Daniel 8:10 says, “And it grew great, even to the host of heaven” (Heb.). The little horn will not only grow great to the south, to the east, and to the beautiful land, but even to the host of heaven. How proud he will be! We all know that man has succeeded in landing on the moon. This space technology may enable Antichrist to do something involving the host of heaven, including the planets and the stars. Antichrist will be so arrogant, great, and proud that he will even presume to touch the host of heaven.
Daniel 8:10 also says that the little horn “cast down some of the host and of the stars to the earth, and stamped upon them” (Heb.). What a person he will be! Something will be developed in the scientific field that will enable Antichrist to bring down the heavenly host. Antichrist will be so proud that he will dare to do even this.
Daniel 8:11 says, “Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host,” and verse 25 says, “He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes.” This means that he will exalt himself against God.
The little horn will also take away the continual sacrifice (v. 11). This means that he will stop the worship of God by the Jews. We have seen that Antichrist will change the Jewish feasts and laws. Now we see that he will discontinue the daily, or continual, sacrifices. Verse 12 says, “And a time of trial was appointed unto the continual sacrifice by reason of transgression” (Darby). This means that the sacrifice will suffer a trial because of Antichrist’s interference. This trial will be due to the Jews’ transgression. The Jews who have returned to the land of their fathers are presently in a very poor situation, full of sins and transgressions. This condition will continue until the time of Antichrist. Although the Jews will worship God by offering sacrifices to Him, they will still be sinful. Therefore, God will be disgusted with their offerings, and, due to their transgression, He will allow Antichrist to cause the sacrifices to cease.
Antichrist, the little horn, will also cast down the place of the sanctuary of the Prince of the host (Dan. 8:11). This indicates that he will destroy the temple of God. It also implies that the temple will be rebuilt. If Antichrist would appear today, there would be no temple for him to tear down. I believe that the temple will be rebuilt before long. Soon after that, Antichrist will rise up and tear it down once again.
Daniel 8:12 also reveals that Antichrist will “cast down the truth to the ground.” This means that with Antichrist there will be no truth. He will abolish and tear down every truth. The tendency of the world situation today is like this. As far as international relations is concerned, there is very little truth. With regard to the renouncing of all truth, Antichrist will go to the farthest extreme.