CLEANSING OF THE SANCTUARY PART III

Daniel 8:20-22 The Ram are the kings of Media and Persia, the He Goat is Grecia.

The Ram is in fact the Media and Persia that are regarded as one empire. The He Goat described as “rough” or shaggy; called “the king of Grecia,” is an obvious reference to the kingdom as a whole, as the great horn between its eyes is identified as the first king, “Alexander the Great.” The four kingdoms represented by the four horns replaced the great horn that was broken is identified as four kingdoms arising from the nation of Greece. They are described as not having the power of the great horn.

Daniel 8:23-26 A man of fierce countenance shall destroy the mighty and holy people.

Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled in every detail that prophecy of the Little Horn, or king of fierce countenance and his works of a ruthless king in Jerusalem and Judea. Antiochus 1V of Syria in Judea felt himself frustrated by the strong national feeling of the people and especially by the Jewish religion. So, in 168 B.C., he ordered the Jews to denounce their worship for that of the Greeks, and he even dedicated to Zeus the holy temple which Solomon had built to Jehovah.

They were forced under penalty of death to offer swines flesh in sacrifice to the heathen Greek gods. The Jews were forbidden to circumcise their children under a death penalty. Some obeyed out of fear, while many refused and were murdered. Antiochus did read down the host, or Jewish people, in his attempt to destroy the worship of Jehovah and make the Jews worship other Greek gods. All of this lasted a little over three years and being most severe while it lasted.

With two sacrifices a day, one in the evening and one in the morning, would make 2,300 sacrifices, making a total of 1,150 days, then the sacrifices would cease, “then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” “He shall be broken without hands.” This was fulfilled too. God smote him and he died of a disease after the defeat of his army in Judea.

This led to a revolt under the Maccabees and after much suffering Antiochus’ army was defeated, and the sanctuary, or temple, cleansed. True worship was restored in the temple. All was repaired and cleansed, a new alter was built, gates, doors, courts, chambers were renewed, and new vessels were finished, and on Dec. 25, 165 B.C. the temple was once more dedicated to the service of the God of Israel. This memorable date became a national holiday ever after, known in Christ’s time as the Feast of Dedication, but today is now called the Feast of Lights or Hanukkah.

Daniel 8:27 I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.
Daniel 2:48 The king made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon.

The emphasis of the eighth chapter of Daniel is on prophecy as it relates to Israel; and for this reason the little horn is given prominence both in the vision and in the interpretation. The times of the Gentiles, although not entirely a period of persecution of Israel, often resulted in a great trial to them. Of the four great world empires anticipated by Daniel, only the Persian Empire was relatively kind to the Jews. Gabriel make plain that the vision will not become immediately understandable to Daniel and that its fulfillment will occupy many days.