The Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying the book of Daniel. In this session we talk about Daniel's second vision. It takes place in the third year of Babylon's King Belshazzar’s reign. In his vision Daniel sees the battle between a ram and goat in which the goat annihilates, the ram. The goat has one horn that breaks off and is replaced by small four horns, one of which becomes predominate and directly impacts God's people Israel after their release from Babylon. We take a look at that predominate small horn and how it may relate to the end time and Jesus' second advent. Study along with us by reading these notes, and listening to the audio of the session.
Introduction
God gave Daniel the unique opportunity of looking at the future. Last week Daniel’s vision was primarily about Gentile nations, their character, relations, succession, and destiny. But in Daniel 8 that future gets very personal. In Daniel 8-12, the emphasis is on the destiny of Israel.
1. If God offered to show you glimpses of our nation's future over the next two hundred years, COVID-19 for example would you want to see them? Explain.
I know that God is in control and that my seeing them won’t change anything, however it may help me to prepare for bad things and to not get too excited and overdo it if good things were going to happen especially if I knew that bad things were coming. If I had known when I was younger that certain things were going to happen I probably would have done some things differently. So after saying all that I guess I would want to see them.
When and where did Daniel’s vision occur?
Daniel 8:1-2 NLT During the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me. In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.
This dream was in Belshazzar’s third year. 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.
In Suza two years after the dream in
Daniel 7:1 NLT Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.
Now let’s look at the second dream:
Daniel 8:3-7 NLT As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had grown later than the other one. The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great. While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that he didn’t even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes, headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him in a rage. The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck him, breaking off both his horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked him down and trampled him. No one could rescue the ram from the goat’s power.
What was the description of the ram in Daniel’s dream? (8:3-4)
The ram had two horns so there were two allies Media and Persia. The ram was very powerful and conquered in all directions and nothing was able to defeat it. The ram by the way represented the Medo-Persian empire which in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was the chest and arms of silver, in chapter 2,
Daniel 2:32 NLT The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,
and in Daniel’s dream in chapter 7 was the second beast the bear,
Daniel 7:4-5 NLT The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind. Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!”
One of the horns was larger than the other and it came up last. That was Persia.
The ram was the superpower, at that time, until the next animal of the dream, a goat, appeared
What did the goat do to the ram? (8:5-7)
The goat defeated, killed and trampled the ram. The goat by the way had only one big horn. The goat was Greece, led by Alexander the Great, which in Nebchaudezzer’s dream was the belly and the thighs of bronze, and the leopard in Daniel’s earlier dream.
Daniel 7:6 NLT Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.
A little about their conquest of the Medo-Persian empire and beyond from the Wycliffe Bible Commentary:
The clean sweep of Alexander's armies is predicted in the latter part of Dan 8:7. His small swift army, with its devastating phalanx formation, swept through Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and finally Mesopotamia which is today Iraq which is where Babaloyn was (334-331 b.c.). After that his armies advanced eastward to India, then turned back again toward the west.
But at the height of his power something happened.
Daniel 8:8 NLT The goat became very powerful. But at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off. In the large horn’s place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.
What happened to the goat at the height of his power? (8:8)
At the height of his power the big horn was broken off and four other horns appeared. That kingdom was led by Alexander the great, the big horn, who died young.
More from the Wycliffe Commentary
Alexander died in the thirty-third year of his age, of fever and alcohol, at Babylon. In the subsequent twenty years, his winnings were divided into four parts among four of his military successors.
Two of the resultant divisions—Egypt under the Ptolemies (the last of whom was the famous Cleopatra) and Syria under the Seleucids, the historic kings of the South and the North, respectively—are of importance as neighbors of the Jews.
We will talk more about them in chapter 11.
The Empire split into four kingdoms, which would retain their sovereignty in order from least to longest: the Seleucids in Asia Minor and the Middle East, the Antigonids in Macedon (an area partly encompassing Greece), the Attalids in Pergamum (Asia Minor) and the Ptolemys in Egypt.
All four kingdoms were eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire.
