The Prophetic chain part 2

Before I go into the little horn I would like to further establish that Daniel’s visions not only enlarge on Nebuchadnezzar’s dream but Daniel’s visions are also enlarging on one another.  In order to see this we need to go to Daniel 8 next. 

Daniel 8
Daniel sees a ram with two horns, both horns were high but one was higher than the other.  This ram was pushing in three directions; northward, southward, and west.  Next a goat comes into the scene.  Scripture declares that the goat comes in from the west, does not touch the ground, and had a notable horn between its eyes.  The goat comes to the ram with fury and smites the ram breaking the ram’s two horns.  The ram therefore has no power to stand and is cast to the ground and is stamped on by the goat.  We are also told that when the goat was strong the horn was broken and four other horns grew toward the four winds of heaven. (Daniel 8:3-8)  Then the vision goes into the little horn (which I will touch on later).  Scripture specifically tells us what these two beasts represent.  The ram is Media and Persia while the goat is Greece.  With even more detail we are told that the great horn between the eyes of the goat is the first king but after it is broken the four other horns that arise are four kingdoms that will rise but not in the power of the first king.  (Daniel 8:19-22)
 
This is where things really start to become amazing.  The visions between Daniel 7 and Daniel 8 are years apart for one.  After a few minutes to hours after an accident a story can change.  Here we have a man having two visions that not only agree with one another but agree with the dream given to Nebuchadnezzar years earlier.  This can only be from a mighty God who is unfolding the future so that people will believe there is a God that knows the beginning from the end.  Scripture declares, we are told these things beforehand so that we might believe. (John 13:19)  The following points will aid in solidifying how infallible the Bible is, which is the word of God.

1.  The ram’s two horns parallel the Bear in Daniel 7 which had one shoulder higher than the other just as one horn was higher than the other with the ram, revealing that Cyrus was greater.
2. The ram pushed in three directions which corresponds with the 3 ribs in the bears mouth, the three areas that Media-Persia conquered.
3. The goat (Alexander the Great from Greece) comes from the west which is literally west of Babylon where Daniel was and the Medes and Persians were ruling.
4. The goat does not touch the ground indicating Alexander the Great’s swiftness in conquering, paralleling the leopards wings.
5. The goat has one great horn or notable horn but it is only after it has conquered the ram that it breaks off; just as Alexander the Great dies at his peak after conquering the Medo-Persia.
6. Just as there were four heads on the leopard in Daniel 7 there are four horns that come up after the notable one was broken off.  This represents the four generals that divided the land (the four winds of heaven) north, south, east, west.

 
Not only did the Lord specifically tell Daniel what entities these two figures represented years before they happened but the historical events actually took place!  Daniel 11 goes into even more detail confirming prophecy with history.

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