Daniel 8:24

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. HIS POWER SHALL BE MIGHTY, BUT NOT BY HIS OWN POWER - which in the beginning was "little" (; ); but by gaining over others through "craft," the once little horn became "mighty" (cf. ; , "After the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people"). To be fully realized by Antichrist, He shall act by the power of Satan, who shall then be permitted to work through him in unrestricted license, such as he has not now ...

After the angel had explained the Grecian monarchy, he records the future origin of a king who should be _hard of face _Without the slightest doubt, he implies the iniquity of Antiochus by this phrase. He was notoriously destitute of any nobleness of mind, and remarkable for low cunning, and to this disposition was added an impudence which faltered at nothing. This is the sense in which I take the words _hard of face _The following phrase asserts his cunning, when it says, _he shall be skilled in enigmas _This is equivalent to saying, he should excel in cunning, and should not be easily deceived. By these two epithets he does not compliment, but rather defames Antiochus Epiphanes, by representing him as hardened as the wicked usually are, without the slightest particle of either reason, or equity, or shame. He next blames his craftiness and deceit, by stating he should be _skilled in eni...

15-27 The eternal Son of God stood before the prophet in the appearance of a man, and directed the angel Gabriel to explain the vision. Daniel's fainting and astonishment at the prospect of evils he saw coming on his people and the church, confirm the opinion that long-continued calamities were foretold. The vision being ended, a charge was given to Daniel to keep it private for the present. He kept it to himself, and went on to do the duty of his place. As long as we live in this world we must have something to do in it; and even those whom God has most honoured, must not think themselves above their business. Nor must the pleasure of communion with God take us from the duties of our callings, but we must in them abide with God. All who are intrusted with public business must discharge their trust uprightly; and, amidst all doubts and discouragements, they may, if true believers, look...

Verse Daniel 8:24. _BUT NOT BY HIS OWN POWER_] The strength of the other kingdoms consisted in themselves; but the Roman empire, as a _horn_ or _kingdom_ of the _goat_, was _not mighty by its own power_ - was not strong by virtue of the _goat_, but drew its nourishment and strength from Rome and Italy. There grew the trunk and body of the tree; though the branches extended over Greece, Asia, Syria, and Egypt. - Bp. _Newton_. _SHALL DESTROY WONDERFULLY_] In the taking of Jerusalem by the Romans _ninety-seven thousand_ Jews were made captives, and _eleven_ _hundred thousand_ were slain. So they destroyed this once mighty and holy people!...

AND HIS POWER SHALL BE MIGHTY - He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests of Egypt and other places show that he deserved to be numbered among the mighty kings of the earth. BUT NOT BY HIS OWN POWER - That is, it shall not be by any strength of his own, but by the power which God gives him. This is true of all kings and princes (compare John 19:11; Isaiah 10:5, following), but it seems to be referred to here particularly to show that the calamities which he was about to bring upon the Hebrew people were by Divine direction and appointment. This great power was given him in order that he might be an instrument in the Divine hand of inflicting deserved punishment on them for their sins....

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

AND HIS POWER SHALL BE MIGHTY, BUT NOT BY HIS OWN POWER,.... He should possess a large kingdom, and that should be increased by conquests: BUT NOT IN HIS POWER s, the power of Alexander; he should not arrive to that greatness he did, as in Daniel 8:22 so Jacchiades: or, "in his own power" t; for it was not so much by his own courage and valour, by any heroic actions of Antiochus, he became so great, as by craft and deceit: through sedition he procured the death of his father and eider brother; and by fraud got the kingdom from his nephew; and through the perfidy of Menelaus and Jason, the high priests of the Jews, and other apostates, he obtained what dominion he had over the Jews; and it was by the assistance of Eumenes king of Pergamos, and his brother Attalus, that he kept the kingdom he had usurped, who stood by him, in order to check the growing power of the Romans; and

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...

NOT BY HIS OWN POWER. We are not told here who is the giver of the power, but we are not left in ignorance. Revelation 13:2, and 2 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 2:10, are clear on this point. MIGHTY. mighty ones. HOLY PEOPLE. People of the holy ones. These are "the holy ones of the Most High" (Daniel 7:18; Daniel 7:22)....