He Changes Times And Seasons › Daniel 8
CHAPTER 8
The Ram and the Goat
The Lord knows what lies ahead for every empire
From chapter 8 the book returns to Hebrew, because the vision concerns Israel and the land. It was given in the third year of Belshazzar (about 551 B.C.), and Daniel sees himself in Susa, the capital of the empire that will soon replace Babylon. The vision moves quickly through the Persian and Greek empires and then lingers over a vicious ruler who arises from one of the four Greek divisions.
Students recognize a double fulfillment here. The little horn of chapter 8 is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple in 167 B.C., but he is also a type of the final Antichrist, and the angel says the vision concerns the time of the end (v. 17).
The Ram with Two Horns
DANIEL 8:1–4
1In 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.
2And I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in Shushan the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai.
3Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.
4I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no beasts could stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself.
Daniel sees himself in Shushan the palace in the province of Elam, beside the river Ulai. He sees a ram with two horns standing before the river; the two horns are high, but one is higher than the other, and the higher came up last. The ram pushes westward, northward, and southward, and no beast can stand before him. He does according to his will and becomes great.
The two horns are the Medes and the Persians, and the higher horn that came up last is the Persian side, which became dominant under Cyrus.
The Goat with the Notable Horn
DANIEL 8:5–8
5And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west over the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
6And he came to the ram that had the two horns, which I saw standing before the river, and ran upon him in the fury of his power.
7And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with anger against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns; and there was no power in the ram to stand before him; but he cast him down to the ground, and trampled upon him; and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
8And the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and instead of it there came up four notable horns toward the four winds of heaven.
A he-goat comes from the west across the face of the whole earth and touches not the ground; the goat has a notable horn between his eyes. He runs at the ram in the fury of his power, smites him, breaks his two horns, casts him to the ground, and tramples on him. None can deliver the ram out of his hand.
The goat waxes great exceedingly, and when he is strong the great horn is broken and in its place come up four notable horns toward the four winds of heaven. This is the swift conquest of Alexander the Great and the division of his empire among four generals (Cassander, Lysimachus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy) after his death in 323 B.C.
The Little Horn and the Cleansing of the Sanctuary
DANIEL 8:9–14
9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
10And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them.
11Yea, it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host; and it took away from him the continual burnt-offering, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
12And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered.
13Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said unto that certain one who spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the continual burnt-offering, and the transgression that maketh desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
Out of one of the four comes forth a little horn which waxes exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It reaches the host of heaven, throws some of the host and the stars to the ground, and magnifies itself even to the prince of the host. The continual burnt offering is taken away from Him and the place of His sanctuary is cast down. A host is given over to it together with the continual burnt offering through transgression, and it casts down truth to the ground and does its pleasure and prospers.
A holy one asks another how long the vision will last, concerning the continual burnt offering and the transgression that makes desolate. The answer is: unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Interpreters differ on whether this means 2,300 days or 1,150 days (counting the morning and evening sacrifices separately). Either way, Antiochus’s persecution of the temple from about 171 to 164 B.C. fits closely, and the rededication under Judas Maccabeus is remembered at Hanukkah.
Gabriel Explains the Vision
DANIEL 8:15–19
15And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
16And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
17So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I was affrighted, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end.
18Now as he was speaking with me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face toward the ground; but he touched me, and set me upright.
19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the latter time of the indignation; for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end.
Daniel sought the meaning and, behold, there stood before him as the appearance of a man. A man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai calls, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. Gabriel comes near, and Daniel is afraid and falls on his face. Gabriel says: Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end. Daniel falls into a deep sleep, and Gabriel touches him and sets him upright.
This is the first time an angel is named in the Bible, and Gabriel appears again in Daniel 9 and in the first chapter of Luke. The angel makes known what shall be in the latter time of the indignation, for it belongeth to the appointed time of the end.
The Interpretation: Persia, Greece, and a King of Fierce Countenance
DANIEL 8:20–26
20The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
21And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22And as for that which was broken, in the place whereof four stood up, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
23And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people.
25And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
26And the vision of the evenings and mornings which hath been told is true: but shut thou up the vision; for it belongeth to many days to come.
The ram which has the two horns is the kings of Media and Persia. The rough he-goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that came up in its place are four kingdoms that shall stand up out of the nation, but not with his power.
In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. He shall destroy wonderfully, prosper and do his pleasure, destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. Through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand, magnify himself in his heart, and in time of security destroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes, but he shall be broken without hand.
The phrase “broken without hand” echoes the stone cut without hands in chapter 2. The ruler’s downfall will not come by human power. The vision of the evenings and mornings is true; Daniel is told to shut up the vision, for it belongs to many days to come.
Daniel Is Sick but Goes On
DANIEL 8:27
27And I, Daniel, fainted, and was sick certain days; then I rose up, and did the king’s business: and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it.
Daniel fainted and was sick certain days; afterward he rose up and did the king’s business. He was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. The prophet’s faithfulness in ordinary work after an overwhelming revelation is a model for every believer: after the mountain, return to the king’s business.
Discussion Questions
- What is the difference between the near fulfillment in Antiochus and the far fulfillment in the last days?
- Why is Gabriel’s name significant?
- What does “broken without hand” say about the end of all tyrants?
- How should believers respond when a vision is beyond their understanding?