The History of Israel and the Prophecies of Daniel

As previously explained, the history of physical Israel, beginning with David, serves as a prophecy for the history of spiritual Israel, which unfolds through Jesus Christ. However, the history of Israel from 450 BC to the time of Jesus, approximately 450 years, was thoroughly sealed through the prophecies of Daniel. God recorded the history of Israel after the Babylonian exile in symbolic language through Daniel, making it impossible to understand both the physical and spiritual histories of Israel without proper interpretation.

In the book of Daniel, two "little horns" are mentioned as symbols of Satan. The first little horn, described in chapter 7, appears after Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the division of Rome into ten nations. The second little horn, described in chapter 8, emerges during the decline of Persia, Greece, and the four kingdoms that followed Alexander's empire. God refers to this period as the "end times." Thus, understanding the second little horn is key to identifying the second manifestation of Satan after Babylon. The Bible provides the following prophecy:

[Daniel 8:8-24]

"The goat became very great, but at the height of its power, the large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and the east and toward the Beautiful Land... (verse 11) It even set itself up to be as great as the commander of the army of the Lord; it took away the daily sacrifice from the Lord, and his sanctuary was thrown down... (verse 21) The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between its eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation but will not have the same power. In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise. 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."

The Historical Fulfillment of Daniel’s Prophecies

Israel, which was destroyed by Babylon in 606 BC and exiled for 70 years, returned to its homeland under Persian rule in 537 BC. However, Israel did not regain independence and remained under Persian control until 333 BC, when Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great of Greece. After Alexander's death in 323 BC, his empire was divided among his four generals:

• Macedonia: Ruled by Antigonus
• Syria: Ruled by Seleucus
• Asia Minor: Ruled by Lysimachus
• Egypt: Ruled by Ptolemy

Later, Lysimachus's kingdom in Asia Minor was defeated by the Seleucid Empire of Syria. Initially, the Jewish people were ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty of Egypt (323–198 BC), but they eventually came under the control of the Seleucid dynasty of Syria (198–167 BC) and its ruler, Antiochus IV Epiphanes.

Antiochus IV implemented aggressive Hellenization policies, forcing the worship of Greek gods and persecuting those who refused. He banned circumcision, the observance of the Sabbath, and Jewish festivals. He desecrated the Jewish temple by erecting statues of Zeus and offering pig sacrifices, which were abominable to the Jews. His atrocities, including the mass slaughter of Jews, were all prophesied in Daniel chapters 8 through 11.

[Daniel 11:31-33]

"His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery, he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned, captured, or plundered."

The Northern and Southern Kingdoms

Daniel 11 also prophesies the long conflict between the northern and southern kingdoms. The northern kingdom refers to the Seleucid Empire of Syria, while the southern kingdom refers to the Ptolemaic Empire of Egypt. This prophecy encompasses the Syrian Wars, which occurred between 274 BC and 168 BC. For detailed information on these conflicts, refer to sources like NamuWiki.

Link: NamuWiki - Syrian Wars

The Second Little Horn

In Daniel 8, the second little horn, symbolizing Satan, emerges during the decline of Alexander’s four successor kingdoms and opposes God and His people. These kingdoms eventually became Roman provinces around 160 BC. Thus, the second little horn represents Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who persecuted Israel around 170 BC. God referred to this period as the "end times."

[Daniel 12:1-4] "At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered... (verse 4) But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge."

The Sealed History

The sealed history in Daniel refers to the rise of the first little horn (Catholicism), prophesied in chapter 7, and the second little horn (Antiochus IV), prophesied in chapter 8. While the first little horn fulfills the prophecy of spiritual Babylon through the Catholic Church, the second little horn fulfills the prophecy of Antiochus IV's persecution of Israel. This distinction is critical for understanding the spiritual history of Israel.

Further analysis of spiritual Babylon (Catholicism) and its implications for spiritual Israel’s history will be explored in "The Reality of Satan: Part 3". This study also reveals the second manifestation of Satan through the history of physical Israel as prophesied in Daniel 8.