Preaching the Word
The "First Principle" podcasts which are numbered # are a great tool for believers to go over the essentials of the Christian Faith.
The "Mysteries of God's Word" podcasts are an indepth study of Scripture.
The other podcasts are sermons that have been given, some verse by verse and others topical.
It is my passion to be true to God and His Word. To preach in such a way that people can easily see the LORD as our Creator and as our Redeemer. To understand that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever even as we live in a world that is continually changing. Salvation is and has always been through faith alone in the Messiah alone. His name is Jesus the Christ; there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
Preaching the Word
Daniel 8 - The Ram, the Goat, and the Little Horn - The Mysteries of God's Word
Step into the realm of prophetic mystery as we unpack Daniel's remarkable vision of the ram and goat in Daniel chapter 8—a revelation that simultaneously predicted ancient history with stunning accuracy while pointing toward the end of days.
What makes this chapter extraordinary is its precision in forecasting events that would unfold centuries after Daniel's lifetime. The ram with two uneven horns perfectly symbolized the coming Medo-Persian Empire, while the swift goat represented Alexander the Great's Greek conquest. When Alexander suddenly died at the height of his power, his empire divided among four generals—precisely as Daniel foresaw through the imagery of the broken horn replaced by four others.
But this vision transcends mere historical prediction. From one of these divisions emerged a "Little Horn", Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who brutally attacked Jerusalem in 171 BC, slaughtering tens of thousands, desecrating the temple, and declaring himself divine. The angel Gabriel repeatedly emphasizes to Daniel that this vision points beyond Antiochus to "the time of the end"—revealing that Antiochus serves as a prophetic template for understanding the future Antichrist.
The parallels are striking: both figures rise through deception, possess supernatural empowerment, exalt themselves as divine, persecute God's people, and set up an abomination that causes desolation in the temple of God. Both are ultimately destroyed not by human power but by divine intervention. Daniel's physical illness after receiving this vision suggests he glimpsed not just the horror of what would happen under Antiochus, but the greater terror awaiting the world in the last days.
Whether you're fascinated by ancient history, biblical prophecy, or understanding the patterns that connect past and future, this exploration of Daniel 8 offers profound insights into how God reveals his sovereignty over human kingdoms and the ultimate triumph found in Christ Jesus. Listen now to discover how this ancient vision continues to illuminate our understanding of both history and prophecy.
Email: nathan@nathandietsche.com
Grace and peace to you from God, our Father and our Lord and Savior, jesus Christ. Thank you for joining me this week for Daniel, chapter 8, where Daniel receives his second vision of a ram and a goat. Beginning at verse 1, we read In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, a vision appeared to me, daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first, here in our first verse, we learn that two years after God had revealed the first vision of the four beasts to Daniel, he receives a second vision. Daniel would now be about 69 years old, verse 2. And I saw in the vision. And when I saw, I was in Susa, the citadel which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision and I was in the Uli Canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, ulai Canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other and the higher one came up after the last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
Speaker 1:In verses 2, 3, and 4, daniel describes to us how, in his vision, he sees himself in Susa. Susa is a major city in Persia and it would eventually become the capital city of the Medo-Persian Empire. Many years later, after Daniel had this vision, daniel also tells us he finds himself at the Ulai Canal. The Ulai River was the name of a river which ran next to the city Susa, on its east side. The canal itself would have likely been a man-made waterway that allowed water to flow through the city. And as Daniel is standing on the banks of this canal, in the city that will one day be the Medo-Persian capital, he sees a ram with two horns, one being higher than the other. Now, this ram with two horns represents the Medo-Persian empire, and we will be told that specifically later in verse 20. And then Daniel tells us that one of these horns was higher than the other, and the reason for this is because the Persian side of the alliance was stronger than the Mede. We're also told that the higher horn came up last, and this is because Cyrus, the Persian emperor, didn't take control of the empire at first and instead allowed Darius the Mede, his father-in-law, to rule. For the first two years, there was no beast that was able to stand before this ram, and this is a very good description of the Medo-Persian empire, how it conquered as it pleased. After the Medo-Persian empire conquered Lydia or Asia Minor in 548 BC, they conquered the Babylonian Empire in 538 BC and eventually went on to conquer Egypt in 525 BC.
