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The ram and goat vision of Daniel chapter 8 is usually interpreted in
accord with the translated text 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.
FULFILLED OR NOT?
The common explanation, alluded to above, does reasonably correlate with
the requirements of the prophecy. However, it 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 bible student needs to understand that the surface meaning of Daniel
chapter 8 is NOT the true teaching of this prophecy!
So how should we understand the biblical explanation of the ram being
Medo-Persia and the goat being Greece? The answer is we should become
aware that the symbols of the ram and goat are being even further
symbolised. That the two ancient empires, Medo-Persia and Greece, are
also being presented as symbols. That God in the text of chapter eight
simply does not wish to identify the actual entities being discussed.
FINDING THE TRUE TEACHING
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.
An entity with 2 horns, where the higher horn rises last,
which is then defeated by an entity with one great horn.
Then the one great horn is broken and replaced by 4 horns.
Subsequently in the end-time, from one of these 4 horns,
arises a horn which will 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.
If 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.
To determine this event, and the time spanned by this prophecy, we need
to consider the literal duration of the period 2300 (Daniel 8:14).
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| THE EVENING MORNING 2300 OF DANIEL 8 |
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The above page concludes that the 2300 period is in reality a period
of 3,450 years and that this period began with the settling of the
children of Israel in the land of Canaan (after their Exodus from
Egypt).
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 great horn being Jesus Christ, who was followed by four prominent
apostles. Hence, the goat was representing the rise of the Christian faith
and the ram depicting the state of the prior Jewish faith. Therefore, the
two spiritual kingdoms of God, Judaism and Christianity, were in symbol
being represented by two literal kingdoms - Medo-Persia and Greece.
So the vision in Daniel chapter 8, of the ram and goat, was a symbolic
illustration of the natural division of the work of God - into the Old
and New Covenants.
THE TWO HORNED RAM
The ram portrays the Old Testament faith as it was manifest in Israel.
However, what is the identity of the two ram horns?
Dan 8:3 Then ... was a ram which had two horns,
and the two horns were high;
but one was higher than the other,
and the higher one came up last.
:7 ... and broke his two horns.
There was no power in the ram to
withstand him, but he cast him down
to the ground and trampled him;
and there was no one that could
deliver the ram from his hand.
There are many aspects in which a twofold division of Israel could be
made;
- Judah and Ephraim (house of Judah & house of Israel)
- Benjamin and Judah (both associated with Judean kingship)
- the offices of King and High Priest.
However, understanding that the ram equates to the Old Covenant and that
both horns had to be present upon the arrival of Jesus Christ limits the
options.
In essence the two horns have to both be associated with the be Old
Covenant Priesthood!
TWO HORNS - ELEAZAR AND ITHAMAR (sons of Aaron)
The Priesthood were those descended from Aaron.
Aaron had four sons.
1Chr 24:1 Now these are the divisions of the sons of Aaron.
The sons of Aaron were Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and
Ithamar.
The initial two serving sons of Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, disqualified
themselves. They died before Israel entered the Promised land (before
the start of the 3,450 years).
Lev 10:1 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each
took his censer and put fire in it, put incense
on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord,
which He had not commanded them.
:2 So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them,
and they died before the Lord.
:3 Then Moses said to Aaron, ...
The two remaining sons took their place.
1Chr 24:2 And Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and
had no children; therefore Eleazar and Ithamar
ministered as priests.
The narrative of Eli and his two sons (1Samuel chapters 1 to 4) indicates
that Eli was the High Priest. The exclusion of Eli (and his descendants)
from the list of Eleazar descendants, recorded in 1Chr 6:4-10, indicates
Eli was from the lineage of Ithamar.
In the time of David the following is recorded.
1Chr 24:3 Then David with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and
Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, divided them
according to the schedule of their service.
In the time of Solomon the position of High Priest was moved from the
lineage of Ithamar to the lineage of Eleazar.
1Kin 2:27 So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to
the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the
Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli
at Shiloh.
:35 ... and the king put Zadok the priest in the place
of Abiathar.
[ NB: Abiathar (son of Ahimelech) had sided with
Adonijah (brother of Absalom), while Zadok
had shown greater loyalty by siding with
David and Solomon. 1Kings 1:7-10. ]
Hence, the two high horns during the duration of 3,450 years were the
priesthood lineages of Ithamar and Eleazar.
While the High Priest was initially selected from the lineage of Ithamar
this was altered by Solomon. Thereafter, the High Priest was selected
from the second horn, the lineage of Eleazar. The resulting prestige of
the Eleazar lineage went on to exceed that of the prior Ithamar lineage.
In the Daniel chapter 8 text 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.
Dan 8:4 I saw the ram pushing westward, northward, and
southward, so that no animal could withstand him;
nor was there any that could deliver from his hand,
but he did according to his will and became great.
The children of Israel had approached the Promised Land from the east
when they crossed the Jordan River. Obviously after being settled in
the Promised Land the children of Israel continued to 'push' at the
remaining original inhabitants of the land.
The priesthood were not entirely divorced from aspects of warfare.
- They blew the silver trumpets.
(So that the nation would be remembered before God
and be saved from their enemies. Num 10:9)
- Determining the will of God, via the Urim and Thummim.
- In some cases the priests, with or without the Ark
of the Covenant, were near the scene of battle.
Joshua chapter 6, 1Sam chapter 4 and 2Chron 13:12-15.
Since the Old Covenant priesthood had received their authority and
teaching from God, there had been no other religious entity able to
withstand them. At least until the arrival of John the Baptist and
the ministry of Jesus Christ.
When Jesus Christ was being challenged by the Levitical priesthood He
was being confronted by the entire priesthood; by Sadducees, Scribes
and Pharisees - both the lineages of Eleazar and Ithamar.
THE ONE AND FOUR HORNED GOAT
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 completely filled
with the spirit of God as Christ had been. Their lesser spiritual strength
is evident in the text describing the conflict at Antioch, Gal 2:11-21.
THE LITTLE HORN
In the end-time a little horn 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 the sanctuary of symbolic Jerusalem, refer
verses 12 & 23. This little horn is God's instrument for bringing
the Great Tribulation upon the spiritual land of Judah (ie Judaism).
The little horn brings, in Judaism, an end to corrupt spiritual
sacrifice, just as did Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel's time.
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, refer verses 24-25.
Note: 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 symbolic 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 origin can be discerned.
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