Pastor Peter's Bible Insights
Daniel Chapter Eight
Chapter 8:1-9
Chapters eight and eleven are companion prophecies and should be studied together. They deal primarily with Israel before the time of Christ and secondarily with the end times. In my mind these two chapters are the most difficult chapters to teach. Yet in some ways these are among the most important chapters because they show with pinpoint accuracy that Daniel’s yet unfulfilled long-term prophecies will be fulfilled with the same accuracy as those short term, fulfilled prophecies of the Maccabean period.
The story of how Antiochus IV came to power (see verse nine) is extremely complicated, unlikely and yet true. It pictures for us that the anti-Christ will arise out of the most unlikely beginnings to become a world leader.
It is at this point in Daniel’s writing that he stops writing in Aramaic and returns to the Hebrew language. This is an important clue to a shift in focus to Jewish nations. Daniel is shown how the unfolding visions and dreams will affect his own people. As you study, keep in mind that Daniel received the vision of the Ram, the Male Goat and the Little Horn before Belshazzar’s fatal feast in chapter five.
Vs. 1 Daniel received the vision of the Four Ancient Beasts (Chapter 7) two years before the vision of the Ram, a Goat and the Little Horn (chapter 8) and both of these visions came before the events of chapter 5.
Vs. 2 It is uncertain if the Chaldean Kings controlled Susa at this time. It seems most likely that Daniel was taken to Susa in a vision but not physically at this time. He was given a preview of a coming attraction. The palace at Susa was the winter residence of the Persian kings. The kings were drawn to Susa because of its warmer winter climate. Susa was located 250 miles east of Babylon and 150 miles north of the Persian Gulf. The site is modern Shush on the Ulai River in western Iran. Susa, which means "city of lilies," is also called Shushan. The city was located between two rivers, one flowing south and the other east. These rivers were joined by a man-made canal called the Eulaeus. This is the Ulai canal mentioned in this verse.
Vs. 3 The Ram corresponds to the Bear in Chapter 7 and represents Persia. The two horns represent the alliance between Persia and Media, the longer horn showing the dominance of Persia.
Vs. 4 Persia extended her borders in all directions with a huge push toward the West and the land of Greece. It was Darius who lashed his ships together to form a floating bridge across the Bosphorus and marched his soldiers from Asia on to European soil. This led to the Persian attack on Athens.
Vs. 5 The male goat corresponds to the leopard in Chapter 7 and represents Alexander the Great. The phrase "without touching the ground" indicates the speed at which Alexander's empire grew. In ten short years Alexander conquered 1.5 million square miles and traveled over 20,000 miles.
In this amazing verse Daniel actually names a country that has not fully come into existence. The first settlers arriving in the Balkan peninsula followed a goat and named their city Aegae, "Goat City." It is from this name that the Aegean Sea was named. It was the Romans who named the people of Goat City "Greek."
Vs. 6 Alexander's life was driven by taking revenge on the Persians for burning the city of Athens.
Vs.7 Alexander will defeat Darius III.
Vs.8 Alexander died in 323 in Babylon. His last words were, “I foresee a great funeral contest over me.”
The four horns are the four generals that divide up Alexander’s kingdom.
Cassander Macedonia
Lysimacus Asia Minor
Seleucus Syria
Ptolemy Egypt
Vs 9 The “little horn” is a reference to the most vile leader of the Seleucid Kingdom, Antiochus IV. He is known in history as Antiochus Epiphanes. His name means “God manifest" or "the illustrious one.”
The story of his coming to power is amazing.
Antiochus IV was the youngest son of Antiochus III.
The Romans stopped the ambitious Antiochus III from invading Magnesia northeast of Izmir in the Battle of Magnesia.
To insure his compliance the Romans took his youngest son, Antiochus IV, as a hostage.
He stayed in Rome for 14 years.
At that point his father, Antiochus III was murdered.
Antiochus III's oldest son, Seleucus Philopator, ascended to the Syrian throne.
Philopator wanted his brother Antiochus released, so he sent his own son Demetrius to Rome as a hostage exchange. Amazingly Rome agreed.
While Antionchus IV was on his way back to Syria his older brother Philopator was murdered by the treasurer, Heliodorus, who then claimed the throne.
Antiochus IV appealed to the Eumenes, King of Pergamum, to help him overthrow Heliodorus and assume the throne.
Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn of verse nine, came to power in 175 BC.
Comparison of the “little horn” of chapter seven and the “little horn” of chapter eight.
The little horn of chapter eight is not to be confused with the little horn of chapter seven.
The little horn of chapter eight arises out of the Greek Empire.
The little horn of chapter seven arises out of the Roman Empire.
The little horn of chapter eight comes to power before the little horn of chapter seven.
The little horn of chapter eight is a type of the little horn that will arise in the end times.
Antiochus Epiphanes will seek to extend his kingdom towards Egypt and Babylon.
He will overpower the “beautiful land,” Israel. He tried to Hellenize the Jews.
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