Here is the timing historically.
Babylon Empire 605 to 536 BC
Medo Persia 536 to 330
Greece 330 to 30 BC
This includes the time of Alexander the Great and the the breakup into 4 kingdoms from that. This is all considered the Grecian Empire.
Rome 30 BC which some say still exists but they are trying to include the Roman Catholic Church in that and other nations conquered by Rome. I disagree with that and I say that the Roman Empire ended 476 AD. The last Roman Emperor was Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors in the west, was overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first Barbarian to rule in Rome.
From one of these four horns or kingdoms that came from the break up of Greece there was one that became prominent with regard to the Jews or God’s people.
Daniel 8:9-12 NLT Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
God gave Daniel the unique opportunity of looking at the future. Last week Daniel’s vision was primarily about Gentile nations, their character, relations, succession, and destiny. But in Daniel 8 that future gets very personal. In Daniel 8-12, the emphasis is on the destiny of Israel.
1. If God offered to show you glimpses of our nation's future over the next two hundred years, COVID-19 for example would you want to see them? Explain.
I know that God is in control and that my seeing them won’t change anything, however it may help me to prepare for bad things and to not get too excited and overdo it if good things were going to happen especially if I knew that bad things were coming. If I had known when I was younger that certain things were going to happen I probably would have done some things differently. So after saying all that I guess I would want to see them.
When and where did Daniel’s vision occur?
Daniel 8:1-2 NLT During the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I, Daniel, saw another vision, following the one that had already appeared to me. In this vision I was at the fortress of Susa, in the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai River.
This dream was in Belshazzar’s third year. 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.
In Suza two years after the dream in
Daniel 7:1 NLT Earlier, during the first year of King Belshazzar’s reign in Babylon, Daniel had a dream and saw visions as he lay in his bed. He wrote down the dream, and this is what he saw.
Now let’s look at the second dream:
Daniel 8:3-7 NLT As I looked up, I saw a ram with two long horns standing beside the river. One of the horns was longer than the other, even though it had grown later than the other one. The ram butted everything out of his way to the west, to the north, and to the south, and no one could stand against him or help his victims. He did as he pleased and became very great. While I was watching, suddenly a male goat appeared from the west, crossing the land so swiftly that he didn’t even touch the ground. This goat, which had one very large horn between its eyes, headed toward the two-horned ram that I had seen standing beside the river, rushing at him in a rage. The goat charged furiously at the ram and struck him, breaking off both his horns. Now the ram was helpless, and the goat knocked him down and trampled him. No one could rescue the ram from the goat’s power.
What was the description of the ram in Daniel’s dream? (8:3-4)
The ram had two horns so there were two allies Media and Persia. The ram was very powerful and conquered in all directions and nothing was able to defeat it. The ram by the way represented the Medo-Persian empire which in Nebuchadnezzar's dream was the chest and arms of silver, in chapter 2,
Daniel 2:32 NLT The head of the statue was made of fine gold. Its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs were bronze,
and in Daniel’s dream in chapter 7 was the second beast the bear,
Daniel 7:4-5 NLT The first beast was like a lion with eagles’ wings. As I watched, its wings were pulled off, and it was left standing with its two hind feet on the ground, like a human being. And it was given a human mind. Then I saw a second beast, and it looked like a bear. It was rearing up on one side, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And I heard a voice saying to it, “Get up! Devour the flesh of many people!”
One of the horns was larger than the other and it came up last. That was Persia.
The ram was the superpower, at that time, until the next animal of the dream, a goat, appeared
What did the goat do to the ram? (8:5-7)
The goat defeated, killed and trampled the ram. The goat by the way had only one big horn. The goat was Greece, led by Alexander the Great, which in Nebchaudezzer’s dream was the belly and the thighs of bronze, and the leopard in Daniel’s earlier dream.
Daniel 7:6 NLT Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four bird’s wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.
