Some Quick Notes on the "Little Horn" Prophecy in Daniel 8

The Little Horn of Daniel 8.  

In this chapter, Daniel sees the vision of the ram, goat, and little horn.  While perhaps a challenging vision (enough to confuse Daniel and cause him to become sick—v. 27), it also clearly prophesies the coming of the Medo-Persian empire and its defeat by Greece (vv. 20–21).  If that is the case, then the little horn also predicts Antiochus Epiphanes (175–163 BC).  

The Master’s Seminary Journal published a helpful article explaining this and a chart to help with the elements of the vision:[1]

Specifically, the vision fits Antiochus because he persecuted God’s people (v. 24), he magnified himself (vv. 11, 25 [“Epiphanies” means “God manifest”]), he started from a place of insignificance (v. 9), he died of natural causes (v. 25), rose to power out of the ranks of Alexander the Great’s four generals (v. 9), experienced marginal victory in conquests south, east, and in Israel (v. 9), defiled the temple and interrupted the temple sacrifices (vv. 11–14).

However, if this passage was meant to only warn of Antiochus IV, then we see some problems.  First, Hassler argues in the article that the rise of the little horn could have come from the winds, coming from his place (not the other horns), and appears to come from another place (not attached to the creature and therefore perhaps not Grecian.    Antiochus also failed to complete his conquests, especially in Egypt, where he was turned back—and completely failed in gaining more territory (vv. 4, 5, 8, 9).  Moreover, even though the text says that the little horn emerges “In the latter period of their rule” (v. 23), “Antiochus IV did not live during the latter period of the Seleucid Kingdom, but near the middle.”[2]  Antiochus also obviously did not reign during “the time of the end” (v. 17), a phrase used throughout the book to refer to the coming resurrection of the dead, the Second Coming.  Antiochus’ interruption of the temple sacrifices was only 1080 days, less than half of the required 2,300 days, and he failed to destroy the temple (vv. 11–14).

Besides the unfulfilled prophecy, there’s another problem with the idea that the little horn refers to Antiochus.  When Jesus is giving the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24, He says, “when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (v. 15).  That means, at least in the time of Christ, there was a future desolation.  Some think that it may refer to the destruction of the temple by the Romans in ad 70, but there’s no evidence that there was an act of defilement first. The best way to see both of these references to the little horn is to interpret them as having an “already and not yet” aspect.

Hassler argues that the “little horn” of Daniel 7 is the same as this one, rather convincingly.  Even so, we will move onto another description.

The Coming Prince of Daniel 9:26–27.

They were in the midst of a seventy-year Babylonian Captivity for ignoring the sabbatical-year for 490 years (Lev 25:2–5; 26:34–35, 43; 2 Chron 36:21; Dan 9:2).  Another 490 period or “seventy sevens” is declared “for your people and your holy city” (v. 24).  Notice the focus on the Jewish people.  Yet, there’s a problem here: all has not been achieved for this 490-year period.  Here are the six goals: to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy place.

The finality here was not achieved at the first coming of Christ.  For instance, He atoned for sin but did not make an end of it.  He fulfilled all righteousness in Himself, but the whole of Israel and the world still lacks an everlasting righteousness.

The text twice divides this period into two periods—one of sixty-two weeks, and one of one week (vv. 25–27).  After a period of sixty-two weeks of years, the Messiah would be cut off (v. 26).

Notice the figure of the final seven years.  “The prince represents the same ruler as the little horn of chapter 8, as confirmed by three specific points of correspondence. Namely, this individual lives in the end time (8:17; 9:26–27), he stops the sacrifices (8:11–13; 9:27), and he pertains to ‘the transgression/abomination that desolates (שמם) (8:13; 9:27).”[3]

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[1] Mark A. Hassler, “The Identity of the Little Horn in Daniel 8: Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Rome, or the Antichrist?” MSJ 27/1 (Spring 2016) 33–44.  Available online at: https://www.tms.edu/m/msj27.1.pdf, accessed August 21, 2018.

[2] Ibid., 37.

[3] Ibid., 42.