DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 8.1.Introduction

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Eight

The Ram, He-goat, and Little Horn

 

Outline of Daniel Chapter 8

1. The Revelation of the Vision (Vv. 1-2)

2. The Presentation of the Vision (Vv. 3-14)

a.  A Ram (Vv. 3-4)

b.  A He-goat (Vv. 5-8)

c.  A Little Horn (Vv. 9-12)

3. The Investigation of the Vision (Vv. 13-14)

4. The Interpretation of the Vision (Vv. 15-25)

a.  A Description of the Ram (v. 20)

b.  A Description of the He-goat (v. 21a)

c.  A Description of the Little Horn (Vv. 21b-25)

5. The Confirmation of the Vision (v. 26)

6. The Culmination of the Vision (v. 27)

 

Introduction

The last Aramaic sentence in the book of Daniel ended with Daniel’s cogitations (thoughts, mental conceptions) regarding the Times of the Gentiles (7:28). Daniel thereafter moves to prophetic future events relative to the nation Israel in Chapter 8, and accordingly, it is written in Hebrew and more specific.

 

Events in the book of Daniel are not in chronological order. Chapters 7 and 8 should precede Chapter 5 when Babylon was conquered by the Medes and Persians. Chapters seven and eight were recorded when Daniel was between 67 to 70 years of age while living in obscurity (see Daniel 5:11-16). However, Daniel was not living in obscurity as far as God was concerned.

 

You recall Daniel’s first vision in Chapter 7 was that of four animals representing four kings and kingdoms:

1. A lion with eagle’s wings – the Babylonian Empire (v. 4)

2. A bear raised on one side – the Medo-Persian Empire (v. 5a)

3. A leopard with four wings – the Grecian Empire (v.6)

4. A terrible beast with ten horns – the Roman Empire (v. 7)

 

Daniels's second vision in Chapter 8 consists of two diverse animals, as we shall observe…

 

Comparisons

A. The Times of the Gentiles (cf. Luke 21:24) spans the period of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (cf. Matthew 16:27; 24:36; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16)

B. The Fullness of the Gentiles (cf. Romans 11:25) is the period from Pentecost until the rapture of the church (cf. Revelation 4:1)

 

A. Daniel Chapter 7 presents the general history of the Gentiles, i.e., Gentile rule extending from the Babylonian captivity to Christ’s Second Advent

B. Daniel Chapter 8 concerns, in part, the Medo-Persian, Greek, and Roman empires, i.e., the second, third, and especially the fourth through the Tribulation

 

A. The vision in Daniel 7 is revealed from man’s point of view

B. The vision in Daniel 8 is revealed from God’s perspective

 

A. Daniel’s first vision, Chapter 7, was in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign - 553 B.C.

B. Daniel’s second vision, Chapter 8, was in the third year of Belshazzar’s reign – 551 B.C.

 

 

1. The Revelation of the Vision (Vv. 1-2)

(Verse 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 Historical Setting

Daniel received a second vision two years after his first, both during Belshazzar’s monarchy in Babylon. It was written 12 years before the fall of Babylon around 551 B.C.

 

A vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel

God chose and gave Daniel as His vehicle of revelation. He was surprised that God would use him, for he was just an ordinary man. Scripture records the astonishment and humility of others: as well:

1. After the burning bush experience when God chose Moses to lead His people out of Egypt:

Exodus 3:11 - And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

 

Exodus 4:10 - And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

 

2. After John heard the voice of Christ and later when he was shown the River of Life, he became overwhelmed:

Revelation 1:9 –  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

 

Revelation 22:8-9 - And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he (the angel) unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this Book: worship God.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

 

After that which appeared unto me at the first

The phrase is simply identifying the preceding chapter, in other words, the vision revealed earlier to Daniel. Similar language is used later in the book:

Daniel 9:21 - Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

 

 

(Verse 2)

 

And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

 

The Geographical Setting

Shushan

Not only did Daniel have a second vision in Babylon, but it also came to pass. He envisioned himself being transported to the birthplace of the Medo-Persian Empire, Shushan. In the providence of Elam by the river of Ulai.

 

Shushan (KJV) or Susa was an ancient city destroyed by the Assyrians in 645 B.C. and rebuilt by Darius I (522-473 B.C.). It was situated in a desert area 230 miles east of Babylon and 120 miles north of the Persian Gulf. History notes the Medes and the Persians affirmed it as a royal city. With a fortified palace, it became one of the capitals of the Persian Empire during the time of King Darius the Great. Later on, the city was used for the winter residence of Persian kings.

 

God specifically takes the time to record in detail a city of no importance to a city in which both Nehemiah and Esther served:

1. In Shushan, Nehemiah was in the royal palace when commissioned to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem:

Nehemiah 1:1 - The words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace.

 

2. In Shushan, Esther sat on her throne as queen in the royal palace built by Darius:

Esther 1:2 - That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace.

 

Esther 2:17 - And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.

 

Elam

Elam, in the hillsides of modern-day Iran at the beginning of the Tigris River, was an independent providence in western Asia outside the Babylon Empire. Later, Elam became known as Susiana derived from its capital Susa.

 

The Elamites were descendants of Noah’s son Shem. Elam’s area was originally occupied by the Cushite race and its earliest king was Chedorlaomer.

Genesis 10:22 - The sons of Shem were Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud, and Aram (NKJV).

 

Genesis 14:1 - And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations.

 

The River Ulai

Archaeology has discovered an artificial canal running through the city of Shushan. It was built to transport water between two rivers, the Choaspes and Coprates. The canal is an engineering marvel having a 900-foot-wide channel.

 

The canal is also mentioned in Assyrian literature. And, in modern times, Ulai is known as the Kerkhah River.

 

 

With the backdrop of Daniel's vision, he will next delineate the description of two animals, the ram and the he-goat in further study.

 

 

 QUESTIONS:

1. What is unique about Chapter 8?

2. When does the Times of the Gentiles occur?

3. When did Daniel receive his second vision?

4. Where was Daniel when he received the vision?

5. To what city was Daniel transported?

6. In what territory was the city located?

7. What is significant about the River Ulai?

 

 

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