Bible Study: Daniel 8
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Good Morning
Let’s share any Prayer Requests and Praises Reports.
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Let’s pray
Text: Daniel 8:1-8
Text: Daniel 8:1-8
1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.
2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal.
3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last.
4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes.
6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath.
7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power.
8 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
The “third year” referenced in verse 1 means this vision appeared to Daniel in 551 BC.
That is two years after the dream from Chapter 7 of the four beasts.
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In verse 2 “Susa” is one of the chief cities of the Medo-Persian Empire.
It was located about 250 miles to the East of Babylon.
Since Daniel saw himself in a vision, he may not have been physically at that location.
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The ram first mentioned in verse 3 is meant to represent the Medo-Persian Empire.
So, as a whole, the ram has two horns which represent both parts of the empire, the Medes and the Persians.
The longer horn which appeared last, represents Persia.
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Verse 4 recalls the history of the Medo-Persian Empire and how it conquered the lands around it under the leadership of Cyrus.
This conquest by Cyrus was prophesied by Isaiah about 150 years earlier.
We see the evidence of this in Isaiah 45:1–7:
1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me,
6 that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other.
7 I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.
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The goat first introduced in verse 5 represents the Greek Empire.
The horn in between it’s eyes represented Alexander the Great.
The reference to the goat coming “from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground” is calling attention to how Alexander the Great’s army of 35,000 would move with such speed that it was pictured as not even touching the ground.
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In verse 8 the image of the broken horn on the goat who was still strong is referring to Alexander’s death.
The four new horns that rise up are the generals who became kings over the 4 sectors of the Greek Empire.
Daniel referees to this same event in the previous chapter in Daniel 7:6:
6 After this I looked, and behold, another, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back. And the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it.
Text: Daniel 8:9-14
Text: Daniel 8:9-14
9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land.
10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them.
11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.
12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”
14 And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.”
In verse 9 the little horn that came out of one of the four new horns is in reference to Antiochus Epiphanes.
He rose from the third empire to rule the Syrian division in 175–164 BC.
This is the same king that Daniel will mention again in Daniel 11:21–35:
21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.
23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.
24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time.
25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him.
26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.
27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.
29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before.
30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.
33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.
34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
He is similarly called “little horn” just like the Antichrist...
Remember in the previous chapter, Daniel 7:8 and Daniel 7:24-26 mentioned the Antichrist and called him “little horn” too.
The reason for the same name is to show that one prefigures the other.
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This is similar to how we say Jesus is the 2nd Adam or John the Baptist is a type of Elijah.
Additionally, the “glorious land” mentioned in verse 9 is a reference to Isreal.
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The term “host of heaven” in verse 10 represents picturesque language.
This scene portrays Antiochus’ persecution against Jewish people who are represented in the image of stars.
The reason stars are used to represent the Jewish people is due to the references in the Old Testament of Abraham’s decedents being as numerous as the stars in the sky.
So, when defeated, the “stars” or the Jewish people will fall under the tyrant’s domination.
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In Verse 11 & 12 we see the desecration of the temple by Antiochus.
He blasphemed the Lord with his actions.
We have a historical record from the book of Maccabees.
This book is not Scripture (as Catholics and Eastern Orthodox believe) but it does provide a good historical record for us.
Here is a few excerpts that give us some good incite:
“After that Antiochus had smitten Egypt, he returned again in the hundred forty and third year, and went up against Israel and Jerusalem with a great multitude, and entered proudly into the sanctuary, and took away the golden altar, and the candlestick of light, and all the vessels thereof, and the table of the shewbread, and the pouring vessels, and the vials.
And the censers of gold, and the veil, and the crown, and the golden ornaments that were before the temple, all which he pulled off.
He took also the silver and the gold, and the precious vessels:
Also he took the hidden treasures which he found.
And when he had taken all away, he went into his own land, having made a great massacre, and spoken very proudly.” - 1 Maccabees 1:20–24
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“Moreover king Antiochus wrote to his whole kingdom, that all should be one people, and every one should leave his laws:
So all the heathen agreed according to the commandment of the king.
