In each one the invading Macedonians went against far larger armies. The goat struck the ram and broke his horns – The text says that the goat ran at the ram with “powerful wrath.” Alexander decisively defeated the Persians in a string of three improbable victories. The Greek Empire was established largely because of his genius.ĭ. The goat had a conspicuous horn between its eyes – Most likely this is a reference to Alexander the Great. It was that speed that enabled him to rule such a vast empire by the young age of 31.Ĭ. He didn’t stop for long before moving to his next conquest. Alexander the Great and his armies moved with lightning speed. Without touching the ground – The Greek expansion was all about speed. Across the face of the whole earth – This is likely a reference to the vast swath of territories Greece conquered. Came from the west – Greece started in the west (relative to Israel) and came east.ī. Even without this clear statement, with the benefit of history the goat’s identity is clear.Ī. A male goat came from the West – In verse 21, Gabriel identifies the goat as representing Greece. Babylon and Egypt, with all of their history and might, were easily dispatched with.Ĥ. He did as pleased and became great – For a while, the Persian Empire could not be matched militarily. However, much territory was seized and key battles fought in the three other directions.Ĭ. I saw the ram charge westward, northward, and southward – No major conquests were taken by the empire to the east. This fits with the fact that the Persian people, who were the stronger part of the alliance, rose to prominence after the Medes.ī. However, one was stronger than the other. It had two horns – The empire was forged by an alliance between the Medes and the Persians. Many aspects of the ram depicted point to specific characters of the Achaemenid Empire.Ī. Persian kings often wore helmets with ram horns in battle. The ram has long been a symbol of the Persian empire. I saw a ram – As Gabriel will explain later in the chapter, the ram represents the kingdom of the Medes and Persians. The backdrop of Esther and parts of Nehemiah take place in Susa.ģ. Later, it would become the capital of the Medo-Persian empire. I was in Susa the citadel – Susa was an important city in the region, a capital of Elam. Persia was starting to emerge as a power to contend with, but Greece was not yet any type of threat.Ģ. In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar – The dream came to Daniel after the dream in chapter 7 which occurred in the first year of Belshazzar’s reign. He does not write about everything each nation will do, but focuses in general on how the age of the Gentiles effects the Jews and specifically on how they will dominate Jerusalem and the temple.ġ. He deals with four major Gentile nations. Daniel’s message in these chapters is written primarily to the Jews. Introduction – Daniel chapters 2-7 were written in Aramaic. Psalm 135:6 – Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Psalm 103:19 – The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.ġ Chronicles 29:11-12 – Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours.
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