In Daniel 8:1-12, the prophet  relates a very interesting dream. He was standing beside the Ulai Canal, just outside the citadel of Susa, in Medo-Persia. Daniel saw a ram that had two horns that grew, one after the other. The second or latter horn growing bigger than the first. The boastful ram was "...charging west, north, and south." He was victorious in all he did and it seemed like no animal could challenge him (Daniel 8:3-4).
Suddenly, out of the west, came a shaggy Billy goat moving so fast that he did not touch the ground. The he-goat had a prominent horn on his forehead. He viciously attacked the ram and totally overpowered him. He gave him no quarter, but  shattered both the ram's horns, defeating him and trampling on him. Indeed no one could save the ram from the Billy goat's murderous rage!

However, at the height of his power, the shaggy he-goat's prominent horn broke. In its place, there grew four new horns that spread "...toward the four winds..." (Daniel 8:8). Out of one of them, there emerged yet another horn. This last horn "...started small but grew in power toward the south, east and the Pleasant Land..." (Daniel 8:9). It cast down some of the hosts of heaven, and even "...exalted himself above the Prince of the host." By him also, were "...the daily sacrifices taken away",  and "...the place of the sanctuary was brought low." (cf Daniel 8:11-12).

In the interpretation, it is revealed that the ram was the Medo-Persian empire, with the two horns being the Median, and later, the Persian kings. History bears this out as it shows that the Medes were first in ascendancy (cf Daniel 5:20-21), with the Persians taking over later. It is also true that the Medo-Persians reached their zenith during the Persian era. In verse 21, we are told that the shaggy he-goat is the Grecian empire, and that the prominent horn between his eyes, is their first king. This notable horn was the Macedonian military genius, Alexander the Great. Meeting the overflowing Persian host on the plains of Arbela (aka Gaugamela) in 331BC, Alexander, with only 47,000 soldiers was able to humiliate and soundly defeat the mighty Persian hordes numbering over a million! The ram had "met its Waterloo"! Alexander's conquests then proceeded headlong into the Indian subcontinent, but were brought short by the mighty Himalayan mountain ranges. His troops persuaded him to initiate a lengthy retreat heading home. He was, however, brought down by marsh fever (some say alcoholism, or both) and died shortly thereafter in Babylon, at the age of 32.

Upon his demise, Alexander's vast empire was subsequently divided among four of his close generals. Lysimachus took Macedonia,  Cassander took Greece and Asia Minor, Ptolemy-Soter took Egypt, and Seleucus-Nicator took Babylonia. These are the kingdoms represented by the four horns that sprouted after the notable horn broke.

In verse 13, an important question is posited: "...how long will it take for the vision to be fulfilled..?" In answer, the angel stated: "...it will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated."
In 167BC, in an overzealous Hellenization mission - and to spite the Jews and break their fervently monotheistic spirit - the Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, not only brought the statue of Zeus into the Temple at Jerusalem, but actually offered swine as sacrifices to Zeus on the Temple's sacred altar!
The Jews were outraged, and, led by Judas Maccabees, they revolted against Grecian rule. In a guerilla war lasting about three years, the Hasmoneans managed to dislodge the Greeks from the Holy Land and reconsecrated the Temple. This was the beginning of the Hasmonean Dynasty which ruled Judea till about the time of the Romans. The Jewish festival of lights (Hanukkah), is dedicated to celebrating this important Jewish victory over paganism.

The approximately three years period, is the "...2,300 evenings and mornings" referred to in the prophecy. It covered from 167 to about 164BC. According to the Bible, the literal "Day" begins in the evening and ends the next evening. There's therefore 12 hours of Darkness/night, followed by 12 hours of Light/day, to make a full 24hour Day. (cf Genesis 1:5,8,13,19 and Leviticus 23:32). The prophecy therefore, was NOT talking about prophetic, but rather, LITERAL DAYS! That is why Daniel 8:26 repeats that it is a vision of "evenings" and "mornings"! The teaching by a certain Sabbath keeping religious organisation that the prophecy had to do with Yahshua's Second Coming is therefore erroneous.