Yea, many also of the Israelites consented to his religion, and sacrificed unto idols, and profaned the sabbath.
For the king had sent letters by messengers unto Jerusalem and the cities of Juda that they should follow the strange laws of the land, and forbid burnt offerings, and sacrifice, and drink offerings, in the temple; and that they should profane the sabbaths and festival days:
And pollute the sanctuary and holy people:
Set up altars, and groves, and chapels of idols, and sacrifice swine’s flesh, and unclean beasts:
That they should also leave their children uncircumcised, and make their souls abominable with all manner of uncleanness and profanation:
To the end they might forget the law, and change all the ordinances.
And whosoever would not do according to the commandment of the king, he said, he should die.” - 1 Maccabees 1:41–50
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In verse 13 the “holy ones” are angels.
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In verse 14 the “2,300 evenings and mornings” is in reference to the 6⅓ years of Antiochus’ persecution of the Jews...
That is from September 6, 171 BC to December. 25, 165 BC.
After Antiochus’ death, Jews celebrated the cleansing of their holy place in the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah...
This is the celebration of the restoration led by Judas Maccabeus.
Text: Daniel 8:15-17
Text: Daniel 8:15-17
15 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.
16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.”
17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”
In verse 15 the phrase “one having the appearance of a man” is referring to Gabriel the angel.
The word for “man” used here means “a mighty man” and is the linguistic framework for the word “Gabriel,” which means “mighty one of God.”
This is also the the first mention of an angel by name in the Bible.
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In verse 16 when Daniel says a “man’s voice,” he is referring to God who spoke with a human voice.
“Ulai” is a river to the east of the Persian city of Susa.
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Note in verse 17 how Daniel reacts to this heavenly visitation...
He says he is frightened and fell.
This is similar to other intense visions like we see with Ezekiel, Isaiah, and John in Revelation.
The phrase “time of the end” is a term that likely has a double sense of fulfillment.
The first “time of the end” refers to time in the specific historical prophecy we just covered.
So, in summary that time is the period defined by the Persia (Ram) and Greece (Goat) empires...
And when the Grecian sector would be divided into 4 parts.
Out of one of these, the Syrian sector under Seleucus, will eventually lead to Antiochus Epiphanes as the “little horn”...
He will persecute the people of Israel and defy God.
Secondly, this “little horn”, referenced the final Antichrist in the last days at the time of the eschatological fulfillment.
Antiochus serves as a pattern of the Antichrist, who in many ways will be like him, though with far greater power, and will operate in the end of the age just before Christ’s return.
Text: Daniel 8:18-27
Text: Daniel 8:18-27
18 And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.
19 He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.
20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.
22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power.
23 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise.
24 His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.
25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.
26 The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.”
27 And I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king’s business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it.
Verse 18 provides the connection of the goat being the Greek empire.
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The “first king” in verse 21 is Alexander the Great who is notable as first king after conquering the Medo-Persian Empire.
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As we discussed before Verse 22 is about the death of Alexander the Great at the age of 33 in 323 BC.
Since he had no heir ready to reign aster him, four men, after 22 years of fighting, assumed rule over 4 Grecian sectors:
Sector 1 consisted of Cassander and Macedonia.
Sector 2 consisted of Lysimachus, Thrace and Asia Minor.
Sector 3 consisted of Seleucus, Syria, and Babylonia.
And Sector 4 consisted of Ptolemy, Egypt, and Arabia.
The phrase “not with his power” indicates that these new rulers did not have Alexander’s power or direct family lineage.
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Verses 23–25 refer to a king who will arise.
As we said before this is the rise of Antiochus.
Rome eventually rose up and conquered Greece by 146 BC. and became the next dominant empire.
Antiochus died, “broken—but by no human hand” as it says in verse 25 due to insanity and disease of the bowels.
Antiochus prophetically illustrating the final tribulation period and the Antichrist.
Closing Prayer
Closing Prayer
Please join me one more time in prayer.