July 12, 2024

Daniel had a vision of a ram with two horns, one higher than the other, and a goat with one horn between his eyes. The goat, though smaller, overpowered the ram. However, the horn broke off, and four more horns sprang up. Out of one of the horns, a smaller horn grew. The ram was the Medes and the Persians, with the Persians being the higher horn. The goat's big horn was none other than Alexander the Great. Antiochus was the small horn that came out of the four smaller horns after the big horn broke off. 

Alexander was quite accomplished, nearly ruling the entire world. He sat on his bed and cried because he had no other land to conquer. He died without heirs, and the kingdom was divided between four of his guards, who were represented by the four horns that sprang up on the head of the goat. Of those four, Antiochus represents the smaller horn that came from one of the horns. This describes the Roman Empire. He mistreated and scattered the holy people to the four winds. He set up his god, Jupiter Olympus, in the temple and stopped the daily sacrifices. Shortly after he did that, God gave him a disease of worms, which made him rot while still alive, and his stench was so foul that no one wanted to come near him. This disease lasted a while, and he tried to make amends with the holy people, but it was too late. Daniel had to close up this vision so the Persians wouldn’t become incensed by it and give the sacred people a hard time. 

A kingdom and its government will fail that rejects God and oppresses His people, especially if they replace God with their fake idols. The Almighty dearly loves us, and he will avenge us one way or another. Wait for it; it shall surely come! 

And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. Daniel 8:26