Daniel and Revelation

• Daniel 8


  The climactic conclusion of the symbolic presentations in the book of Daniel
• At the end of chapter 8, we are told, Daniel "did not understand" (8:27)
• In chapter 9, Daniel seeks further understanding (vs. 3), and the visiting angel admonishes him to "understand the vision," saying, "I have now come forth to give you skill to understand (9:22-25)
• Chapter 10, which introduces the last vision in the book, begins with the statement that Daniel "understood the message and had understanding of the vision" (10:1)
• With Daniel 7:28 the Aramaic section in the book of Daniel finishes, in chapter 8 the prophet resumes his writing in Hebrew
• Chapters 8-12

  A unit that revolves around the theme of the desolation and restoration of the sanctuary and the divine kingdom on earth that the sanctuary symbolized
• There is a connection between 2, 7 and 8

  2 - Religious, 7 - Politics, 8 - Sanctuary, 9 - Explanation of time factor
• Chapter 7 adds the new power of the little horn and the heavenly trial, while chapters 8 and 9 add the beginning date of this Judgment, plus new details of the last three world empires and the new religious political power (the little horn) of the seventh chapter
• Chapters 10 – 12 do not contain a vision of symbolic elements with their respective explanation but prophetic discourse of the angel to the prophet
• Ram


  Symbol of princely power of the king of Persia (Media-Persia 539 – 331 BC)
• Male goat


  Symbol of Greece (331 – 168 BC), its great leader was Alexander the great
• The male goat attacked the ram

  MEDE PERSIA fell down and GREECE arises, with 35,000 men, Alexander defeated the army of Darius which was so much greater
• Four prominent Horns

  1. Cassander: Greece and Macedonian, 2. Lysimachus – Minor Asia, 3. Seleucus – Syria and Mesopotamia, 4. Ptolemy – Egypt and Palestine
• One horn

  Appeared among the four kingdoms, various interpretations regarding its origin
• Parallels between the little horns in Daniel 7 and 8

  • Both are little in the beginning
  • Both become great later on
  • Both are persecuting powers
  • Both are self-exalting and blasphemous
  • Both target God's people
  • Both have aspects of their activity delineated by prophetic time
  • Both extend until the time of the end
  • Both are supernaturally destroyed
• Since in Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 the little horn comes next after Persia and Greece, it must be a symbol for Rome in both chapters
• "Grew exceedingly great"


  Rome ruled for a longer period than any before it, as a civil power for six hundred years, and including its religious form has extended to over two thousand years
• "The host of heaven"

  The little horn enters into conflict with the heavenly army
• The little horn

  He exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host
• How the papacy took away the daily sacrifice and cast down the place of his sanctuary

  1. By placing the intercession for men into the hands of the priests through the confessional and by sacrificing Christ anew in every mass, the papacy has removed Christ's heavenly ministry in the thinking of men

  2. By substituting the priest's service for Christ's service in the heavenly sanctuary it has "cast down the place of his sanctuary" to the earth and thereby defiled it
• For two thousand three hundred days - Gabriel will explain later on that this long period would be connected with the coming of the long-expected Messiah and would extend far beyond that time to the year A.D. 1844 (9:24-27)
• What happens at the end of the 2300 years? The sanctuary's place, will be restored at the end of the 2300 evening-mornings
• There is a strong connection to Pre advent investigative judgment