PROPHECY

DANIEL'S VISION OF THE RAM  AND  HE-GOAT

Daniel  Chapter  8

THE FIRST PROPHECY    -   Daniel 8:2-4

 THE INTERPRETATION - Daniel 8:20

We now come once more to the Hebrew, the Chaldee part of the book being finished, as the chaldeans had a particular interest both in the History and Prophecies from Daniel 2:4 to the end of Daniel Chapter 7.

In the former vision (Daniel 7) there were FOUR BEASTS, pointing out FOUR EMPIRES; in this we have but two, as only TWO EMPIRES are concerned here, the Grecian and the Persian. The Babylonian Empire is not mentioned; its fate was before decided, and it was now at its close.

THE RAM

Cyrus, who was the founder of the empire of the Medes and Persians was the son of Cambyses, king of Persia; and grandson of Astvages, king of Media, by his daughter Mandane, who had been given in marriage to Cambyses.

Cyrus, marrying Roxana, the daughter and only child of his uncle Cyaxares (called in Scripture Ahasuerus) succeeded to both crowns, and thus united Media and Persia.

A RAM was the symbol of the Persians; and a ram’s head with two horns, one higher than the other, appears as such in different parts of the ruins of PERSEPOLIS.

This ram had two horns; that is, TWO KINGDOMS, the Media and Persia; but one was higher than the other; and the higher CAME UP LAST. Media, signified by the shorter horn, was the more ANCIENT of the two kingdoms. Persia attained a political consequence greatly superior to that possessed at any time by the kingdom of Media; therefore, it is said to have been the HIGHER, and to have came up LAST.

The Persians, who are signified by the Ram, as well as their founder Cyrus, pushed their conquests WEST, NORTH and SOUTH.

 THE SECOND PROPHECY     -    Daniel 8:5-8

        "....a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west"

THE INTERPRETATION     -   Daniel 8:21-22

"The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power."

This was Alexander The Great; and a GOAT was a very proper symbol of the Grecian or Macedonian people. Two hundred years before the time of Daniel, they were called AEGEADAE, the GOAT’S Peoples the origin of which name is said to be as following:

Caranus, their first king, going with a multitude of Greeks to seek a new habitation in Macedonia, was advised by an oracle to take the GOATS for his guides; and afterwards, seeing a herd of goats running from a violent storm, he followed them to EDESSA, and there fixed the seat of his empire, and made the GOATS his ensigns or standards; and called the place AEGE or AEGEA, the GOATS’ TOWN; and the people AEGEADAE, the GOAT’S PEOPLE.

THE THIRD PROPHECY     -    Daniel 8:9-12

"Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host; it 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 it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground."

THE INTERPRETATION     -    Daniel 8:23-25

"In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the PRINCE OF PRINCES. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power."

COMPARE THE BEAST OF REVEALTION 13:5-18

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.

(See Lesson 4 for explaination of the time periods)

DANIEL 7:24 - 26

Vs. 24 "Another shall rise after them;"
Vs. 24 "he shall be diverse from the first,"
Vs. 24 "he shall subdue three kings."
Vs. 25 "he shall speak great words against the most High"
Vs. 25 "shall wear out the saints of the most High"
Vs. 25 "think to change times and laws:"
Vs. 25 "shall be given into his hand for ..."
Vs. 26 "shall take away his dominion ...."

THE END OF THE MATTER IS: "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him." Daniel 7:27

DANIEL   8:9 - 14

Vs. 9 "out of one of them came forth a little horn,"
Vs. 9 "which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land"
Vs. 10 "it waxed great, even to the host of heaven;"
Vs. 10 "it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them." (Genesis 37:9-11)
Vs. 11 "he magnified himself even to the prince of the host," (John 19:10,11)
Vs. 11 "by him the daily SACRIFICE was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down." *

* "This was a very remarkable day indeed, the seventeenth of Panemus, (Tamuz) A.D. 70, when, according to Daniel’s prediction, 606 years before, the Romans "in half a week caused the sacrifice and oblation to cease," Daniel 9:27; for from the month of February, A.D. 66, about which time Vespasian entered on this war, to this very time, was just three years and a half. Josephus speaks so, that it is most evident he was fully satisfied that God was on the Roman’s side, and made use of them now for the destruction of the Jews, which was for certain the true state of this matter, as the prophet Daniel first, and our Savior himself afterwards, had clearly foretold." Wars of the Jews Pages 574, 575 Book 6 Chapter 2 Josephus

"And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judae’a flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter therinto, For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled...and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the TIMES OF THE GENTILES BE FULFILLED." St. Luke 21:20-24

Vs. 14  "Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."

THE END OF THE MATTER IS:     ROME FULFILLED THIS

Forward to the Next Section:  Seventy Weeks of Years

Bibliography