Prophecy

The True Little Horn Revealed

by Omar Henry
02/12/21
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Now, we will cover the Little Horn Power. This will be a lengthy article, but it will be worthwhile. 

In Daniel 8, Daniel had a vision about a ram with two horns, which grew great (verses 3,4). It pushed westward, northward, and southward. The ram represents the kings of Media and Persia (Daniel 8:20). This same kingdom was formerly denoted as a bear, with one side higher than the other, with three ribs in its mouth (Lydia, Egypt, and Babylon) (Daniel 7:5). The book of Daniel and Revelation follows a “repeat and expand” method, meaning that they repeat or cover earlier chapters, but expand on them in greater detail, providing clarity. From Daniel 8:5-7, we see a male goat coming “from the west,” across the earth without touching the ground (verse 5). 

Historically, we see that Alexander the Great, who is denoted as the notable horn, came from the west to battle the Persian army of King Darius III. This happened in stages. First the Battle of Granicus in 334 B.C, then south to the Battle of Issus in 333 B.C and finally the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 B.C, the same year Greece came into power. It’s amazing how the vision gives the exact direction! Then the goat’s horn broke off and four notable horns grow in its place. The picture of the horn being broken represents Alexander’s drunken debauch in 323 B.C. From there four horns arose within 15 years. The four kingdoms/generals are:

1)      Cassander (Macedon and Greece in the West)

2)      Lysimachus (Thrace, parts of Asia in Hellespont and Bosporus in the North)

3)      Ptolemy (Egypt, Lydia, Arabia, Palestine, and Coele-Syria in the South)

4)      Seleucus (Syria and the rest of Alexander’s dominion)

Verse 9 says that “out of one of them [the horns; in the sense of the direction thereof] came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.”

According to William Woodthorpe Tarn in his book called “Hellenistic Civilisation,” he wrote, “By 275 three dynasties, descended from three of his generals, were well established; the Seleucids ruled much of what had been the Persian empire in Asia, the Ptolemies ruled Egypt, and the Antigonids Macedonia. A fourth European dynasty, not connected with Alexander, the Attalids of Pergamum, subsequently grew up in Asia Minor at Seleucid expense, and became great by favour of Rome.” (Hellenistic Civilisation, p.6)

As we can see from this source, the Little Horn Power would have to be Rome. As mentioned before, when the little horn came out of one of the four horns, it is referring to the direction to which it arose. Many believe that this little horn is Antiochus Epiphanes, a Seleucid king, who ruled over Palestine in the second century before Christ and disrupted Jewish services. Let’s look at some evidence as to why it isn’t him:

1. Following the repeat and expand method, the kingdom that follows Greece is Rome (Daniel 2:32, 33, 38-40).


2. In Daniel 7:24-27, this kingdom is destroyed by supernatural means. In Daniel 8:25 it’s “broken without hands.” This phrase is used in Daniel 2:34, “Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces.” The feet of iron and clay represent a church and state union, while the stone represents Christ. In all the examples (Daniel 2, 7 and 8), the kingdom of Christ strikes the church and state union first (Papal Rome).


3. The ram was “great” (verse 4), the goat “very great” (verse 8) and the little horn “exceedingly great” (verse 9). History is clear, in that Rome controlled Egypt, Macedon and Palestine, while Antiochus failed in attacking Egypt:

“When Antiochus had advanced to attack Ptolemy [who controlled Egypt] …he was met by the Roman commander Gaius Popilius Laenas. Upon the king greeting him from some distance, and holding out his right hand to him, Popilius answered by holding out the tablets which contained the decree of the Senate, and bade Antiochus read that first… [Then] Popilius did a thing which was looked upon as exceedingly overbearing and insolent… [having] a vine stick in his hand, he drew a circle round Antiochus with it, and ordered him to give his answer to the letter before he stepped out of that circumference …he [Antiochus] replied that he would do whatever the Romans demanded… Popilius and his colleagues… all greeted him with warmth. The contents of the despatch was an order to put an end to the war with Ptolemy [who controlled Egypt] at once.” – (Polybius, Histories, Book 29 Chapter 27)

4. This Little Horn (Rome) extended to the south (Egypt), east (Macedonia) and the Glorious land (Palestine). No other power fits this description.

