THE BOOK OF DANIEL

CHAPTER SEVEN AND EIGHT

DANIEL’S VISIONS

We have already looked into chapter seven and viewed the 1st of these two visions of Daniel.

The 1st vision (chapter seven) took place during the 1st year of King Belshazzar’s reign. Remember, that King Belshazzar was the last king of the Babylon Empire before it was conquered by the Medes and the Persians.

The 2nd vision (chapter eight) took place during the 3rd year of King Belshazzar's reign. There is a period of two years in between chapter seven and chapter eight. (7:1) (8:1)

This vision is actually an amplification of chapter 7:6, explaining how Greece will conquer the Medo-Persia Empire. Since this is a description of the Empire that will conquer the Medo-Persia Empire, Daniel is carried to Shushan the place, Susa is the capital city of the Persian Empire.

The story of Esther takes place in
Shushan the palace.

This chapter has a three-fold division:
	1.	The vision of Daniel:	8:1—13
	2.	The interpretation of	Daniel’s vision:
			8: 14—26
	3.	The sickness of Daniel;	8:27

II.	THE VISION OF THE RAM AND THE HE GOAT Daniel 8:1—26

“And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen in the vision and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, 0 son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.”
Daniel 8:15—17
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We will follow the same pattern as we did in chapter seven, and will study chapter eight verse by verse.

Again, it is very important to see some truth’s presented to us in this chapter:

1st.	It is important to see the Sovereignty of God in all matters.

The Lord had spoken in chapter two and we see that His Word is being fulfilled step by step.

Don’t ever leave the truth concerning the Sovereignty of God. If God wasn’t in full control of all things, then, chaos would be the order of the day.

2nd. It is important to see that wicked men will
wax worse and worse.

The Lord clearly teaches us that wicked men will wax worse and worse, and they will continue to do so even to the end of time.

Men will never change unless they are changed by the grace of God.

3rd.	It is important to see that God has His people in all ages holding to, and preaching, the truths of Jesus Christ.

God has never left a generation without a witness, a true witness, setting forth the truths of Jesus Christ.

4th.	It is important to know these truths for they are a great encouragement to God’s people.

God’s people are to rejoice and praise God for. The climax of all things will be the righteous rule and~ reign of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ over all nations, and the saints will rule and reign with Him.

The truth of knowing that God will put all wickedness down ought to greatly encourage the believer to be found faithful until He comes.
These truths are very special and they are to encourage us in our faith in the True and Living God.
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A.	The time of the vision. Daniel 8:1

This vision took place in the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar.

Belshazzar was the last king that ruled and reigned in the Babylon Empire.
B.	The place of the vision.

Daniel 8:2

This vision took place in Shushan the palace, in Susa the capital city of the Medo-Persia Empire.

The kingdom of Babylon was about to give way to the Medes and the Persians, thus, the vision in chapter eight deals mostly with the Medo-Persia Empire being conquered by the Greeks.

The story of Esther takes place in Shushan the place during the Medo-Persia Empire.

C.	The ram of the vision. Daniel 8:3—4, 20.

The ram represents Medo-Persia in its conquest of Babylon.

The emblem of Persia was a ram.

By the river -
speaks of the river Ulai that flows by the Shushan palace.

This is located in the present country of Iran.

Ram which had two horns -
speaks of the two divisions in the Medo-Persia Empire;
The Medes:
The Persians.

This is the same as the breast and arms of the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in chapter two. (2:32) Also the beast in Daniel’s vision in chapter seven. (7:5)
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Ram’s two horns were high —speaks that they were of great power, and
they were able to conquer the Babylon Empire and all nations before it.

Ram's two horns were different -
One was greater than the other, showing that the Persians were greater than the Medes.

Although the Persians were greater, these two were united in conquering Babylon and remained so until their defeat by Alexander the Great.

Ram pushing -
this ram pushed Northward, Southward, and Westward shows it conquered and was conquering all before it. This ram kept pushing until it had conquered all the nations in its path and became great.

No doubt this included all the nations of the Middle East for from the West came the Greeks with greater power than the Medes and the Persians.

Remember even in this that Daniel said that there was a God in heaven and He controlled the destiny of the nations of the world.

Nebuchadnezzar’s vision shows that the Medo—Persia empire was not as great as the Babylon Empire, but nevertheless, just as wicked.

D.	The he goat of the vision. Daniel 8:5—12, 21—22.

The he goat represents Alexander the Great and the victory of Greece over l4edo-Persia.

This is the same as the belly and thigh of brass in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar in
	chapter two.	(2:32, 39)
Also of Daniel’s vision in chapter
	seven.	(7:6)

The he goat from the West -
speaks that from a land due West of the Middle East came this great army.

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He came with great power and great swiftness that the Medo-Persia Empire was totally unable to stand up against its power and swiftness.

The notable horn of the he goat -
speaks of its first great leader, Alexander the Great.

(Note the small comment of Alexander the Great in your lesson on the Antichrist.)