Speaker 1:Picking up in verse 5, as I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth without even touching the ground, and the goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes. He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him with his powerful wrath. I saw him come close to the ram and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns, and the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him and there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. In verses 5 through 7, daniel sees in his vision a male goat that's coming from the west across the whole face of the earth. This male goat is later defined in verse 21 as the Greek Empire, and therefore it follows that the conspicuous horn is Alexander the Great.
Speaker 1:Alexander the Great founded the Greek Empire with his campaign of war and he had a reputation that was world-renowned. Alexander the Great was such a great and mighty conqueror that many people perceived him to be a god, and Daniel tells us that this goat comes from the west, across the whole face of the earth without even touching the ground. The speed with which Alexander the Great conquered the world was astounding. From the spring of 335 BC, when Alexander began to make war, until the end of his death in 324 BC at age 33, it was only 11 years. And after conquering the Medo-Persian Empire in 330 BC, alexander's Greek Empire lasted only six years. Greek Empire lasted only six years.
Speaker 1:When Alexander the Great rams into the Medo-Persian Empire is at the river Granicus, appropriately called the Battle of Granicus. It was at the top of what we now know as modern-day Turkey, or then Asia Minor. Within a year, alexander the Great had engaged Darius III in what would become the turning point battle against the Medo-Persian Empire. At the Battle of Issus, it was recorded by a captain of Alexander's army that, in pursuit of Darius, the squadron marched over the slaughtered bodies of the enemies. Alexander the Great would pursue Darius III across the whole Medo-Persian Empire until finally, in 330 BC, darius would be betrayed and killed by one of his own satraps as Alexander the Great was closing in on him, picking up in verse 8,. Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns towards the four winds of heaven. Verse 8 describes how the Greek empire of Alexander the Great was an exceedingly great empire. It was the largest empire ever on earth up to its time. But we see that the great horn was broken.
Speaker 1:Alexander the Great's life was one of great conquests, but also great tragedy. After he had amassed his enormous empire, in the last year of his life he retired in Babylon at age 33 and began living a life of indulgence and drunkenness. He passed away that same year after a long battle with a fever. It's thought he probably died from complications with the typhoid fever. The men of his court left him laying on his throne for days after he was dead as they settled matters of state. Thus ended the life of Alexander the Great.
Speaker 1:After Alexander's death, four conspicuous horns are said to come up, and these are Alexander's four generals that replaced him after his death. They would divide the kingdom among themselves. These four generals were Cassander, lysimachus, seleucus and Ptolemy, picking up in verse 9, 9. Out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great towards the south, towards the east and towards the glorious land. It grew great even towards the host of heaven and some of the host and some of the stars. It threw down to the ground and it trampled on them.
Speaker 1:In verses 9 and 10, we learn about a little horn. This reference to the little horn can be confusing, at first because we had just read back in chapter 7 of another little horn and now we find this little horn mentioned again here in chapter 8. And often the reason for confusion is because this little horn in Daniel, chapter 8 represents what we often refer to as a double prophecy in scripture. Now, a double prophecy prophesies events that will both take place in the near future, as well as pointing to events that will happen in the distant future, as pointing to events that will happen in the distant future. Another way to consider this is in theology when one event in history is an example of another event, we call it a typology, and a double prophecy can often be a form of typology where the prophecy in the near future will represent the prophecy of a distant future. In this case, this image of the little horn prophetically points to a leader that will arise in the not-so-distant future. However, the leader that this little horn points to is a typology of the Antichrist that will arise at the end times of the earth. So who is this little horn in the near future?
Speaker 1:This little horn was Antiochus IV. He was a Greek king who ruled over Syria and Babylon. The Syrians would call him Antiochus Epiphanes, which means Antiochus the Illustrious, because to them he appeared very brave. However, the Greek historian Polybius thought he should more appropriately be called Antiochus Epimenides, which means the madman, because Antiochus was known for his wild and destructive behavior. Antiochus IV's campaign of war is most noted for his conquest of Egypt to the south and his vicious attack on the Temple of Jerusalem or the Glorious Land. However, he did continue his campaign eastward into Media. Our focus today will particularly focus on how Antiochus attacked the glorious land. When Antiochus had captured the city of Jerusalem, he ordered soldiers to kill anyone and everyone they met, and cruelly they did kill everyone, regardless of their age or sex. Within three days, 80,000 men were missing, 40,000 of them were killed and the rest sold into slavery.
