Chapter 8
The dating of the vision of chapter 8 is “in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar”, and this would be approaching the end of the power of Babylon. The vision was given to Daniel “in Susa, the capital, which is in the province of Elam”. (Suza (R.S.V.) is the same as Shushan of the A.V.) It is generally assumed that this vision took place in the last year of Belshazzar’s reign, and further that he was only a very young man at the time. It is significant that the vision does not relate to Babylon at all, but deals with the two world powers which succeeded Babylon, again supporting the idea that this vision was given near the end of the power of Babylon.
The Two-horned Ram
The river Ulai was a tributary of the Tigris. The vision that Daniel saw by this river was an expansion of the previous vision given in chapter 7. There Medo-Persia was represented by a bear, but in this further vision it is represented by a ram with two horns. In chapter 7 the bear is raised up on one side. In chapter 8 the ram has two horns, and in each case the “higher one” came up last and represented the Persian half of the coalition of Media and Persia. As Daniel looked he saw the ram “pushing” (characteristic of both rams and goats) westward, northward and southward. In the westward “push” Lydia and the Greek settlements on the coast of Asia Minor were absorbed. In the north, Armenia and the Scythian nations were conquered. In the south Babylonia, Arabia, Egypt and Libya were the vanquished ones. But what of the east? While there were definite conquests eastward no mention is made and no reason given for this omission. Is it because they had nothing to do with God’s land and God’s people? Possibly. Then the whole is summarised: “he did according to his will and became great”. Medo-Persia conquered Babylon in 538 B.C., and this “great” power lasted until defeated by the rising power of Greece in 331 B.C., a period of 207 years.
The He-goat
While Daniel looked in his vision he saw a he-goat come from the west, moving with incredible swiftness over the face of the earth, explaining the meaning of the wings of the leopard of Daniel chapter 7. Alexander the Great was the son of Philip of Macedon, who lifted his country from the mediocrity it had had for a long time, preparatory to the great work of his son, Alexander, who was going to raise Greece to the position of world dominion in his amazing lightning campaigns. Alexander is represented by the “notable horn” in the middle of the forehead of the goat.
When he set off on his mission of conquest he overcame Tyre in a seven months’ siege, and then proceeded to reduce Jerusalem to subjection. No doubt to his surprise, he was met by the high priest and his retinue of lesser priests in procession, all clad in pure white. They reasoned with Alexander to such good effect that he entered peaceably into Jerusalem and even offered sacrifice there. But let there be no mistake, although the subjection was peaceable, none-the-less it was subjection, and the year was B.C. 333. (Incidentally, in the excavation at Persepolis, bas-reliefs have been found depicting both Persia and Greece as the animals which Daniel saw in his vision).
The he-goat, on perceiving the ram, was immediately filled with frenzy and charged the ram as only a he-goat can! (The symbols are remarkably true to life). The attack was so violent that the he-goat speedily overcame the resistance of the ram, and “there was none that could deliver out of his hand”. In actual fact, in three successive battles the power of Persia was absolutely shattered, the last being at Arbela in 331 B.C., and the power of Persia was no more.
“The he-goat waxed very great, and when he was strong, the great horn was broken”. Alexander died in a drunken bout in Babylon when he was only 33, having conquered all the known world in the course of his lightning campaigns extending over 5,000 miles, in which he was continually victorious. After his death there was the inevitable scramble (as he had no son to succeed him) which finally crystallised in four of Alexander’s generals dividing the empire between them as previously explained. Particular interest centres around the Seleucids who seized the areas to the north of Palestine — Syria etc. — while the Ptolemies seized Egypt, so that in chapter 11 these two powers become the kings of the north and south respectively.
In v. 13 Daniel heard one of the angels querying of another “How long is the vision . . . and the giving over of the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?” The reply was given “For two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings, then shall the sanctuary be restored to its rightful state” (R.S.V.). Seeing this figure is given in the chapter dealing with Alexander, and then seeing he reduced the city to subjection in B.C. 333, we are justified as regarding the 2,300 period of subjection commencing in B.C. 333, and if 2300 is added to this we get 1967 when, for the first time for this period, the Jews obtained control of the whole of Jerusalem. (Incidentally this settles the old controversy as to whether this is 2,300 or 2,400).
