The Little Horn: Comparing Daniel 7 and Daniel 8

Daniel 7

1 In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon Daniel had a dream and visions of his head on his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.

2 Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the four winds of the heaven strove on the great sea.

3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.

4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand on the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it.

5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus to it, Arise, devour much flesh.

6 After this I beheld, and see another, like a leopard, which had on the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.

7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.

9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.

10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.

12 As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time.

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

15 I Daniel was grieved in my spirit in the middle of my body, and the visions of my head troubled me.

16 I came near to one of them that stood by, and asked him the truth of all this. So he told me, and made me know the interpretation of the things.

17 These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth.

18 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

19 Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet;

20 And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.

21 I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

22 Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.

23 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom on earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.

24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.

25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it to the end.

27 And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

28 Till now is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.

Daniel 8

1 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first.

2 And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai.

3 Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.

4 I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

5 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.

6 And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran to him in the fury of his power.

7 And I saw him come close to the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and broke his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped on him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.

9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.

10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped on them.

11 Yes, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.

12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.

13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said to that certain saint which spoke, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

14 And he said to me, To two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

15 And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.

16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision.

17 So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell on my face: but he said to me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.

18 Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright.

19 And he said, Behold, I will make you know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.

20 The ram which you saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.

21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.

22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.

24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: why shut you up the vision; for it shall be for many days.

27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king’s business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.

Ja, das kleine Horn aus Daniel 7 und das Horn aus Daniel 8 stellen in ihrem Kern dieselbe Macht dar, nämlich Rom, jedoch in unterschiedlichen Phasen und Kontexten ihrer EntwicklungARSH April 10, 1900, page 232.12. Während das kleine Horn in Daniel 7 speziell das Papat symbolisiert, das aus dem Zerbruch des Römischen Reiches hervorging, umfasst das kleine Horn in Daniel 8 die gesamte Geschichte Roms in seiner paganen und päpstlichen FormSITI November 19, 1885, page 694.1.

Die Identität des kleinen Horns in Daniel 7

In der Vision von Daniel 7 erscheinen vier große Tiere, die die aufeinanderfolgenden Weltreiche Babylon, Medo-Persien, Griechenland und Rom darstellen Daniel 7:3-7. Rom wird hier als ein schreckliches viertes Tier mit zehn Hörnern beschrieben, welche die zehn Königreiche symbolisieren, in die das Reich zerfiel Daniel 7:7BDOC 22.1. Das „kleine Horn“, das unter diesen zehn Hörnern aufsteigt, ist eine rein kirchliche Macht, das Papsttum, welches drei der ursprünglichen Hörner – die Heruler, Vandalen und Ostgoten – ausrotteteAPEC 65.3+2. Dieses Horn besitzt Augen wie Menschenaugen und einen Mund, der anmaßende Worte gegen den Höchsten spricht, die Heiligen verfolgt und danach trachtet, Festzeiten und Gesetze zu ändern Daniel 7:8+1. Es übt seine Vorherrschaft für einen Zeitraum von 1260 Jahren aus, der im Jahr 538 n. Chr. begann und 1798 n. Chr. endete, als das Papsttum seine zivile Macht verlorAPEC 65.3+2.

Die Identität des kleinen Horns in Daniel 8

In Daniel 8 wird die Perspektive erweitert, indem das kleine Horn als eine Macht dargestellt wird, die aus einer der vier Teilungen des griechischen Reiches hervorgeht Daniel 8:8-9. Dieses Horn wird „übermäßig groß“ und repräsentiert das Römische Reich in seiner Gesamtheit, beginnend mit seiner paganen Expansion nach Süden und Osten bis hin zu seiner päpstlichen Phase, in der es sich gegen den „Fürsten des Heeres“, Jesus Christus, erhebtKPC 20.3+1. Es wirft die Wahrheit zu Boden und zertritt das Heiligtum Daniel 8:11-12. In dieser Vision wird Rom als eine Macht mit „finstrem Gesicht“ beschrieben, die durch Politik und List gedeiht und die „Heiligen des Höchsten“ vernichtet Daniel 8:23-25MWV2 69.1. Während das Horn in Daniel 7 nur den päpstlichen Aspekt betont, deckt Daniel 8 die gesamte Dauer Roms ab, von seinem Aufstieg als Weltmacht bis zu seinem Ende, wenn es „ohne Hand“ zerbrochen wirdSITI November 19, 1885, page 694.1+1.

Häufige Missverständnisse und ihre Aufklärung

Ein weit verbreitetes Missverständnis besteht darin, das kleine Horn aus Daniel 8 fälschlicherweise auf den syrischen König Antiochus Epiphanes zu beziehenLELJB 265.1. Diese Interpretation ist jedoch unhaltbar, da Antiochus nur ein einzelner König war und nicht die Kriterien erfüllte, „übermäßig groß“ zu werden oder bis zur „Zeit des Endes“ zu bestehenARSH June 4, 1857, page 36.19+1. Rom hingegen wuchs weit über die vorangegangenen Reiche hinaus und ist die einzige Macht, die sowohl das physische Jerusalem als auch das geistliche Heiligtum angriffBDOC 22.1+1.

Ein weiteres Missverständnis betrifft die Beziehung zwischen dem kleinen Horn und dem „Menschen der Sünde“ in 2. Thessalonicher 2. Paulus stützte seine Beschreibungen des Sohnes des Verderbens direkt auf die Prophezeiungen DanielsSITI November 10, 1887, page 681.1+2. Sowohl das kleine Horn als auch der Mensch der Sünde beanspruchen göttliche Autorität, indem sie sich in den Tempel Gottes setzen und sich über alles erheben, was Gott genannt wird 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4FUMP 29.3+1. Einige Interpreten trennen diese Symbole fälschlicherweise, doch ihre identischen Merkmale – die Blasphemie, die Verfolgung der Heiligen über 1260 Jahre und die Zerstörung durch das Erscheinen Christi – beweisen ihre absolute IdentitätAPEC 68.2+2.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassend lässt sich sagen, dass das kleine Horn in beiden Kapiteln denselben Geist und dieselbe antichristliche Stoßrichtung Roms verkörpertSITI November 21, 1900, page 4.8+1. Daniel 7 fokussiert sich auf den kirchlich-politischen Aufstieg des Papsttums inmitten der geteilten Nationen Europas, während Daniel 8 die umfassende Rolle Roms als Gegner der Wahrheit Gottes durch die gesamte Weltgeschichte hindurch beleuchtetARSH April 10, 1900, page 232.12+1. Beide Prophezeiungen weisen darauf hin, dass diese Macht bis zum Gericht bestehen bleibt, wenn das ewige Königreich Gottes aufgerichtet wird Daniel 7:26-27+1SITI November 10, 1887, page 681.2.