Daniel 8: 1 – 27
Daylight Nightmare
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time. 2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great. 5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand. 8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” 15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” 18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power. 23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. 24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. 25 “Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. 26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future.” 27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
I was watching this movie about World War III in which Russia along with Cuba is in the United States fighting against some US teenagers who went by the nickname the ‘wolverines’.
It was kind of surreal. It couldn’t happen to us. Could it?
Daniel point out to us as we begin this chapter who was in charge – The Babylonians. In fact it was Belshazzar who was the co-king. Remember the handwriting on the wall?
In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time.
Little did Belshazzar know that there was a Medo-Persian army under the leadership of Cyrus making their way towards Babylon. Just like the television movie with Russia and the United States, there will be a war on Babylon’s land.
2 I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai.
Please note that Daniel saw all this in a vision. Shushan was about 230 miles east of Babylon. The Ulai river was an artificial canal located a few miles from Shushan. A point to remember is that he was back in the city of Babylon during its overthrow by the Medo-Persian army.
3 Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
This is a clear description of the Medo-Persian empire. Cyrus the Persian was the larger horn, being over all. The Persians were in alliance with the Medes. Sometimes people are confused when they read Daniel chapter 6 because the king is Darius, who was a Mede. You see after the Medo-Persian army overthrew Babylon, their war was not over. Cyrus left Darius as the king of this city while he went on to conduct more conquests.
4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.
Cyrus conquered these areas;
1. Westward – Babylon, Syria, Asia Minor
2. Northward – Armenia, Caspian Sea Region
3. Southward – Egypt, Ethiopia
5 And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
We are informed by our Precious Holy Spirit exactly what nation this beast represents. We read in verse 21 this, “21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.’ The first king is Alexander the Great. His conquests were so fast that it appeared as if he didn’t touch the ground. He just flew threw the opposing forces.
6 Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. 7 And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.
I enjoy watching the history channel. Fortunately for me they were discussing Alexander the Great and his military conquests. What he did was amazing as he conquered the Persians at the battle of Gaugamela which is near Nineveh. He only had a small army and destroyed over a million of the Persians. It was truly an amazing military plan. Those who attend our military academies go over Alexander’s battle plan to discuss his strategic master plan.
8 Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven.
Alexander was only 33 when he died. There is various stories on how he died. One is that he was poisoned. Another, was that he was drunk and caught a sickness and died. Either way, all agrees that while he was dying his attendants asked him on who should rule the Grecian Empire. He did have two sons but he replied, ‘Give it to the strong.’ So, Alexander’s four leading General’s spit up the world. This is the land allotment.
1. Lysimachus – Thrace and Bithynia
2. Cassander – Macedonia and Greece
3. Seleucus – Syria and Babylonia
4. Ptolemy – Egypt and Palestine
The rest of Daniel is going to focus in on the descendents of Seleucus and Ptolemy because they both had Israel on their borders.
9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land. 10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.
Now for some of you Prophecy buffs I am sure that you have zeroed in on the term, ‘little horn’. This is not the Antichrist. Please note that this little horn grows out of the Greek Empire – ‘out of them came a little horn.’
The ‘little horn’ in chapter 7 grows out of the Roman Empire. Are you with me so far?
The king who ‘grew great’ was Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled Who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 to 164 BC. He led various campaigns against Egypt and had to go through the ‘Glorious Land’ – Israel to do battle.
Antiochus was a great schemer. He made great claims for himself. He saw himself as the physical manifestation of Zeus, who was over the host of heaven. He would pillage and rob temples without concern for their religious significance. The ‘trampling down’ refers to his horrible treatment of the people.
11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. 12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered.
Antiochus , by his behavior set himself against God and all those who served Him.
Our Holy Adoni Yahweh is also known as Jehovah Sabbaoth – The Lord of Hosts. He is the Commander of Heaven’s angels.
