Carrying on from last month's initial look Daniel 8 we see that there is another leader not yet encountered mentioned. We have seen how at the end of the Greek empire the empire was split into 4. But "Out of one of them came a little horn" (Daniel 8v9). This is a new leader some years after Alexander the Great who died in 323BC.

Most commentators seem to link this period with "Antiochus Epiphanes". Why? Well let's see the qualifications this passage gives about him. First he must be a leader who is great in the south and east taking in the Jewish lands (i.e. the glorious land, but not so in the north and west as these are not mentioned. In reference to the starry hosts, he must have set himself up as a God, not too uncommmon for emperors in those days. Also he must stop the sacrifices to fulfil Daniel 8v11 it must also be for 2300 days Daniel 8v14

If we look at Antiochus Ephiphanes, we see that he never managed to take Egypt to the west of him, or take on the Roman empire to the north, so while he was great in the south and east, he failed in the north and west. He also set himself up as a God, more interestingly we will see that he aso stopped the sacrifices for a time. 2300 days is equal to 6.3 years. The sacrifices were stopped in 171 BC when the reigning high priest was assassainated, restarting in 164 BC. We do not have exact dates for events in these years but it could well have been 6.3 years. So Antiochus seems to fulfil all the qualifications.

A few commentators would take the reference in Daniel 8v26: "...but(BN) seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now." to mean that these events would happen not a few hundred years after Daniel, but thousands of years, pointing us forward to the Tribulation. Especially when we take into account the character description. If we were to jump ahead to Daniel 9v27, 11v31 and 12v11 we would see the abomination of desolation that some would link to what we have seen this month. However, there is a different time involved here (1290 days not 2300 days) so I do not think it is linked to this. But with prophecy it is difficult to be dogmatic. It would not be the first time that prophecy relating to a soon coming event, is also pointing to an event to take place centuries after that event as well.

If you have any comments or questions about this article then please e-mail me at a.wood@assemblyyouth.net

Spending time in the Scriptures Zechariah	Next month: why is prophecy so important?.	Wilderness years handing on the baton
	Dare to be a Daniel
	Last month: second and third kingdoms.

All quotes are from the English Standard version of the Bible unless otherwise specified.