The Ram and The Goat
This article is about chapter 8 of Daniel – The Goat and the End Day.
Daniel’s dream: the Ram and the Goat
Daniel saw a vision: “a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.”
“5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. 7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.”
After that, “9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary(Jerusalem) was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper.
13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary(Jerusalem) and host to be trampled underfoot?” 14 And he said to me, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary(Jerusalem) shall be restored to its rightful state.”
“I (Daniel) sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end.”18 And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made me stand up.
Daniel fell into a deep sleep when the angel Gabriel made him understand the vision. Why did he fall into a deep sleep? Please imagine when you have a difficult lesson that you don’t understand — you feel tired and fall asleep. It’s like what happened to Daniel:
“27 …but I was appalled by the vision and did not understand it”. Daniel fell into sleep represents he couldn’t understand this vision, until the end time.
The little horn appears at the ending of the Age
This vision mainly refers to the end time, “for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end”. “19 Behold, I will make known to you what shall be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed time of the end“.
So the sealed words shall be unlocked and unsealed , and we would understand this vision at the time of the end. We can say, “today” we are at the time of the end.
What does it mean? It means we can understand this vision now. So what does this vision about? Yes, it refers to the appointed time of the end, the sanctuary(Jerusalem) shall be restored to its rightful state. But let’s look at the ram and the goat first. What do the ram and the goat mean?
Gabriel said “20 As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the goat is the king of Greece. And the great horn between his eyes is the first king.22 As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power”.
Angel Gabriel told us the ram symoblizes the kingdom of Media and Persia, the goat symbolizes the kingdom of Greece. Now we know that the king of the goat refers to Alexander the Great, “but when he was strong, the great horn was broken”. He died at the age of 32, and his four generals divided his kingdom into four parts, but their kingdoms were not as powerful as Alexander the Great’s.
Gabriel explained “9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land”.
This little horn came from one of the divided parts of the Greek Empire. The little horn came out from among them. Daniel chapter 4 says the Great Top Tree was bound with a band of “iron and bronze”. Bronze and iron represent the third and the fourth kingdom empires. This tells us they are closely related in God’s view. The Top Tree is mainly bound by the third and the fourth kingdoms.
What does the little horn mean? Is this little horn the same as the “little horn” of the fourth beast in Daniel chapter 7?
Yes. How so? What is God’s view about this “little horn”?
The “little horn” of the fourth beast came from one among the ten horns. It is the last kingdom of the fourth beast — the USA. So it can be said that the little horn is the “representative / symbol” of the entire 4th beast, the “representative / symbol” of its entire kingdom. We explained in the previous article The Four Great Beasts that the Roman Empire was the first part of the fourth beast.
Just like there are many classes in different grades in a school, if you need to show a “representative” of your class or even your school, you would surely showcase the best-performing student, right? This student is the top best of the entire school; it can be said that he or she is the representative or symbol of the entire school.
In the same way, “the little horn” is also the “best” of its entire empire. It “was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet”.
So this little horn becomes the symbol and representative of the fourth beast. There are many great kings and great kingdoms (the ten horns) among the fourth beast, but the little horn is the “greatest.” Therefore it becomes the sign and the representative of its kingdoms (the fourth beast). The little horn appears in the end time. So when God mentions the little horn, it could be representing the entire empire (like the representative of a school). The “little horn”, which is also the “last kingdom with 10 horns”, will appear and be destroyed at the end time.
If we study history, we will find that Greece (the 3rd beast) and Rome (the 4th beast) were closely related, for Rome was deeply affected by the Greek Empire. Before it became an empire, Rome often formed unions with many different Greek city-states. It copied Greek artwork, Greek culture, Greek political systems… We can say it was a copy of Greece. That is why God said the little horn came from the Greek Empire.
What did this little horn (Roman Empire- First Part of the Fourth Great Beast) do? Gabriel said “10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them”.
What does this mean? Could the Roman Empire throw down and trample on the stars of heaven? Actually, the temple and Jerusalem were protected by heavenly stars (angels). So when the Roman Empire destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70, it means the heavenly stars (angels) were defeated.
“11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary(Jerusalem) was overthrown”.
Who is “the Prince of host”? He is our Creator Jehovah God’s son, Jesus.
