Daniel 8

Daniel envisions a powerful ram

In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign I, Daniel, saw another vision. In the vision, I was in the Susa palace in the Elam province next to the Ulai River. I looked up and saw a ram with two horns standing in front of the river. Both of its horns were big, but one was bigger than the other, with the bigger one sprouting last. The ram butted to the west, north, and south, and no other animals could stand against him. No one could rescue from his strength, so he did whatever he wanted and magnified himself. 

A goat overthrows the ram

While I was watching, I saw a male goat coming from the west, floating over the earth without touching the ground. He had a pronounced horn between his eyes. He approached the ram and rushed at him with fierce anger. Enraged at the ram, the goat struck him and shattered his two horns so that the ram had no strength to withstand him. He hurled him to the ground and trampled him. No one came to rescue him from the goat’s power. Then the goat magnified himself excessively. But as soon as he gained power, his large horn broke and four other pronounced horns rose up toward heaven’s four winds. 

The goat’s horn opposes God

A small horn arose out from one of the other horns. It grew powerful toward the south, toward the east, and toward the beautiful land. It grew all the way up to heaven’s army, causing some of the stars to fall to the earth, so it trampled them down. It magnified itself as if it were equal with the Commander of heaven’s army. It removed the everlasting-ness from Him and threw down the place where his temple was. On account of felony the army will be given over to the horn along with the everlasting-ness, and it will throw truth to the ground. It will do whatever it wants and be successful.

Daniel asks about the vision’s meaning

Then I heard a sacred being speaking, and another sacred being asked him,

“How long will the vision about the everlasting-ness continue, allowing this appalling felony to persist with the sacred place and the army being trampled?”

He told me,

“For 2,300 days, then the sacred place will be avenged.”

After I saw that vision, I wanted to understand it. I saw someone standing in front of me who looked like a man, and I heard a man’s voice call out from between the banks of the Ulai River saying,

“Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.”

So he came over, and when he approached, it terrified me and I fell on my face, but he said,

“Human child, know that this vision pertains to the end of time.”

While we were talking, I fell into a deep sleep with my face on the ground, but he smacked me and made me stand up. He said,

“Pay attention, because I’m about to teach you what will happen in the final period of anger. It’s about the appointed end times.”

Ram represents Persia; goat represents Greece

“The ram with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia.

“The hairy goat represents the empire of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The broken horn and the four horns that arose in its place represent four empires that will arise from his nation, although not with his power.

“In the latter period of their rule when the offenders have run their course, a ruler will arise. He’ll be fierce and understand enigmas. He’ll be really powerful, but not from his own strength. He’ll bring about excessive destruction.  He’ll prosper and do whatever he wants. He’ll destroy many people including the holy nation. He’ll use his intelligence to cause deceit to flourish. He’ll think highly of himself, and he’ll kill many while they’re relaxing. He’ll even stand against the Ruler of all rulers. But he’ll be broken by noone’s hand. The vision of these days is true, but keep it secret, because it pertains to many years in the future.”

Then I, Daniel, became exhausted and sick for days. When I recovered I continued carrying out the king’s business but was still appalled by the vision, and I didn’t have anyone to help me analyze it.