Chapter eight is an expansion of chapter two, as was the case with chapter seven. However, in this chapter, the emphasis is on two of the four world empires. It is concerned with the second and third empires, with emphasis on events to occur in Jerusalem toward the end of the third empire.
This vision occurs two years after the vision of chapter seven, Daniel 7:1, during the third year of Belshazzar, 550 B.C. Daniel 8:1. The place of the vision is Susa, the capital city of the Persian kingdom during the days of its power, Ezekiel 8:3 / Ezekiel 37:1 / Revelation 17:3 / Esther 1:2 / Nehemiah 1:1.
Daniel was involved in some way in government business. He was by the river Ulai at the time the vision occurred, Daniel 8:2.
He first saw a ram with two horns, Daniel 8:3 / Ezekiel 34:17 / Ezekiel 34:24 / Ezekiel 39:18. Horns represent strength, Ezekiel 34:21. One of the horns was higher than the other, Daniel 8:3. Daniel 8:20 makes it clear that this represents the Medo-Persian Empire.
The ram denotes the united power of these two kingdoms, yet the unequal horns show that one of the powers would be mightier than the other. Persia became the greater of the two, and finally, Media was dropped so that the empire was known as the Persian Empire.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The higher horn speaks of the supremacy of the Persian element. The Medes and the Persians had been associated for a long time. The Medes were the much more prominent kingdom until Cyrus the Great came along, at which time the Persian star arose.’
The ram pushes toward the west, north and south, Daniel 8:4. This denotes the expansion of the empire. It made great conquests in the three directions mentioned, whereas there was very little effort toward the east. One of the great advances of the kingdom was toward the west, where it reached Greece.
Toward the north, they reached around the Caspian Sea and to the south, they took in Ethiopia and Egypt. The Persian Empire extended over a great part of the then-known world. It had little opposition to its advancement until the Greek Empire came into its own, Daniel 8:4.
While considering the ram, a he-goat, but later on called a rough goat, came from the west, Daniel 8:5. Daniel 8:21 tells us this was Greece under its first king, Alexander the Great. History records that in 334 B.C.
Alexander invaded Persia and completed that conquest by 330 B.C. He finally reached the Ganges River in India in 328 B.C. Thus, in a very short period of time, Alexander the Great had overrun nearly the entire known world, including the great Persian Empire.
The horn between the eyes of the goat represented Alexander, Daniel 8:5. He was only twenty-one when he began his conquests. His fierceness and fury against Persia are represented in Daniel 8:6-7.
The ‘great rage’, Daniel 8:6, points to the cry for vengeance from the Greek city-states after years of assaults across the Aegean Sea by the Persian armies between 490 and 480 B.C. The mighty Persian Empire was crushed beneath the power of Alexander as if trampled to the earth, Daniel 8:7.
At the time of its greatest strength, an event occurred that broke the horn in which was concentrated so much power, Proverbs 16:18. At no time was the empire as strong as at the death of Alexander. He died at the age of thirty-three, in the year 323 B.C. After his death, his empire never regained its greatness and was never united.
In a series of events, the kingdom in twenty years became divided between ‘four notable ones’ who were four of his generals. Lysimachus, one general, took Thrace and Bithynia, and possibly all of Asia Minor. Cassander, another general, gained Macedonia and Greece.
Ptolemy, a third general, took Egypt and contiguous territories, and Seleucus, a fourth general, gained Syria, Babylon, and the Eastern countries as far as India. Thus, the kingdom, instead of being one united nation, stood divided into four sections, each independent of the others.
A little horn springs up from one of the notables; horns often represent kings, Revelation 7:7-8 / Revelation 17:7 / Revelation 17:12.
Luck, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The ‘little horn’ of Daniel 8:9 is different from that of Daniel 7:8. The latter arose from the Roman Empire, and that in the ‘last days’; the former from a part of the Greek Empire shortly before the Roman conquest, ‘in the latter time of their kingdom’, Daniel 8:23.’
It seems to grow in strength and exerts its power toward the south, east and the pleasant land. There seems to be no doubt that this is the famous Antiochus Epiphanes, who was a successor of Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander’s generals who had ruled over Syria, Babylon, and Media. The capital was in Antioch.
This man was to rule from 175 to 164 B.C. Thus, we are dealing with the period between the Old and New Testaments. No sooner did he come to the throne than he hastened to extend his kingdom.
In 171 B.C., he declared war on Egypt. In 170 B.C., he conquered Egypt and overran Jerusalem. He also expanded eastward, taking many of the eastern countries.
The pleasant land denotes Palestine, Isaiah 19:23-25 / Jeremiah 3:19 / Ezekiel 20:6 / Ezekiel 20:15. On his return from fighting the Egyptians, he turned aside to invade Judea.
