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From Kings To The King Inter-Testament Times Lesson 20 Daniel’s Second Vision: The Greeks Daniel 8 Seeing The Future While Anchored In Time Key Points The Book of Daniel is divided into two logical groupings—the • Daniel Sees The Next Two historical event (chapters 1-6) and then the prophetic visions Great Empires (chapters 7-12). This is not to say that historical parts don’t involve • The Rapid Rise And Division any visions (Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Ch. 2, was a great prophecy) Of The Greeks or that the visions aren’t historical events. While each section is • Persecution Of God’s People chronological in itself, some of the earlier events in the prophetic section occurring before the last of the historical events. Daniel’s second vision of the future (Ch. 8) was two years after first (Ch. 7). This places it about nine years before the “handwriting-on-the-wall” incident of Ch. 5. When the writing foretold the end of the Babylonian Empire, Daniel had already known for years that a change in Empires would occur. Daniel received the vision while “in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I looked in the vision and I myself was beside the Ulai Canal” (8:2). This was the Babylonian’s summer capital, east of Babylon in the Persian mountains. So both the year and location of this vision are given. The Ram: Medes And Persians 8:2-4 The vision began with a great ram with unequal horns. We’re told that the ram represented the “the kings of Media and Persia” (8:20). The longer horn seems to represent the Persian part of the Medo-Persian. Most histories know this empire simply as “the Persians.” Daniel saw this as “the ram butting westward, northward, and southward, and no other beasts could stand before him nor was there anyone to rescue from his power, but he did as he pleased and magnified himself” (8:4) History tells us that Persian dominance lasted for about 200 years, from 539 to 331 B.C. Think the power of the Persians in the book of Esther or in Greek history in the time of the classical city-states, such as the mighty Persian army that the 300 Spartans briefly held back at Thermopylae. The Billy Goat: Greeks 8:5-7 But then, from the west, came a flying billy goat. (Various translations will say “male-goat,” “he- goat” etc. We’ll go with the vernacular “billy goat.”) This billy goat was coming so fast he came “without touching the ground” (8:5). The goat was long the symbol of Greece. The Greek word “aigos” means goat. Thus the Aegean Sea is named “The Goat Sea” in Greek. Other prophecies fulfilled during this rapid journey. Ezek. 28:1-10 and Zech 9:1-4 tell of Alexander’s quick and total destruction of Tyre. An odd thing about this billy goat was that he had one horn, “a conspicuous horn between his eyes” (8:5). This goat comes us to the great ram and just rushes right at him to attack in a mad fury and “shattered his two horns.” He toppled the ram, then proceeded to stomp him to pieces, and “there was none to rescue the ram from his power” (8:7). 81 From Kings To The King The Billy Goat’s Great Horn & Four Hours: Notable Greek Rulers Alexander & His General’s Kingdoms 8:8 Alexander The Great 336-323 The goat greatly gloried in what he accomplished, but the glory didn’t last long. “Then the male goat in Egypt magnified himself exceedingly. But as soon as he was mighty, Ptolemy I 323-283 the large horn was broken; and in its place there came up Ptolemy II Philadelphus 283-246 four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of Library heaven” (8:8). Daniel was later be told exactly what this Ptolemy V Epiphanes 203-184 meant. “And the shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Rosetta Stone Greece, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the Cleopatra VII 51 -30 B.C. first king. And the broken horn and the four horns that arose last ruler in its place represent four kingdoms which will arise from his in Damascus nation, although not with is power” (8:21,22). Seleucus I Nicator 306-321 After conquering from Greece to Egypt, through father named Antiochus Babylon and Persia, and into India, Alexander died in 323 Antiochus III “the Great” 223-187 B.C. at the age of 33. His kingdom was left to a regency Seleucus IV 187-175 of two of his generals. Alexander had several wives and Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175-164 young children, but none were of age or position to