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Daniel 1

Daniel 8 Part 2

Gabriel Interprets Daniel's Vision

Let's continued where we left off:

15And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then,  I heard a man's voice which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. 17So he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

This is where I think many people get hung up on, because it says at the time of the end. Many people when they see phrases like this mentioned they interpret it as, at the time of the end of the world. But is that what God is saying?

At the end. At the end of what? Well when would this vision of Media and Persia rising up start? This took place at the end of Israel's captivity. So in otherwords, at the end of Israel's captivity, all this would take place".

18Now 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. 19And 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.

So the angel Gabriel first tells Daniel that this vision will start at the end of Israel's captivity and then states he will explain what will happen at the end of Greece's indignation, which is the end of the vision that speaks about the little horn.

The Little Horn

We read

21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

So four kings would succeed Alexander, but not in his power, or in other-words, not from his seed. Alexander would not have children that would succeed him.

Who could predict that after Alexander's death exactly four kings would succeed him, and none of them would be his children? Truly God knows the end from the beginning.

23And in the latter time of their kingdom (or towards the latter part of Greece's rule), a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

That is the little horn that was to rise up out of one of the four horns that we mentioned in part 1. This was Antiochus IV, the great great grandson of Seleucus. We read more about Antiochus IV in verse 24:

24And 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.

Antiochus did destroy the holy people of Israel.

25And 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.

What does it mean by peace Antiochus would destroy many? This is a spiritual destruction. Antiochus offered peace to those who would forsake the commandments of god, causing their spiritual destruction. Anyone not forsaking the commandments of God were killed.

And what does it mean to be broken without hand? Well just like the one large horn of the rough goat being broken represented Alexander's death, the little horn would also be broken, meaning Antiochus IV would die, but without hand....

Antiochus did not die at the hand of another because he drowned himself. God once again proved to know the end from the beginning.

We will be learning more about Antiochus soon. Don't worry, there is much more to cover about him. Studying Antiochus shows just how accurate Daniel's dreams were, but for now let us read Daniel 8 again.

 

I have put my words/interpretation in red and put the actual text in parenthesis and in a few instances removed a few words just take make it as easy on the eyes as possible.

Daniel 8 (interpreted)

Daniel's Vision of the Ram and Goat

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 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. 3Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns representing Media and Persia: and the two horns were high; but the one representing Persia was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 4I saw the ram which now represented Persia after defeating Media pushing westward towards Babylon, and northward towards Lydia (the Sardes), and southward towards Egypt; 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.

5And as I was considering, behold, an he goat representing Greece came from the west on the face of the whole earth, traveling by sea (and touched not the ground:) and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes representing Alexander the Great6And Alexander (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. 7And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote Persia 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. 8Therefore Alexander became (the he goat waxed) very great : and when he was strong, Alexander died, and four kings rose in Alexander's place. (the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.)

9And out of (one of them) Seleucus came forth a little horn, Antiochus IV also known as Antiochus Epiphanes. and Antiochus (which) waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.10And Antiochus became great, even to the host of heaven; and he cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 11Yea, 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.12And 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. 13Then 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? 14And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred daily sacrifices; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

Gabriel Interprets Daniel's Vision

15And 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. 16And I heard a man's voice between the banks of 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 afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end of Israel's captivity shall be the vision.

18Now 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. 19And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of Greece's (the) indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

20The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is Alexander, the first king. 22Now after Alexander dies (that being broken,) four kings shall arise after Alexander, but the kings shall not be of Alexander's seed. (kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.)

23And in the latter time of the Grecian (their) kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance named Antiochus IV, shall stand up. And he shall understand dark sentences,

24And 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 of Israel.

25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart taking the name Antiochus Epiphanes meaning god manifest, and by peace shall destroy many by forcing Israel to forsake God's commandments, and putting to death anyone caught following God's law: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall die without anyone's hand for he shall drown himself when he realizes his kingdom has come to an end. (be broken without hand.)

26And 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.

27And 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.

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