Out of one of the four horns came forth a little horn, which grew very great toward the south, toward the east, and toward that which is beautiful (8:9). This little horn signifies Antiochus IV Epiphanes from Syria in 175-164 B.C. He expanded very much toward Egypt in the south, toward Syria in the east, and toward Israel. The expression that which is beautiful refers to the beautiful land of Israel.
The little horn “grew great, as high as the host of heaven; and it caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to the earth, and it trampled them” (v. 10; cf. 11:30). Antiochus Epiphanes became great in power and persecuted the saints, signified by the host of heaven and the stars (12:3). In all these evil things he typifies the coming Antichrist (Rev. 13:5-7; 2 Thes. 2:3-4). Antiochus Epiphanes thought he was as high as God, the Prince of the host; he stopped the daily sacrifice to God and defiled the temple with pigs and fornication (Dan. 8:11; 11:31). Furthermore, he cast truth down to the ground, and he prospered (8:12).
Verse 23 speaks of Antiochus Epiphanes as the king who arose, of fierce countenance and skilled in ambiguities. His power was mighty, but it was not by his own power. He destroyed in an extraordinary manner, destroying mighty men and the holy people (v. 24). Through his craftiness he also caused deceit to prosper in his hand. He magnified himself in his heart, he destroyed many who were complacently secure, and he stood up against the Prince of princes (God), but eventually he was broken, yet not by human hands (v. 25). In all these items Antiochus Epiphanes also typifies Antichrist (Rev. 13:6; 17:11; 19:20).
Antiochus Epiphanes was given two thousand three hundred days to do evil things in the Holy Land, from about 171 B.C. until December 25, 165 B.C. That was the day when the Jewish hero Judas Maccabeus cleansed the sanctuary after defeating Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan. 8:13-14, 26).
The vision in Daniel 11 is related to the king of the south, Egypt, and the king of the north, Syria. Daniel prophesied concerning the fighting between these two kings in the territory of Israel. This fighting caused God’s chosen people to be in distress.
Verses 2 and 3 speak of the defeat of Persia by the mighty king of Greece, Alexander the Great, from about 356-323 B.C. (cf. 8:5-8, 20-21; 7:5-6). The death of Belshazzar in 538 B.C. marked the end of the Babylonian Empire and the beginning of the Medo-Persian Empire, which lasted until 336 B.C. The last king of the Medo-Persian Empire was defeated by Alexander the Great.
Referring to Alexander the Great, Daniel 11:4 says, “Once he arises, his kingdom will be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom will be plucked up and given to others besides his descendants.” After the death of Alexander the Great, his kingdom was divided into four kingdoms—Egypt, Macedonia, Asia Minor, and Syria—under the rule of his four generals (8:8, 22; 7:6).
Between the king of the south (Egypt) and the king of the north (Syria), there were wars back and forth (11:5-20). As these kings fought each other, they passed through Israel. Thus, Israel was in great distress as a result of the wars (vv. 10, 16).
Daniel 11:21-45 and 8:23-25 describe in detail the kingdom and the evils of Antiochus Epiphanes as one of the kings of the north. He was a despicable person. He came in a time of security and seized the kingdom by smooth and cunning words and actions (11:21). After he defeated the king of the south, his heart was set against the holy covenant, and he took action. He sent armies to profane the sanctuary, remove the daily sacrifice, and set up the abomination that desolates. Although he persecuted and slew the devoted Jews (vv. 33-35), Daniel said, “The people who know their God will show strength and take action” (v. 32). This refers to Judas Maccabeus and the children of Israel who followed him. They were encouraged and strengthened by this prophecy in Daniel to take action against Antiochus Epiphanes and his armies.