Daniel 8

This chapter finds its complete fulfillment in the time of the second and the third kingdom.  Attempts to connect this to a future antichrist find no compelling need, because this chapter is fully fulfilled historically.  Additionally, this chapter specifically refers only to the second and third beast, so attempting to apply this to a future fourth beast seems quite out of place.  These are not the description of a future anti-christ reign, but of historically verified events, prophesied and fully fulfilled in the Media-Persian and Greecian empires.

Daniel 8:1

(1) In the third year of the (2) reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, (3) subsequent to the one which appeared to me (4) previously.

  1. The vision is introduced.
  2. Now, under a different King.
  3. It is indicated that it is after the vision of the four beasts.  This will fall entirely in the scope of the first, and will help to clarify.
  4. That is, Daniel 7.

Daniel 8:2

(1) I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and (2) I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal.

  1. In the vision, Daniel was there.
  2. As Daniel looks, he sees himself in a location.

Daniel 8:3-4

(1) Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. (2) Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. (3) I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and (4) no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but (5) he did as he pleased and magnified himself.

  1. The vision is described.  A Ram with two horns in front of the [Ulai] Canal.
  2. These will be the kings of Media-Persia, as explained below.
  3. Daniel sees the movements of this creature.
  4. No other nations could stop him.
  5. He “did as he pleased”, indicating lawlessness and ungodliness.

Daniel 8:5-8

While I was observing, behold, (1) a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth (2) without touching the ground; and (3) the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. (4) He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. (5) So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power. (6) Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. (7) But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and (8) in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

  1. Greece is the goat.
  2. Without touching the surface of the ground describes Alexander the Great’s rapid conquest.
  3. This horn is Alexander the Great.
  4. He defeated Media-Persia.
  5. He became the ruler of the known world.
  6. Alexander the Great was indeed pompous.
  7. As soon as he gained prominence, he died.
  8. In its place, his four generals took over the land he had conquered.

Daniel 8:9-11

(1) Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn (2) which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. (3) It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. (4) It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and (5) it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and (6) the place of His sanctuary was thrown down.  (7) And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and (8) it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.

  1. That is, out of the Selucid Empire, one of the four generals of Alexander.  This is Antiochus Epiphanes, a demonized ruler of the Greek Empire.  He fulfilled this vision historically.
  2. He grew large, even towards Israel.
  3. He persecuted the Jews.
  4. He blasphemed God and demanded worship of himself.
  5. He stopped sacrifices in Jerusalem.
  6. He desecrated the temple.
  7. He persecuted and killed many in Israel.
  8. He opposed God and seemed to propser.

Daniel 8:13-14

 (1) Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while (2) the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?”  (3) He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.”

  1. How long would the temple be desecrated was the question.
  2. The “transgresssion that causes horror”, or “the abomination of desolation”.  He set up an idol in the holy of holies in the temple, which is the historical fulfillment of the abomination of desolation.
  3. The temple was to be desecrated for 2,300 days.  The purification of the temple is celebrated by Hanukkah today.  The date of the cleansing was December 25, 165 BC.  Either 2,300 days, or 1,150 days would work, either to the beginning of the persecution with the former (171 BC), or with two sacrifices a day, at the date of the actual desecration of the temple.

Daniel 8:15-17

(1)  When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, (2) standing before me was one who looked like a man. (3) And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” (4) So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.”

  1. Daniel tries but cannot understand the vision himself.
  2. That is, the angel.
  3. The voice of the one tells the angel Gabriel to relate the meaning to Daniel.
  4. Daniel begins to relate the intepretation of the vision.

Daniel 8:18-19

(1) Now while he was talking with me, (2) I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; (3) but he touched me and made me stand upright. He said, (4) “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, (5) for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.

  1. While Gabriel relates the meaning.
  2. Daniel is overwhelmed by the glory of the angel.
  3. The touch of the angel enables Daniel to remain alert.
  4. The angel says he will explain the vision.
  5. It is said to pertain to the time of the end, meaning, the end of Israel as a nation, as is apparent.  This is the primary concern of the whole of the book of Daniel.  He is not looking at the same context as Jesus in Matthew 24, but only of the Jewish people, and the holy city and the temple.

Daniel 8:20

The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

  1. The ram indeed is Media-Persia, the second kingdom.

Daniel 8:21-22

(1) The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. (2) The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

  1. The goat is Greece, and its first king, Alexander the Great.
  2. The four generals of Alexander did not rule with the same scope as the first.

Daniel 8:23

In the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their course, (1) a king will arise, (2) insolent and skilled in intrigue.

  1. Antiocus Epiphanes.
  2. Fits him exactly in history.

Daniel 8:24-25

(1) His power will be mighty, (2) but not by his own power, and (3) he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; (4) he will destroy mighty men and the holy people. and (5) through his shrewdness he will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; and (6) he will magnify himself in his heart, and (7) he will destroy many while they are at ease. (8) He will even oppose the Prince of princes, but (9) he will be broken without human agency.

  1. Known for his brutality.
  2. He was demonically inspired.  He is a beast.
  3. He seemed to succeed at everything.  But, we do not fret when evil doers seem to succeed, for we know their end.  Psalm 37:1-2.
  4. He made war with many, including the people of God.
  5. His rule was marked by deceit.
  6. He called himself “god manifest”.
  7. He did make war and conquer many others.
  8. He opposed God himself with his title as “epiphanes”, or “god manifest”, although some nicknamed him “eipmanes”, “insane”, insead.
  9. He is said to have died of disease, not from a human hand.

Daniel 8:26

(1) The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; (2) but keep the vision secret, (3) for it pertains to many days in the future.

  1. The vision of the evenings and mornings is verified in its accuracy.
  2. But, secrecy is required, as with many true revelations of God.  Had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory.
  3. It would not be for a very long time from the time of Daniel’s writing.

Daniel 8:27

(1) Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. (2) Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; (3) but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it.

  1. The vision, again, exhausted Daniel.  He continued that way for a number of days.
  2. Afterwards, Daniel could function again.  The impact of the vision greatly affected him.
  3. Still, he was affected by the vision, but no one could bring futher interpretation, not that he was allowed to share it anyway.