Speaker 1:Picking up in verse 11. It became great, even as great as the prince of the host and the regular burnt offering was taken away from him and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown and a host will be given over to it together with the burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground and it will act and prosper. In verses 11 and 12, we see how Antiochus IV had such great contempt for the God of heaven and he made himself out to be the judge, jury and executioner of God and his people. Josephus once wrote Zacchaeus had captured the city, he sacrificed swine on the altar and with the broth of its flesh he sprinkled the temple. We'll discuss Antiochus' attack on Jerusalem and the temple more when Gabriel interprets the vision, picking up in verse 13,.
Speaker 1:Then I heard a holy one speaking and another holy one said to the one who spoke For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot? And he said to me For twenty-three hundred evenings and mornings, then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state. In verses 13 and 14, daniel speaks of how he heard a holy one speaking. The use of that phrase, a holy one, is speaking of angels here. In Daniel's vision, he heard an angel ask a question and the question was answered by another angel. This is an interesting conversation between two angels and it would imply from the conversation that some angels are given specific tasks and authority by God, and in this case, one of these angels knows the length of judgment that's going to be against the Jewish people and their temple.
Speaker 1:We're also told by Daniel in verse 13 that the sanctuary is given over and the hosts are to be trampled underfoot, and that's precisely what we've described, with Antiochus coming into Jerusalem, killing every Jew he could find and then desecrating the temple. This prophecy in Daniel, chapter 8, describes this Antiochus, a Greek ruler that would arise from this Greek empire, and he would cause the offerings to cease at the temple. He would overthrow the sanctuary with this transgression that makes it desolate. And while what Antiochus does certainly qualifies as an abomination that causes desolation, when Jesus speaks of Daniel's prophecies, of the abomination that causes desolation in Matthew, mark and Luke, he speaks of them as future prophecies. Therefore, what Antiochus Epiphanes did here in 171 BC to the temple of God is a foreshadow, a foreshadow of a future little horn who is to be the Antichrist. We should expect the future Antichrist to look similar, but to even exceed the arrogance, the blasphemy and the hatred of Antiochus Epiphanes.
Speaker 1:The prophecy of the 2300 evenings and mornings is an exact number of days that the oppression would continue over the Jewish people and, specifically, the integrity of the temple. This oppression began from the time Menelaus, one of their false high priests, began to violate the temple by stealing the golden vessels from the temple on September 6th 171 BC, until December 25th 165 BC, when Judas Maccabee would reinstitute the burnt offerings after having repaired the holy place and the holy of holies, and that would include having made new vessels, bringing in the lampstand and bringing in the altar of incense and the table of showbread, all prepared and in working order. The reinstitution of the burnt offerings at the temple by Judas Maccabee is an event still celebrated today by the Jewish people at the Feast of Lights, otherwise known as Hanukkah Picking up in verse 15, otherwise known as Hanukkah Picking up in verse 15. When I, daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it and behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man, and I heard a man's voice between the banks of the Uli, and it called Gabriel make this man understand the vision. In verses 15 and 16, daniel is still in this vision from God and he still sees himself standing at the canal of the river Ulai and suddenly he sees someone who looks like a man. And suddenly a voice comes from out of nowhere, or, as Daniel says, between the banks of the river, as it were. And this voice from between the banks of the river commands Gabriel to make Daniel understand the vision Picking up in verse 17,. So he came near where I stood and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me Understand, o son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end. And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up. He said Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the later end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end.
Speaker 1:In verses 17 through 19, we see Daniel's first interactions with the angel Gabriel. And when Gabriel comes close to Daniel, daniel is so overwhelmed by the holiness of this angel, he becomes afraid and we're told that he falls to the ground face first. Now, after seeing the holiness of an angel or the glory of God, it's not uncommon in scripture to become so afraid that you lose control of your extremities and fall down as if you were dead. And that seems to be what happens to Daniel. And as Daniel falls to the ground, gabriel tells him this vision is for the time of the end. Now, this Hebrew phrase, the time of the end, carries with it the tone of the last days of the earth.