Antiochus imposed religious restrictions on the Israelites. We read about his actions against the Jewish people in the book of 1 Maccabees chapter 1, “41 Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, 42 And every one should leave his laws: so all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king. 43 Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath. 44 For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, 45 And forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days: 46 And pollute the sanctuary and holy people: 47 Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine's flesh, and unclean beasts: 48 That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation: 49 To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances. 50 And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.’
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”
To benefit Daniel two holy ones, which were probably angels ask one another the question when all this horrible stuff will end.
14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”
Now we need to slow down a little and reflect. Remember Daniel is still in the time when Babylon was the Ruling World Empire. In the distant future the Medo-Persians would rule the world. Ultimately this kingdom would be conquered by Alexander the Great. The descendent of the spit Grecian Empire who will be Antiochus Epiphanes will be causing this horrible atrocities against the Israelites. This is where we are now.
We are not looking at 2300 years since a day is symbolic of a year. I believe that this is continuing to speak about the morning and evening sacrifices which our Holy Father gave instruction to conduct in order to worship Him. Antiochus had stopped this worship of Yahweh Elohe Yisrael – The Lord God Of Israel. Daniel was concerned when this abomination would end.
15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
Daniel was thinking about all this when all of a sudden saw the angel Gabriel.
17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”
‘The end’ is not talking about the ‘end’ of time. It is referring to the ‘end’ of the time of Antiochus Epiphanes and his desecration of the temple. The fourth empire – The Roman Empire- is not yet ready to come onto the scene. Thus, the ‘time of the end’ is the time of the end of Daniel’s vision.
18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. 19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.
Remember back that Daniel was going over the writings of the prophet Jeremiah. In it he recognized that God had pointed out a time of 70 years of exile into Babylon. Our Precious Holy God – Qedosh Yisreal – The Holy One of Israel wanted Daniel to write down what the future would be for the Jews. We need to recognize that God’s indignation against His people had not yet ceased with the return from exile. God showed Daniel the reason and it was because the returned Jews failed to repent and be transformed. So, the indignation continued through the time of Antiochus Epiphanes which finally led to the ‘end’ of the indignation.
All was within God’s appointment. And the result of Antiochus’ persecution was the beginning of a new period for the true purified Israel, free from indignation, which was the beginning of the last days, preparing for the arrival of God’s Promised Anointed Deliver, The Messiah, and was also the beginning of the rise of the fourth kingdom, Rome.
20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.
This is not a mystery. You see how our Great God instructs his faithful servant angel Gabriel to tell Daniel that the ram represents Medo- Persia. The goat represents Greece, which will be divided into four parts.
Now you can see my point on how the indignations against the people would not be complete after the 70 years exodus into Babylon.
23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
Can you see now how this is describing Antiochus Epiphanes?
25 “Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.
If you get the chance I would encourage you to read the books of I and II Maccabees. You can almost see the same acts that Hitler used and which is continual used by today’s world leaders. They say one thing and wind up doing another. I like the saying which I try to keep, ‘fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.’ Over and over you see the Antiochus promise the Jews one thing and then come and attack them and yet they continually buy his lies. Amazing.
Antiochus thinks that He can take on God, but in the end, he was ‘broken without hand.’
