This suppression came to a head in December 168 B.C., when Antiochus returned in frustration from Alexandria, where he had been turned back by the Roman commander Popilius Laenas, and vented his exasperation on the Jews. He sent his general, Apollonius, with twenty thousand troops under orders to seize Jerusalem on a Sabbath.
There he erected an idol of Zeus and desecrated the altar by offering swine on it. This idol became known to the Jews as "the abomination of desolation" (hassiqqus mesomem, 11:31), which served as a type of a future abomination that will be set up in the Jerusalem sanctuary to be built in the last days (cf. Christ's prediction in Matt 24:15).
This is almost too much to fathom, much less accept. Apparently an angel, identified as a “holy one,” speaks up, and Daniel overhears the conversation. The first angel asks how long this transgression and defilement of the holy place and the oppression of the host will go on. Verse 14 answers this question: it will last for 2,300 evenings and mornings,12 and then the holy place will be restored properly.
2,300 evenings and mornings equals 1150 days or roughly three prophetic years (360 day years)
Some believe there is no way we can interpret this in this manner, however, Rabinic sources (IBN Ezra and Pirush Hakatzar13) state this is the appropriate interpretation!
In 8:26 the angel re-iterates that the vision of the evening and mornings is true!
Ver. 26. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true, &c.] That is, of the 2300 evenings and mornings, or natural days; unto which time the daily sacrifice was to cease, and the sanctuary and host trodden under foot; and then the sanctuary would be cleansed. This account is "true", and not only to be believed, but is clear and plain, and to be literally understood of so many days, of such a term of time exactly, having no obscurity in it:
The Macabees took back the Temple(12/165bc) just over 3 years from the time Antiochus committed the abomination (167 bc) - exactly as prophesied. To try to read anything else into this prophecy is futile.
This will also be fullfilled durring the Tribulation, when at the ½ way point the Anti-christ committs the abomination, and the temple won’t be cleansed for just over 3 years again, at the Second comming of Christ.
Some can not accept this theory, and demmand a litural 2,300 days. So, when you take the date the Temple was cleansed Dec., 165 bc, and the feast of light or Chanaka began. and count back 2,300 days, you come to 171 bc . This is the year that Onias the high priest was murdered, and a pseudo line of priests assumed power. Thus , the fullfilment could be explained in this manner.
Gabriel Interprets
(8:15-18)
15 And it came about when I, Daniel, had seen the vision, that I sought to understand it; and behold, standing before me was one who looked like a man. 16 And I heard the voice of a man between the banks of Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, give this man an understanding of the vision.” 17 So he came near to where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” 18 Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright.
Daniel, the man so gifted in understanding and interpreting visions and dreams, is completely baffled and seeks to understand the meaning of the vision he has seen.
The one with the appearance of a man, and who commanded Gabriel to make Daniel understand, could be a Theophany - a view of the pre incarnate Christ, the lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
It is interesting to note that this passage along with Ez. 1:26 are Rabinical proof texts that prophets could ‘visulize’ God They say that Daniel heard God’s voice here, and that literally the appearance of ‘the son of man’ in ez. referenced God Himself!
So, when Jesus calls Himself ‘Son of Man’, the rabbi’s new he was claiming to be God!
It is also interesting to note that only Ezekial and Daniel here are called Ben Adam (Son of Man) besides God Himself - and the Rabbi’s translate that to mean only individuals charged to fulfill a an exalted divine mission could be so called, as repressentatives of God Himself!14
. He called the angel by name—Gabriel. This is the first time in the Old Testament an angel is identified by name.15 The voice instructs Gabriel to explain the meaning of the vision to Daniel.
As Gabriel draws near to Daniel, the prophet is overcome by fear and falls on his face. Gabriel draws near, informing him that the time-frame of the events revealed by his vision is the distant future. When Daniel begins to fall into a deep sleep, Gabriel makes him stand up. This is not the time to sleep in class. He wants Daniel’s full attention as he reveals the meaning of the vision.
Three times in this chapter it is stated that the vision pertains to the end times (verses 17, 19, 26). This raises a question, because the “little horn” in chapter 8 emerges from one of the four horns taking the place of Alexander the Great.
The “end” 16 referred to here seems of necessity not to be the final end, still future for us, but the end times preceding the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Baldwin understands “the end” in our text not to be the final end:
“‘The vision is for the time of the end’ needs to be interpreted in connection with prophetic use of ‘the end’, for it does not necessarily mean the end of all things, but may refer to the question asked in verse 13; verse 19 supports this interpretation. Ezekiel, quoting Amos 8:1, had used the word ‘end’ in 7:2, 3. For the Northern Kingdom at the time of Amos the end was brought about by Assyrian invasion and captivity; for Judah the end was the sack of Jerusalem by the Babylonian armies (cf. Ezk. 21:25, 29; 35:5). In each case the end meant the end of rebellion against God, because He intervened in judgment. The same sense applies in Daniel 8 (cf. 9:26).” 17
It seems best to understand that a king will arise at the latter part of the kingdom of Greece who will openly rebel against God, oppose and oppress the saints, and succeed for a limited period of time.
This time of tribulation marks the end of an age and precedes the first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fulfillment of the prophecies pertaining to the “little horn” of chapter 8 seems to take place under Antiochus Epiphanes.
But this end time and this king also serves as a prototype of another “horn” in the last days, who brings about tribulation such as the world has never seen and will never see again. This seems to be the way our Lord interpreted the prophecy of Daniel:
9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name. 10 And at that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead many. 12 And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end, it is he who shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. 15 Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17 let him who is on the housetop not go down to get the things out that are in his house; 18 and let him who is in the field not turn back to get his cloak. 19 But woe to those who are with child and to those who nurse babes in those days! 20 But pray that your flight may not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath; 21 for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall (Matthew 24:9-21 - emphasis mine).
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