The Ram and the He Goat
Dan 8:1 In 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.
Dan 8:2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.
The vision was when Belshazzar was king of Babylon, concerning future kingdoms. Daniel was in Shushan, in Persia on the kings business.
Dan 8:3 Then 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.
Dan 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.
The ram was the symbol of the Persians. The two horns, the shorter representing the Meads and the longer the more powerful Persians. Together they went to battle, conquering the lands around them. Earlier they were described as a bear, raised up on one side, Dan 7:5. Westwards, they overcame the Egyptians. Northward, they over powered the Scythians and southward the Babylonians, or Chaldeans. The ram is a male sheep.
Dan 8:5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
Dan 8:6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.
Dan 8:7 And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler 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 stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.
Dan 8:8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
The male goat arose from the West, without touching the ground. Earlier in Dan. 7:6, he was described as a leopard with four wings. He seemingly flew through the air with great speed. He had a great horn, a great ruler: Alexander the Great. He confronted the Ram and there was a great battle. With furious power and rage, the battles were fierce. The Greek empire would subdue the Medo-Persian empire. Alexander, spread the Greek culture and the Greek language became the universal language. Greek was the language used to write most of the New Testament. No one could deliver the ram from his hand. The large horn was broken, Alexander died suddenly at a young age. In place of the great horn, four notable horns sprung up. Four Greek generals would rule. They divided the Greek empire into four parts after the death of Alexander the Great. These are all prophesies that have come true already. We can trust what we hear from the Lord, only be sure it is the Lord who speaks to you, not a man or an angel. God's word is true.
Little Horn/Antiochus IV
Dan 8:9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
After the large horn, Alexander the great was broken off, four rulers were in power. A little horn grew in greatness. This was Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled Syria and Israels land. He gained his throne by murdering his brother, Seleucus Philopator, one of the four rulers. He ruled by flattery and bribery. Epiphanes means "illustrious" as a god. The Jews named him "Epimanes" meaning "madman."
Dan 8:10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
He cast down stars and trampled on them, he persecuted the Jewish people of God, He had over100,000 Jews murdered. The LORD told Abraham that they are as the stars of heaven.
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Dan 8:11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.
He magnified himself even to the prince of the host, He made himself the object of worship instead of the Most High God of Israel. He took away the daily sacrifices in the temple in Jerusalem and defiled and profaned the holy temple. Paul later spoked of our bodies as the temple.
1 Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
Dan 8:12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.
This was the time when the high priests would pay Antiochus bribes to remove another from their office and to be the high priest. God's truth and righteousness were not honored. The High priests would out bribe one another to be in this position of authority, even selling some of the gold vessels from the temple. Such corruption was one reason that Antiochus remained in power, as a judgment from God. The man of God should not use the methods of the world to remain in power.
Psa 7:11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psa 7:12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
Psa 7:13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
Psa 7:14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
Psa 7:15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
Psa 7:16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
Dan 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
Dan 8:14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
One saint - That is, one holy angel. How long - How long shall Antiochus continue his vexations against the people and prevent the worship of God? This is, the treading down of the sanctuary, and the host. (Wesley)
There would be literally two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. However, if we take it to mean 1,150 days it can refer to the time the temple was actually desecrated. Philip Newell makes this case: "For a duration of time during which 2300 daily sacrifices would ordinarily have been offered, one at evening and one in the morning, as specified in Exo_29:38-43. Since there are two of these daily, the actual time period involved is 1150 days, or slightly over three years. This, in fact, was the time of the Maccabean tribulation, 168-165 B.C., at the end of which the sanctuary was 'cleansed' by Judas Maccabeus in his restoration of the evening and morning sacrifices (2Ma_10:1-5)." (Guzik)
Gabriel
Dan 8:15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
Dan 8:16 And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.
Daniel is on the shores of the Persian River, when he heard what had the appearance and voice of a man calling to the angel Gabriel to explain the vision. The same angel that would be sent to the priest and father of John the Baptist and then to the virgin Mary.
Luke 1:18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Luke 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.
Luke 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Luke 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Gabriel was a most important messenger of God.
Dan 8:17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.
Daniel falls before the holy one of God. Gabriel said he would explain the vision in reference to the end times. Sometimes prophecies have two fulfillment's, early and later. Antiochus Epipanes is sometimes called the Antichrist of the old testament, a picture of the Antichrist of the end times.
Dan 8:18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.
Though Daniel was asleep in a worshipful position, the angel is a creation, they do not wish worship, he set him upright. We do not worship man or angel, only God and his son.
Dan 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.
Gabriel will make known to Daniel and we who read this, the hidden message in these prophecies as they refer to the end times. When is the end? At the time appointed.
Acts 1:6 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?
Acts 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.
God does not interfere with the affairs of men, we all are allowed to make choices, but he knows the future. Our best wisdom is to seek him for answers. Gabriel will speak of the end time Antichrist
Antichrist
Dan 8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
These events would occur to set the stage for the end times. The Meads and the Persians came to power and were overcome by the Greeks, under Alexander the Great. Remember this was still future to Daniel who was still under the authority of the King of Babylon.
Dan 8:21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
Dan 8:22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
Alexander would arise and be broken off and four rulers would divide the power of Greece.
Dan 8:23 And 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.
Now Gabriel is speaking of the end times. Antiochus would come as a type of the end time Antichrist. In every age we are told to be ready for the end times, it is kept a mystery I believe, so that all will seek the things of God and not seek only the worlds things as if there is no soon end. There is to be accountability to the God who created us. Evolution has replaced creation and accountability to the God of creation to many in this generation. They need to heed the words of Gabriel, events are coming that signal the end times. All should seek God before these end time things occur.
Dan 8:24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
His power is from satan, he shall destroy as satan.
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:..
He will prosper for a season as did Antiochus, for evil men will support him. He will come against God's mighty and holy people, many will be martyrs.
Dan 8:25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
Through his policy, his plans enforced, deceit shall prosper in his hands, for a season. He shall magnify himself even placing himself above the things of God.
2 Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
He will pretend to bring peace, the world seeks peace. But, there is no peace from satan, there is a price to pay. He shall destroy many, the Jewish people, he also shall stand up against the Prince of Princes; our Lord Jesus Christ. He shall be broken without hand.God will destroy him. As Antiochus died by disease, the sins of the Antichrist will bring God's swift judgment to him.
Rev 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Dan 8:26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
Write the vision down for future reference, it is true. More would be revealed to John in the book of Revelation. The end time is close at hand now, for us.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
Dan 8:27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
These things made Daniel faint, and he was sick certain days. Why? Because he saw the evil which must come before Messiah comes back. No man can survive these days, unless the Lord comes. Satan in his desperation shall bring forth this great time of evil, but Jesus is coming. We are not to stop doing the king's business. We warn others, even if few are wanting to hear and understand.
2 Tim 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
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