DANIEL SIMPLIFIED

 

CHAPTER 8.6

Gleanings from the Book of Daniel:

A Weekly Verse-by-Verse Bible Study Series

 

DANIEL

Chapter Eight

The Ram, He-goat, and Little Horn

 

Prologue

The Prophetic Plan of God

Whereas the study of Daniel's second vision continues, it is important to note that history records the exact fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy given 200 years in advance. Initially, God had warned Israel through Moses not to worship other gods. But, as a result of their conditional covenantal disobedience, God brought about their punishment of dispersion (see Deuteronomy 28:64-67).

 

In Chapters 2, 7, and 8, through dreams and visions, Daniel foretold the succession of Gentile world empires throughout Israel’s diaspora in the later days. After forty years of Babylonian captivity, the first was the Medo-Persian Empire symbolized by a ram.

 

Prophetic events surrounding the transfer of power were prophetically fulfilled in the precise manner described in the previous verses. History records a great battle that took place between the ram and the he-goat where the he-goat, Alexander the Great, completely obliterated the ram. The narrative of this account continues in the following verses…

 

 

(Verse 6)

 

And he [the goat] came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power [rage].

 

The Battles of the Horns

Alexander the Great

The conflicts were fierce. With 35,000 troops against over 200,000, Alexander advanced across the Persian Empire with incredible speed. The goat moved directly toward the ram in the following abbreviated manner:

1. In 334 B.C. – Alexander crossed the Hellespont and entered the Medo-Persian Empire

a.  Hellespont (Dardanelles) is a narrow strait of water (38 miles long by about 4 miles wide) in Northwestern Modern Turkey that separates Europe from Asia

 

2.  In 334 B.C. – Alexander and his troops first vanquished the generals of Darius III (Codomannus) at the Granicus River in Phrygia

a.   The one-horned goat came to the ram that had two horns

 

3.  In 333 B.C. – Alexander’s army won the battle of Issus in Cilicia

 

4.  In 332 B.C. – Alexander seiged Tyre and Gaza

a.  He was crowned the Pharaoh in Memphis, the ancient capital of  Egypt

 

b.  He also founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt

 

Historical Footnote: Seeking Jewish submission, Alexander turned toward Jerusalem the same year. Jewish historian Josephus records he was greeted outside the city by Israel's high priest Jadduh (Jada), dressed in his priestly apparel, and some Jews.

Jada opened the book of Daniel to Chapter 8 and showed Alexander how Daniel had predicted his victory over the Persians some 200 years in advance. At that point, Alexander was so impressed that he bowed and worshipped Jada, entered the Temple, and sacrificed to the God of Israel.

 

5. In 331 B.C. – Alexander’s army overcame the Persians at Gaugamela on the plains of Arbela in Syria near Nineveh

a.  Alexander was titled the Lord of the Empire

b.  The he-goat ran unto the ram in the fury of his power.

 

 

(Verse 7)

 

And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

 

The Great Ram Broken

This verse completes the subjugation of the Medo-Persian Empire. It completely succumbed to Alexander the Great. And, the vision of Daniel had its complete fulfillment a little over 200 years later.

 

Alexander moved with choler against the Persian Empire, i.e., with smoldering bitterness, rage, and anger.

1. In 331 B.C. he captured Babylon

2. In 330 B.C. he took the royal capital city of Persia, Persepolis

3. In 326 B.C. he was victorious at the costly Battle of Hydaspes in a region of modern-day Pakistan adjacent to India

 

Alexander the Great and his army trampled the Medo-Persians into total submission. He smote the ram, and brake his two horns.

 

Even though the Persians outnumbered the Greeks, the power of history changed hands from the Persians to the Greeks. Hence, within three years the whole Persian Empire fell to pieces.

