Faith Looking Forward

“The vision of the evenings and mornings that has been given you is true, but seal up the vision, for it concerns the distant future.” (Daniel 8:26)

Daniel’s Vision: a Ram, a Goat, and a Horn (Daniel 8:1-12)

The Timing and the Meaning of Daniel’s Vision (Daniel 8:13-27)

The Final Beast, Anticipatory Beasts, and the Spirit of Antichrist (Daniel 8:25; 7:24-27; Matthew 24:15, 29-30; 1 John 2:18)

Faith Looking Forward to the King (Revelation 22:20)

1. What excites or frightens you most about the future?
2. As we continue our series, “Daniel: Apocalyptic Imagination and Exile Faith,” this week we are looking at chapter 8. Take a minute to be still before God, then ask God to speak to you through His word before reading Daniel 8:1-27 aloud.
3. Background: Daniel 8 continues the apocalyptic visions of the second half of the book. Daniel has this vision during the third year of the reign of Belshazzar, the last of the Babylonian kings represented in Daniel, and thus it takes place chronologically before Daniel 5 and 6. It is likely that Daniel is not literally in Susa of Elam (8:2), but finds himself there in his vision.
4. According to Gabriel in 8:20-22, what do the vision of a ram with two horns (8:3-4) and the goat with one large horn later replaced with four horns (8:5-8) represent?
5. This chapter largely focuses upon “another horn” (8:9), representing a specific king, arising from one of the four horns of the goat. What do we learn about this king/horn from 8:9-12 and 8:23-25?
6. Background: There is almost universal agreement from biblical scholars that this other horn represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Greek king of the Seleucid Empire who reigned over Syria from 175-164 B.C. In 167 B.C. he overran Jerusalem, set up an altar to Zeus in the Temple, and sacrificed swine upon it, thereby desecrating the Temple. This led to the Jewish Maccabean revolt which eventually led to the re-consecration of the Temple in 165 B.C.
7. After this vision, Daniel is overwhelmed and exhausted (8:26-27). Why do you think this is? Is there anything in this chapter that is overwhelming or exhausting for you? Why or why not?
8. What is one specific thing that God is speaking to you through this study? If you are with a small group, discuss that with one another and pray for one another. If you are study- ing on your own, write it down and share it with someone.

• Explore resources on the book of Daniel at The Bible Project.
• Read more about Antiochus IV Epiphanes:
  • livius.org/articles/person/antiochus-iv-epiphanes/
  • gotquestions.org/Antiochus-Epiphanes.html
• Read more about the Maccabean revolt prophesied in Daniel’s vision:
  • 1 Maccabees
  • 2 Maccabees