Page 231 - Daniel

quo of three years, one month, and 25 days earlier, or in Tishri 167 B.C.
While the actual erection of the idolatrous altar in the temple took
place in Chislev 167, or one month and 15 days later, there is no

reason to suppose the Antiochus Epiphanes’ administrators may not
have abolished the offering of the tāmîd itself at that earlier date. 45

In looking at all the evidence it appears both interpretations have the
potential to fit the historical record. At this point we simply don’t have
sufficient historical data to know which is correct. But in either case this
prophecy may safely be said to have been fulfilled and does not have
any further eschatological significance in the sense of anticipating a

future fulfillment. It is adequately explained in the history of the Medo-
Persian and Greek Empires, and specifically, in the activities of
Antiochus Epiphanes.

VISION INTERPRETED IN RELATION TO THE TIME OF THE END
(8:15–19)

8:15–19 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand
it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a
man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, and it
called, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came
near where I stood. And when he came, I was frightened and fell on
my face. But he said to me, “Understand, O son of man, that the vision

is for the time of the end.” And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a
deep sleep with my face to the ground. But he touched me and made
me stand up. He said, “Behold, I will make known to you what shall
be at the latter end of the indignation, for it refers to the appointed
time of the end.”

Daniel’s desire to understand the vision was answered by the angel
Gabriel. The man’s voice may have been that of Michael the archangel,

or even the voice of God, but it is not identified. Calvin believes that the
46
man speaking is Christ. Young points out that the word for man in
verse 15 is gāber, similar in sound to Gabriel and denoting strength or
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power. To this is added el, the word for God, to form the name Gabriel.