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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel in the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible presents a fascinating and intricate account of a vision experienced by Daniel. This vision, which takes place during the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, features a ram and a goat and is interpreted as a prophecy concerning the future of the kingdoms of Medo-Persia and Greece. The chapter is a powerful exploration of divine prophecy, the sovereignty of God over human affairs, and the inevitable triumph of God's kingdom.
The chapter begins with Daniel having a vision while in the citadel of Susa, a significant city in the province of Elam. In his vision, he sees a ram with two high horns, one higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. This ram was charging westward, northward, and southward, and no beasts could stand before it. This vision of the ram symbolizes the kingdom of Medo-Persia, with the two horns representing the two kings of Media and Persia. The fact that one horn is higher than the other signifies that one kingdom was more potent than the other, and the higher one coming up last indicates that the more robust kingdom arose after the weaker one.
As the vision continues, Daniel sees a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes coming from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. This goat, representing the kingdom of Greece, attacks the ram furiously, breaking its two horns. The prominent horn on the goat symbolizes the first king of Greece, traditionally interpreted as Alexander the Great. The goat's attack on the ram illustrates the historical conflict between Greece and Persia, culminating in Alexander's conquest of the Persian Empire.
However, at the height of its power, the large horn is broken off, and in its place, four notable horns grow toward the four winds of heaven. This represents the division of Alexander's empire into four parts after his death. Out of one of these horns, a small horn grows and becomes exceedingly great, moving south, east, and toward the 'Beautiful Land,' typically understood as Israel. This small horn is generally identified as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a ruler of one of the divisions of Alexander's empire, who famously desecrated the Jewish temple in Jerusalem.
While Daniel is watching, he hears two holy ones discussing the vision, revealing that the desecration of the sanctuary will last for 2,300 evenings and mornings. Disturbed and seeking understanding, Daniel falls into a deep sleep but is awakened by the angel Gabriel, who is commanded to explain the vision to Daniel.
Gabriel explains that the vision concerns the time of the end and that the ram and the goat represent the kings of Media, Persia, and Greece. He further interprets the broken horn and the four horns that replace it as the four kingdoms that will emerge from the nation of Greece but will not have the same power. The small horn that becomes great is a fierce king who will cause astounding devastation and will stand against the Prince of princes. However, he will be broken without human hands, indicating divine intervention.
The vision that Daniel experiences in this chapter is profound, not only for its historical and prophetic implications but also for its theological and spiritual insights. It underscores the sovereignty of God, who knows the future and controls the course of history. Even though kingdoms rise and fall, and even though God's people may experience suffering and persecution, God's ultimate victory is assured.
The vision also provides hope and comfort for God's people. Despite the trials they face, they can rest in the knowledge that God is in control and that their suffering is not in vain. The prophecy of the desecration of the sanctuary and its eventual restoration serves as a powerful reminder that God will vindicate His people and restore His temple. This points forward to the ultimate restoration that will come through Jesus Christ, the Prince of princes.
Furthermore, the vision serves as a challenge to God's people to remain faithful amidst trials and tribulations. The prophecy of the small horn's rise and fall is a sobering reminder of the consequences of rebellion against God. Yet, it also serves as a call to repentance and faithfulness, knowing that God's judgement is sure and His deliverance is certain.
In conclusion, the eighth chapter of the Book of Daniel is a rich and complex exploration of divine prophecy, the sovereignty of God, and the hope of ultimate restoration. It serves as a potent reminder of God's control over history, His faithfulness to His people, and His ultimate victory over the forces of evil. As such, it provides a source of comfort, challenge, and hope for believers, both in Daniel's time and in our own.
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