Empires Rise and Fall: A Ram and a Goat

Introduction

Two years have passed since the vision of chapter 7 was given to Daniel. In that vision he had seen four beasts and a little horn. That little horn boasted great things and making war against the saints. Daniel was also ushered into the throne room of the Ancient of Days, God, and he saw one like the Son of Man riding on the clouds. He was told that the beasts represent kings and kingdoms. These visions disturbed Daniel.

Daniel 7:28 NKJV

“This is the end of the account. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly troubled me, and my countenance changed; but I kept the matter in my heart.”

Now two years have passed and while we do not know if he had any other visions between these two this next one is recorded for us that the meaning is even more clear than the first.

The Timing and Location (verse 1)

Daniel 8:1 NKJV

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me—to me, Daniel—after the one that appeared to me the first time.

Once again this is two years after the first one. Daniel is once again writing in first person. This vision happened after the first one that we read in Daniel 7.

The other thing that is interesting is that the writing goes back to Hebrew. If you remember in chapter 2 that the language from Hebrew (Daniel 1 - Daniel 2b) to Aramaic and now starting in chapter 8 it is back to Hebrew.

Location of the Vision (verse 2)

Daniel 8:2 NKJV

I saw in the vision, and it so happened while I was looking, that I was in Shushan, the citadel, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision that I was by the River Ulai.

So a couple of things to keep in mind:

Daniel is still in Babylon, under the Babylonian Empire. Belshazzar, the co-regent, is still on a throne. The events of chapter 5 (The Handwriting on the Wall) has not happened yet.

Daniel in this vision is taken to the royal residence of Shushan or Susa which is the seat of the Persian Empire

Esther 1:2 NKJV

in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the citadel,

So Daniel is seeing a Foreign Empire’s capital while he is still in Babylon. From his previous vision he most likely knew that Babylon was going to fall to the Medes and the Persians, which might explain why he was not shocked when he saw the handwriting on the wall in chapter 5. He knew something was coming and if the first vision didn’t prove it. This one would.

He is standing in Susa of the Persians and he is at the Ulai (a river or canal) that went by the city. Some believe that it actually referring to the gate of Ulai.

The RAM (verse 3-4)

Daniel 8:3–4 NKJV

Then I lifted my eyes and saw, and there, standing beside the river, was a ram which had two horns, and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and southward, so that no animal could withstand him; nor was there any that could deliver from his hand, but he did according to his will and became great.

Daniel sees a ram by the river/canal.

The symbol of the ram is believe to point to the fact that the ram was an astrological symbol of Persia in the first century before the birth of Christ, maybe earlier. Remember that this is over 400 years before the time of Christ when this vision is being given.

Two horns, very high horns. One higher than the one. The second one (the higher one) comes up last.

As we talked in chapter 7 why some believe that the second beast is the Medes and the third is Persia is because the kingdoms really were not united until Cyrus the Great conquered Persia. Yet, as many scholars point out they are united in antiquity.

Isaiah 45:1–3 NKJV

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held— To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut: ‘I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.

Isaiah 45:13 NKJV

I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price nor reward,” Says the Lord of hosts.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

Persia, under Cyrus, absorbed the Median Empire and seized control of its army.

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 8

Cyrus fought the Medes—of which he was formally a vassal—and conquered them in 550 BC. He then installed himself as king and used the Median army in his subsequent military campaigns. This infusion of armed forces caused Persian exploits of later centuries to be described as “Medo-Persian.”

He did conquering to the west, north, and south. No one was able to withstand him.

This was the Medo-Persian Empire.

Male Goat (He-Goat) from the West (verses 5-9)

Daniel 8:5–9 NKJV

And as I was considering, suddenly a male goat came from the west, across the surface of the whole earth, without touching the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. Then he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand. Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.