Sermon Tone Analysis

Wenstrom Bible Ministries

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Thursday August 1, 2013

www.wenstrom.org

Daniel: Daniel 8:9-A Small Horn Emerged Out of One of the Four Horns and Grew Excessively Large Toward the South, East and Beautiful Land

Lesson # 237

Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 8:1.

Daniel 8:1 During the third year of Belshazzar’s reign, the king, a vision appeared to me, I, Daniel after the one appearing to me previously. 2 Indeed, I was staring because of this vision.

Specifically, I myself was in a trance like state staring as I myself was in Susa, the citadel, which was in the province of Elam.

Furthermore, I was staring because of this vision as I myself was beside the Ulai Canal. 3 Then, I lifted up my eyes and then I was staring as behold a ram was standing in front of the canal with it possessing two horns.

Furthermore, the two horns were long.

However, one was longer than the other with the longer one growing up last.

4 I saw this ram continually butting westward as well as northward and in addition southward as all the beasts could by no means stand in front of it.

Furthermore, none could deliver out from its power so that it acted according to its desire.

Indeed, it became great.

5 Then, I myself was in a trance like state as behold a male-goat who is ruler over the goats, was traveling from the west over the earth’s surface.

In fact, it was not touching the earth’s surface.

Also, this male-goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes.

6 Next, it traveled up to the ram possessing two horns which I saw standing in front of the canal.

In fact, it charged against it in a powerful rage.

7 Consequently, I saw it wage an attack opposing this ram while causing itself to become enraged against it.

Indeed, it repeatedly struck this ram so as to shatter its two horns.

Also, there was no ability in the ram to stand in front of it.

Then, it drove it to the ground as well as trampled on it repeatedly.

Indeed, to the detriment of the ram, there was none who could deliver from its power.

8 So the male-goat who is the ruler over the goats was very great.

However, as soon as it became powerful, the unusual horn was broken.

Then, in its place, four conspicuous ones arose towards the heaven’s four winds.

(My translation)

Daniel 8:9 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.

(NASB95)

This verse presents the next event that took place after the events recorded in verse 8.

“Out of one of them” is indicating that a small horn would originate as a source from one of the four conspicuous horns and would grow excessively large towards the south, east and beautiful land in the west.

“A rather small horn” is indicating that this horn emerging from one of the four conspicuous horns was small in comparison to the four.

“Grew exceedingly great” expresses the fact that this little horn which emerged from one of the four conspicuous horns of the male-goat grew physically large.

The physical growth of this small horn which emerged out from one of the four conspicuous horns of the male-goat was excessive in the sense that its growth was beyond the normal growth of a horn of a goat so that it would be considered unusual.

“The Beautiful Land” is a cryptic reference to the land of Israel.

Though in Daniel’s day it was destroyed by war, it was still called beautiful by Daniel since it is the place in which the Messiah would be crucified and would die as a substitute for all of sinful humanity.

It is also the place in which He will reign over all the earth for a thousand years.

Daniel 8:9 Next, from one of them, a small horn in comparison emerged which continually grew excessively large toward the south as well as the east and in addition the beautiful land.

(My translation)

As we noted in our study of Daniel 8:8, the four conspicuous horns arising toward the heaven’s four winds after the first conspicuous horn was broken off describes in symbolic terms the parting and separation of Alexander’s empire toward the four corners of the globe.

To Ptolemy was given Egypt and parts of Asia Minor while Casander was given the territory of Macedonia and Greece.

Lysimachus was given Thrace and parts of Asia Minor (western Bithynia, Phrygia, Mycia and Lydia) and Seleucus was given the remainder of Alexander’s empire which included Syria, Israel and Mesopotamia.

Now, here in Daniel 8:9, Daniel tells the reader that from one of these four conspicuous horns, a small or little horn in comparison to the four emerged which continually grew excessively large toward the south, east and the land of Israel.

History tells us that the horn from which the little horn emerged represents Seleucus and the little horn represents Antiochus Epiphanes IV.

The little horn does not refer to the Antichrist since he emerges out of the Roman Empire which is represented by the fourth beast in Daniel’s vision in chapter seven.

In Daniel 8:21-22, the elect archangel Gabriel informs Daniel that the male-goat represents the kingdom of Greece thus the king represented by the little horn in Daniel 8:9 emerges out of the Greek Empire.

The little horn of chapter seven and the one of chapter eight are thus not referring to the same person but two different individuals.

However, the little horn of chapter eight foreshadows the little horn of chapter seven.

Thus, Antiochus Epiphanes IV foreshadows the future Roman dictator called the “Antichrist” who will reign over the final stage of the Roman Empire during Daniel’s Seventieth Week.

Antiochus Epiphanes IV was the eighth king of the Seleucid dynasty in Syria reigning from 175-164 B.C.

In 175 B.C., he ascended the throne of the Seleucid dynasty after murdering his brother.

Daniel 8:9 tells us that this little horn emerging from one of the four conspicuous horns of the male-goat continually grew excessively large toward the south, east and the land of Israel which Daniel describes as the beautiful land.

By way of implication, the point of reference is Syria with “the south” referring to Egypt.

History tells us that he conducted military expeditions south of Syria in Egypt and in the east toward Medo-Persia and in the land of Israel, which resides between Syria and Egypt.

Therefore, Daniel 8:9 symbolizes Antiochus Epiphanes IV defeating Egypt (“the south”), Medo-Persia (“the east”) and Israel (“the beautiful land”) since the description in this verse corresponds to the history of Syria.

Antiochus Epiphanes IV began as an insignificant ruler but became a powerful force in the world by waging war against and defeating Egypt, Medo-Persia and Israel, which is symbolized by Daniel’s statement here in Daniel 8:9.

The description that the little horn in Daniel 8:9 which emerges out from one of the four conspicuous horns of the male-goat symbolizes Antiochus Epiphanes IV increasing in military and politic power.

So once again, we see that God the Holy Spirit through Daniel has predicted the future with extraordinary supernatural accuracy.

God the Holy Spirit predicted the emergence and tyrannical rule of Antiochus Epiphanes IV.

This was to encourage the faithful Jews in that day that despite the persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the God of Israel was still in control and that the despotic rule of this wicked king would come to an end at the divinely appointed time.

God not only predicted the future rise of Antiochus Epiphanes IV to comfort and encourage faithful Jews persecuted by this wicked king but also to inspire faith in His people in the second century B.C. and the centuries to follow.

Therefore, here in the church age, in the twenty-first century, we who are God’s people should learn the lesson of Daniel chapter eight and exercise faith in God to solve our problems and to handle our adversities.

We should turn to God’s Word to receive encouragement when we go through various trials and tribulations.

Daniel chapter eight teaches us that our God is the God who controls history.

Thus, we should not place our faith in men or the great men of this earth but to place our faith solely in Jesus Christ who sits at the right hand of the Father waiting for the Father to make His enemies a footstool for His feet.