In Scripture “horn” stands for power, and particularly for kingly power or kingdoms. But the “Little Horn” really means one who initially appears to be little, but eventually has tremendous power. And that is precisely what we learn about the Antichrist from the book of Daniel.
We first read about the Little Horn in Daniel 7:8, then in Daniel 8:9: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. We see here that the Little Horn is actually a man with the “eyes of a man” but his mouth does not really speak great “things”. It speaks great blasphemies (as we will see later). He manages to utterly destroy three kingdoms and their rulers. They are “plucked up by the roots”. We shall see later where these kingdoms belong (among the ten kingdoms).
Then in Daniel 8:9 we read: And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. Here we see that this Little Horn is not really little, but “waxed exceeding great” and exerts his influence in every direction, including Israel (“the pleasant land”). Indeed, his power and influence is worldwide according to Revelation 13.
The context of the first passage is Daniel’s vision of the five empires (represented as beasts) which would dominate the Mediterranean region and impact Israel -- Babylon, Medo-Persia, Graeco-Macedonia, Rome, and lastly the empire of the Antichrist (which rises out of the ashes of Rome). Daniel sees the ten horns (kingdoms or nations) coming out of the Roman empire, although they will come much later during the reign of the Antichrist (the Little Horn). In Revelation we see that the Antichrist destroys all these nations and takes total control of the world. Again, in Daniel 8, those empires are also represented as beasts but a little differently. However the character and reign of the Little Horn is described in greater detail, and the meaning of the vision is also explained:
THE ANTICHRIST IS THE LITTLE HORN WHO BECOMES VERY GREAT
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
THE ANTICHRIST EVEN CHALLENGES THE HOLY ANGELS
10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
THE ANTICHRIST MAGNIFIES HIMSELF AGAINST CHRIST
11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. [Note: in 2 Thessalonians 2 he calls himself “God”]
THE ANTICHRIST STOPS THE DAILY SACRIFICES IN THE FUTURE TEMPLE
12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
THERE IS A SPECIFIC TIME LIMIT TO THIS DESECRATION
13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? [Note: “the transgression of desolation” = the abomination of desolation]
THE LIMIT OF DESCERATION IS 2,300 DAYS (6 YEARS + ABOUT 5 MONTHS)
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. [Note: This is about 7 months shy of a total of seven years, the 70th week of Daniel]
THE ANTICHRIST IS A KING OF FIERCE COUNTENANCE
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. [Note: this will be a ruthless man bent upon destroying humanity]
THE ANTICHRIST’S POWER COMES FROM SATAN
24 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.
THE ANTICHRIST OPPOSES CHRIST WHILE BEING VERY CRAFTY
25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. [Note: the word antichristos (antichrist) means both one who opposes and one who comes instead of. So the Antichrist will be the ultimate False Messiah, claiming to be Christ and deceiving the world while he blasphemes God and Christ].
We should note the last clause of verse 25. “But he shall be broken without hand”. The Little Horn will be broken by God, and the reign of the Antichrist will be terminated by Christ Himself. “The Beast” will be cast into the Lake of Fire, along with his False Prophet: And the Beast was taken, and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Rev 19:20)
We first read about the Little Horn in Daniel 7:8, then in Daniel 8:9: I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. We see here that the Little Horn is actually a man with the “eyes of a man” but his mouth does not really speak great “things”. It speaks great blasphemies (as we will see later). He manages to utterly destroy three kingdoms and their rulers. They are “plucked up by the roots”. We shall see later where these kingdoms belong (among the ten kingdoms).
Then in Daniel 8:9 we read: And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. Here we see that this Little Horn is not really little, but “waxed exceeding great” and exerts his influence in every direction, including Israel (“the pleasant land”). Indeed, his power and influence is worldwide according to Revelation 13.
The context of the first passage is Daniel’s vision of the five empires (represented as beasts) which would dominate the Mediterranean region and impact Israel -- Babylon, Medo-Persia, Graeco-Macedonia, Rome, and lastly the empire of the Antichrist (which rises out of the ashes of Rome). Daniel sees the ten horns (kingdoms or nations) coming out of the Roman empire, although they will come much later during the reign of the Antichrist (the Little Horn). In Revelation we see that the Antichrist destroys all these nations and takes total control of the world. Again, in Daniel 8, those empires are also represented as beasts but a little differently. However the character and reign of the Little Horn is described in greater detail, and the meaning of the vision is also explained:
THE ANTICHRIST IS THE LITTLE HORN WHO BECOMES VERY GREAT
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
THE ANTICHRIST EVEN CHALLENGES THE HOLY ANGELS
10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
THE ANTICHRIST MAGNIFIES HIMSELF AGAINST CHRIST
11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. [Note: in 2 Thessalonians 2 he calls himself “God”]
THE ANTICHRIST STOPS THE DAILY SACRIFICES IN THE FUTURE TEMPLE
12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.
THERE IS A SPECIFIC TIME LIMIT TO THIS DESECRATION
13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? [Note: “the transgression of desolation” = the abomination of desolation]
THE LIMIT OF DESCERATION IS 2,300 DAYS (6 YEARS + ABOUT 5 MONTHS)
14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. [Note: This is about 7 months shy of a total of seven years, the 70th week of Daniel]
THE ANTICHRIST IS A KING OF FIERCE COUNTENANCE
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. [Note: this will be a ruthless man bent upon destroying humanity]
THE ANTICHRIST’S POWER COMES FROM SATAN
24 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.
THE ANTICHRIST OPPOSES CHRIST WHILE BEING VERY CRAFTY
25And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. [Note: the word antichristos (antichrist) means both one who opposes and one who comes instead of. So the Antichrist will be the ultimate False Messiah, claiming to be Christ and deceiving the world while he blasphemes God and Christ].
We should note the last clause of verse 25. “But he shall be broken without hand”. The Little Horn will be broken by God, and the reign of the Antichrist will be terminated by Christ Himself. “The Beast” will be cast into the Lake of Fire, along with his False Prophet: And the Beast was taken, and with him the False Prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the Beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Rev 19:20)
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