The Little Horn
Reverting now to vv. 9-12, the question arises “Who or to what power does the little horn in v. 9 refer?” Out of which of the four horns this little horn grows is not told us. (Do not confuse this little horn with that in chapter 7:8. The two refer to entirely different powers. But which?). Several suggestions have been made. Perhaps the one most usually accepted is that it refers to the Roman power invited into Jewry by Judas Maccabeus. Another suggestion is that it refers to the Saracenic/Turkish power. What are the claims of these two powers to fulfil this prophecy?
Consider first the Roman claim. This did not grow particularly toward the east — Rome’s expansion was more westward — all the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea were conquered by Rome, including God’s land. Some have thought Antiochus Epiphanes was the little horn power, but he was hopelessly defeated by Rome. Judas Maccabeus appealed to Rome for help against Antiochus, whom they defeated and so entered the arena out of the northern horn of the four on the head of the goat. Rome conquered Syria in 65 B.C. but that is the only eastward extension. Rome certainly “waxed great towards the pleasant land”, i.e. God’s land, Palestine. It waxed great towards the host of heaven — Jewish rulers had to submit to him, and later Christians were the subject of bitter persecution.
It magnified itself against the Prince of Princes, even crucifying him. The temple was destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70, thereby taking away the continual burnt offering and also destroying the sanctuary.
The little horn cast truth to the ground. The advocates of the Roman viewpoint apply this to the later claims and persecutions of the papacy. The horn certainly acted and prospered, as v. 12 says.
Altogether quite a reasonably good case can be presented for the Roman viewpoint.
On the other hand, let us now look at what can be put forward from the Saracen/Turkish angle. Mahomet, originally a camel driver, married his employer, Kedijah, a widow. What is known as the Hegira occurred in 622 A.D. when Mahomet fled from Mecca to Medina because his life was in danger from those who would not accept his teaching. He now tried the sword as a means of persuasion, with immediate good results. His teaching spread rapidly, so rapidly than in 15 years (637) his son-in-law, Omar, captured Jerusalem. In 300 years Mahometism spread all along the north of Africa in a westerly direction, throughout all Arabia, and northward as far as Constantinople. After 300 years of power, they were replaced by the Turks who then dominated the scene for the next 1000 years. Eastward they penetrated to the middle of China, and Gibbon records that Ghengis Khan ruled over more territory than any other man either before or since. How does this power fit into the picture presented in chapter 8? The Saracenic/Turkish power continually defied Christianity, and even built the Dome of the Rock (not the Mosque of Omar, please!) over where the Holy Place of the temple had stood on Mount Moriah. It cast Truth to the ground, and certainly practised and prospered. There is no doubt about it, this combined power agrees with the specification of this little horn.
At the end of the period of 2300 years the sanctuary has been cleansed, in so far as this power no longer exercises authority over any part of Jerusalem, for that is now entirely under Jewish control.
In verse 16 Gabriel is told “to make this man to understand the vision”. To Daniel’s dismay he was made to realise that this vision would extend to the time of the end. And so it is. Although the power of Turkey has gone (the river Euphrates has dried up, Rev. 16) the power of Mahometism remains, and its adherents are as fanatical as ever against God’s people, the Jews. As v. 23 states, a change would take place, and Turks succeeded the Saracens. Esau is still hating Jacob (particularly so as these words are written) and as Zechariah 14 states so plainly, finally “the mighty and holy people will be destroyed”. “Half the city will go into captivity” and all the horrors of the siege will be perpetrated upon the defeated inhabitants. He is certainly magnifying himself, and “by his prosperity” is destroying many. “But he shall be broken without hand”. It will not be by Israel’s might; their hand will not do it, but “the Lord will go forth and fight as when he fought in the day of battle”. We are realising the truth of this vision and it has been for many days (v. 26). We can understand both Daniel’s astonishment and the effect it had upon him when he fainted. It is only at the end where we now are, that it is possible to understand this vision. We are at the time of the end, and at the time appointed the end shall be, v. 19. Both Jewish affairs and world-wide affairs are equally approaching the great climax when the outcome will be that the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever.
Daniel The Prophet – (Part 3)