Daniel 8:1

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. With this chapter the Hebrew part of the book begins, and continues to be the language of the remainder; the visions relating wholly to the Jews and Jerusalem. The scene here narrows from world-wide prophecies to those affecting the one covenant-people in the five centuries between the exile and the advent. Antichrist, like Christ, has a more immediate future as well as one more remote. The vision, Daniel 8:1, begins, and that, Daniel 12:1, concludes the account of the Antichrist of the third kingdom. Between the two visions Daniel 9:1 is inserted, as to Mes...

Here Daniel relates another vision, differing from the former as a part from the whole. For God wished to show him first what various changes should happen before Christ’s advent. The second redemption was the beginning of a new life, since God then not only restored afresh his own Church, but as it were created a new people; and hence the departure from Babylon and the return to their country are called the second birth of the Church. But as God at that time afforded then only a taste of true and solid redemption, whenever the prophets treat of that deliverance, they extended their thoughts and their prophecies as far as the coming of Christ. God therefore, with great propriety, shows the Four Monarchies to His Prophet, lest the faithful should grow weary in beholding the world so often convulsed, and all but changing its figure and nature. Thus they would be subject to the most distres...

1-14 God gives Daniel a foresight of the destruction of other kingdoms, which in their day were as powerful as that of Babylon. Could we foresee the changes that shall be when we are gone, we should be less affected with changes in our own day. The ram with two horns was the second empire, that of Media and Persia. He saw this ram overcome by a he-goat. This was Alexander the Great. Alexander, when about thirty-three years of age, and in his full strength, died, and showed the vanity of worldly pomp and power, and that they cannot make a man happy. While men dispute, as in the case of Alexander, respecting the death of some prosperous warrior, it is plain that the great First Cause of all had no more of his plan for him to execute, and therefore cut him off. Instead of that one great horn, there came up four notable ones, Alexander's four chief captains. A little horn became a great per...

CHAPTER VIII _This chapter contains Daniel's vision of the ram and he-goat_, 1-14; _referring, as explained by the angel, to the Persian and_ _Grecian monarchies_, 15-26. _The_ little horn _mentioned in the_ ninth _verse, (or_ fierce king, _as interpreted in the_ twenty-third,_) is supposed by some to_ _denote Antiochus Epiphanes; but seems more properly to apply to_ _the Roman power in general, by which the polity and temple of_ _the Jews were destroyed, on account of the great transgressions_ of these ancient peop

IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING BELSHAZZAR - In regard to Belshazzar, see Intro. to Daniel 5 Section II. A VISION APPEARED UNTO ME - This vision appears to have occurred to him when awake, or in an ecstasy; the former one occurred when he was asleep, Daniel 7:1. Compare Daniel 8:17, where the prophet represents himself as overpowered, and as falling down to the earth on account of the vision. The representation would seem to have been made to pass before his mind in open day, and when he was fully awake. Compare the case of Balaam, Numbers 24:4 : “Which saw the vision of the Alm

EXPOSITION DANIEL 8:1 THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT This chapter marks the change from Aramaic to_ _Hebrew. The character of the chapter is like that which immediately precedes it. It consists, like it, of the account of a vision, and the interpretation of it. The subject of this vision is the overthrow of the Persian monarchy by Alexander the Great, the division of his empire, and the oppression of Israel by Epiphanes. DANIEL 8:1 IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING BELSHAZZAR A VISION APPEARED UNTO ME, EVEN UNTO ME DANIEL, AFTER THAT WHICH APPEARED UNTO ME AT THE FIRST. The text of the Septuagint does not differ greatly f

IN THE THIRD YEAR OF THE REIGN OF KING BELSHAZZAR,.... Which some say t was the last year of his reign; but, according to Ptolemy's canon, he reigned seventeen years; and so says Josephus u; however, this, as well as the preceding vision, were seen before what happened recorded in the "fifth" and "sixth" Chapter s. The following vision was seen by Daniel, according to Bishop Usher w and Dean Prideaux x in the year of the world 3451 A.M., and 553 B.C. Mr. Bedford y places it in 552 B.C.; and Mr. Whiston z, very wrongly, in 537 B.C., two years after the death of Belshazzar. The prophet having, in the preceding Chapter s, related what concerned the Chaldeans, he wrote in the Chaldee language; but now, henceforward, writing of things which concerned the Jews more especially, and the church and people of God in later times, he writes in the Hebrew tongue. A VISION APPEARED UNTO ME, EVEN TO M...

VISION The eighth chapter gives details concerning the second and third world-kingdoms: the silver and brass kingdoms of Daniel 2, the bear and leopard kingdoms of Daniel 7, namely, the Medo-Persian and Macedonian kingdoms of history. At the time of this vision (Daniel 8:1) the first monarchy was nearing its end. Belshazzar was the last king of that monarchy. THIRD YEAR About B.C. 530....

CHAPTER 8 THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT _ 1. The vision (Daniel 8:1)_ 2. The interpretation of the vision (Daniel 8:15) Daniel 8:1. Beginning with this chapter to the end of the book prophecy will lead us mostly upon Jewish ground. While some of these prophecies were fulfilled in the past, most of them are related to the future when the great end fulfillment takes place before the coming of the Son of Man in the clouds of heaven to receive the kingdom. The phrases “the latter times,” “the time of the end,” “in the last end of the indignation,” appear several times in these Chapter s. These phrases describe the same period of time mentioned in the seventh chapter, “a time, times and dividing of times; “ the 1,26

DANIEL 8. THE VISION OF THE RAM AND THE HE-GOAT. This chapter gives an account of another vision which came to Daniel in Shushan. Near the river Ulai a ram with two horns is seen pushing invincibly westward and northward and southward. Suddenly from the W. a he-goat appears, attacks the ram, and breaks his horns. Then, the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly. The notable horn between his eyes is broken and four other horns spring up to take its place. Out of these four horns proceeded another, a little horn, which moved towards the E. and the S. and attacked the land of Palestine, exalting itself against God, desecrating the Temple, and abolishing the sacrifices for 2300 days. The interpretation of the vision which is given by Gabriel to Daniel is exceptionally clear, and leaves no manner of doubt that it refers to the events of the Maccabean age. The ram with the two horns represents...