 

 

(Verse 8)

 

Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

 

The He Goat Broken

Amid his greatness, no human power could break the horn, nor could anyone deliver the fallen Persian Empire out of his control. Assuming pretensions of divinity, Alexander made his soldiers prostrate themselves before him, as was the oriental custom, resulting in revolting and desertion.  

 

At the height of his greatness, tradition says that Alexander sat down and wept because, except for the Far East, there were no more worlds to conquer.

 

When he was strong, the great horn was broken

Question:

What broke the great horn of the he-goat?

Answer:

Amidst the threshold of Alexander’s enormous power and vast projects, he was seized by malaria fever after an all-night drunken orgy. At the age of 32 and eight months, Alexander the Great succumbed to his death in Babylon from June 11 to 12, 323 B.C.

 

While taking only 12 years to conquer the world, it took 22 years to divide the Empire of Greece.  Alexander left two legal heirs to his throne:

1. A half-witted son named Philip

2. A son born to Roxana after his death, Alexander IV Aegus (the goat)

 

Within two months after his death, they both were murdered and the family of Alexander the Great became extinct.

 

 And for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven

The Grecian Empire was split into four parts (the four winds of heaven), i.e., the four corners of the Empire. Four of Alexander’s chief army commanders (four notable horns) eventually assumed power in the following manner:

1. To the west -  Cassander  (355-297 B.C.) controlled:

a.  Macedonia

b.  Thessaly

c.  Part of Greece

 

2. To the north – Lysimachus (360-281 B.C.) controlled:

a.  Thrace

b.  Bithynia (northwestern Anatolia)

c.  Anatolia  (modern-day Turkey)

d.  Part of Cappadocia (eastern Anatolia)

 

3. To the  east – Seleucus Nicator (358-281 B.C.) controlled:

a.  Syria

b.  Babylonia

c.  [Both embody the modern states of Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon]

 

4. To the south – Ptolemy I Soter (366-282 B.C.) controlled:

a.  Kingdom of Egypt

b.  Land of Palestine (Israel)

c.  South Arabia

d.  Islands of Cypress, and Cyrene (coast of Libya, Africa)

 

Epilogue

Alexander the Great left behind a great legacy which included:

1. Greek culture: After amassing all kingdoms in existence, Alexander the Great spread Greek culture throughout his newly formed empire –Hellenization. He contributed to massive building and road projects, thus leaving a pathway for missionaries to preach the Gospel.

 

2. Greek language: Koine (common) Greek was also established as the primary language. Before the Coming of Jesus Christ, the Jews that were still living in Alexandria wanted the Bible (the Hebrew Old Testament) translated into Greek. Even though the Jews retained their culture and customs, they could now read Scripture in their language.

 

3. Greek military maneuvers: As one of the greatest military tacticians and commanders, modern military leaders continue to study his tactics.  

 

Post Note

The correlation of Daniel’s dreams is outlined as follows:

1. The Ram – The Medo-Persian Empire

a.  The two arms of silver – Daniel 2:32, 39

b.  The two sides of the bear – Daniel 7:5

                                            i.     Darius the Mede

                                         ii.    Cyrus the Persian

 

2. The He-Goat – the old Grecian Empire

a.  The belly and thighs of brass – Daniel 2:32, 39

b.  The leopard – Daniel 7:6

 

3. The Great Horn -  the first king of the Greek Empire

a.  Alexander the Great

 

4. The Four Notable Ones (Horns) – the four divisions after Alexander’s death

 

5. The Little Horn – the Antichrist – Daniel 8:9, 23-25

 

 

Next, a Little Horn will rise to power in two distinct periods, one historical and the other futuristic. They will be discussed in the forthcoming studies.

 

 

QUESTIONS:

1. How did Daniel receive his prophecy?

2. When did Daniel receive his prophecy?

3. How many years in advance was Daniel’s prophecy?

4. How were the ram’s horns broken?

5. What happened at the Hellespont?

6. What was so unique about Alexander’s conquests?

7. How was the Greek Empire finally divided?

 

 

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