5. In history, Rome is the power that stood against Christ, who is represented by “the Prince of the host.” (verse 11, comp. Joshua 5:14, captain = śar, the same word used in Daniel 8:11, for “Prince”). Pagan Rome destroyed the Temple in AD 70 (Daniel 9:26). Papal Rome caused the sanctuary to be “cast down” and trampled underfoot. The phrase “cast down” in Hebrew is “shâlak,” meaning “to throw out, down or away.” When we search the Bible for the usage of this word, we see that it means to have no regard for or lessen the importance of something:

• 1 Kings 14:9 – “…made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger, and hast cast me behind thy back.”


• Jeremiah 7:15 – “…I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.”


• Psalm 50:17 – “Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.”


• Psalm 51:11 – “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.”

We see from these verses that, to cast something down, means to have no regard for something. Ultimately, when we have no regard for something, the importance/meaning therefore dwindles. The little horn power (Papal Rome) would cause the work of Christ in the Heavenly Temple, to lose its true purpose and meaning. This is through replacing Christ’s daily ministration in the Holy Place, with a false system that attempts to remove the meaning of Christ’s work as High Priest. The word “sacrifices” is not in the original Hebrew manuscripts and was added by translators. So, it should read “…and by him the daily was taken away.” As mentioned above, “daily” has to do with the continuous work in the Holy Place and the courtyard (Numbers 28:3) (Numbers 4:7) (Exodus 25:30) (Leviticus 24:4).

In the Roman Catholic Church, their priests claim to forgive sins. According to the Bible, this is known as blasphemy (Luke 5:21). The position of the Pope is also classified as the position of God:

•   “The Pope and God are the same, so he has all power in Heaven and earth.” Pope Pius V, quoted in Barclay, Chapter XXVII, p. 218, “Cities Petrus Bertanous”.


•  “We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty” – Pope Leo XIII Encyclical Letter of June 20, 1894.

This too is blasphemy (John 10:33). This power is trying to divert all attention away from Jesus Christ and His saving capabilities, to themselves.

Have a read of this statement:

• “This is our last lesson to you: receive it, engrave it in your minds, all of you: by God’s commandment salvation is to be found nowhere but in the Church; the strong and effective instrument of salvation is none other than the Roman Pontificate.” – (Pope Leo XIII, Allocution for the 25th anniversary of his election, February 20, 1903; Papal Teachings: The Church, Benedictine Monks of Solesmes, St. Paul Editions, Boston, 1962, par. 653)

Salvation only comes through Jesus Christ (Acts 4:8-12) (Psalm 3:8) (Isaiah 43:11) (1 Timothy 2:5).

Note: This is not an attack on Catholics, I believe there will be many Catholics in Heaven, because of the truth. I wholehearted believe that many Catholics are honouring God with the knowledge they have. This is the system being spoken of here, and not the people.

This same power, according to verse 10, would grow up to the “host of heaven,” trample “the stars” and “cast down some of the host,” which are the righteous, God’s people (1 Samuel 17:45) (Daniel 12:2, 3). The power conquers earthly kingdoms, but then “grew up to the host of heaven” (or stood up against). This is talking about the persecution of God’s people as mention in Daniel 7:25, which inevitably meant that they would be trampled or maltreated (See Psalm 7:5; Ezekiel 26:11). We know this for certain, as later on in verse 11, this power (now Papal Rome), shifts its attack to Jesus Christ (the Prince of the host), and cast His sanctuary down to the ground as mentioned above. There are two separate attacks, one horizontal attack on God’s people (verse 10) and one vertical attack on Jesus and His sanctuary (verse 11). The truth was cast down as well, meaning it would be corrupted or neglected (verse 12). When asked how long these events would take place, he replied, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.” In the next part of this article, we will look intently at this time prophecy!