Daniel's vision of a ram and a goat occurs in the third year of Belshazzar's reign or B.C. 551. Babylon doesn't fall until B. C. 539. Thirteen years before Babylon becomes invaded by the Persians and Cyrus, Daniel once again sees the fall.
Beyond this, however, Daniel sees the rise of Alexander the Great. He could have been one of the greatest military conquerors in history. However, he died when he was only 32 years of age. The kingdoms he conquered were diveded between his four generals: Cassander took
Vv 1— 8 Vision of the Ram and Goat
V 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.
A. When was the third year of the reign of Belshazzar? 551
B.C.
1. During this year,
Daniel has a vision.
2. The vision was
the same one which appeared to him previously.
3. How long ago? 2
years after the vision of Chapter 7.
4. Remember,
V 2 I looked in the
vision, and while I was looking I was in the citadel of
in the
B. Remember, it is 13 years before
V 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.
C. Two horns represent two kings or kingdoms. The longer
horn represents that one
kingdom
will be more powerful than the other.
V 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.
D. Next Daniel sees this ram actually taking countries
westward, northward and
towards the
south.
1. He took whomever
he pleased.
2. He thought of
himself as a great and powerful.
V 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.
E. Then a male goat coming from the west, quickly, with a
long horn between his eyes.
V 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.
F. He made war with the ram with two horns.
V 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.
G. When they engaged in war, the ram couldn’t withstand they
goat with a long horn.
1. The ram was no
match for the goat.
2. The goat trampled
the ram into the ground.
3. No one could help
the ram.
V 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.
H. Although the male goat made war and proved himself very
powerful, soon he was
defeated,
broken, Alexander the Great died at age 32.
1. Alexander the
Great took
1. Actually, he
wasn’t defeated; his kingdom was split after his death.
2. His kingdom was
split four directions by four of his generals.
a. Cassander took
b.
c. Seleucus took
d. Ptolemy claimed
Vv 9 – 14 The Little Horn
V 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
A. From one of these came a rather small horn: this isn’t to
be confused with the small
horn of 7:8
that must come out of the
1. This small horn
was Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175 B.C. of
a. He became great
toward the south,
b. He persecuted
the Jews relentlessly.
c. He desecrated
the temple by offering pig’s flesh on the altar.
V 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.
B. host of heaven is God’s people, the Jews.
1. Antiochus
persecuted them severely.
2. The stars
representing the fallen Jews, here.
V 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.
C. The Commander is God,
1. Antiochus set
himself up as God.
2. He caused the
sacrifices to stop.
3. He destroyed a
portion of the temple.
V 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.
D. Antiochus had his way with the Jews, they could not
withstand his power.
1. He stopped the
regular sacrifice.
2. He flung truth to
the ground.
3. He did anything
he wanted to do.
4. And he prospered.
V 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?
E. A voice from heaven asks, How long will the regular
sacrifice be stopped while the
transgression
causes horror and allow the temple and God’s people to be
trampled.
V 14 He said to me, For
2,300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be
properly restored.
F. 2300 days equal 6.39 Jewish years.
1. From 171 B. C. to
December 25, 165 B.C.
2. At this time,
Judas Maccabeus restored the temple to proper worship.
Vv 15 – 19 Interpretation of the Vision
V 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.
A. Since Daniel wanted to understand the vision, God sent
someone that looked like a
man to
stand before Daniel.
V 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.
B. Daniel hears the voice of a man before him on the banks
of the
1. The man called to
Gabriel.
2. He asked Gabriel
to tell Daniel the meaning of his vision.
3. Gabriel’s name
means, “Hero of God.”
V 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.
B Although it pertains to the time of the end, notice that
the vision starts well before
Christ, and
begins with the Medes and Persians.
1. When did the
Medes and Persians begin? 539 B.C.
2. So the time of
the end began then?
3. No, this just
sits the stage for the entrance into the life of Jesus under the Romans
and the
beginning of the end that starts with the church age on the day of
Pentecost.
V 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.
C. Have you ever heard of Swooning in the Spirit. That’s
what happens to Daniel, here.
1. He falls out in
front of Gabriel.
2. But the angle
touches Daniel and makes him stand upright.
V 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.
D. Hold on because I’m going to reveal the final indignation
= Zah’-am1 Strictly, to
froth at
the mouth, fury (especially with God’s displeasure at sin). Anger,
indignation,
rage. This pertains to the appointed time of the end.
Vv 20 -- 27 The Ram's Identity
V 20 The ram which you
saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and
A. We already know who, it is the Medo-Persian empire.
The Goat
V 21 The shaggy goat
represents the
between his eyes is the first king.
B. The shaggy goat is
V 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.
C. The horn broken into four pieces will represent four kingdoms that will
arise from
this
nation; however, they will not be nearly as strong as Alexander.
V 23 In the latter
period of their rule,
When the transgressors
have run their course,
A king will arise,
Insolent and skilled in
intrigue.
D. Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175 B.C. of
V 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.
E. These verses just add impetus to the persecution of the Jews of Vv 9-14
V 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.
F. Notice that his downfall will not be natural but supernatural, by God. He
died in B.C. 164 .
V 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.
G. It lasted 6.39 years from B. C. 171 to December 25, 165.
V 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.
H. Daniel remained sick and in bed for days.
1. Finally he
returns to work.
2. Although he saw
the visions, he could not explain the meaning.
3. We know now by
looking back in history that all the events he described came true.
1. Ibid.
Daniel
Chapter 8
Study Questions
1. What is the date
of this chapter?
2. How long since
Daniel had his vision in Chapter 7?
3. How was this
vision like the one he had in Chapter 7?
4. Where is Daniel
at this time?
5. Who did the Ram
with the two horns represent?
6. Who did the Shaggy
Goat represent?
7. What do the two
horns represent?
8. What does the one
horn represent on the goat?
9. Where is the
10. How long will the regular sacrifice be cut off?
11. Who did the man call to give Daniel understanding of the
vision?
12. When does the vision start?
13. What is the vision for?
14. What does this tell us about the end times?
15. When the one horn broke, four came up in its place, what
do the four hours mean?
16. The persecutions of the Jews of Vv 23-25 still depict
whom?
17. In comparison, think of Jesus’ words from Matthew 24:21,
For then there will be a
great tribulation, such as has not
occurred since the beginning of the world until
now, not ever will. These
persecutions were horrible!
18. Why were, are and will the Jews be so persecuted? (Your
opinion).
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Blessings,
Howard
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