Daniel 8:24
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Daniel 8:24 belongs to a vision that Daniel received directly from God. Even Daniel himself did not grasp its full meaning, for its prophetic message was sealed until the time of the end, when it would be understood. Its prophecy is especially for the last days, and the events it foretells are in process of fulfillment and will soon come to pass. Its prophetic chronology is considered together with Daniel 9, with the prophetic periods reckoned from 457 B.C.
The power that destroys the mighty and the holy people is Rome as the little horn that followed the four kingdoms into which Alexander's empire was divided, rather than Antiochus Epiphanes. Rome began small and grew greatly toward the east and toward the south. Rome persecuted the disciples and ministers of Jesus and joined with Herod and Pontius Pilate against Jesus. Its destruction of the holy people is illustrated by 50 to 100 million martyrs attesting to its persecution.