Daniel 8

Notes

Ver. 3-8, 20-22. The Ram with two horns, of which the last sprung was the highest, pushing westward, northward, and southward, and without any effectual resistance, denotes the empire of the Medes and more powerful Persians, which pushed its conquests all along from the Euxine Sea and the Hellespont on the north, to the river Indus on the south, and as far as African Ethiopia and Lydia on the west, containing in all about 1,600,000 square miles. The he-goat, which came flying from the west, and had a notable horn between his eyes, denotes the Grecian monarchy under Alexander marching forces with prodigious rapidity into Persia, conquering it, and erecting a still greater empire on the ruins of it. The four horns which sprung up after the notable horn of the he-goat was broken, refer to the four generals which, after Alexander's death, parted his empire into four kingdoms, of Macedonia, Lesser Asia, Syria, and Egypt. 9-14, 23-25. The little horn which sprung from one of the four horns, and waxed exceeding great, cast down the host of heaven, and magnified himself against their prince, abolished the daily sacrifice, and trode the sanctuary under foot, 2300 days, mornings and evenings, till at last it was broken without hand, denotes Antiochus Epiphanes, a Syro-Grecian king, who, by craft, and by the assistance of some neighbours, obtained the kingdom instead of his nephew; and, becoming strong, persecuted the Jews, profaned their sanctuary, set their high-priesthood to sale, abolished their daily sacrifices about three years, murdered multitudes of them, and, after vowing to extirpate them, was cut off by the fearful vengeance of God. He may also be considered as typical of the popish Antichrist, that chief corrupter and destroyer of the Christian church.

Ver. 3. A ram. The emblem of the Medo-Persian empire was, in the former vision, a 'bear,' ch. 7.5, emerged from its forest—from a state of savage and uncivilized life; now the emblem is a 'ram'—the empire more civilized, but not the less bent upon universal conquest.—Two horns. The Medes and Persians, ver. 20, of which Persia, that rose into notice last, soon became the greatest, and gave name to the whole empire, which never persecuted the Jews, and abides, though in weakness, till this day. See ch. 7. 12. C.

Ver. 9. A little horn—applied by some to Antiochus Epiphanes; by others to the Romans; by others to Mahomet. That it cannot prefigure Antiochus seems evident from the fact that the power of 'the little horn' was to continue unto 2300 days, ver. 14, which, if literal days, were not fulfilled in the case of Antiochus, for he first took Jerusalem and profaned the temple in 170 B.C., and commenced his persecution of their religion in 168 B.C. But his army was conquered by Judas in 165 B.C., when the sanctuary was cleansed, and the worship restored by Judas; thus giving, at the utmost, a period but of five years, or less than 1825 literal days; or rather, dating from 168 B.C., a period less than 1095 literal days. On the other hand, if the 2300 days be taken as prophetical years (as Newton thinks), then the Roman power did not continue so long over Jerusalem; for it commenced in 65 B.C., and the temple was destroyed, and with it every Jewish ordinance abrogated, A.D. 70; and all the Roman power in the East finally terminated with the fall of Constantinople, A.D. 1453; and the sanctuary, moreover, still remains uncleansed. The conclusion seems inevitable, that 'the little horn,' ver. 9, like 'the little horn,' ch. 7. 8, is an ecclesiastico-political power, in which characteristic Mohammedanism in the East exactly coincides with Popery in the West. C.

Ver. 19. Last end. This intimates a progressive series of acts; and the vision of the 'little horn' of the eastern empire commences the last act of this vast drama of 'indignation' against Jewish and Christian apostasy, self-righteousness, and worldliness; and closes with the cleansing of the Jewish sanctuary and the establishment of the kingdom of the saints of the Most High, including the whole renovated church. C.

Reflections.—The people of God have often enjoyed the most glorious liberty in their souls when their bodies have been held in captivity. But those who abuse others may quickly expect the like treatment. God quickly stops the career of ambitious men. And little do they who risk both soul and body in amassing power or wealth know who shall enjoy them. If ever God's people suffer their sins are the cause. They who slight or abuse the privileges of God's sanctuary deserve to be deprived of them. But no wicked persecutor has any more power than the Lord permits. His hand must be observed even in all the enterprises of his enemies. And it is comfortable to reflect that he looks on the persecution of his church as against himself; and that, though her adversities may be severe, they cannot be lasting. In his time her privileges shall be restored, the sanctuary cleansed, and her most crafty and powerful enemies fearfully destroyed. It is proper, however, that perplexed souls should consult Jesus, the wonderful Counsellor; and that gracious souls should be deeply affected with the church's distress, but never so as to disqualify them for the duties of their station.