take Maccabean Revolt the throne. The regency ruled only a few years before multiple ambitions and desire for power led to civil war. Alexander’s wives schemed for power for their children and were used by ambitious men. All of his wives and children, and his mother, who got involved, were killed in the infighting. The lands he conquered were eventually divided into four parts just as Daniel foresaw. Only two of these are important to the Bible story. Ptolemy and his descendants established a 200-year dynasty based in Alexandria, Egypt. They ruled North Africa and the Nile Valley, and up towards Jerusalem. Early on, they fought the Seleucids for control of Jewish areas. Later they had to be protected by Rome from them, even in Alexandria. This weakness led to them being dragged into Roman politics, eventually siding with Mark Antony in a Roman civil war. Antony and Cleopatra (Cleopatra VII, the last and most famous of the line) were defeated in 30 B.C. and the Romans added Egypt to their Empire. This explain why Mary and Joseph were able to go to Egypt as a place of safety when they fled from Herod (Matt. 2:13-15). One Magnifies Himself In The Beautiful Land & Tramples The Holy Place 8:9-14 One of four horns becomes the main subject of the prophecy. “Out of one of them came forth a rather small horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Beautiful Land” (8:9). The description of pride and bad behavior fits Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Alexander’s general Seleucid and his descendants grabbed and were mostly able to hold on to the former Persian Empire They controlled Mesopotamia and Central Asia, most of modern Syria and Lebanon and the Bible lands. Early one, they fought in the Bible lands against the Ptolemys. Between 319 and 302 BCE, Jerusalem changed hands numerous times between them. Ptolemys then controlled Palestine for a long time. The Seleucids finally won it, but ruled it badly, leading to great conflicts, terrible oppression, and eventually the Maccabean rebellion. They are known for many rulers and cities named Antioch and Antiochus. They were conquered by the Romans in 63 B.C. 82 From Kings To The King The main Seleucid ruler in the prophecy is Antiochus IV, (175 Control of Judea BC til 164). He was also named Epiphanes ("God Manifest" or 332 Alexander “Glorious”), but some of his people called him Epimanes (the mad). The Jews simply called him “the wicked.” He was married to 301 Ptolemys his sister Laodice (he was the third of her brothers she was 201 Seleucids - married to), who was the high priestess of the state cult. He Antiochus III murdered his nephew, who he’d adopted and made his heir. He 168-164 Maccabean Revolt nearly conquered Egypt. (During this war, the Roman ambassador Antiochus VI, Judas M. told him that if the crossed a line he drew on the road that he 164 - 63 Hasmoneans would be at war with Rome, giving us the phrase “line in the sand.) Jewish, Priestly family 63 - 614 A.D. Rome While he was fighting in Egypt, there was a rumor that he had died leading a priest in Jerusalem named Jason led a revolt to throw off Seleucid rule. He wasn’t dead and cruelly crushed the rebels. He sought to strengthen the Jews who had adopted Greek customs, and who had largely sided with him, by outlawing Jewish practices including circumcision and sabbath keeping. He ordered the worship of Zeus and set up idols to him in the temple along with pagan sacrifices, including pigs. He also had his soldiers perform lewd acts in the temple. This was as prophesied. That horn “grew up to the host of heaven” (8:10), “even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was thrown down” (8:11). The Lord allowed this to chastise the people “on account of transgression” (8:12). This prophecy ends during this terrible oppression of the Jews and the sacrifices stopped. Daniel asked how long this “horror” (8:13) would last and was told, “2,300 evenings and mornings” (8:14). According to the account recorded in the book of 1 Maccabees (1:54.59 and 4:52,53), there was about a three year period before the sacrifices were restored with the rededication of the temple. So 1,150 morning and 1,150 evening sacrifices did not occur. The cleansing and rededication of the temple on 25 Kislev, 165 A.D. is still marked by the festival of Hanukah. Gabriel Send To Give Help And Understanding 8:15-27 In our study, we have explained the meaning and fulfillment of the vision as we’ve described it.