DANIEL CHAPTERS VIII AND IX

IN remarking on these chapters, the ram, goat, little horn, 2300 days 70 weeks and the Sanctuary will be briefly noticed.FUMP 37.1

1. THE RAM. Verses 2, 3. “Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river, a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.”FUMP 37.2

PICTURE

This symbol is explained by the angel in verse 20. “The ram which thou sawest, having two horns are the kings [kingdoms] of Media and Persia.” It represents the same as the breast and arms of silver of Chap. 2, and the bear of Chap. 7. This vision does not begin with the empire of Babylon, as do those of the second and seventh chapters, but it commences with Media and Persia, at the height of its power.

2. THE GOAT. Verses 5-8. “And as I was considering, behold an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground; and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. And he 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. 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. 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.”FUMP 38.1

PICTURE

The angel explains this symbol in verses 21, 22. “And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.” The goat, then, represents Grecia, the same as the brass of the image of chapter 2, and the leopard of chapter 7. Greece succeeded Persia in the dominion of the world, B. C. 331. The great horn is here explained to be the first king. The four horns that arose when this horn was broken, denote the four kingdoms into which the empire of Alexander was divided after his death. The same is represented by the four heads and four wings of the leopard of Daniel 7. See Chap 11:3, 4.FUMP 39.1

3. THE LITTLE HORN. Verses 9-12. “And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.”FUMP 39.2

PICTURE OF HORN OF ROME

This symbol is explained by the angel in verses 23-25. “And in the latter time of their kingdom when the transgressors are come to the fall, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy, wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.”

To avoid the application of this prophecy to the Roman Power, Pagan and Papal, Papists have shifted it from Rome to Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syrian king who could not resist the mandates of Rome.FUMP 40.1

See notes of the Douay [Romish] Bible on Daniel 7; 8; 11. This application is made by the Papists, to save their church from any share in the fulfillment of the prophecy; and in this, they have been followed by the mass of opposers to the Advent faith. The following facts show thatFUMP 41.1