Believed to have occurred in 551 BC, Daniel's second vision reinforced the details of his first dream which was recorded in Daniel, Chapter 7. The second vision describes the second and third of four kingdoms prophesied to exercise political authority over the two tribes of Judah and the ten dispersed tribes of Israel. Comprised of two separate peoples, the second kingdom was represented by a ram with two long horns. One of the horns of the ram grew longer than the other representing the initial supremacy of one nation over the other nation, then, the other horn grew up, indicating the supremacy of the latter nation over the former. Upon the fall of the Babylonian Empire, the Medo-Persian Empire was under Mede leadership, with the Persians later demonstrating supremacy over the Medes. The three nations conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire included Lydia (546 BC), Babylon (539 BC), and Egypt (535 BC).

The ram kingdom spread out, subduing the nations to the west (Babylon), north (Lydia), and south (Egypt). Described as animals, the other nations around the ram kingdom, were unable to defend themselves. The ram kingdom gained political authority over the Holy Lands and God's chosen people the Jews, who were under Babylonian rule at the time of the ram's conquest. As with the Babylonian captivity, God did not intervene in the political subjection of the Holy Lands by the Medo-Persian Empire.

As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing by the canal and charged at him in great rage. I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power. [Daniel 8:5 - 8:7]

Headed by a prominent leader, the third kingdom represented by a goat, emerged from the west and swept rapidly across the area controlled by the Medo-Persians, through furious military conquests. The third kingdom or Grecian Empire, headed by Alexander the Great, defeated Darius the Persian at Arbela beyond the Tigris River in 331 BC, seized the political authority of the Medo-Persian Empire, and subjected the nations of the ram to Grecian political authority, including the Holy Lands. As with the Babylonian and Medo-Persian captivities, God did not intervene with the subjection of the Jews by the Grecians.

The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. [Daniel 8:8]

Alexander the Great ruled from 336 BC to 323 BC, then he died suddenly at the peak of his power. History records that Alexander's natural heir did not assume political control of the Grecian Empire, but four divisions of the Grecian kingdom arose and ruled the world, from north to south, and from east to west, around Israel.

Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. [Daniel 8:9 - 8:10]

From one of the four Grecian kingdom divisions (Seleucids) came another horn or leader, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who started small, grew in power, conquered Palestine and ultimately committed great atrocities against his subjects the Jews. With initial control over Syria, Antiochus IV expanded toward the south (Egypt) and the east (Asia Minor). While in control of Jerusalem, Antiochus IV was exceedingly more wicked than previous Grecian rulers, he ousted the Jewish High-Priest through political coercion, and sold the High-Priest position to the highest bidders. Through his manifest evil, Antiochus IV orchestrated the death of the former Jewish High-Priest and scores of priests and scribes of the Holy Law. However, as with the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Grecian captivities, God did not intervene in the political subjection of the Holy Lands by Antiochus IV.

It set itself up to be as great as the Prince of the hosts; it took away the daily sacrifice from him and the place of the sanctuary was brought low. Because of rebellion, the host of the saints and the daily sacrifice were given over to it. It prospered in everything it did, and truth was thrown to the ground. [Daniel 8:11 - 8:12]

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to him, How long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled - the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, the rebellion that causes desolation, and the surrender of the sanctuary and of the host that will be trampled underfoot? He said unto me, It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated. [Daniel 8:13 - 8:14]

Two angels discussed the length of time from the new horn's desecration of the Jerusalem temple until reconsecration. In total, there would be 2,300 evenings and mornings.

Special Note: The Septuaguint or Greek translation sets reconsecration at 2,300 mornings and evenings while the Latin or Vulgate translation sets reconsecration at 2,200. Per verse 54 of the First Book of Maccabees, Chapter 1, Antiochus IV erected a dreadful desecration upon the Jerusalem temple altar on day 15 of the month of Chislev in 168 BC, and, per verse 18 of the Second Book of Maccabees, Chapter 1, the Jews celebrated reconsecration on day  25 of the month of Chislev in 165 BC. As historically recorded in the Maccabean account, there were approximately 1,100 days, or 2,200 mornings and evenings, between desecration and reconsecration. The author of this Website anticipates readers will rely upon the 2,200 number from the Vulgate translation.

While I, Daniel, was watching and trying to understand it, there before me stood one who looked like a man. And I heard a man's voice from the Ulai calling, Gabriel, tell this man the meaning of the vision. As he came near the place where I was standing, I was terrified and fell prostrate. Son of man, he said to me, understand that the vision concerns the time of the end. While he was speaking to me, I was in a deep sleep, with my face to the ground. Then he touched me and raised me to my feet. [Daniel 8:15 - 8:18]

The angel Gabriel stood before Daniel and a man's voice from the Ulai directed Gabriel to explain the meaning of the vision. As Gabriel approached, Daniel prostrated himself, in terror, and fell into a deep slumber such that he had to be awakened and raised to his feet by Gabriel. Daniel was told that his vision concerned end of times eschatology.

He said, I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end. [Daniel 8:19]

Because of the significance of the vision, Gabriel ensured that Daniel was fully awake and cognizant of the discussion. Daniel was told the vision dealt with occurrences in the time of wrath, and encompassed time from the original temple descecration by Antiochus IV up to the appointed time of the end of days and consecration of the final temple by Christ.