Speaker 1:At first, this phrase seems quite out of place, especially because Gabriel is about to describe events that we know historically took place between 335 and 165 BC. However, as we continue to read chapter 8, we begin to realize more and more how these events point to a bigger picture and how this is truly a double prophecy. The major character. This is truly a double prophecy. The major character, the little horn, and the major event, the transgression that makes desolate, are a typology of the Antichrist to come in the end times. And since Gabriel will soon define the characters of this vision to Daniel.
Speaker 1:It's easy for us to look back with hindsight and put this vision together with the historical events that took place. However, while this vision and its interpretation do describe historical events that will take place between 200 and 400 years after the time of the vision, they are indeed events, as Gabriel says, point to the time of the end. And when Gabriel tells Daniel this, daniel falls into a deep sleep. Even in his visionary state, daniel is so shaken after falling to the ground and Gabriel telling him that this is about the times of the end that he goes unconscious. And then Gabriel wakes Daniel up by touching him and he makes him stand up and listen to the rest of this interpretation. After having Daniel stand up to listen, gabriel reinforces that this vision is about the end of indignation. Now this phrase also refers to the end times, but it could be translated the end of the curse or the time of wrath.
Speaker 1:Gabriel then tells Daniel a third time that this is about the appointed time of the end. Old Testament prophets would also refer to the appointed time of the end as the time of Jacob's trouble or the day of the Lord. What Gabriel is telling Daniel here over and over again is that this vision relates to the last days of the earth, the days when God will pour out his wrath on the wicked and all those who oppose God and God's people. Picking up in verse 20, as for the ram that you saw with two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia, and the goat is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is the first king. As for the horn that was broken, in the place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, arise from his nation, but not with his power. So in verses 20 through 22, the angel Gabriel goes into specifics. After telling Daniel that this vision is about the end times, gabriel speaks of nations and events that are going to happen two to four hundred years after this vision, and while this certainly can seem confusing at first, it's describing to us today, the reader, how this is indeed a double prophecy and how the initial prophecy is a typology of an end times prophecy. Here Gabriel begins to interpret specifically which earthly kingdoms are represented by the ram, the goat and the four horns, the precise nature in which these future kingdoms are described, hundreds of years before they come into being and while Daniel is still a servant under the Babylonian empire, is astonishing. It proclaims to us how this scripture is truly a supernatural revelation from an omniscient God. As Gabriel defines these kingdoms. It helps us not only to understand this vision, but also other visions, for example, the way in which this chapter describes the horns on the ram as one being higher. It's very similar to Daniel, chapter 7, where one of the beasts was described as a bear, with one side raised up. Also, the four conspicuous horns on the goat here in Daniel chapter 8 is also similar to the four heads on the leopard in Daniel chapter 7.
Speaker 1:Picking up in verse 23, and at the later end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great, but not by his own power, and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does and destroy mighty men and people who are the saints. In verses 23-25, we're shown how Antiochus Epiphanes would come out towards the end of the Greek Empire, it says, when transgressions have reached their limit. Five years prior to Antiochus attacking the temple in Jerusalem, he had conspired and succeeded at replacing the legitimate priest Onias III with his corrupt brother Jason. Jason would use his power as high priest to subdue the Jews and he would abandon their ancient traditions and customs. Then Jason, this false priest, would lead the Jews into every conceivable iniquity, while neglecting to take care of the temple. Thus, even before Menelaus began to violate the temple by stealing the golden vessels, and before the abomination of desolation by Antiochus, transgressions were already being brought to a limit under the first false priest, jason.
Speaker 1:The relationships between Antiochus and his false priesthood foreshadows a relationship between the Antichrist and his false prophet. In the book of Revelation and we're told how Antiochus would be one who understands riddles this would be better translated one who understands dark sentences, because Antiochus was not known for his wisdom, but rather he was known for his trickery or his ability to deceive his enemies. In verse 24, we learn that his power shall be great, but not by his own power. The power of Antiochus Epiphanes was not his own, but it came from a demonic source, and this becomes evident through his power of deception and his hatred for God and his people. This demonic empowerment of Antiochus is an example of how the Antichrist will one day be empowered by Satan. 2 Thessalonians 2.9 reads the coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders. Antiochus Epiphanes was known for his deceit and craftiness and he would gain power and destroy mighty men and even bring the people of God and the temple of God to ruin.
