Ram Tough and Billy Goat Gruff

Posted by on August 5, 2007 under Sermons

Daniel 8: Four Scenes

  1. The Ram with Two Horns
  2. The Goat with One Horn
  3. Four Horns Plus One More
  4. A Little Help from the Angel

Where Is Daniel?

  • Daniel’s location in time and space within his vision (8:1-2) gives us the starting point in understanding the directions and movements of the Ram and Goat.
  • When: Third year of Belshazzar (546 B.C.). Seven years before Persian takeover
  • Where: Susa facing the Ulai (in the vision). He is in Persia

The Ram – Persian Empire

  • Two Horns = Medes and Persians
  • Charges from east and goes west, north, and south. These directions are relative to Susa, the capital of the Persian Empire.
  • This follows the expansion of the Persian Empire and includes its conquest of Babylon

The He-Goat

  • One Horn = Alexander the Great. He moves without touching the ground shows the rapid progress of Alexander’s campaign.
  • Battle of Gaugamela – 331 B.C. Alexander conquered Darius III and claimed the Persian Empire for the Greek Empire
  • Attacks from the west – Macedon is west relative to Susa.

Four Horns

  • Wars of Succession (323-301 B.C.) – Alexander did not have a stable heir. His generals engage in wars for the next 22 years (and beyond) and divide up the Greek Empire
  • Alexander’s Generals:
    1. Ptolemy [Egypt, Palestine]
    2. Seleucus [Babylon]
    3. Antigonus [Syria, Turkey] – Seleucus eventually acquires Antigonus’ territory
    4. Cassander [Macedonia, Greece]
    5. Lysimachus [Thrace, Bythinia]
  • The four horns represent the four major divisions following the Battle of Issus in 301 BC – Ptolemy in Egypt, Seleucus in Syria/Babylon/Persia, Cassander in Macedonia, and Lysimachus in Thrace/Bythinia

The “Fifth” Horn

  • Antiochus IV Epiphanes is the Fifth Horn that grows up toward the south, west, and the beautiful land.
    • His movement toward the south involves his attempt to invade Egypt in 168 BC. His efforts are thwarted and on his return through Jerusalem he occupies Jerusalem with a vengeance. (See below)
  • Ruled Seleucid Empire (175-164 BC)
  • Epiphanes = “God Manifested”
  • Hellenized Jerusalem

Culture Wars

  1. 168 BC – Antiochus invades Egypt
  2. 167 BC – Invades Jerusalem
    • Rebuilt Temple as fortress
    • Erected statue of Zeus (that looked a lot like Antiochus himself!)
    • Forbade Jewish religion
    • Abomination of Desolation – He sacrificed a pig on the altar to desecrate the temple. This is an event that lives in the Jewish mindset from this point to the time of Jesus and beyond. The vital connection for relationship and forgiveness between God and his people is violated and seemingly broken by Antiochus.

Faith Crisis

  1. How can a ruler like Antiochus invade God’s turf?
  2. How can the worship that represents relationship be set aside?
  3. Are God and his order for creation reliable?

How Long Will the Desecration Last?

  • 2,300 evening and mornings = two daily sacrifices in temple
  • 2300/2 = 1150/30 (days in the lunar month) = 38.3/12 = 3.19 years
  • 3 years and 70 days
  • The temple was invaded in fall 167 (idol of Zeus was set up on Chislev 15, 168) and the temple was restored on Chislev 25, 164 BC. All of this is fairly close to 3 years and 70 days.