A little about their conquest of the Medo-Persian empire and beyond from the Wycliffe Bible Commentary:
The clean sweep of Alexander's armies is predicted in the latter part of Dan 8:7. His small swift army, with its devastating phalanx formation, swept through Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and finally Mesopotamia which is today Iraq which is where Babaloyn was (334-331 b.c.). After that his armies advanced eastward to India, then turned back again toward the west.
But at the height of his power something happened.
Daniel 8:8 NLT The goat became very powerful. But at the height of his power, his large horn was broken off. In the large horn’s place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.
What happened to the goat at the height of his power? (8:8)
At the height of his power the big horn was broken off and four other horns appeared. That kingdom was led by Alexander the great, the big horn, who died young.
More from the Wycliffe Commentary
Alexander died in the thirty-third year of his age, of fever and alcohol, at Babylon. In the subsequent twenty years, his winnings were divided into four parts among four of his military successors.
Two of the resultant divisions—Egypt under the Ptolemies (the last of whom was the famous Cleopatra) and Syria under the Seleucids, the historic kings of the South and the North, respectively—are of importance as neighbors of the Jews.
We will talk more about them in chapter 11.
The Empire split into four kingdoms, which would retain their sovereignty in order from least to longest: the Seleucids in Asia Minor and the Middle East, the Antigonids in Macedon (an area partly encompassing Greece), the Attalids in Pergamum (Asia Minor) and the Ptolemys in Egypt.
All four kingdoms were eventually incorporated into the Roman Empire.
Here is the timing historically.
Babylon Empire 605 to 536 BC
Medo Persia 536 to 330
Greece 330 to 30 BC
This includes the time of Alexander the Great and the the breakup into 4 kingdoms from that. This is all considered the Grecian Empire.
Rome 30 BC which some say still exists but they are trying to include the Roman Catholic Church in that and other nations conquered by Rome. I disagree with that and I say that the Roman Empire ended 476 AD. The last Roman Emperor was Romulus, the last of the Roman emperors in the west, was overthrown by the Germanic leader Odoacer, who became the first Barbarian to rule in Rome.
From one of these four horns or kingdoms that came from the break up of Greece there was one that became prominent with regard to the Jews or God’s people.
Daniel 8:9-12 NLT Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
How did the little horn grow in importance? (8:9-12)
The little horn, or ruler, was focused on the Jews.
Daniel 8:9 (NKJV)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.
That’s why this horn was important in Daniel’s dream. He attacked the people and even made himself equal to the God of the Jews and he banned their religious practices including those of sacrifice.
Daniel saw what he describes as holy ones perhaps they were angels who were looking on and talking.
Daniel 8:13-14 NLT Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, “How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on?” The other replied, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.”
Then enters Gabriel who is going to explain what is going to reveal what’s going to happen to this little horn and a time frame for the events in verses 9-12 to happen and then end.
Daniel 8:9-12 NLT Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
Daniel 8:15-27 NLT As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.” As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.” While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet. Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire. The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first. “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.” Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
These verses predict what happened to the Jews after they returned from exile in the second half of the second century b.c.
Most believe that this small horn was a king by the name of Antiochus IV, reigned from 175 to 164 BC he was called Epiphanes ("Magnificent") by friends, Epimanes ("Madman") by enemies. A lot of people see what happened with him and the Jews as him being a type of Antichrist, not the Antichrist but a type. and his actions against Christ and his people in the end time. He came from the Syrian kingdom the Seleucids
According to the Wycliffe Bible Commentary
The 2,300 days is literally, evening-mornings, i.e., evening and morning daily burnt sacrifices, and so refers to only 1, 150 days. It seems to refer to a period in 168-165 b.c. when the Temple was desecrated by pagan sacrifices.
This is a little longer than 3 years
Another interpretation is that it is an actual 2300 days or about 6 years which was from 175 BC until Antiochus IV’s death in 164 BC.
He hated the Jews because they were loyal to God. He changed their laws. He did not allow them to make sacrifices to God. This lasted for about 6 years. After about 3 years, he ruined God’s house.
No matter which interpretation you use this prophecy has been fulfilled.
