LESSONS FROM DANIEL # 8
8:1-4, v.1, 550 BC, Daniel about 70 yrs. old.
This vision about Medo-Persia (539 BC, 11 yrs. later), Greece (336 BC, about 214 yrs. later), Antiochus Epiphanes (175 BC, about 375 yrs. later)! No wonder the Modernists deny that Daniel lived in the 7th century before Christ!
v.2, Shushan (Iran), Esther 2:8, Nehemiah 1:1.
v.3, Ram = Medo-Persia (v. 20). (Modernists: “4 empires, Babylon, Media, Persia, Greece. So, Daniel wrote during Greek empire”). If so, Daniel and Christ are liars! (Mt. 24:15, Dan. the prophet).
v.4, Conquests of Cyrus II: west to borders of Greece, north to Armenia, south to Ethiopia (7:5).
8:5-8, v.5, rough he-goat = Greece (v.21). Rapid conquest eastward (to India) in just 13 years.
“notable horn”= Alexander the Great (336-323); (Greece not yet a nation when Daniel wrote!)
v.6, battle of Granicus, 334, Darius III defeated.
v.7, fall of Persia to the Greeks.
v,8, premature death of Alexander, 323, age 33.
He wept: “no more nations to conquer”!
Four of his generals now rule the world (see 7:6)
8:9-14, v.9, the Seleucid dynasty,Seleucus I and his successors in Syria, culminating in Antíochus IV Epíphanes (glorious manifestation--of the gods; he had delusions of deity), 175-164.
“south, east, glorious land” = Egypt, Babylon, Palestine. Continuous wars (150 yrs.) with the Ptolemies of Egypt.
v.10, “host / stars” = God’s people, suffering at the hands of Antíochus Epíphanes (175-164 BC).
v.11, “prince” = God (or High Priest, Onias III).
The daily sacrifice stopped, swine offered on the altar, altar of Jupiter erected = temple profaned.
v.12, many Jews surrendered to Greek culture demands (Hellenization / “cultural church” today).
Scriptures destroyed; many killed; temple wor-ship proscribed. “prospered” = God permitted it.
v.13, An angel explains: the vision is of the time that God would permit Antíochus to bring desola-tion to the Jews because of their apostasies.
v.14, the time (6 yrs, 4 months) between 171 and 165 BC when Antíochus persecuted the Jews and desecrated the temple, until the temple was rededicated. (365 x 6.3 = 2300 days).
8:15-26, v.15, Daniel seeks understanding (of events nearly 400 yrs. ahead (551 to 165).
An angel in form of a man appears. Who but God can given understanding of the vision?
v.16, Two angels known by name: Gabriel and Michael (10:13). Gabriel to explain the vision.
v.17, Daniel in the presence of a divine being!
“Time of the end” = the end of God’s wrath a-gainst the apostate Jews, by the hands of Antío-chus (v.19, time of the indignation--of God).
v.18, the effect & power of Gabriel’s presence.
v.19, “time of the end” = fulfilled in the death of Antíochus Epiphanes.
The “indignation” of God against the Jews be-gan with Assyrian captivity of Northern Kingdom, and continued through the Babylonian captivity of Southern Kingdom, the subjugation by the Medo-Persians, and now the Greeks, up to Antíochus.
v.20, one beast represents both Media & Persia.
One animal represents one kingdom (vv.3,5).
Modernists make Media & Persia TWO of the four empires, to end with the Greeks and not the Ro-mans. They want Daniel writing at a late date!!
v.21, Greece the third of the four world empires (Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome).
“Great horn” = Alexander the Great.
In Daniel’s time, Greece as a political power did not exist. God is omniscient! (hence, prophecy).
v.22, the four generals who finally came to direct the Grecian Empire never attained to Alexander’s power of conquest. The Seleucid Empire lasted until BC 64, and that of the Ptolomies until BC 31, when the Roman Empire conquered them.
v.23, the latter time of the 4 generals’ rule.
“transgressors”, see v.12, the apostasies of the unfaithful Jews. (Hellenization / cultural changes)
“king of fierce countenance” = Antíochus Epiph.
“understanding dark sentences” = employing in-trigues and plots (v.25, policy, craft). Once he sent an embassy of “peace” that resulted in the death of 40,000 Jews! A vengeful persecutor.
v.24, “not with his power” = the matter done by divine agency (cp. 2:34, stone cut out without hands; Col. 2:11, circum. not made with hands).
The innocent suffer in times of calamities, along with the wicked, but the righteous not in vain! …..
They are crowned by the mercy and grace of God
v.25, Antíochus, a proud and vainglorious man, allowed to prosper by means of intrigues, plots (v.23).
“destroy many” = of both political enemies and Jews in general.
“prince of princes” = He will blaspheme God Almighty (or, Onias the High Priest) -- see v.11).
Antíochus’ fall would be by God’s Providence (as well as his rise). This would be evident to all.
In this revelation great consolation for the faithful.

Compare Rom. 9:17, for this very purpose did I raise thee (Pharaoh) up.
The death of Antíochus is described as terrible, both in body and mind!
v.26, The vision, of the time of the desecration of the temple and the wrath against the unfaithful Jews (171-165; see vv.13,14), is true, the angel says!
“shut up the vision” = not keep as secret, but preserve it in written form.
Nearly 400 years between the prophecy and the fulfillment (550 to 165 BC).
v.27, The experience in receiving this vision, left Daniel physically and mentally exhausted.
Had he not spoken with an angel? Had he not received sad news concerning his people?
His sensibilities toward God’s people provoked in him great mental disturbance, perturbation.
(Are we today disturbed by modern apostasies? Some preachers criticize those who expose er-rors and call attention to trends toward apostasy).
Daniel claims to be the author. Did he lie?
He is working, but wondering.
No further revelation (to explain), beyond that give by the angel, but the message is clear: transgressions bring God’s wrath, but the saints take courage, knowing that God’s Provi-dence is at work! He is in control.

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