The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. [Daniel 8:20 - 8:21]

The ram was identified to be the Medo-Persian Empire which overtook the Babylonian Empire. The goat was identified to be the Grecian Empire and the large horn of the goat was identified to be Alexander the Great who overtook the Medo-Persian Empire.

The four horns that replace the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. [Daniel 8:22]

Splintered into four separate kingdoms after the death of Alexander, the Grecian Empire was never again united under a common leader. Each of the four separate kingdom divisions of the Grecian Empire were headed by former Alexandrian generals, who became kings sixteen years after all of Alexander's natural heirs were eliminated. The four rulers included Cassander who reigned over Macedonia and Greece, Lysimachus who reigned over Thrace and Asia Minor, Seleucus I Nicator (311-280 BC) who reigned over Syria (Seleucid dynasty), and Ptolemy I Soter (323-285 BC) who reigned over Libya, Ethiopia, Egypt and Palestine (Ptolemic dynasty).

In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong but not by his own power. He will cause astounding destruction and succeed in whatever he does. [Daniel 8:23 - 8:24]

During the latter part of the Seleucid dynasty, Antiochus III was succeeded by his son Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175 BC). In order to collect tributes, Seleucus IV sent his tax collector, Heliodorus, to rob the Jerusalem temple, however, Heliodorus engineered a conspiracy against Seleucus IV, killed him, and assumed interim Syrian leadership

Shortly before the death of Seleucus IV, his son Demetrius was sent to Rome, in a hostage trade for Antiochus IV, brother of Seleucus IV, who was previously captured by the Romans in a war with Antiochus III. Upon release from Rome, Antiochus IV traveled to Athens and secretly negotiated with the Romans, for the Seleucid throne. He convinced the Romans to keep Demetrius, the rightful heir to the throne in Rome, as a permanent hostage, in return for monetary tributes. As a part of the deal, the king of Pergamus, who was given a portion of the kingdom of Antiochus III by the Romans for assisting them in war against the Seleucid dynasty, expelled Heliodorus by force and placed Antiochus IV on the throne.

With the stoic face of a master poker player, and with his trickery, lies, and charlatanism, Antiochus IV Epiphanes finagled his way into control as ruler of the powerful kingdom of Syria and reigned from 175 BC to 164 BC. Taken for a mad man, Antiochus IV stole from the palace treasury and Jewish temples, rambled around in Roman officer disguise, and drank and caroused with people of the lowest rank.

In 170 BC, with relative ease, Antiochus IV attacked and overtook the Egyptian army, and then, he defeated the Egyptian navy. At one point, capable of destroying the commanders of the Egyptian army and masses of the population, Antiochus IV spared them and befriended several Egyptian cities in a blatant gesture of sycophancy, with the hope of persuading the young Egyptian king Ptolemy VI Philometer, who became his captured ward, to politically assist in the battle against the young king's brother who headed the remainder of the uncaptured Egyptian forces stationed in the city of Alexandria.

He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed but not by human hands. [Daniel 8:24 - 8:25]

Having risen to power after Seleucus IV, who was known for his consideration toward the Jews offering them many freedoms, Antiochus IV was absolutely ruthless in his treatment of the Jews, committing unfathomable abuse of the Jews. He deposed Onias the High-Priest and sold the priesthood to Jason, the younger brother of Onias for 440 talents of silver. Onias was subsequently killed by Andronicus, deputy to Antiochus IV in Antioch. In two incredible acts of viciousness, Antiochus IV became known throughout all future Jewish history for blatantly killing an old priest, Eleazar, on the torture wheel because he would not eat pork, and, for methodically dismembering to death, seven sons in the presence of their mother, and then the mother, for not eating pork sacrificed to Zeus Jupiter. Once while Antiochus IV was away at battle in Egypt, a false rumor spread that he was dead, sending Judea into revolt. Angered at his disloyal Jewish subjects, Antiochus IV returned to Jerusalem with his vast army and he indiscriminately killed 80,000 Jews from young to old, and sold another 40,000 Jews into slavery. He was a very evil human being.

As recorded in the Second Book of Maccabees, Chapter 9, God struck Antiochus IV down with an incurable pain in his bowels. Arrogantly acting as though unfazed by his illness, Antiochus IV was riding in a chariot when he fell out and his body was racked throughout. Living for a brief period, his body became so infected that flesh fell off his bones and produced an intolerable stench. Humbled by God, Antiochus IV died without dignity.

Gabriel stated that the number of evenings and mornings had a dual meaning. The vision was an accounting of the 1,100 days which occurred between the 168 BC desecration of the Jerusalem temple altar, and the 165 BC reconsecration of the altar by the Maccabees. In addition, the sum of 1,100 evenings and 1,100 mornings, represented an accounting of 2,200 Judaic years prophesied to occur from the 168 BC desecration of the Jerusalem temple altar, until the reconsecration of the temple for the final time, by Christ, at the end of days. Shocked by the future foretold for the Jewish nation, Daniel was told to seal up the vision, for it concerned the distant future at the end of days.

I, Daniel, was exhausted and lay ill for several days. Then I got up and went about the king's business. I was appalled by the vision; it was beyond understanding. [Daniel 8:27]