Much like chapter 7, in chapter 8 the second half of the chapter an angel interprets Daniel's vision.
Daniel 8: 15 - 19. Suddenly, a majestic person stood before Daniel, a heavenly person who looked like a man. Some believe that this striking and imposing person was the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever the case, the heavenly man called out from the Ulai River.
Whoever this was, he was instructing the angel Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel. As Gabriel approached Daniel, the terrified prophet fell prostrate on the ground. Notice that Gabriel addressed Daniel as son of man. He was emphasizing the fact that Daniel was merely a man, the son of a human being, a weak creature who could not understand the vision by his own power.
Gabriel informed Daniel that the vision concerned the time of the end or the end time, verse 17. While Gabriel was still speaking, Daniel evidently fainted and fell into a deep sleep. Apparently, the contrast between the holiness of the messenger who stood before him and his own corrupt nature overwhelmed him. Knowing what had happened, Gabriel reaches down and touches Daniel and raised him to his feet. Then Gabriel stated that he would explain the vision, because it concerned the time of wrath that would accompany the time of the end.
The question that comes to mind is, if Daniel's vision concerned the Persian and Grecian empires and Antiochus Epiphanes, how can it take place in the end time and the day of wrath? After all, these two terms are used throughout Scripture to apply to the end of human history and to the day when God's wrath will be executed against the wicked of the world.
In the context of this chapter, both the Persian and Greek empires came to an end and faced the day of God's wrath. So did Antiochus Epiphanies. The answer to the question is found in a double reference, suggesting that Antiochus Epiphanies is a strong type of the antichrist. If you think about the devastation he will cause and how he will go about it that we talked about in the first half of chapter 8, and compare that behavior to the Antichrist mention in the book of Revelation, there are a lot of similarities. In fact, that are exactly alike.
Daniel 8:20. In a simple manner, Gabriel said that the two-horned ram represented the kings of Media and Persia. So, the ram represented the same empire that corresponded to the Bear in chapter 7 and the chest and arms of King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue in chapter 2.
Daniel 8:21-22. The goat represented the king of Greece, and the large horn represented the first king of the Greek empire. The four horns represented the four kingdoms that would arise from Alexander the Great's empire. But none of these four would ever possess as great an empire or power as Alexander. Keep in mind that the goat represented the same empire that corresponded to the winged leopard of chapter 7 and the bronze belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue in chapter 2.
Daniel 8:23-25. So, the angel explains the very heart of Daniel's vision; that is, the intriguing little horn that arises from within the Grecian empire. This ruler has already been identified as Antiochus Epiphanies. We also looked at nine significant traits that would characterize Antiochus's rule. Remember that these same evil traits will be true of the Antichrist in the end time of human history.
Daniel 8:26. This verse contains a lot of information that is not easily seen. But in this verse God foresaw the course of world history so the fulfillment of Daniel's vision was assured. Long before the future events were ever played out, the Lord foresaw the rulers and nations that would arise on the world scene. He saw exactly what the rulers would do, whether good or bad. He also saw how their decisions would affect the course of their nation's history and the impact they would have upon other nations. So, the Lord assured Daniel that the vision he had seen would unquestionably come to pass.
But then Daniel was instructed to seal up the vision. That means that he was to write it on a scroll that would be rolled up and preserved. It was to be safeguarded and made available for all generations to read. This was essential because the prophecies concerned events that were to happen in the distant future, many generations away. Do you realize that we are reading that scroll now as we study this chapter?
Antiochus Epiphanes would not come up on the world scene for almost 400 years after Daniel died. And of course, the Antichrist that Antiochus symbolized will not come on the world scene until the end time, right before the return of Christ to set up God's Kingdom on earth. So, part of this vision has taken place and another part has yet to have taken place.
Daniel 8:27. The impact of this vision on Daniel was very evident. He was mentally and emotionally drained, so much so that he became physically sick. He was ill for several days, deeply troubled by what he had seen. He had seen a world of conflict, devastation, injury, and death lying out in the future. And tragically, all that lay ahead would be caused by the evil within people's hearts, hearts filled with sinful pride in the selfish craving for more power, wealth, possessions, recognition, and fame. Kind of sounds like we are reading today's newspaper, doesn't it?
Daniel saw the broken and despairing hearts as well as the pain and sorrow people would be suffering through the ages to come. And he reacted the same way we would. He was heartbroken.
What do we get out of this passage of scripture? The truth of it all is that the end time and the time of wrath are coming. Every one of us will stand face to face with God just as Antiochus and the Antichrist will. In that day, every one of us will give an account of our behavior, whether good or bad.
Thus ends chapter 8.
