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THE BOOK OF DANIEL
CHAPTER 8
Chapter 7 is about the antichrist rise and this chapter is about his identification.
Daniel 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.
Daniel vision is three years later than the vision he had in Chapter 7.
Daniel 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.
Daniel described his vision as occurring while he was in Shushan in the province of Elam, a Persian capital about 200 miles from Babylon. Daniel was not involved in the kingdom reign of Belshazzar, and why he was in Shushan is not explained After the Medo-Persians had conquered Babylon, Xerxes built a great palace in this city which was the scene of the Book of Ester and where Nehemiah served as King Artaxerxes cupbearer. (Neh 1:11). In his vision Daniel saw himself alongside the Ulai Canal. The Ulai River flowed from 150 miles North of Shushan to the Tigris River to the South. The location of the vision is important only implying the background of the vision dealing with Medo-Persia and Greece.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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.
Daniel see a ram with two horns, standing beside the river, and the horns was long. One horn was longer than the other but grew up later. The ram travel in all direction doing what he wanted and became great.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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 two-horned ram represents the Kings of Media and Persia (Dan 8:20). The longer horn represented the greater power of Persia. A goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two-horned ram and charged him in great rage, and shattered his two horns. The goat became very great, but the height of his power his large horn was broke off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. The goat is the king of Greece and is identified as Alexander the Great. The prophecy of the large horn being broke off was fulfilled with the death of Alexander the Great and the land around the Great Sea was divided between Alexander four generals. Macedonia, Greece; Asia Minor (Turkey); Syria; and Egypt.
Daniel 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.
Now we move from ancient history to a future time when the antichrist will show up. Out of one of the 4 kingdoms comes a little horn which became great. Matthew 24:15-16 tells that the abomination of Jerusalem is yet future.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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 the sanctuary was cast down.
The antichrist take over Israel and anoints himself as Messiah; he stops the daily sacrifice. The reason he stops the sacrifice is because he has deceived the people to think he is the real sacrifice just like what Jesus Christ did for our sins.
Daniel 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 practised, and prospered.
He grew until it reached the hosts of the heavens, and it threw some of the host down to the earth and tramples on them. He set himself up to be a great prince of the host; he took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of His sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to him. He prospered in everything he did, and truth was thrown to the ground.
Daniel 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?
Daniel 8: 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
The first sacrifice in the new temple is not made until 220 days into the tribulation period because the tribulation will last 2520 days or seven years. The sanctuary will be cleansed at the end of the tribulation when the Lord returns. This will be 2300 days after the first sacrifice is made.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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.
A angel appeared to Daniel as a man and he called to Gabriel to make Daniel understand the vision.
Daniel 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 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.
When Gabriel came to Daniel he fell prostrate before the holy angel. Daniel was addressed as son of man and is told that this is vision concerning the end times.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 8: 20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
The two horned ram represents the kings of Media and Persia.
Daniel 8: 21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
The rough goat is the king of Greece and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.
Daniel 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.
The four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power as the king of Greece.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 8: 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Daniel 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.
Daniel 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.
Daniel described the wicked king of this prophecy as a king of fierce countenance. He will become very strong, but not in his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed at whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He wildcats deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against Jesus Christ. He will be destroyed and cast into the lake of fire. (Rev 19:20) To understand the power of the antichrist and where he get his authority compare Revelation Chapter 13 with what Daniel sees in his vision.
Daniel 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.
Daniel has been brought through tremendous emotional strain in the course of receiving this vision. He was exhausted and lay ill for several days. When he got up he went about the king's business. He was astonished at the vision and none understood it.
