Daniel's Vision of Chapter 8
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Daniel’s Vision of Chapter 8 is from the Book of Daniel in the Bible.
In the third year of King Belshazzar's reign Daniel had a vision, 20 years after the one in chapter 7 and apparently just before Belshazzar is killed in chapter 5. He saw himself in the citadel of Susa in the province of Elam, beside the Ulai Canal.
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[edit] The Vision
Standing before Daniel beside the canal was a ram with two long horns—one was longer than the other but grew up later. The ram charged toward the west and the north and the south. He did as he pleased and became great.
Suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He charged the two-horned ram in great rage--furiously striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The goat knocked the ram to the ground and trampled on him. But at the height of the goat's power his large horn was broken off. In its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.
Another horn came out of one of them. It started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the host. It took away the daily sacrifice from him, and the place of his sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. Truth was thrown to the ground.
Someone in the vision asked "How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled--the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot?" He was answered, "It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated."
[edit] Synthesis of the Dream and Interpretation
In the interpretation portion of the chapter the identification of the Ram and Goat is given.
The ram, Media-Persia, had two horns, one longer than the other. It was to charge toward the west, then north, then south. It would do whatever it pleased and become great.
Representing Greece, the Goat comes from the west, crossing the earth without touching the ground. Greece charges Media-Persia [the Goat] in great rage. It shatters the horns (i.e. kings -- see below) of Media-Persia and knocks it to the ground and tramples it.
But at the height of Greece's power, its great horn--i.e. King ["The large horn between his eyes is the first king"]--is broken off and four other kings grow up toward the four winds.
Then an unidentified king, a stern-faced master of intrigue, comes on the scene. He starts small but will become very strong, yet not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will cause deceit to prosper. When they feel secure, he will destroy many.
He will grow to the south, then east and toward the "beautiful land" and destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will consider himself superior to the "hosts of heaven' and claim to be as great as and take his stand against the "Prince of the princes."
He steals the 'daily sacrifice' and denigrates the "sanctuary" of the "Prince of hosts" The saints and sacrifice are put under his tyranny and truth is thrown down.
Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human power.
Someone asks about how long that part of the vision that deals with the daily sacrifice, the rebellion, the surrender of the sanctuary and the host would last. It was to last 2300 "evening and mornings."
After that, the sanctuary, which had been debased and soiled, would be cleansed and reconsecrated.
[edit] Proposed Identifications of the Kingdoms
In the previous two visions, the first kingdom is identified as the existing realm at the time of the vision, i.e. Babylon. This vision occurred during the reign of Babylon's Belshazzar, but its first kingdom, the ram, is identified as Media-Persia. This is probably because Babylon was soon to fall to Cyrus the Great of Media as recorded in the account of Chapter 5.
The Goat kingdom is identified as the kingdom of Greece and the horn is believed to be Alexander the Great.
Just as some Christian Theologians since the 2nd Century have considered the visions of Chapter 2 and 7 parallel, so too, Chapter 8 was considered parallel with the other two.
As Daniel put it, the 'little horn' would come from 'one of them,' referring to one of the four horns that replaced the 'notable horn.' This is quite likely referring to Antiochus Epiphanes, since he came from the Seleucid empire, which was one of the four empires that came to power after Alexander died. He took away the 'daily sacrifice' and committed the 'abomination of desolation,' as Jesus put it. He made it illegal to follow the Judaic laws, with the penalty of death.[citation needed]
Some also speculate that the other horn that rises after Alexander is Muhammad.[citation needed]
[edit] Principles of Interpretation
Principles of interpretations are rules for interpreting Bible prophecies derived from the Bible by either direct explanation or derived from examples.
[edit] Beasts represent kingdoms
This principle comes from direct explanation:
- The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. Source: verse 20
- The shaggy goat is the king of Greece. Source: verse 21
Note that the earliest (pre-Theodotion) Greek versions and the Qumran edition read "kingdom" at several points where Theodotion and the later Masoretic traditions have "king".
This same principle is also found in Chapter 7.
[edit] An animal's horn represents a king or kingdom
This principle is derived from examples rather than by direct statement.
Three examples are given.
- the large horn ... is the first king. Source: verse 21
- The four horns ... represent four kingdoms... Source: verse 22
- Out of one of them came another horn... Source: verse 9
and
- In the latter part of their reign ... a stern-faced king ... will arise. Source: verse 23
This same principle is also found in Chapter 7.
[edit] See also
- Nebuchadnezzar's statue vision in Daniel 2
- Daniel's Vision of Chapter 7
- Daniel Prophecy Literary Parallels
- Prophecy of Seventy Weeks
- The writing on the wall
- Fiery Furnace
