THE RAM AND GOAT VISION

The ram and goat vision of Daniel chapter 8 is usually solely interpreted
in accord with the literal meaning stated in Daniel 8:20-21,


                         Ram   =  Medo-Persia
                         Goat  =  Greece


The first horn of the goat is commonly viewed as Alexander the Great and
the little horn as the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes (who desecrated the
temple about 168 BC).


For this reason the Daniel chapter 8 prophecy is usually deemed to be a
prophecy which is fully fulfilled.

The common explanation, alluded to above, does reasonably correlate with
the requirements of the prophecy, but fails to fully explain the clear
end-time references found in verses 17, 19 & 25. The view also fails
to adequately explain verse 26, which clearly states this vision was
'sealed'. (Note, Daniel 12:4 makes it perfectly clear that the very
purpose of 'sealing' was to hide understanding of the true meaning
until 'the time of the end'.)


The surface meaning of Daniel chapter 8 is NOT the true teaching of this
prophecy!

Determining the true teaching of this prophecy requires a consideration
of:
          1) related prophetic scriptures
          2) a pattern of events which can be matched to
             the structure presented in the vision.   


The matching of the pattern presented: ie an entity with 2 horns, where
the higher horn rises last, is defeated by an entity with one great horn,
which is later broken and replaced by 4 horns and from which one horn
arises in the end-time to exalt itself and finally challenge the 'Prince
of princes'.


Scripture does not supply sufficient information relevant to other Gentile
kingdom transitions to enable the selection of another suitable Gentile
perspective. However, Scripture does provide ample information regarding
the history of physical Israel and to a lesser extent Christianity.

When one searches Scripture for a king, or kingdom, which could represent
the first horn of the goat it is apparent several options are possible:

          1) Jeroboam, the first king of the house of Israel.
             Some of the major subsequent kings of the house
             of Israel representing the 4 horns.  

          2) King Josiah, who re-united the divided kingdom.
             His four descendants, who rose to the throne,
             possibly being the subsequent 4 horns.

          3) Jesus Christ, followed by four prominent apostles
             of the New Testament church.
 

To help select the most appropriate choice one must determine the scope
of the ram and goat vision.

While it is apparent that the sealed message of the vision reaches to the
end-time, what is not so apparent is which event initiates the prophecy.
The event which initiates the prophecy will be that which marks the start
of the kingdom of the symbolic ram.

The symbolic/spiritual perspective of the 2300 days (evening-morning) is
discussed in more detail in the following page:

At the symbolic/spiritual level the 2300 evening-morning period is in
reality a period of 3,450 years (69 jubilees), this began with the final
settling of the children of Israel in the land of Canaan.

This very long span of time and the need to have two completely separate
kingdoms, one which takes the place of the other, favours the third option.
The natural division of the work of God into the Old and New Covenants.

The ram portrays the Old Testament faith as it was manifest in Israel.

The two horns appear to represent the two tribes of Judah and Ephraim.
These two tribes later came to lead the two divisions of Israel, a) the
house of Judah and b) the house of Israel. Historically, the house of
Judah became dominant.


This division of Israel was in part pre-figured by the splitting of the
promises, the promises initially made by God to Abraham.

   - The promise of 'kingship' (Gen 17:6) was passed down through
     Jacob's son Judah, refer Genesis 49:8,10.
   - The promise of 'nations' (Gen 17:5,6) and 'great prosperity'
     (Gen 22:17) was passed down through his grandson Ephraim
     (the younger son of Joseph), refer Genesis 48:19 & 49:22,25,26. 


The ram is described as pushing toward the west, north and south and by
this means the verse describes the direction from which the Ram originally
came, ie from the east. The children of Israel had approached the Promised
Land from the east when they crossed the Jordan River.
After being settled in the Promised Land they later continued to push at
the remaining inhabitants God had left in the land. 

The comparison between Alexander the Great and Jesus Christ is unmistakable.
While Alexander conquered with great speed the known world, Jesus Christ
spiritually conquered in just a few years the Levitical establishment of
the spiritual world.


The New Covenant church is here being described as being represented by
four notable ones. This is likely a reference to the four leading apostles,
Peter, James, John and Paul. 

    Gal    2:9   and when James, Cephas(Peter), and John, who seemed
                 to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been
                 given to me(Paul), they gave me and Barnabas the
                 right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the
                 Gentiles and they to the circumcised.


The prophecy also mentions that the four horns would go to the four winds
of heaven. It is apparent that the work of Paul in journeying to the
nations spread the work beyond the borders of Israel. 


Daniel 8:22 indicates that the four horns would not posses the power of
the original horn. While John 14:12 speaks of those who believe in Christ
doing greater works, it is also apparent they were not God in the flesh
as Christ had been. Their lesser spiritual strength is evident in the
text describing the conflict at Antioch, Gal 2:11-21.

In the end-time a little horn later arises. It appears to arise from the
north!

    Dan    8:9   And out of one of them came a little horn which
                 grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward
                 the east, and toward the Glorious Land [west?].

           8:23  And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the
                 transgressors have reached their fullness, A king
                 shall arise, having fierce features, who understands
                 sinister schemes {ie hidden mysteries}.


While the history of the church could be summed up by reference to the
Old and New Testament faiths, few have realized that the one who will
oppose the 'Prince of princes' will arise from Christianity! (Just as
in times past it was the recognized leadership of God's work which
opposed God's appointed.) 

This little horn is predicted in verse 9 to come from the north and go
toward the south, east and the glorious land (ie west). The north is
a direction frequently associated with Gentile kingdoms, during the
history of Israel the Syrians, Assyrians and Chaldeans were aggressive
northern powers.

The role God has appointed to this little horn is to bring to an end the
transgression present in His church, refer verses 12 & 23. This little
horn is God's instrument for bringing judgment upon His people. The
little horn brings to an end corrupt spiritual sacrifice (just as did
Nebuchadnezzar).

Verse 25 shows that the little horn accomplishes this task through his
cunning and through the use of deception to influence those in positions
of power in Christianity, refer verses 24-25.

This little horn is the same entity described in the previous chapter.
It is the little horn which in chapter 7 of Daniel subdues 3 horns
(kingdoms) and then proceeds to lead the remaining 7 kingdoms for a
period of '3.5 times'.  

Many commentators have in the past stressed that the little horn of Daniel
chapter 8 differs from the little horn of Daniel chapter 7, but this has
been due to them viewing both chapters from a purely literal viewpoint.
It is only when one looks beyond surface meanings that the true message
concerning the little horn, and its predecessors, can be discerned.