But back to our story. It was out of the Seleucid horn (Babylonia) that the "exceedingly great horn" emerged. This horn is the subject of our article. The events leading to the emergence of the horn were, however, to take place much later: "...when the TRANSGRESSORS are come to the full." (Daniel 8:23, KJV, emphasis mine). Transgression always has to do with the breaking of God's law (cf 1John 3:4).

Who then, are the transgressors? The only human power that has had the audacity to try to change the immutable laws of God Almighty, is the Roman Empire (cf Daniel 7:25). As a power, Rome emerged circa 168BC, under the Roman general Julius Caesar. Arising from the Italian peninsula, this Mediterranean power achieved much greatness especially under the Emperor Octavian (aka Augustus Caesar). He is even mentioned in Luke 2:1. In 538AD however, Imperial Rome ceded her civil powers to an ecclesiastical organisation, when the Emperor Justinian vacated his throne in favour of the Bishop of Rome.The Bishop of Rome (later called the Pope), became a civil as well as religious leader. Pagan Rome slowly morphed into Papal Rome (cf Revelation 13: 4). It was Papal Rome that finally finished the work of trying to change God's Ten Commandments, which work had begun with the Emperor Constantine's first Sunday Law enacted in 321AD. Subsequent Church Councils such as those of Nicaea (325AD), and Laodicea (364AD), reinforced these changes. To date, the Second Commandment does not appear on Catholic chatechisms. The Fourth Commandment (on Shabbat observance), remains greatly mutilated. Rome therefore, are the "transgressors" of our text.

But, once again, back to our main story. It was shortly after 538AD, that a very charismatic personality was born among the then pagan Qureishi tribe in the Arabian peninsula. His name was Muhammad ibn Abd Allah. He was born in 570AD. Muhammad lost his father at a tender age and was therefore brought up by his uncle, Abu Talib, who was a merchant. Muhammad would sometimes acompany  his uncle's trade caravans to the Holy Land. He therefore had a fairly good knowledge of the Jewish faith which greatly influenced the religion he was to found later. Such Islamic elements as monotheism, giving of alms (zakat), fasting (saum), regular hours of prayer around the clock (salat), the mosque as a religious cum social centre, facing of Mecca during prayer etc were borrowed from the Jewish faith. They even claim to recognise the Torah (Taurati), the Psalms (Zabr), and the Gospels (Injil).

Later, as a young man, Muhammad would frequently go to meditate in a cave at Hira, near Mecca. It was in this cave that he supposedly had a series of visions from the Angel Gabriel (Jibril) who had important messages from Allah (god of the Arabs). He claimed to have been instructed to found a new religion. He founded Islam. This was around 610AD. By 622AD, however, Muhammad turned away from being a mere preacher and took up the sword, in order to more aggressively propagate the new religion. The course of his lightning fast religious conquests took the exact path prophesied by Daniel. At the edge of the sword, the whole Arabian peninsula embraced Islam. He then directed his attention on the Holy Land. Muhammad thought that if he went to Jerusalem with his twelve apostles (caliphs), the Jews would accept him as their long awaited Messiah. When he was rejected, Muhammad turned on them and fought against them. He thus "...destroyed...the holy people." (Daniel 8:24). Jerusalem fell and by 632AD, the Arabs started building the Mosque of Omar (aka Dome of the Rock) on the holy site of Solomon's Temple. By thus desecrating the Temple Area, the Jews could no longer present the Daily Sacrifices. Muhammad therefore; "...took away the daily sacrifices." By the same token, was "...the place of the sanctuary cast down."