Here’s the story from a Wikipedia posting;
While Antiochus was busy in Egypt, a rumor spread that he had been killed. The deposed High Priest Jason gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on the city of Jerusalem. The High Priest appointed by Antiochus, Menelaus, was forced to flee Jerusalem during a riot. On the King's return from Egypt in 167 BC, enraged by his defeat, he attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus, then executed many Jews.
To consolidate his empire and strengthen his hold over the region, Antiochus decided to side with the Hellenized Jews by outlawing Jewish religious rites and traditions kept by observant Jews and by ordering the worship of Zeus as the supreme god (2 Maccabees 6:1–12). This was anathema to the Jews and when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city was destroyed, many were slaughtered, and a military Greek citadel called the Acra was established.
Finally, the Jews were able to drive Antiochus out of Israel and to reclaim the Temple.
The Maccabees, also spelled Machabees , were the leaders of a Jewish rebel army that took control of Judea, which at the time had been a province of the Seleucid Empire. They founded the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled from 164 BCE to 63 BCE. They reasserted the Jewish religion, partly by forced conversion, expanded the boundaries of Judea by conquest and reduced the influence of Hellenism and Hellenistic Judaism.
From Wikipedia
In the narrative of I Maccabees, after Antiochus issued his decrees forbidding Jewish religious practice, a rural Jewish priest from Modiin,Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked the revolt against the Seleucid Empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Mattathias killed a Hellenistic Jew who stepped forward to offer a sacrifice to an idol in Mattathias' place. He and his five sons fled to the wilderness of Judah. After Mattathias' death about one year later in 166 BCE, his son Judas Maccabee led an army of Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucid dynasty in guerrilla warfare, which at first was directed against Hellenizing Jews, of whom there were many. The Maccabees destroyed pagan altars in the villages, circumcised boys and forced Jews into outlawry.[8] The term Maccabees as used to describe the Jewish army is taken from the Hebrew word for "hammer".[9]
The revolt involved many battles, in which the Maccabean forces gained notoriety among the Seleucid army for their use of guerrilla tactics. After the victory, the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph and ritually cleansed the Temple, reestablishing traditional Jewish worship there and installing Jonathan Maccabee as high priest. A large Seleucid army was sent to quash the revolt, but returned to Syria on the death of Antiochus IV. Its commander Lysias, preoccupied with internal Seleucid affairs, agreed to a political compromise that restored religious freedom.
The Jewish festival of Hanukkah celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple following Judah Maccabee's victory over the Seleucids. According to Rabbinic tradition, the victorious Maccabees could only find a small jug of oil that had remained uncontaminated by virtue of a seal, and although it only contained enough oil to sustain the Menorah for one day, it miraculously lasted for eight days, by which time further oil could be procured.[10]
Daniel 8:19 NLT Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.
Near the end of the time of the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV. We could also say that is perhaps a prophecy of what will happen in the for real end times. It’s common to find a near literal view combined with a far, typical view within the scope of a particular prophecy.
Now Here’s Where Many Believe an additional king is meant for the end of days.
Daniel 8:23-25 NLT “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.
This was also a king. He will come from one of those four horns in the break up of the Grecian Empire, Rome some say. This will be the Antichrist of the end times. He will come at the end of the world. He too will hate God’s people. Then God will kill him. Then God will give the kingdom to his own people.
Twice Gabriel makes it clear that this vision concerns (applies to) the "time of the end" or "the distant future."
Daniel 8:19, 26 NLT Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”
Many Bible scholars believe that Antiochus Epiphanes is a picture of the final evil ruler who will appear on the world scene just before the establishment of Christ's kingdom. What specific qualities can you see in Antiochus that you might also expect to see in an evil ruler bent on world conquest?
What was Daniel told to do.
Daniel 8:26 NLT “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”
He’s told to seal it up because it is for a future time. We have seen here today that there are times in history of the fulfilment of it but the last of the vision may also point to a still future time.
How was Daniel affected by the interpretation of the vision?
