Daniel 8.22-The Four Horns Represent Four Kings Who Will Take the Place of the King Represented by the Broken Horn But Will Not Have This King's Power
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday August 29, 2013
Daniel: Daniel 8:22-The Four Horns Represent Four Kings Who Will Take the Place of the King Represented by the Broken Horn But Will Not Have This King’s Power
Lesson # 249
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 so as to deliver 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.” 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.” 18 Now while he was speaking with me for my benefit, I was caused to enter the state of being in a deep sleep with my face to the ground. However, he touched me so that he caused me to stand upon my feet. 19 Then, he said, “Behold, I am about to cause you to know what will take place during the righteous indignation related to the end because the vision extends to an appointed period of time related to the end. 20 This ram which you saw possessing the two horns represents the kings ruling over Media as well as Persia. 21 Also, the male-goat, the shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Greece. In addition, the unusual horn which was between its eyes represents the first king.” (My translation)
Daniel 8:22 “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.” (NASB95)
“The broken horn” represents the death of Alexander the Great.
“The four horns that arose in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his nation” represents the four generals of Alexander the Great who divided up his empire after his death.
“Arose” is the verb ʿā∙mǎḏ (עָמַד) (aw-mad), which means “to take another’s position” indicating that four horns took the position of the unusual conspicuous horn after it was broken.
“His nation” refers to Greece and “will arise” is once again the verb ʿā∙mǎḏ (עָמַד) (aw-mad), which again does not mean “arise” but rather “to take another’s position” indicating that four horns took the position of the unusual conspicuous horn after it was broken.
“Although not with his power” presents a contrast with the previous statement that the four horns standing in the position of the broken horn represent four kings who will originate from the same nation as the king represented by the broken horn.
Therefore, the contrast is between the power of the four kings and the king represented by the broken horn with the power of the former inferior to the latter.
This adversative clause indicates that the four kings represented by the four horns will be taking the position of the broken horn but will not do so by means of this broken horn’s power.
Daniel 8:22 “Furthermore, the one which was broken and in whose place four took its position, represents four kings taking its position from his nation but not by means of its power.” (My translation)
The angel Gabriel continues his interpretation of Daniel’s vision by informing Daniel that the four horns which took the place of the broken horn represent four kings taking this broken horn’s position.
These four are from the same nation as the king represented by the broken horn.
This statement here in Daniel 8:22 interprets Daniel’s statement in verse 8, which records Daniel informing the reader that as a result of conquering the ram and no other beast being able to rescue the ram from its power, the male-goat was very great in the sense that he was preeminent over all the beasts.
However, at this point the conspicuous horn between the eyes of the male-goat was broken off.
This is a reference to the death of Alexander the Great since in Daniel 8:21 Gabriel interprets this male-goat as being the kingdom of Greece and the conspicuous horn refers to the first king of the kingdom of Greece.
The conspicuous horn of this male-goat which appears in Daniel 8:5 is a symbolic reference to Alexander the Great since he was the first ruler of the Greek Empire and not his father, Philip.
Though his father Philip II of Macedonia had united all the Greek city-states except Sparta, Alexander is considered Greece’s first king.
Alexander the Great began to rule in 336 B.C.
He defeated the Persians and conquered many nations while at the same time spreading Greek culture and language throughout these territories.
He attempted to follow the Babylonian example, but this led to gross immorality and early death in 323 B.C. at the age of thirty-three.
Then, in Daniel 8:8, Daniel informs the reader that in place of this conspicuous horn, four other conspicuous horns arose towards the heaven’s four winds.
Gabriel in Daniel 8:22 tells Daniel that these four horns represented four kings who will stand in the position of power of the king represented by the broken horn who we know is Alexander the Great.
History records that Alexander’s four generals divided his empire after he died.
These four horns correspond to the four heads on the third beast in Daniel’s vision in chapter seven.
In Daniel 8:8, Daniel describes these four conspicuous horns as arising toward the heaven’s four winds, which 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.
Casander was given the territory of Macedonia and Greece.
Lysimachus was given Thrace and parts of Asia Minor (western Bithynia, Phrygia, Mycia and Lydia).
Seleucus was given the remainder of Alexander’s empire which included Syria, Israel and Mesopotamia.
Gabriel tells Daniel here in verse 22 that these four kings will not take the position of the king represented by the broken horn by means of the power of this king represented by the broken horn.
This means that Alexander’s four generals did not wield the same political and military power as Alexander.
Gabriel is saying that their power would be inferior to Alexander’s which history confirms.
History confirms that God is omnipotent in that He brought to pass that which He predicted through the vision recorded here in Daniel chapter eight.
It also confirms that God is omniscient since He predicted centuries before it took place Greece becoming a world-wide empire defeating Medo-Persia and that a great ruler of the Greeks would die at the height of his power and have his empire divided up by his four generals.
History also confirms that God is sovereign in that He alone decided that this would all take place in history.
God is sovereign over the nations in that He raises up men to power and deposes them from power like Alexander the Great and his four generals (Daniel 2:20-23).
All this should compel God’s people here in the twenty-first century to trust God’s Word to govern their lives rather human viewpoint which is propagated through the media today.
It teaches God’s people to trust in God’s Word and not in rulers or politicians since they have received their power to rule from God Himself.
Daniel 8:8 and 21 along with the rest of Daniel chapter eight and the book of Daniel should cause us to exercise faith in God’s Word rather than in the word of men, or human viewpoint which is expressed in psychology, philosophy and politics today.
The fulfillment of the prophecies contained in Daniel chapter eight regarding the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, Alexander the Great and his four generals along with Antiochus Epiphanes IV should serve as an encouragement to God’s people that God is in control of history.
The prophecies contained in Daniel chapter eight served as a great encouragement to the faithful remnant in Israel who lived during the time when these great empires and individuals reigned over all the earth since it told them that God was in control and had a plan.
It told them that God gave these empires and individuals their power and that they did not achieve their power without God.