It was shortly before the great Babylonian world-kingdom fell, in the third year of its last king, Belshazzar, that Daniel saw this vision of the Ram and the He-Goat, which, as he says, was "after that which appeared unto me at the first." This vision was, as it were, supplementary to that of the Four Beasts (Dan. 7) which he had seen in the second year of Belshazzar.

      He was, he tells us, in the "Shushan the palace" (or "the fortress"--a city destined to be the capital of the rising world-kingdom of Persia; see Neh. 1:1; Esther 1:2; 2:8) by the river Ulai--whether in person or in vision only is not clear, though it seems to be the latter. There he saw, first of all, a ram, standing before the river, having two horns. Both of these horns were high, but one of them (the one that came up last) was higher than the other. The ram pushed westward, and northward, and southward; and no beast against which his assaults were directed, could resist his onrush. He was supreme and invincible; and "he did according to his will and magnified himself."

      But while Daniel was looking on there came a goat leaping swiftly from the west. The he-goat had one notable horn between its eyes; and in the [61] fury of its power it ran full-tilt into the ram, smote him, broke his horns, cast him down to the ground and trampled upon him. And now the he-goat "magnified himself exceedingly." But just as he got to the height of his power ("when he was strong") his great horn was broken; "and instead of it there came up four notable [horns] toward the four winds of heaven."

      Now it was out of one of these four horns that another horn sprouted, which "waxed exceeding great, toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land"--the land of Israel. It waxed great also toward "the host of heaven; and some of the host and of the stars it cast down to the ground, and trampled upon them." In the pride of his power "it magnified itself, even to the prince of the host, and took away from him the continual burnt-offering through transgression." But the little horn (which now had grown to be so great and powerful) "cast down truth to the ground," and "did its pleasure and prospered."

      Then Daniel heard a "holy one" (cf. chap. 4:13, 23) speaking; and another "holy one" asked that that certain one¹ who spoke at first, how long this state of things would be allowed to go on. The answer was, "Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." [62]

      So far the vision. With verse 15 begins the explanation. While Daniel said he "sought to understand it," it can only mean that he prayed that an interpretation might be given him. Then stood one before him, in the appearance of a man, and from between the banks of the river Ulai came a man's voice, which said, "Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision." Gabriel (who no doubt was the one "in the appearance of a man" whom Daniel had just seen, v. 15) drew near to where Daniel stood; and the latter, affrighted, fell on his face. But Gabriel said to him,

      "Understand, O son of man; for the vision belongeth to the time of the end."

      The importance of this statement (repeated in vs. 19, 26; comp. also Dan. 12:4, 9) appears later. Meanwhile Daniel had sunk into a deep sleep, with his face to the ground. But the angel touched him and set him upright; then continued the explanation of the vision.

      "And 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. The ram which thou sawest, that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. And 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."

      This is perfectly lucid and needs no further explanation. The ram is the second Gentile world-empire, corresponding to the arms and breast of the [63] Image in Dan. 2, and to the "bear" in the vision of the Four Beasts of Dan. 7--Medo-Persia. "The shaggy he-goat" as (Isaac Leeser's translation gives it) is the third of the Gentile world-powers, the Grecian empire, of which Alexander the Great was the first and most prominent king, symbolized by "the notable horn" of the he-goat. In Dan. 2 this third world-power is represented as "the belly and thighs of brass" of the great Image; and in Daniel 7 as the four-headed, four-winged, beast which was like a leopard. Under the leadership of its first king (Alexander), this power of Greece spread with incredible rapidity eastward, conquering everything before it, completely crushing the mighty Persian empire, mastering all the then-known earth, so that Alexander is said to have wept because there were no more worlds left for him to conquer. But in the hour of his highest triumph, the "notable horn" of the he-goat was broken. Alexander, still young (aged 32) died at Babylon (B. C. 323); and about twenty years later, his kingdom was partitioned among four of his generals, Ptolemy, Seleucus, Lysimachus, and Cassander. These are well-known facts of common history and correspond perfectly with the prophecy of Daniel's vision.² [64]

      Let us note now, carefully, that up to this we have merely the foreground of the chief point of the prophecy. The vision belongs to the "time of the end." It foreshows what shall be "in the latter time of the indignation"--that is, of Israel's rejection and chastisement. (cp. Isa. 10:25.) It was not to be in the near future of Daniel's time, but after "many days to come" that the burden of this prophecy was to be realized. The four kingdoms of Alexander's empire had a former time of their existence; they were also to have a latter time. This "latter time" is further defined as the time "when transgressors are come to the full"--when sin and wickedness shall have come to its final climax. It is at that time that the events of this prophecy are to take place. Out of one of the four horns that sprang up in the place of the great horn that was broken off--that is, out of one of the four kingdoms that sprang from Alexander's empire after Alexander's death--a little horn buds forth, which is destined to become "exceeding great, toward the south [toward Egypt, formerly the Ptolemies' kingdom] and toward the east [that which was Seleucus'] and toward the glorious land (Palestine)." The interpretation of this is that out of one of those four kingdoms (in their latter time) shall a king arise, little in his start, but attaining to tremendous power--a king "of fierce countenance," and "understanding dark sentences," whose "power shall be mighty," yet with power not his own, but bestowed upon him from another source, and altogether an evil one. [65] (Inevitably here we must think of the statements found in 2 Thess. 2:9 and Rev. 13:2.) Leeser translates "a king of an impudent face, and understanding deep schemes"; Rotherham, "a king of mighty presence, and skillful in dissimulation." He uses this power to destroy the mighty ones, and "the holy people," which latter phrase signifies the Jews, the people of Israel. He will "destroy wonderfully," and prosper and do his pleasure; and by his policy ("cunning") he will cause deceit and craftiness to prosper in his hand. (Have we seen something answering to this picture and pattern in modern days?) He magnifies himself in his own heart, and in their security will he destroy many. Finally in the madness of his pride he will stand up against "the prince of princes." (Could this "prince of princes" be any other than Christ?) Then he comes to his end--not by the agency of man, but like the Image of Daniel 2, and like the fourth beast in Daniel 7, by an act of God, by a stroke of supernatural judgment.

