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Some thoughts on Daniel chapters 7 and 8, Pt 1

Briton Riviere, Daniel’s Answer to the King, 1890, oil on canvas

These two chapters are very relevant for Christians today, for they refer to many of the things that will take place in the lasts days of this age. Yes, the visions of Daniel recorded here begin with references to times, many centuries ago, but they also deal with the last event of this age and the first of the new age, the Millennial Age!

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed,” Daniel 7:13-14.

I might suggest that the words of the Saviour in Matthew 24 imply that He expects His people to be familiar with the prophecies of Daniel.

“When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)” Matthew 24:15.

It is very evident that prophecy was given to us as a means of warning and instruction, especially for the latter days. How we should study the prophecies of the last times as those times dawn upon us!

Please consider then:—

THE LORD WOULD HAVE YOU UNDERSTAND PROPHECY.

I have stated this many times before in articles and sermons but it needs to be repeated again and again in the face of the devil’s lie, so often taken up by foolish preachers, that ‘prophecy is hard to understand and best avoided’!

1. But that the Lord would have us understand prophecy is made very clear in these chapters.

“In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters,” Daniel 7:1.“In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first,” Daniel 8:1.

“I came near unto one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things,” Daniel 7:16. (more…)

A faithful saint called to glory

For quite a few years now, I have been greatly helped in the maintaining of the ‘Burning Bush’ website by a brother in the the United States, John Pittman Hey of Greenwood, Mississippi. He first contacted me after he had come across our website and finding himself in agreement with its theme of protest against the apostasy of today. He is an expert in matters related to the internet etc and I know that our website has greatly benefitted from his unstinting help, literally day and night!

I have never met our brother and it is likely I never will until we meet in glory, but he is a beloved brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.

The wider Foster family, both here and in Canada, wish to offer their sincere condolences at this time of grief but rejoice with him that his dear mother is “Absent from the body . . , to be present with the Lord,” 2 Corinthians 5:8.

Sincerely in Christ’s name,

Ivan Foster

Nora Cornelia Lyons Hey, age 87, died at her home in Greenwood, Mississippi, Monday, June 23, 2025.

She was born in Bean City, Florida, in 1937 to Leslie Arthur Lyons and Elizabeth Pittman Lyons. Her family soon moved to Baker County near the Georgia border. After her father’s untimely death when she was eleven years old, Nora was raised by her mother and her beloved Uncle Guy Pittman. She came to trust in her Savior, Jesus Christ, when she was twelve years old.

Nora came to Mississippi to attend Mississippi College, where she graduated in 1959 with honors in Special Distinction, 14th out of 324 graduates, with a BA in Modern Languages (French and Spanish). There she met her future husband, John Phenis Hey III, as lab partners in Chemistry class. In 1960 after graduation, she taught Spanish at Murrah High School and married John. She lived in Jackson, MS with her first two sons, John Pittman and David, while her husband, a physician who had been drafted into the Vietnam War, commanded an Army medical dispensary in Vietnam in 1966.

After John returned from Vietnam, the family moved to Greenwood in 1967, where Dr. Hey set up his medical practice on River Road. Nora pursued further studies at Delta State University in language education and taught Latin at Greenwood Christian School for many years. She considered her primary vocation, however, to be a homemaker and wife.

Nora and John raised four children: John Pittman Hey of Greenwood, David Lyons Hey (Ellen) of Carroll County, Sarah Virginia Hey of Greenville, SC, and Daniel Spurgeon Hey (Helen) of Black Mountain, NC.

She also had five grandchildren, David Hey Jr. (Summer), Joseph Martin Hey, Elizabeth Hey Crenshaw (Grant), Samuel Hey (Eva), and Margaret Murphey Hey, along with eight great grandchildren.

Nora deeply loved her husband, her children, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom survive her. She is also survived by several cousins who live in Florida.

She was a member of Grace Bible Church in Greenwood.

The family would like to thank Veronica Banks for her years of faithful help and love for Nora. We also thank the staff of VitalCaring Hospice for their kindness, as well as Charlie Mae Carradine, Latoya Franklin, Zuri Medellin, Angela Streeter, and Cassandra Streeter for their assistance in caring for Nora during her final months.

There will be a graveside service in the Charleston City Cemetery on Friday, June 27th, at 2 p.m., with Dr. Jim Phillips officiating. Wilson and Knight Funeral Home is in charge of funeral arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be sent in support of the Christian Medical and Dental Association or American Legion Post 29 of Greenwood, MS.

Double standards of Alliance Party

This excellent letter from Rev Gordon Dane, has appeared in the ‘Belfast Newsletter’ today.

Hypocrisy within ‘politics’ is commonplace and indicates the utter lack of principle that is evident today (27.6.2025)!

Letter: Double standards of Alliance Party on harming of children

Naomi Long’s justice department has launched a consultation to “increase the existing maximum sentences for the offence of causing or allowing a child or vulnerable adult to die or suffer serious physical harm”.

Meanwhile, the only MP in her party, Sorcha Eastwood, has supported completely decriminalising the killing of unborn children right up to the moment of birth.

Double standards or what?

Rev Gordon Dane,
retired Free Presbyterian minister

Ezekiel: The ignored watchman

A series of messages by Rev. Andy Foster Ezekiel was God’s watchman to the nation of Israel. In the first part of his ministry he warned of the sin of the nation and highlighted the consequences it had brought, and would continue to bring. He was largely ignored and dismissed.

In the second part of his ministry he proclaims messages related to the glorious future of the nation of Israel, restored by grace and redemption. Sadly, these messages are still often neglected and overlooked!

Click here to watch.

Why I have closed my account with SermonAudio
As of 30th May, 2017, I have requested that SermonAudio close my account. That has taken place and I no longer mount sermons there. Instead, my own website The Burning Bush will now house all my sermons. It has long been the home of my articles and news links. Gradually we will mount the 1376 messages I had on SermonAudio on my own site.
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