The history of the kingdoms succeeding one another in the Middle East is revealed to the author of the Book of Daniel several times in different forms. One of the scenes unfolding before his spiritual gaze...
The history of the kingdoms succeeding one another in the Middle East is revealed to the author of the Book of Daniel several times in different forms. One of the scenes unfolding before his spiritual gaze symbolically depicts the replacement of one great empire — the Persian — by another, founded by Alexander the Great.
If the two horns on the ram's head symbolize Media and Persia, the four on the goat's head clearly correspond to the four Hellenistic states that arose from the ruins of Alexander's empire, which had not even had time to take shape. The horn that grew great is undoubtedly Antiochus Epiphanes, during whose reign the author of the Book of Daniel lived. It was precisely Antiochus, the ruler of Syria, who tried to expand his country's territory to the south, at Egypt's expense, and to the east. And it was precisely Antiochus, who defiled the Jerusalem Temple, who “took away the sacrifice” from the Prince of the heavenly host.
Indeed, after the Temple was defiled, sacrifices there became impossible until it was purified; purification, in turn, was impossible as long as the pagan altars built by order of Antiochus remained in the Temple courtyard. In this scene, as in the author's other visions, history revolves around Antiochus's persecution of the Synagogue and the Maccabean wars. It is no accident that during the vision a question is asked about the time when the “sanctuary”, that is, the Jerusalem Temple, will be purified. The purification of the Temple, as both the author of the Book of Daniel and his contemporaries believed, would mark the beginning of the messianic age.
And all history revolves around the Messiah and the messianic Kingdom — this is how every Yahwist apocalyptic visionary sees it, including the author of the book. There is also a prophecy in the vision, concerning the purification of the Temple. It was fulfilled exactly: three and a half years after Antiochus defiled the Temple, Judas Maccabeus did indeed recapture it from the Syrians and purify it, after which sacrifices in the Jerusalem Temple resumed. This is how prophecies and apocalyptic visions come together in the Book of Daniel.
8 This and the following chapters are not writ in Chaldee, but in Hebrew, for the benefit of the Jews. Here is the vision of the ram, and the he - goat, and the little horn, Dan 8:1-14.
The interpretation of it, Dan 8:15-27.
8:1 After that - In the other vision he speaks o[ all the four monarchies; here only of the three first; this vision being a comment upon the first.
8:2 The river of Ulai - Which ran round the city.
8:3 Two horns - The kingdom of Media and Persia. And the higher - The kingdom of Persia which rose last, in Cyrus, became more eminent than that of the Medes.
8:4 West - ward - Toward Babylon, Syria, Cappadocia, Asia the less, and Greece, all westward from Media and Persia.North - ward - Against the Armenians, Iberians, Lydians, Colchi Caspians.South - ward - Against Ethiopia, Arabia, Egypt.
8:5 An he - goat - The Grecian empire.The whole earth - The whole Persian empire.Touched not the ground - Went with incredible swiftness.A horn - This was Alexander the great.
8:6 The ram - The king of Media and Persia.
8:8 Was broken - When Alexander was greatest, then was he broken, and that to pieces, for he, his mother, son, brother, and all his kindred were destroyed.The four winds
- Antipater got Greece.
- Asia was possessed by Antigonus.
- Ptolemy got Egypt.
- Seleucus had Babylon and Syria.
All these were variously situated; to the east, Babylon and Syria;to the south, Egypt; to the north, Asia the less; to the west, Greece.8:9 A little horn - This little horn was Antiochus Epiphanes.The south - Egypt where he besieged and took many places.The east - In Syria, Babylon, Armenia.The pleasant land - Judea, so called because of the temple and people of God in it, and the fruitfulness of it.
8:10 The host of heaven - The church of God militant, who worship the God of heaven, who are citizens of heaven, whose names are written in heaven; and among these the priests, and champions, who were as stars shining above the rest; these he profaned and slew cruelly.
8:11 The prince - Not only against the high - priest, but against God himself. Was cast down - He took away the use of the temple as to the holy service and sacrifices.
8:12 By reason of transgression - Both the transgression of the priests, and of the people.
8:13 One saint - That is, one holy angel. How long - How long shall Antiochus continue his vexations against the people and prevent the worship of God? This is, the treading down of the sanctuary, and the host.
8:14 He - That angel. Then - Just so long it was, from the defection of the people, procured by Menelaus, the high - priest, to the cleansing of the sanctuary, and the re - establishment of religion among them.