Purpose
Previous articles discussed the metal statue of Daniel 2 (see here) and the four beasts of Daniel 7 (see here). These articles do not identify the four empires in those chapters, nor the main character in Daniel 7, symbolized as an 11th horn that “will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One” (Dan 7:25). This article provides an overview of Daniel 8 and lists the alternative interpretations of its main character, represented by a small horn.
Overview of the Prophecy
The Ram and the Goat
Only two animals appear in the vision in Daniel 8:
The first is a ram, explicitly identified as Mede-Persia (Dan 8:20), conquers into three directions, the north, the west, and the south (Dan 8:3-4).
Next, a goat with one large horn, explicitly identified as Greece (Dan 8:20-21), defeats the Medo-Persian ram and becomes the dominant power (Dan 8:5-7).
The Horns
At first, the goat has one large horn, but this horn was “broken,” and four horns, extending out to the four winds of heaven (the four compass directions), came up in its place (Dan 8:8). Commentators agree that the one large horn represents the Greek kingdom of Alexander the Great and the four horns are the four parts into which the Greek empire divided after Alexander’s death.
The Little Horn
However, the main character in the chapter is another horn (“a little horn“). It does not attack any beast or kingdom but opposes:
(a) God’s people, symbolized as “the host of the stars” (Dan 8:10),
(b) God’s work of redemption, described as the tamid (daily or continual) and the temple (Dan 8:11-12), and
(c) God’s principal representative, called “the Prince of the host” or “the Prince of princes” (Dan 8:11, 25).
Daniel 8 does not explicitly identify it, and there is much disagreement about its identity.
The Conversation in Heaven
Daniel then overheard two heavenly beings discussing the vision. One asked how long God’s holy place and God’s people will be trampled. The other answered that the holy place would be restored after “2300 evenings and mornings.” (Dan 8:13, 14)
Focus on the Evil Power
Daniel 8 does not mention the first kingdom of Daniel 7 (Babylon) or the last (eternal) kingdom. Instead, it focuses on and provides additional information about the main evil character in the Book of Daniel, symbolized by an evil horn-king in both Daniel 7 and 8. Most of Daniel 8 is devoted to this king.
The Same Horn
For the following reasons, commentators agree that the evil horns in Daniel 7 and 8 symbolize the same entity:
(a) The same symbol (a horn) is used for both. If a distinction had been intended, one way would have been to use a different symbol.
(b) They are described as similar. For example, both begin small and become great (Dan 7:8 and 8:9), blaspheme God (Dan 7:8, 25 and 8:11, 25), persecute God’s people (Dan 7:21, 25 and 8:11, 25), are the main characters in their visions, and are eventually destroyed (Dan 7:26 and 8:25).
(c) Later prophecies amplify the earlier ones. Commentators agree on this principle. For example, Daniel 7 repeats the four empires of Daniel 2 with additional information, using heads and horns to represent the divisions of these empires. This principle implies that the vision of Daniel 8 elaborates on the vision of Daniel 7, which supports the conclusion that the little horns in Daniel 7 and 8 represent the same entity. Show More
Three Interpretations
Who is this little horn that blasphemes God and persecutes His people (Dan 8:9-14)? And what is its 2300 evening-mornings during which it will profane the sanctuary?
Preterist – The Greek king Antiochus
Critical Scholars believe that the Antichrist horn represents the Greek king Antiochus. In this view:
(A) The ‘prophecies’ of the book of Daniel have already been fulfilled and have no significance for the present day or the future.
(B) The little horn arose from one of the four divisions of Alexander’s Greek empire.
(C) Specifically, the little horn symbolizes the Greek king Antiochus IV Epiphanes (second century BC).
(D) The 2300 “evening-mornings” are 2300 individual morning and evening sacrifices, or 1150 literal days, and describe a period during the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
(E) The sanctuary refers to the literal temple in Jerusalem that Antiochus polluted and the victorious Jewish rebels purified before January 1, 164 B.C.
Futurists – An end-time Antichrist
Futurists believe it is an end-time Antichrist. They generally follow the same line of reasoning as the Preterists but regard Antiochus as a type of an end-time Antichrist who will arise in the final years of earth’s history, just before Jesus returns.
Some futurists apply the 2300 “evening-mornings” to the end time, interpreting it as literal evenings-mornings or the literal 2300 days of the end-time reign of this Antichrist. According to this interpretation, during the last seven years of earth’s history, a literal temple (to be rebuilt in Jerusalem for the Jews) will be polluted by this Antichrist. The 2300 days end when Christ returns, ends the reign of the Antichrist and restores the temple.
Historicists – Church of the Roman Empire
From a historicist’s perspective, the Little Horn is the Roman Church. In this view:
(A) The prophecies in Daniel and Revelation outline the history of the ongoing struggle between good and evil down through the centuries, to the end of time.
(B) The evil horn-king represents the Church of the Roman Empire (the Roman Church). To explain:
In the year 380, the emperor Theodosius made Western Nicene Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire (see here). The Christianity of the other European nations remained ‘Arian,’ which was the Church’s traditional teaching during the preceding centuries.
During the fifth century, these other nations wrestled control of Europe and fragmented it into various kingdoms. Now Europe had become ‘Arian’ again (see here).
In the sixth century, the Eastern Emperor Justinian subjected these ‘Arian’ nations and elevated the Roman Church above the Arian Church. The Eastern Roman Empire ruled the West through the church for the next two centuries. This made the Roman Church very powerful, causing all ‘Arian’ nations to convert to Roman Christianity. (See here)
After the influence of the Eastern Empire in the West evaporated in the eighth century, the Roman Church survived by seeking other protectors.
In the High Middle Ages, the Roman Church became more powerful than the European monarchs. Consequently, the Church of the Roman Empire became the church of the Middle Ages.
(C) Utilizing the year-for-a-day principle, historicists have held that the 2300 evening-mornings describe a period of 2300 literal years, beginning in the time of the Medo-Persian Ram and concluding after the Middle Ages, when the power of the Roman Church to persecute God’s people was broken, with the recovery of Biblical truth after the distortions of the Middle Ages.
(D) The purification of the sanctuary symbolizes the restoration of God’s people and their message.
Comparison of the Three Views
These three interpretations of the various elements in Daniel 8:9-14 may be summarized as follows:
| Preterist | Historicist | Futurist | |
| Little horn | Antiochus IV | Roman Church | End-time Antichrist |
| 2300 days | 1150 past days | 2300 historical years | 2300 end-time days |
| Temple | In Jerusalem | God’s people | In end-time Jerusalem |
| Cleansing | Before 164 BC | After the Middle Ages | Return of Christ |
Other Articles
Other articles in this series identify the fourth animal in Daniel 7, out of which this evil horn grows. By comparing the animals of Daniel 7 to those of Daniel 8, another article identifies the fourth animal as the Roman and the 11 horns as the kingdoms into which the Empire fragmented (see here).
The little horn of Daniel 8 arose from one of the divisions into which Alexander’s empire had split. Since Alexander had never conquered Italy/Rome, that horn cannot be synonymous with the little horn of Daniel 7.
Both horns are similar. Both wield political and spiritual power.
Both are persecuting powers that persecute the saints of God.
Both represent end-time false religious systems.
The horn of Daniel 7 represents the Roman Catholic system and
The horn of Daniel 8 represents the Muslim system – Islam.
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