Overview of Daniel Chapter Eight
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday June 26, 2013
Daniel: Overview of Daniel Chapter Eight
Lesson # 228
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 8:1.
Daniel chapter 8-12 is written in Hebrew whereas Daniel 2:4b-7:28 was written in Aramaic.
As we noted in the introduction, during the sixth century B.C., Aramaic was the lingua franca of the day and was the most convenient language and was used in international business and diplomacy.
The book of Daniel was written in two languages. Daniel 1:1-2:4a and chapters 8-12 are written in Hebrew. Daniel 2:4b-7:28 is written in Aramaic, which was also called “Chaldee” or “Syriac.”
The reason for this unusual feature is that Daniel was writing for two different audiences.
Aramaic was the language of the Gentile world when the book of Daniel was written and Hebrew was still the language of Israel at that time as well, thus, the book has two major divisions.
The first is related to God’s program for the Gentiles and the second is His program for the Jews.
Therefore, Daniel 2:4b-7:28 was written for the Gentile world in Daniel’s day. Daniel 1:1-2:4a and 8-12 was written for the Israelites.
The emphasis of Daniel 8-12 is God’s plan for the nation of Israel and speaks of Israel during the times of the Gentiles and her relationship to the Gentile powers.
It emphasizes with the Jews that God has not abandoned her but has a plan for her to be head of the nations with her Messiah as ruler of planet earth.
So the message and prophecies that appear in the Aramaic portions of Daniel are addressed to the Gentile world in their language whereas the message and prophecies that appear in the Hebrew portion of the book of are addressed to the nation of Israel.
Daniel chapter 8 begins God’s message to the nation of Israel in relation to the times of the Gentiles.
The message to both the Jew and Gentile in the sixth century B.C. is that the God of Israel is sovereign over them all.
Daniel chapter 8 addresses Israel’s relation to the world-empires of Medo-Persia and Greece.
The Israelites returned to their land from exile in Babylon under the Persian government.
However, under the empire of Greece, and in particular under the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes the city of Jerusalem and the temple were again desolated.
Thus, chapter 8 would serve as an encouragement to the Jewish people during this period of terrible persecution and suffering.
Then, Daniel chapter 9 speaks of Israel’s history from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the establishment of the kingdom of heaven on earth through the Second Advent of Jesus Christ, which is immediately preceded by the worst time in Israel’s history, namely Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
Daniel chapters 10-11 present events in Israel’s history in relation to the Persian and Greek empires.
The emphasis upon these chapters is Israel being oppressed by these world-powers.
Lastly, the final section of the book, namely Daniel 11:36-12:13, is related to the end of the age as well as the revived form of the Roman Empire and in addition the deliverance of Israel by God from this empire.
Therefore, we can see why Daniel 8-12 is written in Hebrew, namely so the Jews in their language could made aware of what will take place in their future.
Also, Daniel chapters 8-12 are written in the Hebrew language, the subject is still Israel in relation to the times of the Gentiles just like it was in the Aramaic section in the book.
Both the Hebrew and Aramaic sections prepare the Jewish people for the suffering they will have to endure during the times of the Gentiles.
Both sections encourage the Jewish people and all of God’s people for that matter, both Jew and Gentile since both speak of God establishing His kingdom on the earth through the Messiah.
Another important fact about Daniel chapter 8 is that it contains the last of the book’s symbolic visions.
The revelations that appear in Daniel 9-12 are more verbal in nature than visual and not symbolic, though mysterious nonetheless.
In Daniel 8:1-14, we have the first major division of the chapter which is broken out into three parts.
The first part occurs in Daniel 8:1-2, which addresses Daniel’s circumstances at the time of receiving this vision.
The second part is Daniel 8:3-4, which presents to the reader the vision of a ram.
The third part appears in Daniel 8:5-14, which presents to the reader a vision of a goat.
