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Author's Note:  Iraq’s demise by the American-led coalition commenced in March 19, 2003--the day following Purim, 2003, on Shushan Purim (Jerusalem's celebration of Purim).  The second Persian Gulf conflict involving Iran is the catalyst that sets in motion a torrent of end-time disasters, which follow in quick succession, one after the other. 

Daniel 8:1-9;  11:1-4              

In Daniel 7 we discovered that the "four winds" (four angels) of Heaven stir up the great sea of peoples, and out of this divine movement emerged four governmental beasts: Lion with Eagle's Wings (United States/United Kingdom); Bear (Russian Federation); Leopard (China and Eastern Asia); and Terrible Beast with Ten Horns (Western European Union).  From the Terrible Beast will emerge the "little horn" (little country) whose ruler will reign for a "time, times and dividing of time," (1,260 days/ 3 1/2 years--Daniel 7:25).

In Daniel 8 we rediscover the four winds and the emergence of the little horn in verses 8-9.  However, new events are depicted which are not found in the first of Daniel's visions.  A conflict will ensue before the four winds emerge and Antichrist comes into power.  What is the event?  Where is it located?  These are questions which we attempt to answer in this study.

Daniel's second vision (chapter 8) of the last days comes to him a couple of years after the first one in Daniel 7.  The prophecy was similar to the first one, he says.  In his vision he sees himself beside the Ulai Canal or River, which would indicate the region near the Persian Gulf region in Old Babylon.  The area today near the border between Iraq and Iran.  How appropriate that the final conflict may well begin in the same region where sin first took root-- near what may have been the Garden of Eden where the two great rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, meet. The map below illustrates the boundaries of the Media and Persian empires about 600 B.C., near the time of Daniel's visions. Media's primary location is located near modern-day northern Iran and Iraq.

Two-horned (Islamic) Ram

1. What kind of animal does Daniel see (8:1-4)?             

The prophet sees a Ram with two horns and one horn was longer or larger than the other and emerged later.  The Ram charges to the west, north and south and becomes great in power.  The Ram represents Islam and the two prominent horns of this Bible prophecy represent two distinct Islamic countries.  One smaller horn next to a larger and more powerful horn.

Daniel is in vision and he sees himself at Susa.  If you click on the Iran map below you will notice that modern Susa is about 100 miles north of the Persian Gulf in Iran, near the border of Iraq.

Michael instructs Gabriel later in the chapter to explain the vision to Daniel (vs. 15-16).  Horns in prophecy represents nations, and Daniel is told that the two horns represent two kingdoms that would fight a battle against a Western power referred to as the Goat.

2. In what segment of time is the vision going to be fulfilled (vs. 17-19), according to Gabriel?             

Gabriel states twice, as though to add emphasis, that the confrontation conveyed in the vision concerns the "time of the end."  Many commentators have applied the vision to historical events thousands of years ago (331 B.C.), but this would be an application at best and not the fulfillment.  On the other hand, we may be nearing the end of time; for this reason, we should look at the world around us to consider what nations might be represented in the vision.

3. According to Daniel 8:20, to whom does Gabriel associate the two-horned Ram?        

Media and Persia.  The location of Daniel's vision borders between Iran and Iraq, and two horns (countries) are involved, therefore, the description would indicate that Media likely refers to Iraq, and Persia to Iran-- a country which changed its name from Persia to Iran just a few decades ago in 1935.  The wild Ram (representing Islam) is charging to the west, north and south, and it looks to be an animal of great size and strength; however, according to the prophecy the two-horns (Iraq and Iran) will be broken off.

Goat Coalition

4. Daniel 8:5 states that a Goat with a prominent horn (country) comes from what direction?            

The Goat comes from the west from a great distance and at a remarkable speed to deal with the two-horned ram- Iraq and Iran.  

5. How successful is the Goat in dealing with these two countries (vs. 6-7)?                  

The two horns will be shattered.  So strong is the Goat that he tramples the two-horned Ram with speed and power. First the smaller horn (Iraq), followed by the larger horn (Iran).

Daniel 8:21 identifies the powerful Goat and the "horn" as the first king (first in standing--the most powerful).  The translators identified the Goat as “Greece” which in Hebrew is actually “Yawan” (“Javan”).  Javan was one of the sons of Japheth (Genesis 10:2), and at the writing of Daniel Javan implied not so much a specific nation but powers from the west.  Since the vision concerns the time of the end, it would be reasonable to identify the Goat as a coalition of western powers and the prominent horn as the first king in power.

Large American Horn--First King

The large horn (country)--the first king (first in power) and the most prominent in western strength--no doubt represents the United States.  In 1990-91 George Herbert Walker Bush, 41st President of the United States, along with the American led western coalition confronted Iraq for its aggression against its smaller neighbor, Kuwait.  This confrontation did not fulfill the prophecy of Daniel 8, but was a forerunner to a future confrontation that would emerge from the pages of prophecy. 

Just as this teacher and other prophecy students predicted for over ten years, in March 2003, the son of the former Bush president--George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, along with other western powers attacked Iraq and quickly defeated her just as the prophecy said. That military operation continues to this day in Iraq. The second and larger horn--Iran will “come up last.” The West will confront this neighbor to the west of Iraq sometime in the near future. Both Iraq and Iran will fall victim to the power of the Goat coalition.