Is the fourth beast (the Roman Empire) more powerful than the host, the stars (angels) of heaven, so that it could destroy Jerusalem?
No, because…
“12 And a host(“legion of angels”) will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression”.
What transgression? Because the sinful of Jews, and also killed the Son of God, the righteous One, Jesus, God allowed Rome to destroy Jerusalem in AD 70. In this way it can be said that a host — the heavenly stars (angels) — was given over to it (was defeated).
This transgression made the sanctuary(Jerusalem) desolate. The holy one asked,
“13For how long is the vision “concerning” the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”
Then Gabriel said to Daniel, “For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary(Jerusalem) shall be restored to its rightful state.”
In this verse, it specifically mentions “2,300 evenings and mornings” which means it may be a real literal number. If one day equals one year, then it shall be 2,300 years. Jerusalem (the sanctuary) was destroyed in AD 70, so the sanctuary (New Jerusalem) shall be completely restored and rebuilt before the 2,300 years end.
This is related to God’s plan <Seventy Sevens>to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Surely it will happen during the <Reign a thousand years> period. So what will happen in the end time?
A King
Daniel 8:23-25 says, “23 And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face, one who understands riddles(” impudent, and skilled in intrigue”), shall arise. 24 His power shall be great—but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. 25 By his cunning he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind he shall become great. Without warning he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.”
Gabriel said that at the end of their kingdom (the ending of the fourth beast), a king who understands riddles (“impudent and skilled in intrigue”) shall arise. Who is he?
Gabriel said a king shall arise at the end of their kingdom (the ending period of the fourth beast). So does “a king” mean a real literal “man” (a king), or does it mean the last “kingdom” of the beast? Or both — a man (Donald Trump? the king) of the last kingdom (the US)? Let’s wait until the end time; who the last king is will be revealed.
this king will act “against the Prince of princes (Jesus of the 144,000 princes)”. At the end he will “be broken (destroyed) — but by no human hand”. What does this mean?
Daniel 2:45,44 says, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold”.
Rev.19:20 says, “The beast and the false prophet who had done miracles for the beast were captured. By these miracles the false prophet had deceived those who had the brand of the beast and worshiped its statue. Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur”.
Rev. 20:1-3 says,”Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer”.
Revelation 21:2,22 says, “And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… 22 I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple”.
So the restored sanctuary is the New Jerusalem, “Jehovah God and Jesus” are its temple. Maybe after “Babylon the Great” is destroyed, the fourth beast is destroyed, and Satan(the dragon) is thrown into the bottomless pit, the restoration of New Jerusalem will be complete “officially“.
At that time the New Jerusalem is not yet coming down from heaven; it will come down after Jesus and the 144,000 saints <Reign a thousand years>. Please read these articles.
Yes, the last king of the last Beast will be destroyed by God’s kingdom(the stone-Jesus), and God’s kingdom shall stand forever. Amen.
Let’s Prayer
Thank you, Father and Lord Jesus. Please let us know the truth about Daniel’s vision. We are seeking the truth as one seeks treasure. Let us know what will happen at the time of the end, and please give us the truth through Prince Jesus Christ. Amen.
Same as Daniel’s prayer,
“15 And now, YHWH, our God, You who brought Your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made a name for Yourself, as it is this day—we have sinned, we have been wicked.
16 YHWH, in accordance with all Your righteous acts, let now Your anger and Your wrath turn away from Your city Jerusalem, Your holy mountain; for because of our sins and the wrongdoings of our fathers, Jerusalem and Your people have become an object of taunting to all those around us.
17 So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant and to his pleas, and for Your sake, YHWH, let Your face shine on Your desolate sanctuary.
18 My God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations and the city which is called by Your name; for we are not presenting our pleas before You based on any merits of our own, but based on Your great compassion.
19 YHWH, hear! YHWH, forgive! YHWH, listen and take action! For Your own sake, my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people are called by Your name”.
Since Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70, we have waited a long time for the restored New Jerusalem. Jehovah God, You are God Almighty, and You have always acted according to Your will and Your plan. “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.” Jehovah God, our Father, may all honor Your name and worship You; may Your sanctuary, New Jerusalem, be restored. Amen.
May we all give Praise, Thanks, Honor to you and Jesus Christ. Amen.
Prayer is also in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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