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The first section of this prophecy (verses 2-4) establishes a link with the earlier
visions, and particularly with that of chapter 8: So that, although we have already
considered this chapter, we must go back to it here, in order to establish the close
association that is intended between the history of Persia and Greece and the future
antichristian king:--
The RAM of Dan. 8: 3 is interpreted as being Media and Persia (8: 20).
The HE-GOAT of Dan. 8: 5 is interpreted as being the king of Greece (8: 21).
The GREAT HORN between the eyes of the he-goat represents the first king of
Greece, and the FOUR NOTABLE ONES that arose toward the four winds of heaven,
are interpreted as four kingdoms that shall stand up in his stead (8: 21, 22).
The angelic interpreter of Dan. 11: makes a fuller reference to these two great powers.
We now learn that there were to stand up three kings in Persia, and that the fourth, richer
than they all, would by his strength through his riches stir up all against the realm of
Greece. Alexander is spoken of as a mighty king who shall rule with great dominion, and
do according to his will, whose kingdom shall be divided toward the four winds of
heaven. So far, the chapters are parallel. Returning, however, to Dan. 8: we find that
here we immediately leave the fourfold sub-division of Alexander's kingdom for a
consideration of the yet future dominion of the beast of the Apocalypse:--
"And out of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great toward the
south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land" (8: 9).
This passage is interpreted in 8: 23-25 as follows:--
"And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a
king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences shall stand up. And his
power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and
shall prosper and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And
through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify
himself in his heart; and by peace shall destroy many: he shall stand up against the
Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."
It will be seen that in Dan. 8: no record is given of the history that intervenes
between the break-up of the kingdom of Alexander and the advent of the antichristian
king. This has an important bearing upon the interpretation of Dan. 11:, for the
prophecies concerning the kings of the south and north in 11: 10-20 are usually
interpreted as being fulfilled in the doings of Ptolemy I, II, III, IV, V and VI, of
Seleucus I, II, III and IV, and of Antiochus II, III and 4: Instead of commencing
future prophecy at 11: 21, however, we follow the lead of Dan. 8: 23 and the explicit
statement of Dan. 10: 14 (viz., that the revelation of Dan. 11: and 12: concerns Israel "in
the latter days"), and commence the prophetic and future section of Dan. 11: at verse 5,
seeing in the activities of Ptolemy and Antiochus foreshadowings only and not
fulfillments of the earlier verses.
Before proceeding further, it will be helpful to see the whole prophecy set out before
us. The subject-matter is, of course, too vast and too involved for us to attempt to include