It was this same Muhammad that stood "...against the Prince of princes." (Daniel 8:25). Yahshua is the said Prince of princes (cf Revelation 1:5, 17:14, 19:16). So how did Muhammad exalt himself above Yahshua?! According to Islam, God appeared to five great prophets: Noah (Nuh), Abraham (Ibrahim), Moshe (Musa), Yahshua (Isa ibn Maryam) and Muhammad. Among these, Muhammad is the last and greatest. Yahshua is therefore relegated to a much lesser position than Muhammad! In fact, they derogatively refer to him as "Isa ibn Maryam" (literally, 'Yahshua, the son of Maryam'). They therefore do not recognize him as the Son of God, but only acknowledge his human aspect. Here are some quotes from the Qur'an: "Now, we believe that our Lord - Exalted is his Majesty - has neither taken a mate or offspring." (Surah Al-Jinn 72:3); "...it does not befit Allah to take for himself a son..." (Surah Maryam 19:35); "... they say, 'Allah has offspring'. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens, and whatever is on the earth. You have no proof of this! Do you say about Allah what you do not know?" (Yunus 10:68).

A brief look at the Bible exposes the above errors: "...what is his name, and what is HIS SON's name, if thou canst tell?" (Proverbs 30:4, last part, KJV, emphasis mine); "For unto us a child is born, unto us a SON is GIVEN..." (Isaiah 9:6, KJV, full caps added); "...he shall be great, and shall be called the SON of the HIGHEST..." (Luke 1:32, KJV, emphasis mine).

So who shall we believe? Some revelations by a suspect spirit speaking and  contradicting the Bible 600 years after Yahshua's resurrection?! Or shall we stick to the time-tested ancient path as adjured by the prophet Jeremiah? "...Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ANCIENT paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it and you shall find rest for your souls..." (Jeremiah 6:16, NIV, full caps mine). According to Muhammad, an angel talked to him. That may not be in doubt. However, certainly, the question must be asked: who really talked to Muhammad?! For it certainly was not Gabriel. For how could Gabriel come to contradict his own message  from God, 600 years later?! The message he gave to both Yoseph and Miryam (cf Matthew 2:20-21 and Luke 2:26-32). Aren't any such angels or humans at the risk of falling under the double curse of Galatians 1:8?!

And so indeed, by Muhammad, was: "...deceit caused to prosper..." Furthermore, Islam teaches that Yahshua was never crucified! So they deny his sacrificial death on the cross (cf Al-Nisah 4:147).

Muhammad was also a "master of intrigue" and "...understood dark sentences." According to Islamic teachings, it is commendable for a Muslim to dishonour any agreement entered into with a non Muslim (Kaffir or infidel). Treachery may therefore be perpetrated against any non-muslim! No wonder then, none of the Arab-Israeli peace agreements (Camp David, Oslo Accords etc) have ever borne fruit!

The "...dark sentences" here may be a reference to the fact that Islam acknowledges a dark spirit world and has congress with it (cf Surah Al-Jinn). Remember Salman Rushdie and his book "The Satanic Verses"?! Muhammad had mentioned the three pagan Meccan goddesses Al-Lat, Al-Uzza and Manat (daughters of the moon god and sun goddess)  as "exalted swans" whose intercession was to be expected. It made Islam's message more readily acceptable to the polytheistic heathen of Mecca. However, when the position became untenable in view of the monotheistic religion he was propagating, Muhammad claimed Satan had interfered with his message! Immediately after the book's publication, the Iranian Supreme Leader, the Ayatollah Ruhola Khomeini declared a "fatwa" (death sentence with a price tag) against the British author!

Finally, Muhammad did not just spring up on his own, but was sponsored, coached and propped up by Rome for their own nefarious reasons. So, he came to prominence "...not by his own power." (Daniel 8:24). However, due to limitations on space and scope of this work, we will not go into much detail here. Suffice it to say that the religion of Muhammad is the only power that adequately fulfills the prophecies of Daniel 8. Blessings and Shalom.

Pst Kennedy Chang'andu