Daniel 8:27 NLT Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
Daniel still did not understand the dream. He was sick for many days. Then he went back to work for the king.
In what ways would this chapter be an encouragement to Christians living under political tyranny (or even emotional discouragement or spiritual attack)?
Apply It.
When you next feel powerless or inadequate, how can you entrust yourself to the Lord?
In your prayers today, what specific national sins do you want to ask God to correct?
The little horn, or ruler, was focused on the Jews.
Daniel 8:9 (NKJV)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.
That’s why this horn was important in Daniel’s dream. He attacked the people and even made himself equal to the God of the Jews and he banned their religious practices including those of sacrifice.
Daniel saw what he describes as holy ones perhaps they were angels who were looking on and talking.
Daniel 8:13-14 NLT Then I heard two holy ones talking to each other. One of them asked, “How long will the events of this vision last? How long will the rebellion that causes desecration stop the daily sacrifices? How long will the Temple and heaven’s army be trampled on?” The other replied, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the Temple will be made right again.”
Then enters Gabriel who is going to explain what is going to reveal what’s going to happen to this little horn and a time frame for the events in verses 9-12 to happen and then end.
Daniel 8:9-12 NLT Then from one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. Its power reached to the heavens, where it attacked the heavenly army, throwing some of the heavenly beings and some of the stars to the ground and trampling them. It even challenged the Commander of heaven’s army by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. The army of heaven was restrained from responding to this rebellion. So the daily sacrifice was halted, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
Daniel 8:15-27 NLT As I, Daniel, was trying to understand the meaning of this vision, someone who looked like a man stood in front of me. And I heard a human voice calling out from the Ulai River, “Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of his vision.” As Gabriel approached the place where I was standing, I became so terrified that I fell with my face to the ground. “Son of man,” he said, “you must understand that the events you have seen in your vision relate to the time of the end.” While he was speaking, I fainted and lay there with my face to the ground. But Gabriel roused me with a touch and helped me to my feet. Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. The two-horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy male goat represents the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes represents the first king of the Greek Empire. The four prominent horns that replaced the one large horn show that the Greek Empire will break into four kingdoms, but none as great as the first. “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.” Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
These verses predict what happened to the Jews after they returned from exile in the second half of the second century b.c.
Most believe that this small horn was a king by the name of Antiochus IV, reigned from 175 to 164 BC he was called Epiphanes ("Magnificent") by friends, Epimanes ("Madman") by enemies. A lot of people see what happened with him and the Jews as him being a type of Antichrist, not the Antichrist but a type. and his actions against Christ and his people in the end time. He came from the Syrian kingdom the Seleucids
According to the Wycliffe Bible Commentary
The 2,300 days is literally, evening-mornings, i.e., evening and morning daily burnt sacrifices, and so refers to only 1, 150 days. It seems to refer to a period in 168-165 b.c. when the Temple was desecrated by pagan sacrifices.
This is a little longer than 3 years
Another interpretation is that it is an actual 2300 days or about 6 years which was from 175 BC until Antiochus IV’s death in 164 BC.
He hated the Jews because they were loyal to God. He changed their laws. He did not allow them to make sacrifices to God. This lasted for about 6 years. After about 3 years, he ruined God’s house.
No matter which interpretation you use this prophecy has been fulfilled.
Here’s the story from a Wikipedia posting;
While Antiochus was busy in Egypt, a rumor spread that he had been killed. The deposed High Priest Jason gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on the city of Jerusalem. The High Priest appointed by Antiochus, Menelaus, was forced to flee Jerusalem during a riot. On the King's return from Egypt in 167 BC, enraged by his defeat, he attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus, then executed many Jews.
To consolidate his empire and strengthen his hold over the region, Antiochus decided to side with the Hellenized Jews by outlawing Jewish religious rites and traditions kept by observant Jews and by ordering the worship of Zeus as the supreme god (2 Maccabees 6:1–12). This was anathema to the Jews and when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city was destroyed, many were slaughtered, and a military Greek citadel called the Acra was established.
Finally, the Jews were able to drive Antiochus out of Israel and to reclaim the Temple.
