Ezekiel 8
Daniel 8 is the record of Daniel’s second vision, which he saw in the third year of King Belshazzar. In the early part of the chapter (verses 1–14), Daniel is shown the symbolic visions of a ram and a goat: the ram has two horns, and the goat has one horn (the prominent, large horn). The goat appears and powerfully defeats the ram, and eventually the large horn is broken off, and four horns appear. Then a small horn emerges and harms the sanctuary and the people. In the later part (verses 15–27), the angel Gabriel interprets the meaning of the vision and emphasizes that this vision will be fulfilled long afterward (at the end of the age).
1verseIn the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, the Lord GOD’s hand fell on me there.
2verseThen I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire—from the appearance of his waist and downward, fire, and from his waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.
3verseHe stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between earth and the sky, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north, where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.
4verseBehold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the appearance that I saw in the plain.
5verseThen he said to me, “Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north.” So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and saw, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry.
6verseHe said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they do? Even the great abominations that the house of Israel commit here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary? But you will again see yet other great abominations.”
7verseHe brought me to the door of the court; and when I looked, behold, a hole in the wall.
8verseThen he said to me, “Son of man, dig now in the wall.” When I had dug in the wall, I saw a door.
9verseHe said to me, “Go in, and see the wicked abominations that they do here.”
10verseSo I went in and looked, and saw every form of creeping things, abominable animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall.
11verseSeventy men of the elders of the house of Israel stood before them. In the middle of them Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan stood, every man with his censer in his hand; and the smell of the cloud of incense went up.
12verseThen he said to me, “Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in his rooms of imagery? For they say, ‘The LORD doesn’t see us. The LORD has forsaken the land.’”
13verseHe said also to me, “You will again see more of the great abominations which they do.”
14verseThen he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD’s house which was toward the north; and I saw the women sit there weeping for Tammuz.
15verseThen he said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? You will again see yet greater abominations than these.”
16verseHe brought me into the inner court of the LORD’s house; and I saw at the door of the LORD’s temple, between the porch and the altar, there were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the LORD’s temple and their faces toward the east. They were worshiping the sun toward the east.
17verseThen he said to me, “Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke me to anger. Behold, they put the branch to their nose.
18verseTherefore I will also deal in wrath. My eye won’t spare, neither will I have pity. Though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them.”
Explanation of Key Symbols
- Ram: Historically, the two horns are interpreted to represent the Median and Persian (Persia) empires, and the entire ram represents the Medo-Persian alliance.
- The goat and the large horn: The goat represents the Hellenic (Greek) empire, and the large horn represents its leader (Alexander the Great). The four horns that appear after the horn is broken suggest the history of the empire splitting into four dynasties after Alexander.
- The small horn: The small horn coming out of the four horns may refer to a person or power in actual history, described as one who opposes God’s sanctuary and truth. Multiple interpretations exist for this section.
Central Message
This chapter reveals the rise and fall of the empires that will play out on the stage of history, and that although the rulers of the world may oppose God and God’s people, God’s will and sovereignty will ultimately be established. Through the vision and its interpretation, it emphasizes God’s plan for time and history’s sovereignty and shows that even in distress, God knows everything and is ruling.
Points to Ponder
- Even in the time and history in which I live, do I trust that God’s will and providence are being carried out?
- How does the message of this vision—that even if those who have power for a moment suppress God’s truth and God’s people, it is never the end—become comfort and hope?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- When you are pressed down by worldly power and structures in the place where you live, at your workplace, or in society, check whether you turn your gaze back to God again and acknowledge His sovereignty.
- In the midst of hardship and confusion, seek peace and courage with the confidence that God’s will will ultimately be fulfilled.
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