Part 3 | A Light In the Darkness
Daniel 8 | January 25, 2026
Dr. Mark S. Hartman, Lead Pastor - SCBC
1. DANIEL’S VISION OF TWO COMING KINGDOMS. (Daniel 8:1-8)
A. The Ram represented the Medo-Persian Empire.
1. Daniel 8:3-4 I looked up, and there before me was a ram with two horns, standing beside the canal, and the horns were long. One of the horns was longer than the other but grew up later. 4 I watched the ram as he charged toward the west and the north and the south. No animal could stand against him, and none could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.
2. Daniel 8:20 The two-horned ram that you saw represents the kings of Media and Persia.
B. The Goat represented Greece. (Daniel 8:5-7)
1. Daniel 8:5-7 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. 6 He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage. 7 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.
2. Daniel 8:21 The shaggy goat is the country of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king.
3. Daniel 8:8 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.
2. ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES WAS AN ANTICHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. (Daniel 8:9-25)
A. Daniel 8:9 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.
There was probably never a personality in history who hated the Jewish people as did Antiochus Epiphanes IV.
3. THE VISION CHANGES TO THE ANTICHRIST AT THE END OF TIME.
A. Daniel 8:17, 19 As Gabriel 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(also) concerns the time of the end.” 19 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.”
B. Daniel 8:23 In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked…
1. Matthew 24:12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.
2. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 You should also know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money.They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be un-loving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control; they will be cruel and have no interest in what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly.
3. 1 Timothy 4:1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. (NIV)
4. Matthew 24:10-12 And many will turn away from Me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. (NLT)
C. Daniel 8:23-25 In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power.
1. A phrase “master of intrigue” means a person amazingly capable of solving problems no one else seems capable of solving.
2. Revelation 13:2 The dragon (Satan) gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.
3. Daniel 8:24 He (the Antichrist) will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people.
4. Daniel 8:25 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. But he will be shattered, not by human hands.
5. Revelation 13:3b-4 The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?”
6. He shall directly defy Christ, but he will be defeated by Jesus Christ Himself.