Antiochus Epiphanes, called ‘Epimanes the Insane’, ordered the adoption of the Greek religion. In December 168 B.C., he dedicated the Jewish Temple to the god Zeus, setting up his statue and sacrificing a pig in his honour.
Josephus, in his writings, says the following.
‘And there would arise from their number a certain king who would make war on the Jewish nation and their laws, deprive them of the form of government based on these laws, spoil the temple, and prevent the sacrifices from being offered for three years. And these misfortunes our nation did in fact come to experience under Antiochus Epiphanes, just as Daniel many years before saw and wrote that they would happen.’
It was these actions that precipitated the famous Maccabean revolt in Palestine, where bands of devout Jews carried out a kind of strike and run war at night, hiding out in the hills, in guerrilla warfare. The Maccabean family were leaders of this movement and became famous in Jewish history.
These verses describe his attacks on the Jews.
Young, in his commentary, says the following concerning Daniel 8:10.
‘In certain contexts, stars falling represent God’s casting down of evil powers and kings, Isaiah 13:10-11 / Isaiah 14:4 / Isaiah 14:12-15 / Ezekiel 32:1-10; but at other times, the stars represent the righteous, Daniel 12:3 / Matthew 13:43. This is not the only time an evil power has cast the stars to the earth, Revelation 12:3. This type of cataclysmic visionary event occurs often and pictures a judgment of God against transgressors, Daniel 8:12 / Daniel 8:23 / Matthew 23:38-39. 2 Maccabees 9:10 speaks of Antiochus as ‘the man that a short while before thought himself to touch the stars of heaven.’ A possible allusion to Daniel 8.’
Notice that Antiochus resumes the place of God and equality with God, Daniel 8:11. Antiochus blasphemed God again and again. He actually considered himself equal to God and commanded that likenesses of himself to be placed in the temple of the Jews and worshipped as God.
Antiochus banned the Jews from offering their regular sacrifices, Daniel 8:11 / Exodus 29:38-42 / Daniel 11:31 / Daniel 12:11 / 1 Maccabees 1:44-47. He even desecrated the temple, commanding that a pig be slain on the temple altar.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The story of Antiochus’ desecration of the temple and his persecution of the people is told to us in detail in Josephus and the Books of Maccabees. On December 168-7 B.C., the temple was desecrated, and an idol was set up in the sanctuary. The altars were laden with all kinds of abominations. The grossest kinds of immorality were carried out in the holy places, and the drunken god, Dionysius, was given pride of place.’
Daniel 8:12 tells us the reason why God will allow this to happen because of the rebellion, the KJV uses the word ‘transgression’. In Daniel 8:23, we learn that Antiochus does not come to power until ‘transgressors have run their course’.
Antiochus turned violently bitter against them, making a determined effort to exterminate their religion. According to Josephus, this lasted from 167 to 164 B.C. His ability to do this was not any power of his own, but it was due to the ‘transgressions’ of the Jews.
Notice it mentions the rebellion, which causes desolation, Daniel 8:13. Daniel mentions three different desolations.
1. One was previously caused by Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel 9:17.
2. One was eventually caused by Antiochus Epiphanes, Daniel 8:13 / Daniel 12:11.
3. The series of desolations that would occur at the time of the Roman siege, from AD 68 to AD 70, Daniel 9:26-27 Matthew 24:15 / Mark 13:14 / Luke 21:20.
The ‘holy ones’, Daniel 8:13, probably angels, Daniel 4:13 / Daniel 4:23 / Revelation 14:6-9 / Revelation 22:6, speak to one another about this tragedy, and one of them asks how long it will continue. The answer is 2,300 days, Daniel 8:13.
There have been various interpretations of the 2,300 days. In terms of years, it would be about six years and four months. This would seem to be the most logical way to look at it. Counting from the time he first overran Jerusalem, 170 B.C., until they were able to restore the sacrifices, 164 B.C., it would be about six years.
Leupold, in his commentary, says the following concerning the 2,300 days, Daniel 8:14.
‘A time period short of a complete divine judgment, 7 years, Judges 6:1.’
Dunagan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘The reign of Antiochus began in 171 B.C. and terminated at his death in 164 B.C. The above number might be symbolic, yet it is very close to the length of time between 171 and 164 B.C., that is, six years and about 4 months.’
Daniel is perplexed and desires to know the meaning of the vision, Daniel 8:15. There stood before him one who had the appearance of a man, Daniel 8:15. He is called Gabriel by a voice, Daniel 8:16 / Daniel 9:21 / Luke 1:19 / Luke 1:26.
