Daniel 8.17-Gabriel's Appearance Frightens Daniel and Gabriel Informs Daniel the Vision Pertains to the Time of the End
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday August 20, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 8:17-Gabriel’s Appearance Frightens Daniel and Gabriel Informs Daniel the Vision Extends to the Time of the End
Lesson # 244
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. 9 Next, from one of them, a small horn in comparison emerged which grew excessively large toward the south as well as the east and in addition the beautiful land. 10 Specifically, it grew larger than the heaven’s host. Indeed, it caused some of this host, yes some of these stars to fall to the earth. Also, it trampled on them. 11 It even presented itself as great as the host’s Commander while taking away the daily sacrifice from Him so that His holy place was abandoned. 12 Consequently the host along with the daily sacrifice were delivered over to it through transgression. Also, it caused the truth to be thrown to the ground. Indeed, it executed, yes it succeeded. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking and a holy one said to this particular one who was speaking, “How long is the vision, the daily sacrifice, specifically the transgression making desolate resulting in delivering over both the sanctuary as well as the host to be trampled?” 14 Consequently he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings, and mornings. Then, the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” 15 Now, I was in a trance like state staring at this vision, which I, Daniel desired to understand as behold one like a man in appearance was standing directly in front of me. 16 Then, I heard a human being’s voice between the banks of the Ulai. Indeed, it ordered and said “Gabriel, enable this one to understand the vision.” (My translation)
Daniel 8:17 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.” (NASB95)
“So he came near to where I was standing” presents the result of the command issued by God to the elect angel Gabriel that he give Daniel understanding with regards to the vision.
“He came near to where I was standing” refers to Gabriel coming near or drawing close to Daniel in order to give him understanding with regards to the vision.
“And when he came I was frightened” advances upon and intensifies the previous statement that Gabriel approached Daniel’s location.
Therefore, the advancement and intensification is that Daniel goes from telling the reader that Gabriel approached him to describing how Gabriel’s approach affected him emotionally and physically.
Daniel is emphasizing with the reader Gabriel’s approach terrified him so much so that it caused him to fall on his face.
“When he came I was frightened” refers to the terror Daniel experienced when Gabriel approached him to give him the interpretation of the vision.
“And fell on my face” is presenting the result of the previous statement that when Gabriel approached, Daniel was terrified.
“But he said to me, ‘Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end’” indicates that Gabriel is requesting that Daniel understand or comprehend the fact that the vision pertains to the time of the end.
“Son of man” is composed of the noun bēn (בֵּן) (bane), “Son of” and the noun ʾā·ḏām (אָדָם) (aw-dawm´), “man.”
The masculine singular construct form of the noun bēn means “son” in the sense of being the offspring of an ancestor of any of a number of generations while on the other hand, the noun ʾā·ḏām means “Adam.”
Therefore, these two words denote that Gabriel is addressing Daniel as an offspring or a descendant of or belonging to Adam.
In other words, these two words refer to a person who is a member of the human race as distinguished from God, the angels or the animal kingdom.
“Pertains to the time of the end’” means that the vision extends up to the end time.
Daniel 8:17 Therefore, he approached my location. Indeed, when he approached, I was terrified so that I fell upon my face. Then, he said to me, “Please, understand descendant of Adam that the vision extends to the end time.” (My translation)
In obedience to the Lord’s command, Gabriel approaches Daniel in order to give him understanding with regards to the vision.
However, Gabriel’s approach caused Daniel to become terrified so that he fell on his face.
This implies that Gabriel’s appearance caused this terror in emotional and physical response in Daniel.
Immediately after falling on his face in terror, Gabriel informs Daniel that the events, nations and people symbolically described in the vision extend to the end time.
This indicates that the events symbolically portrayed in the vision will take place up to Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
So Gabriel is informing Daniel when these events will terminate.
Now, the ram in Daniel 8:3-4 was fulfilled in history by the Medo-Persian Empire.
History teaches that the male goat in Daniel 8:5-8 was fulfilled by the Greek Empire and the conspicuous horn represented Alexander the Great.
The four conspicuous horns represent his four generals and the ruler represented by the small horn which emerges from one of the four represents Antiochus Epiphanes.
So the vision has been literally fulfilled in history.
However, in Daniel 8:17, Gabriel informs Daniel that the vision extends up to the end time, which refers to Daniel’s Seventieth Week, which is the last seven years of Israel’s 490 prophetic years referred in the prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27.
Therefore, this indicates the vision was not only literally fulfilled in history by Medo-Persia, Greece, Alexander, his four generals and Antiochus Epiphanes IV but it also foreshadows the character and actions of Antichrist during Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
This is further indicated by Gabriel’s statement in Daniel 8:19 in which he tells Daniel that he will let him know what will occur at the latter time of wrath, for the vision pertains to the time of the end.
Thus, Gabriel is telling us that the character and actions of the small horn here in this vision in chapter eight not only were fulfilled in history by Antiochus Epiphanes IV in the second century B.C. but also foreshadow the character and actions of Antichrist during Daniel’s Seventieth Week.
So the small horn in chapter eight represents Antiochus Epiphanes IV but foreshadows in many respects Antichrist.
However, we must clarify that the small horn of chapter eight and the small horn of chapter seven of the book of Daniel are referring to two distinct personages and not the same person.
The little horn of chapter eight refers to Antiochus Epiphanes IV whereas the little horn of chapter seven refers to Antichrist.
This is clearly indicated by the fact that chapter seven says that the Antichrist will emerge from the fourth beast, which refers to the Roman Empire whereas the small horn of chapter eight emerges from the male goat which Gabriel interprets as being the Greek Empire.
The little horn of chapter seven is destroyed by God through the Second Advent of Christ whereas the little horn of chapter eight is not.
So here in chapter eight we have an interesting phenomena that appears in other places of Scripture, namely a “double fulfillment” or prophecy or the “near” and “far” fulfillment of prophecy.
“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 chapter eight.
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 also 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.