Daniel 8:1-27

In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar, I, Daniel, saw a second supernatural vision. In my vision I suddenly found myself in the fortress city of Susa, the capital of the province of Elam, standing beside the Ulai canal. As I looked about, behold, I saw a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two long horns, one behind the other, but the one behind was longer. I watched as the ram charged toward the west, then the north, and then the south. With each conquest, it became even more powerful. No beast could withstand it or be rescued from its power; it did whatever it pleased. As I considered what it all meant, I saw a male goat come rushing from the west, racing across the whole earth without touching the ground. He had a single prominent horn on his forehead. The goat came up to the two-horned ram that I saw standing beside the canal and rushed at it with savage force. Then I saw him reach the ram and attack it with furious blows. He smashed it so hard that it broke off its two horns, for the ram had no power to withstand it. The goat knocked the ram to the ground and trampled it down. And there was no one to rescue the ram from his power. Then the goat grew exceedingly arrogant. At the very peak of his power, his big horn abruptly snapped off. In its place, four prominent horns came up, each pointing to a different direction. From one of them, a small horn emerged. It eventually grew to be very big, and its power extended toward the south, the east, and toward the beautiful land. It grew so powerful that it attacked the armies of heaven and hurled some of the starry host to the ground and trampled them down. The horn arrogantly exalted itself against the Prince of the heavenly armies. It abolished the daily sacrifices, and the place of his sanctuary was defiled. God’s people began to turn away from him and gave themselves to the power of the horn. Sin replaced the daily sacrifices on account of the rebellion of the people. The horn was successful in all it attempted to do; truth was cast down to the ground. Then I heard a holy one speaking. Another holy one asked the first one, the Wonderful Numberer, “How long will it be until this vision is fulfilled, in relation to the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, the handing over of the sanctuary, and the trampling underfoot of the host of God’s people?” He answered, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be purified.” While I, Daniel, was pondering the vision I had seen, suddenly there appeared before me one who looked like a man. Then I heard the voice of someone calling out over the waters of the Ulai canal, “Gabriel, help this man understand the meaning of his vision.” As the angel Gabriel came closer to where I was standing, I was so terrified that I fell facedown on the ground. Then he said to me, “Daniel, son of man, you need to understand that your vision refers to the time of the end.” When he spoke with me, I lost consciousness and passed out. But he took hold of me and raised me to my feet. “Listen,” he said, “and I will tell you what will take place in the time of wrath, for the vision pertains to the appointed time of the end: “The ram that you saw with two long horns represents the kingdoms of the Medes and the Persians. “The male goat represents the kingdoms of Greece, and the big horn on its forehead is the first king of the Greek Empire. “As for the horn that was broken off and replaced by four prominent horns, this signifies that four other kingdoms will rise from its midst, but their combined power will not be as great as the first. “When their reign comes to an end and their crimes have reached their full measure, there will arise a stern king, skilled in stubbornness and trickery. He will grow in might but not through any power of his own. He will cause amazing devastation, succeed in every undertaking, and destroy mighty ones, the saints of the Most High. By his cunning, he will make treachery succeed under his rule. In his own mind, he will highly exaggerate his own importance. When they are at ease, he will suddenly destroy many. But when he rises up against the Prince of all princes, he will be broken—but not by any human power. “The explanation of the vision you had about the evening and morning sacrifices is absolutely true. And seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” I, Daniel, was dazed and lay sick for several days; then I got up and went back to serve the king. I was perplexed by the vision, for it seemed beyond understanding.