The Maccabees, also spelled Machabees , were the leaders of a Jewish rebel army that took control of Judea, which at the time had been a province of the Seleucid Empire. They founded the Hasmonean dynasty, which ruled from 164 BCE to 63 BCE. They reasserted the Jewish religion, partly by forced conversion, expanded the boundaries of Judea by conquest and reduced the influence of Hellenism and Hellenistic Judaism.
From Wikipedia
In the narrative of I Maccabees, after Antiochus issued his decrees forbidding Jewish religious practice, a rural Jewish priest from Modiin,Mattathias the Hasmonean, sparked the revolt against the Seleucid Empire by refusing to worship the Greek gods. Mattathias killed a Hellenistic Jew who stepped forward to offer a sacrifice to an idol in Mattathias' place. He and his five sons fled to the wilderness of Judah. After Mattathias' death about one year later in 166 BCE, his son Judas Maccabee led an army of Jewish dissidents to victory over the Seleucid dynasty in guerrilla warfare, which at first was directed against Hellenizing Jews, of whom there were many. The Maccabees destroyed pagan altars in the villages, circumcised boys and forced Jews into outlawry.[8] The term Maccabees as used to describe the Jewish army is taken from the Hebrew word for "hammer".[9]
The revolt involved many battles, in which the Maccabean forces gained notoriety among the Seleucid army for their use of guerrilla tactics. After the victory, the Maccabees entered Jerusalem in triumph and ritually cleansed the Temple, reestablishing traditional Jewish worship there and installing Jonathan Maccabee as high priest. A large Seleucid army was sent to quash the revolt, but returned to Syria on the death of Antiochus IV. Its commander Lysias, preoccupied with internal Seleucid affairs, agreed to a political compromise that restored religious freedom.
The Jewish festival of Hanukkah celebrates the re-dedication of the Temple following Judah Maccabee's victory over the Seleucids. According to Rabbinic tradition, the victorious Maccabees could only find a small jug of oil that had remained uncontaminated by virtue of a seal, and although it only contained enough oil to sustain the Menorah for one day, it miraculously lasted for eight days, by which time further oil could be procured.[10]
Daniel 8:19 NLT Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time.
Near the end of the time of the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV. We could also say that is perhaps a prophecy of what will happen in the for real end times. It’s common to find a near literal view combined with a far, typical view within the scope of a particular prophecy.
Now Here’s Where Many Believe an additional king is meant for the end of days.
Daniel 8:23-25 NLT “At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.
This was also a king. He will come from one of those four horns in the break up of the Grecian Empire, Rome some say. This will be the Antichrist of the end times. He will come at the end of the world. He too will hate God’s people. Then God will kill him. Then God will give the kingdom to his own people.
Twice Gabriel makes it clear that this vision concerns (applies to) the "time of the end" or "the distant future."
Daniel 8:19, 26 NLT Then he said, “I am here to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath. What you have seen pertains to the very end of time. “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”
Many Bible scholars believe that Antiochus Epiphanes is a picture of the final evil ruler who will appear on the world scene just before the establishment of Christ's kingdom. What specific qualities can you see in Antiochus that you might also expect to see in an evil ruler bent on world conquest?
What was Daniel told to do.
Daniel 8:26 NLT “This vision about the 2,300 evenings and mornings is true. But none of these things will happen for a long time, so keep this vision a secret.”
He’s told to seal it up because it is for a future time. We have seen here today that there are times in history of the fulfilment of it but the last of the vision may also point to a still future time.
How was Daniel affected by the interpretation of the vision?
Daniel 8:27 NLT Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
Daniel still did not understand the dream. He was sick for many days. Then he went back to work for the king.
In what ways would this chapter be an encouragement to Christians living under political tyranny (or even emotional discouragement or spiritual attack)?
Apply It.
When you next feel powerless or inadequate, how can you entrust yourself to the Lord?
In your prayers today, what specific national sins do you want to ask God to correct?
Bible Study Audio
RSS Feed