Daniel 8:24 - Printer Friendly

ESV: His power shall be great — but not by his own power; and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints.

NIV: He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people.

NASB: And his power will be mighty, but not by his own power, And he will destroy to an extraordinary degree And be successful and do as he pleases; He will destroy mighty men and the holy people.

CSB: His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause outrageous destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful along with the holy people.

NLT: He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people.

KJV: 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.

NKJV: His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

The latter part of Daniel's vision (Daniel 8:1–2) included a ruler arising from the split of a great empire into four parts (Daniel 8:8–9, 21–23). This ruler is the infamously evil Antiochus IV Epiphanes. His rule began near the end of Greek dominance in the middle east, and just prior to the expansion of Rome. Epiphanes brutally persecuted Israel, restricted Jewish worship, and desecrated the temple with the blood of unclean animals. His death is subject to historical debate but was not natural (Daniel 8:25).

At the same time, this prophecy can be seen as one with dual fulfillment; the meaning of the vision seems to shift from the future to the "far" future. For this reason, commentators often associate the imagery with the end times (Daniel 8:23). The person often called "the Antichrist" (Revelation 13:1–4) will rise through the power of Satan and rule the earth, even demanding to be worshipped. This power will only be broken by the return of Jesus (Revelation 19:11–16).

Daniel 8:15–27 includes the angel Gabriel's explanation of Daniel's vision, along with Daniel's reaction. The symbols Daniel saw predict the end of the Medo-Persian empire, the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, and the emergence of a tyrant who persecutes the Jewish people. Though the prophecy has been "explained" Daniel doesn't fully grasp everything that's going to occur. What he's told is disturbing enough to keep him bedridden for several days.

Daniel sees a vision, later explained to him by the angel Gabriel. A swift-moving goat overpowers a two-horned ram. This represents the conquest of Greece over Medo-Persia. Then the goat's horn shatters, replaced by four more; this predicts Alexander the Great's death and succession. Later, a ruler arises to brutally persecute God's people. This prophecy refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the temple and outlawed Jewish religious practices. It also foreshadows the end times when the Antichrist will be tied to similar events. The experience leaves Daniel temporarily bedridden.

The first 6 chapters of Daniel recorded events from his life. The final chapters record his visions of the future. The prior chapter contained a dream involving several animals, depicting powerful nations. The vision explained here also deals with conquering empires, but also touches on events to come in the end times. Daniel's next passage includes his prayer for Israel and further explanation of what will happen in the last days of human history.

The book of Daniel contains famous Old Testament stories and prophecies. Daniel was taken from the Israelite people and made an advisor for a conquering empire. He demonstrates faithfulness and wisdom during many years serving in this role. Though Daniel does not deliver a public message, Jesus refers to him as a "prophet" (Matthew 24:15). The first portion of the book mostly describes Daniel's interpretations of dreams and other events. The second portion looks ahead to the end times. Daniel is classified in English Bibles as a "major" prophet, meaning the book is relatively long and the content has broad implications. The book of Revelation echoes and expands on many of the same themes.