Daniel 8:1 In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king a vision appeared to me, Daniel, subsequent to the one which appeared to me previously. 2 I looked in the vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a ram which had two horns was standing in front of the canal. Now the two horns were long, but one was longer than the other, with the longer one coming up last. 4 I saw the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself. 5 While I was observing, behold, a male goat was coming from the west over the surface of the whole earth without touching the ground; and the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came up to the ram that had the two horns, which I had seen standing in front of the canal, and rushed at him in his mighty wrath. 7 I saw him come beside the ram, and he was enraged at him; and he struck the ram and shattered his two horns, and the ram had no strength to withstand him. So he hurled him to the ground and trampled on him, and there was none to rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the male goat magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. 9 Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land. 10 It grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them down. 11 It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down. 12 And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to that particular one who was speaking, “How long will the vision about the regular sacrifice apply, while the transgression causes horror, so as to allow both the holy place and the host to be trampled?” 14 He said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be properly restored.” (NASB95)
In Daniel 8:15-27, we have the second major division of the chapter, which is broken out into three parts.
The first part occurs in Daniel 8:15-18, which tells the reader that the elect arch-angel Gabriel interpreted the vision for Daniel.
The second is found in Daniel 8:19-26, which records Gabriel interpreting the vision.
Lastly, the third part occurs in Daniel 8:27, which presents to the reader Daniel’s response to this interpretation.
Daniel 8:15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” 18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright. 19 He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end. 20 The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. 21 The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation, although not with his power. 23 In the latter period of their rule, when the transgressors have run their course, a king will arise, insolent and skilled in intrigue. 24 His power will be mighty, but not by his own power, and he will destroy to an extraordinary degree and prosper and perform his will; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people. 25 And through his shrewdness he will cause deceit to succeed by his influence; And he will magnify himself in his heart, and he will destroy many while they are at ease. He will even oppose the Prince of princes, but he will be broken without human agency. 26 The vision of the evenings and mornings which has been told is true; But keep the vision secret, for it pertains to many days in the future.” 27 Then I, Daniel, was exhausted and sick for days. Then I got up again and carried on the king’s business; but I was astounded at the vision, and there was none to explain it. (NASB95)
Daniel chapter 8 records the second of four great prophetic revelations that Daniel received from God.
In Daniel chapter seven, he received prophetic revelation from God during the first year of Belshazzar’s reign as co-regent with his father Nabonidus, which would be the year 553 B.C.
This dream took place 14 years prior to his experience in the lions’ den.
He was 68 years of age in 553 B.C. since he was taken captive about the age of 16 or 17 which was 52 years earlier in 605 B.C.
This revelation Daniel received from God as recorded in chapter seven also took place before the events of Daniel chapter five, which took place in 539 B.C.
Thus, this revelation in chapter seven took place 14 years prior to the fall of Babylon.
In chapter eight, he received his second great prophetic revelation from God in 551 B.C. during the third year of the reign of Belshazzar.
Then, chapter nine records Daniel receiving his third great prophetic revelation during the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus in 539 B.C.
Lastly, chapter ten records Daniel receiving the fourth and final great prophetic revelation from God in 536 B.C. during the third year of the reign of Cyrus king of Persia.
When approaching Daniel chapter 8, we must also be aware of the fact that the chapter has been fulfilled in history.
Fulfilled prophecy is one factor that helps to support the Bible’s claims that its origin is divine and not merely a book written by men.
This being said, there are hints that parts of this chapter have a double-fulfillment meaning that there is a “near” fulfillment and a “far’ fulfillment of prophecy in this chapter.
“Near” emphasizes that there is prophecy in Daniel chapter 8 which was fulfilled in the short term whereas “far” emphasizes that some of the prophecies will also have a fulfillment in the last days or specifically during Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
This “near” and “far” fulfillment is found in Daniel 8:23-25.
Among expositors there is no question that the wicked king in this passage is speaking of Antiochus Epiphanes.
In a “near” sense this wicked ruler fulfilled the prophecy contained in these verses.
However, it also has a “far” fulfillment in that the prophecy looks beyond Antiochus Epiphanes to a future wicked ruler who we know is the Antichrist, thus, Antiochus is foreshadowing the Antichrist.
This is clearly indicated by the statement that this wicked ruler will “stand against the Prince of princes” (verse 25), which the New Testament reveals is the Lord Jesus Christ.