s coming. Daniel’s visions end with the deliverance of God’s people and special resurrection immediately preceding that harvest. This parallels the terrifying picture of God’s future judgment (Psalm 75, Jeremiah 15).

Thus, zaam, in an explanation to Daniel, is a pivotal clue to the timing of this prophecy, the ram, he-goat and little horn will occur during a period called the appointed time that ends with the resurrection.

·    It is eschatological and relates to the very end of time.

·    It is Sabbath related.

Going Deeper

“Protestantism shall give the hand of fellowship to the Roman power. Then there will be a law against the Sabbath of God's creation, and then it is that God will do His ‘strange work’ in the earth. – 7BC 910 (1886).” – Last Day Events, p. 130 (emphasis added).

·        Notice the sequence:

Supportive union between             Sunday Law            God’s Strange Work (wrath) Protestants and Catholics                                           (this is the zaam of Daniel)

 

·        Once it begins, it will progress through the time of earth’s desolation. [“Abomination that leads to desolation” (Daniel 12:11); “Transgression of desolation” (Daniel 8:13); “Abomination that maketh desolate” (11:31)]

“The bolts of God's wrath are soon to falI [timing – future to 1892], and when He shall
begin to punish [executive judgment] the transgressors, there will be no period of respite until the end. The storm of God's wrath is gathering [negative signs have come], and those only will stand who are sanctified through the truth in the love of God. They shall be hid with Christ in God till the desolation shall be overpast. He shall come forth to punish [desolation – ultimate end] the inhabitants of the world for their iniquity, and ‘the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.’” – Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 182-183
(emphasis added).

Supportive union between             Sunday Law            God’s Strange Work (wrath) Protestants and Catholics                                           (zaam)

Storm of God’s wrath begins

Death/desolation begins

 

What does God’s wrath initially do?

“The Lord does not delight in vengeance, though he executes judgment upon the transgressors of his law. He is forced to do this, to preserve the inhabitants of the earth from
utter depravity and ruin. In order to save some, he must cut off those who have become hardened in sin [during death/desolation of the first four Trumpets, opportunity to repent is still open]. Says the prophet Isaiah: ‘The Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work, and bring to pass his act, his strange act.’ The work of wrath and destruction is indeed a strange, unwelcome work for Him who is infinite in love.” – The Signs of the Times, August 24, 1882.

“To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.’ Eze. 33:11.... Yet He will ‘by no means clear the guilty.’ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked." Ex. 34:6, 7; Nahum 1:3. By terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord's reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God's account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.” – The Faith I Live By, p. 338.

At the “time of the end” – eth qets (Daniel 8:17) – during the “appointed time” (8:19) – mowed – in the “last days” (8:19) (achariyth):

·        God’s wrath (zaam) comes

·        The Sunday laws (“transgression” – zaam) – the abomination (God’s reaction) – is the catalyst

·        Occurs after the fifth Seal when the saints cry out, “How long?” (Revelation 6:10)

·        That “How long?” parallels Gabriel’s question to Jesus, “How long?” in 8:13. Gabriel answers part of his own question in 8:17 and 19.

·        Just before probation closes

·        At the “appointed time”

                                                                                               Franklin S. Fowler Jr., M.D. Prophecy Research Initiative © 2008