No wonder Daniel is terrified, Revelation 22:8-9, as the vision is said to belong ‘to the time of the end,’ Daniel 8:17-19. This was the time for the end of the Greek kingdom.
As far as God was concerned, when Antioch Epiphanes appeared, the kingdom was on its way out. After his death, his empire sank lower and lower. Antiochus Epiphanes was raised up by God to punish Israel and is also thrown down by God.
Dunagan, in his commentary, says the following concerning Daniel 8:19.
‘This part of the vision applies to the final period of God’s wrath upon the rebellious nation of Israel. God had punished Israel through Babylon, and He would continue to chastise them with the Medes and the Persians, Antiochus being the last major persecutor before the Messiah arrived. In other words, when the abominations of Antiochus occur, it will be evidence to the Jewish people that the last period of wrath has appeared.’
In Daniel 8:18-22, Daniel receives the interpretation of his vision, and it is self-explanatory. The ram represents the ‘kings of Media and Persia’, Daniel 8:20, and the male goat, rough or shaggy, is Alexander the Great, Daniel 8:21.
Josephus, in his writings, says the following.
‘Alexander the Great marched on Jerusalem to punish the Jews for their loyalty to Darius, but Jaddua the high priest met him at the head of a procession of priests all dressed in white. Alexander claimed this was related to a vision he had received from God. Jaddua showed him a copy of the book of Daniel, which foretold that a Grecian king would overthrow Persia.’
The broken horn, Daniel 8:22, represents Alexander, who died in 323 BC, at age thirty-two, in Babylon. The four horns represent four kingdoms, Daniel 8:22 / Daniel 11:3-4. These will arise from the Greek empire, but these kings will not have as much power as the first.
Daniel 8:23 shows there was a definite period marked out by God, and when that period arrives, the end of all this will take place. Just as suddenly as Antiochus had appeared, so would he disappear.
Dunagan, in his commentary, says the following concerning Daniel 8:24.
‘The four kings that succeeded Alexander, while enjoying a measure of success in no way succeeded as did Alexander, Daniel 8:22, ‘although not with his power’. The kingdom of the Seleucids lasted until 64 B.C., and that of the Ptolemies until 31 B.C. When Antiochus arose to power, the kingdom of the Seleucids was already in decline.’
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following concerning Daniel 8:24.
‘This king’s power becomes surprisingly great, but is limited, but not by his own will, Daniel 4:17, even the lowliest of men. The power of Antiochus IV was limited by the Lord and the Romans.’
Notice, ‘he shall be broken without human hand’, Daniel 8:25.
Butler, in his commentary, says the following concerning Daniel 8:25.
‘It indicates plainly that only because God providentially allowed it did he become so great.’
He was not overcome by any nation or carnal power but died while he was in Babylon. When Antiochus died, the opposition to the Jews ceased, and their land again had peace and rest.
When anyone opposes God’s will and His people, they need to remember they are opposing God Himself, Matthew 25:40. The next power to take over Palestine would be Rome.
Daniel is told that the vision he has seen is true and will certainly be accomplished, Daniel 8:26. He was to ‘seal it up,’ Daniel 8:26, that is, to make a record of it that it might be preserved many days until the time of fulfilment.
McGuiggan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘John is given the opposite command in Revelation 22:10. In Daniel 8:26, we are told the reason for shutting up the vision is that ‘it pertains to many days in the future.’ The vision was received in 550 BC and was completed by 164 BC. That is less than four hundred years. We invite you to compare Daniel 8:26 with Revelation 1:3, and Revelation 22:6 / Revelation 22:10.’
Dunagan, in his commentary, says the following.
‘Obviously, the events described in the book of Revelation cannot be things still yet future, but applied to events which would happen shortly after the book was written. It does not make any sense for the many days of Daniel to be less than 400 years, and the time is near of Revelation to be 2000 years.’
Many days will elapse before it will come to pass, Daniel 8:27. When the events would happen, they could better bear it knowing the facts of how long and when their troubles would terminate.
Daniel’s exhaustion, Daniel 8:27, or ‘fainting’ KJV, was not what we think of as fainting, but rather he was made weak and lifeless, even sick, as a result of what he had seen and heard.
He had been given a glimpse into the future, and he had seen a terrible thing, Daniel 8:27 / 1 Peter 1:10-12. The apostasy of his people pained him deeply. Israel had been carried away into Babylonian captivity because of apostasy.
Surely, they had learned their lesson. Will they do it again? We can understand that the vision left him deeply disturbed and physically ill. Oh, that we had more like Daniel, who, upon hearing of the troubles and departures of their brethren, would grieve, instead of rejoice.