Daniel 8:15-27, A Vision of the Antichrist

 Daniel sought an interpretation of his vision.  A “man”, whom many believe to be Christ, instructed the angel Gabriel to go to Daniel.  The involvement of Gabriel (Dan. 8-9), who spoke to Mary and to Joseph at the time of the incarnation, indicates the vision of Daniel is of great significance.  Here is what Gabriel said.

·       8:17-19: First, the vision sees the time of the end, the latter time of the indignation.  This “time” has to do with the “times of the Gentiles,” the time introduced in the first two visions (Dan. 2,7), that revealed the Gentile empires that would rule over God’s people Israel.  Israel is in a time of shame, not being the privileged nation God intended.  That time will continue until the Son receives the eternal kingdom from the Ancient of Days (Dan. 7:13-14,27).

·       8:20-22: The ram with two horns is Medo-Persia.  One horn was greater than the other as Persia was greater than the Medes.  It was true: this empire never looked to the east to conquer.  The male goat is Greece and their first king Alexander.  The four horns are Alexanders four generals, to whom the four parts of his empire were divided after his death: Cassander (Macedonia), Ptolemy (Egypt, Southern Syria) whose foremost general Seleucus would become ruler of Palestine), Lysimachus (Thrace) and Antigonus (Mediterranean to central Asia).

·       8:23-25: This passage speaks of a king … having fierce features who will destroy the mighty, and also the holy people … and shall exalt himself in his heart … and even rise against the Prince of princes.  This description matches that of the horn that speaks pompous words in Dan. 7:20,24-25.  He is said to arise in the latter time of the 4-part kingdom of Greece, thus bringing to mind Antiochus Epiphanes who was such a king that brought terrible affliction upon the Jews.  He exalted himself as high as God, causing the daily sacrifices to stop (8:11).  This went on from the murder of the high priest in 171 BC, until the death of Antiochus in 164 BC, a period of 2300 days (8:14). He caused deceit to prosper, making Hellenistic philosophy supreme over Judaism in Jerusalem.  The gymnasium became prominent, as in Hellenism.  The temple was desecrated with, among other things, swine being sacrificed, “the abomination of desolation.”

·       8:26: Gabriel tells Daniel to seal up the vision; the vision is certain. But his last words are important: it refers to many days in the future.  That phrase indicates that this vision goes beyond the time of Antiochus, to a further future.  This “double fulfillment” will be explained in greater detail in the vision of Dan. 10-12 where we will see that Antiochus is a prediction of the Antichrist of the last days.

Daniel is troubled, likely because of the trouble the vision predicts for Israel as well as for Messiah, the Prince of princes.  Like Jeremiah, who wept over the destruction of Jerusalem, so Daniel also loved the people of God (Israel) and longed for the day when God would fulfill His word to Abraham!