The “Horns” of Daniel

2003-06-01

This article will be a brief look at the use of the word “horns” in Daniel. Daniel wrote about many prophecies, many that have happened, and many that have yet to happen. The article below does not spend a lot of time on the history or prophecy save for the instances where “horn,” or ruler, are discussed. Following the discussion of the “horns,” I will give a brief description of two major rulers discussed in the latter half Daniel: Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the “prince that shall come” (Daniel 9:26).

The Usage of Horns in Daniel 7: The Roman Empire

The four Beasts in Daniel 7 are four world empires: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, respectively.

The first occurrence of the horn used as a metaphor to describe kings is in Daniel 7:7 The ‘horn’ is a symbol of strength or power throughout the Old Testament (cf. Psalm 18:2; 75:10). The ten horns are kings that rule simultaneously in the Roman Empire, which is the fierce beast with iron teeth.

In Daniel 7:8, another horn came up in the middle of the ten horns, i.e., another king. This is a yet-future event; Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Seleucid Syria is not a Roman ruler. Verse 8 describes him as a little horn in this verse, but it is considered “more stout than his fellows” in 7:20. It had eyes and a mouth, speaking boastful words. This king also subdues three of the other kings.

In Daniel 7:11, 25, this king will speak terrible things against God, and will be allowed to continue as he is for a time, times, and half a time, i.e., three and one half years. In verse 26, he and his kingdom will be taken away and the Most High will rule.

In short, these kings are Roman kings, and they have not yet ruled. The only beast with the description of horns is the fourth beast, Rome. This is eschatological, not historical. Historical Rome does not have any events that resemble this.

The Usage of Horns in Daniel 8: Medo-Persia and Greece

In Daniel 8:3, the ram is Medo-Persia, and the horns represent the kings of Media and Persia (Daniel 8:20). The longer horn coming up last is Persia. Persia saw worldwide glory. The kingdom extended North, West, and South. Daniel 8:5ff depicts a male goat, which is Greece (Daniel 8:21), and its noted horn is the first king, i.e. Alexander the Great, son of Phillip II of Macedonia. He is full of wrath when coming eastward in retaliation of a Persian attack on Greece, and the Persian Empire fell. His conquest was swift, as he “touched not the ground” (Daniel 8:5).

The one horn broke in 8:8, and four horns came up in his place (Daniel 8:22). Alexander the Great died without an heir, therefore his four generals divided up the kingdom: Cassander, Lysimacus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy (1 Maccabees 1:6; note, this apocryphal writing is not in the Bible, and therefore is not the inspired Word of God, as I use this only as a historical reference here and elsewhere).

A king from one of these new kingdoms rose up, Antiochus of the Seleucids, in 8:9ff (see also Daniel 8:23ff). He disrupted the Jewish sacrificial system and defiled the Temple with an unclean animal sacrifice (cf. 1 Maccabees 1:18-64). These were written prophetically at the time of Daniel, but have happened since and are historical events.

Rulers in the Remainder of Daniel

Discussion of the future Roman king in Daniel 9: A yet-future king (the prince that shall come) will come after the first 69 seven-year periods, when the Messiah is killed (about A.D. 33), and this king’s people (i.e. Romans) destroy Jerusalem (A.D. 70). “And the end thereof” (9:26) designates a shift to the distant future, during the end times. After these things, he makes a covenant at the beginning of the seventieth seven. He will later disrupt sacrifice in the middle of the seven-year period.

Discussion of Antiochus IV Epiphanes in Daniel 11:21-35: He rose up in his father’s estate, during a time of peace. He used his money for advances, and deceived his enemies. After he defeated the Egyptians of the south (1 Maccabees 1:16-20), he came back with wealth (Daniel 11:28; 1 Maccabees 1:19). When Chittim (Cyprus) made an attack, Antiochus was defeated in Egypt (Daniel 11:28). He then returned home with anger against the Jews. This is when he stopped normal sacrifice and set up the abomination of desolation, a sacrifice of a sow on the altar (1 Maccabees 1:54).

Discussion of the future Roman king in Daniel 11:36-45: Starting in verse 36, there is a shift from the atrocities of Antiochus Epiphanes to the time of the end where this final world ruler reigns. The indicator of this shift is the use of the phrase “even to the time of the end” (11:35), similar to that of 9:26. This ruler will abandon traditional religion and honor a god of fortresses, and power. Others will rebel against him, but he will be victorious. He will go forth in his anger, and while in the land of the Holy Mountain, between Jerusalem and the Mediterranean, he will come to his end suddenly (11:45). This is the same Roman ruler of the end times discussed in 9:22-27.

Conclusion

The Jewish people had suffered ghastly torture under the rule of Antiochus Epiphanes. A look at 2 Maccabees 7 in the Apocrypha (religious writings written between the Old and New Testaments with some historical value, once again, not in the Bible) talks about some of what these people suffered because they would not forsake God’s Law. Jesus also states in Matthew 10:22 that we can expect to be hated because of His name’s sake. Because the world hates God, the world also hates anyone associated with God. Nonetheless, God is faithful to His people. Jesus says to His disciples before ascended to heaven that “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

From Daniel, we know that terrible times are on the horizon. This prince that shall come will be just more sinister than Antiochus IV Epiphanes. This future king “shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god... Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all” (Daniel 11:36-37). Just as Antiochus’ name “Epiphanes” suggests, he believed he was a god manifest; this future king will do the same, producing false miracles to somehow “authenticate” his alleged divinity (Revelation 13:3). In Matthew 24:5, Jesus warns that many will come later and say that they are the Messiah, just as this future king will claim.

During this age of uncertainty, we must take these warnings to heart. Things are not getting better in this world. You and I know this well. Where is our hope? Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Peter, when speaking to the high priest about Jesus, said, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). There is nobody else coming that will come to turn this world around, except for Jesus Christ, when He returns in glory. He came first to die for our iniquity, and rose again from the dead, in which there were many witnesses. But when He returns, He describes His coming as this: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:27). Today is the day we need to make sure that we are right with God, because we never know what tomorrow will bring. Trust in Jesus Christ, that He paid the price for us to know Him eternally: and in the future, in life and in death, you will have nothing to fear.