I would like to take a moment and share with you what happened to Antiochus in fulfillment of this prophecy 2 Maccabees Chapter 9,’1 About that time came Antiochus with dishonor out of the country of Persia 2 For he had entered the city called Persepolis, and went about to rob the temple, and to hold the city; whereupon the multitude running to defend themselves with their weapons put them to flight; and so it happened, that Antiochus being put to flight of the inhabitants returned with shame. 3 Now when he came to Ecbatane, news was brought him what had happened unto Nicanor and Timotheus. 4 Then swelling with anger. he thought to avenge upon the Jews the disgrace done unto him by those that made him flee. Therefore commanded he his chariot man to drive without ceasing, and to dispatch the journey, the judgment of God now following him. For he had spoken proudly in this sort, that he would come to Jerusalem and make it a common burying place of the Jews. 5 But the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, smote him with an incurable and invisible plague: or as soon as he had spoken these words, a pain of the bowels that was remediless came upon him, and sore torments of the inner parts; 6 And that most justly: for he had tormented other men's bowels with many and strange torments. 7 Howbeit he nothing at all ceased from his bragging, but still was filled with pride, breathing out fire in his rage against the Jews, and commanding to haste the journey: but it came to pass that he fell down from his chariot, carried violently; so that having a sore fall, all the members of his body were much pained. 8 And thus he that a little afore thought he might command the waves of the sea, (so proud was he beyond the condition of man) and weigh the high mountains in a balance, was now cast on the ground, and carried in an horselitter, shewing forth unto all the manifest power of God. 9 So that the worms rose up out of the body of this wicked man, and whiles he lived in sorrow and pain, his flesh fell away, and the filthiness of his smell was noisome to all his army. 10 And the man that thought a little afore he could reach to the stars of heaven, no man could endure to carry for his intolerable stink. 11 Here therefore, being plagued, he began to leave off his great pride, and to come to the knowledge of himself by the scourge of God, his pain increasing every moment. 12 And when he himself could not abide his own smell, he said these words, It is meet to be subject unto God, and that a man that is mortal should not proudly think of himself if he were God. 13 This wicked person vowed also unto the Lord, who now no more would have mercy upon him, saying thus, 14 That the holy city (to the which he was going in haste to lay it even with the ground, and to make it a common burying place,) he would set at liberty: 15 And as touching the Jews, whom he had judged not worthy so much as to be buried, but to be cast out with their children to be devoured of the fowls and wild beasts, he would make them all equals to the citizens of Athens: 16 And the holy temple, which before he had spoiled, he would garnish with goodly gifts, and restore all the holy vessels with many more, and out of his own revenue defray the charges belonging to the sacrifices: 17 Yea, and that also he would become a Jew himself, and go through all the world that was inhabited, and declare the power of God. 18 But for all this his pains would not cease: for the just judgment of God was come upon him: therefore despairing of his health, he wrote unto the Jews the letter underwritten, containing the form of a supplication, after this manner: 19 Antiochus, king and governor, to the good Jews his citizens wisheth much joy, health, and prosperity: 20 If ye and your children fare well, and your affairs be to your contentment, I give very great thanks to God, having my hope in heaven. 21 As for me, I was weak, or else I would have remembered kindly your honour and good will returning out of Persia, and being taken with a grievous disease, I thought it necessary to care for the common safety of all: 22 Not distrusting mine health, but having great hope to escape this sickness. 23 But considering that even my father, at what time he led an army into the high countries. appointed a successor, 24 To the end that, if any thing fell out contrary to expectation, or if any tidings were brought that were grievous, they of the land, knowing to whom the state was left, might not be troubled: 25 Again, considering how that the princes that are borderers and neighbors unto my kingdom wait for opportunities, and expect what shall be the event. I have appointed my son Antiochus king, whom I often committed and commended unto many of you, when I went up into the high provinces; to whom I have written as followeth: 26 Therefore I pray and request you to remember the benefits that I have done unto you generally, and in special, and that every man will be still faithful to me and my son. 27 For I am persuaded that he understanding my mind will favourably and graciously yield to your desires. 28 Thus the murderer and blasphemer having suffered most grievously, as he entreated other men, so died he a miserable death in a strange country in the mountains. 29 And Philip, that was brought up with him, carried away his body, who also fearing the son of Antiochus went into Egypt to Ptolemeus Philometor.
26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, for it refers to many days in the future.” 27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.
There were many days in the future for all this prophecy to come true. We have the opportunity to look back in time and see that every word that was predicted was accurate. Now try to step back to Daniel’s time and try to explain the future to others, you see how it turned out - I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.’