The victory of the be goat over the ram — (7)
speaks of how powerful the he goat was, and his ability to fight.

Alexander the Great was never
defeated.

The greatness of the he goat -
speaks that he grew great and more powerful as he conquered all before him.

But at the height of his strength, at the age of 32, he died. Alexander the Great wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.

He wanted to be worshiped as the Son of God, but he died an early death.

This is the great horn that was broken of f in verse 8.

The four notable horns -
speaks of the four generals that were under Alexander the Great which divided the kingdom into four parts and each one became a ruler over these four divisions.

Their leadership, liken unto Alexander the Great was short lived.

The little horn — (9—12)
speaks that from one of these divisions came a mighty leader which set forth to
conquer.

This little horn is not the same as the little horn of Daniel 7:8.
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*	Daniel 7:8 “little horn” speaks of the Anti-christ which will come into being at the end of the fourth beast, which shall be a man of great wickedness.

Daniel 7:15—26

(See the lesson on the Antichrist)

Daniel does speak of this little horn
again in Daniel 8:23—25.

*	Daniel 8:9 “little horn” speaks of Antiochus Epiphanes. (E -piff -a -ness)

He was a wicked leader who came out of Syria, one of the four divisions of
Alexander’s Empire.

He invaded Israel and set up a
stature to Jupiter in the temple.

He went as far as to offer a pig on the altar and sprinkle blood around the courts.

History tells us that the temple lay desolate until December 25th, 165 B.C. when the Jewish patriot, Judas Maccabeus, rededicated the temple and cleansed it; and the total number of days between desecration and dedication was
2300.

(Note Daniel 8:13—14)

You can read of the history of this time in the book of Josephus, the Jewish historian.

This period of time took place during the 400 silent years between the Old Testament and the •New Testament.

B The Saints of the vision.

Daniel 8:13—14

In the midst of such wickedness, God has always had His Saints.

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Never has a generation gone by that it didn’t have true witnesses of His Divine Grace.
	The question,	“How long?”	(13)
	The answer,	“2300 days.”	(14)
6 years, 3 months, 18 days.

The term days would speak of evening and morning, for these periods of the day is the time for the daily sacrifice.
	(8:13)

F.	The interpretation of the vision. Daniel 8:15—22

The interpretation of the vision was given to Daniel by Gabriel, the Arch-angel.

Daniel was greatly afraid and felled before the Lord with fear and trembling.

Daniel was made to understand the vision from the kingdom of the Medo-Persia to the destruction of the Antichrist.

G.	The Antichrist of the vision. Daniel 8:23—25

The Angel carries Daniel in the vision to the end of the Gentile power which shows to him the person of the Antichrist in the closing years of Jewish history.

Antiochus Epiphanes is but a small
illustration, a fore—taste, of the Man of
Sin, the Antichrist, the little horn of
Daniel 7:8.

When the transgressors are come to the full,
(23), this speaks of the fact that the wicked
Gentile kings and their kingdoms will run their
course, and their climax will be the Antichrist,
Mr. Wickedness incarnated.

A man of great ability -
a king of fierce countenance	(23)

a king understanding dark sentences	(23) a king who shell be empowered by an
	outside force	(24)

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	a king of great destruction	(24)

a king of great hatred for God’s
	people	(24)

a king of great deception, or the
	ability to deceive	(25)

a king of great pride within
	himself	(26)

a king who will stand against the
	Lord	(26)

A king who shall be totally destroyed,
but not by the hand of man

Revelation 19

Daniel presents to us a whole picture of the Gentile governments and shows that they will all come to naught.

We will better understand the climax of all things when we study the 70 weeks of Daniel chapter nine.

Conclusion:

Daniel was not to publish the vision but he shut it up until the proper time.

This is why the Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation are to be studied together. For the Book of Revelation reveals that which has been shut up, and the Book of Daniel is the spot light of the Book of Revelation.

Remember that Daniel and Revelation are not closed books, they can be read, and they can be understood.

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that

hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.”
Revelation 1:3

Daniel was sick for several days due to the vision. We, too, are to be overwhelmed with what the world is facing.

Why?
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Because in this world, each and everyone of us have loved ones who are lost without Christ.

It is to leave this world with Jesus in the rapture, or to face the tribulation without Christ.

WRAT A SOBERING THOUGHTS

What should this lesson teach us?

1.	That wickedness will have its day, but it shall come to an eternal
destruction.

What joy this ought to bring to our hearts knowing that wickedness will be totally destroyed.

2.	That in every age God has had His people, who never have bowed to the gods of this world, nor involved themselves in the wickedness of this-~world.

What encouragement this brings to our hearts, knowing that if they could remain faithful under adverse circumstances, then by His grace, so can we.

3.	That in the future, yea, even maybe tomorrow, Jesus is coming to Set righteousness in all the nations of the world.

May we shout as John shouted — -

“Surely I come. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”

Revelation 22:20

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