Speaker 1:Antiochus' war against the saints and on the temple of God foreshadows the war against the saints of the coming Antichrist. Revelation 13.7 reads it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them, and authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation. Picking up in verse 25, by his cunning he shall make deceit prosper. Under his hand and in his own mind. He shall become great Without warning. He shall destroy many and he shall even rise up against the prince of princes and he shall be broken, but by no human hand.
Speaker 1:Verse 25 is very descriptive. It begins by telling us that by his cunning he shall make deceit prosper. It was Antiochus' demonically empowered cunning that allowed his lies to flourish and to take hold so that he could conquer nations. Antiochus would think so highly of himself and his ability to conquer others through trickery and deceit that he would exalt himself as if he were God. The coins that Antiochus IV would mint even had the phrase God manifest on their back, signaling that Antiochus considered himself to be God in the flesh. Such an arrogant pride will also be true of the Antichrist. 2 Thessalonians 2, 3, and 4 read Let no one deceive you in any way, for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God. The demonic treachery and seduction of Antiochus Epiphanes prospered so greatly that he destroyed the leadership of the temple of God years before he even came in with his army.
Speaker 1:A first century BC Greek historian named Diodorus writes of Antiochus when Antiochus Epiphanes had overcome the Jews, he entered into the Holy of Holies of God, where only the priest could lawfully go. There he found a marble statue of a man with a long beard, holding a book in his hand and sitting on an ass. He thought him to be Moses, who had founded the nation, established those laws that are hated in all the nations. He desired to remove this reproach to the nations and endeavored to abrogate the laws. Therefore, he sacrificed a large sow to the statue of the founder Moses. He poured blood on the altar of God that stood in the open air as well as on the statue. He boiled the flesh of the sow and commanded that the holy books containing their laws be marred and obliterated with the broth. He commanded that the eternal flame, which always burned in the temple, be extinguished. He compelled Menelaus, the high priest, and other Jews to eat the swine's flesh. Finally, verse 25 tells us that he shall be broken.
Speaker 1:Antiochus Epiphanes died of sorrow in Babylon after finally being defeated in the battle of Elimaeus and after receiving word that his forces had been crushed in Israel. Antiochus' death foreshadows how the Antichrist will also be destroyed, not at the hands of men, but at the hands of God, particularly at the hands of Jesus Christ, when he comes at the battle of Armageddon. 2 Thessalonians 2.8 reads and then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. In our last two verses for today verses 26 and 27, we read the vision of the evenings and mornings. That, has been told, is true, but seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now. And I, daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days. Then I rose and went about the king's business, but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it. In verse 26, gabriel reaffirms to Daniel that the number of evenings and mornings is an accurate prophecy. However, daniel is told to seal up the vision, because the vision is for many days from now. That phrase to seal it up carries with it this idea of rolling up a scroll and sealing it. Gabriel's not telling Daniel to keep this a secret, but rather to preserve this for future generations.
Speaker 1:The time of Antiochus Epiphanes would be about 400 years after this vision, and the time of the Antichrist, as we know, has yet to be fulfilled. After receiving this vision from God and its interpretation through the angel Gabriel, daniel was so overwhelmed that it made him physically ill for multiple days and he wasn't able to carry out his work in the royal court. Even after Daniel had recovered from his physical illness and returned to his normal duties, he continued to feel horrified from the vision. This vision had Daniel mentally spent as he was thinking about it. He could not understand it. Daniel's continued confusion and disgust of this vision further shows us how this prophecy, it's more than just a prophecy of an earthly king that would come and desecrate the temple, but it's a dual prophecy, one that speaks of both Antiochus, epiphanes, as well as the later end of indignation and the appointed time of the end when the Antichrist will rule. Thank you for joining me for Daniel, chapter 8. God bless you this week.