      Of the vision of the 2300 "evenings and mornings" (v. 14), the angel interpreter says simply that it is true--i. e., not veiled in symbolism. It is just a plain 2300 "evenings and mornings." But what is the setting of all this? Let us go back to the vision itself to get the connection. Of the "little horn" we read here that 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. Yea, 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. And the host was given over to it together with the continual burnt-offering through transgression; [66] and it cast down truth to the ground, and it did its pleasure and prospered. Then 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? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."

      No further explanation is given of this. But in the light of what is revealed, some things are plain. The "host of the heavens" and the "stars" (comp. Dan. 12:3) can be no other than "the holy people" whom the king of fierce countenance, the "little horn," destroys, in v. 24. (See also v. 12.) The "prince of the host" is the recognized leader of the people at that time. But what is the "continual burnt-offering" and "the place of his sanctuary" which this wicked one throws down? The picture suggested in this description is that

      1. Israel is back in their land--as yet in unbelief.
      2. They have rebuilt their temple.
      3. They have resumed the daily sacrifices.
      4. This king seeks to destroy the people; takes away their continual burnt-offering, and casts down the place of their sanctuary.
      5. God gives them over into the hands of this wicked one "because of transgression."
      6. This "little horn" (then grown great) casts down truth to the ground, does its pleasure and prospers.
      7. This tribulation is to continue "unto 2300 evenings and mornings; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." [67]

      This vision, as the angel told Daniel, was to be shut up, because "it belongeth to many days to come."

      Many students and commentators hold that the prophecy of this "little horn" of Dan. 8 has been fulfilled by the appearance, nearly four centuries later, in the kingdom of Seleucus, of an evil king, a bitter enemy and persecutor of the Jews, "Antiochus Epiphanes" as he was called; who in B. C. 168 took Jerusalem, slaughtered 40,000 Jews, plundered, and, after that, foully desecrated the Temple. That this Antiochus in several points strikingly answered to the prophecy of Daniel's vision is clear. He sprang from one of the four kingdoms of Alexander's divided empire. He assaulted the "holy people." He defiled the temple and thus for a time caused the sacrifices to cease. If by "the prince of the host," the high-priest is meant--Antiochus Epiphanes certainly "magnified" himself "against the prince of the host." All this so closely corresponds to Daniel's vision that we are bound to see in it at least a fulfillment of that prophecy. But certain other features which were not fulfilled in Antiochus, point to another, in whom, when he comes, the fulfillment will be realized in full measure. For

      1. Antiochus arose in the former time (the earlier history), not "in the latter time," of Alexandrian kingdoms.

      2. His persecutions did not in any sense mark [68] "the time of the end" (Dan. 8:17). Nor did his oppression of Israel come to pass "in the latter time of the indignation"--God's anger against Israel (v. 19). Nor had "transgressors" then "come to the full," but, contrariwise, a large part of the nation stood up valiant and faithful to God, throughout all that trial (v. 23).

      3. Antiochus desecrated, but did not "cast down," i. e., destroy the temple. 4. No such 2300 days as spoken of in vs. 14, can be discerned in the Antiochus tribulation. According to the best available chronology, Antiochus' first interference with Israel's religion was in B. C. 175; his desecration of the Temple took place in B. C. 167. Two years later (B. C. 165) Judas Maccabaeus purified the Temple and instituted the feast of Dedication. And the next year marks this Antiochus' death.

      5. So far from "the host" being "given over" to this monster Antiochus, and his destroying "the mighty men and the holy people"--we find in the history of that period a record of victorious heroism on part of the Jews, which resulted in their autonomous independence, for about 100 years; the only such period from Nebuchadnezzar's time until now.

      Clearly Antiochus Epiphanes--though we may regard him as a type and foreshadowing of the great persecutor of the end-time, does not fill up the picture of "the king of fierce countenance." Another question, however, is raised about the "little horn" of Dan. 8--

      Is it Identical with the Little Horn of Dan. 7?

      Some prophetic students declare that it is not; no, and couldn't be. But despite their insistence it appears to us that the reasons they advance are insufficient, and that the two "little horns" are one and the same. True, the little horn of Dan. 8 arises out of the third, not, like the little horn of Dan. 7, out of the fourth world-power. But the fourth world-power will embrace all the kingdoms and territories (and more) of the third. Among the ten horns of the "fourth beast" the four kingdoms of Alexander's empire, reconstituted for the "latter time" would naturally have their place. Also the little horn of Dan. 8 is said to extend itself toward the south and toward the east, and "toward the glorious land." (Dan. 8:9.) That shows its origin to have been in the northwestern kingdoms of Cassander and Lysimachus, more likely the former, the kingdom of Greece, which after a long absence arose again into a national existence in 1827 to begin the "latter time" of its career.

      So awful and awe-inspiring was the vision that Daniel fainted under it, "and was sick certain days." Then (he tells us) "I rose up and did the king's business; and I wondered at the vision, but none understood it"--or, as the R. V. margin gives it, "there was none to make it understood." Did Daniel himself fail to understand it? That could hardly be meant. For Gabriel, whose task it was to make him understand (v. 16) could hardly have failed to do so. The rendering of Leeser suggests a better [70] meaning: "I was depressed because of the appearance, but no one observed it." Nevertheless there was something about the vision that perplexed Daniel's mind sorely. What that was will come out in our next lesson.

[LOD2 61-72]