The interpretation of this chapter, in large measure, is also given to us by Ja•vәr•i•eil (vs. 20-23) yielding the following paraphrasing of the two passages (vs. 2-14 as clarified in vs. 20-23).
8.3 And behold there was a ram having two ÷øðéï, and the two ÷øðéï were high but one is higher than the other and the higher one will come up last… 5 And I was understanding and behold a billygoat came out of the west over all of the face of the earth without touching the ground. And a ÷ÆøÆï of the billy-goat was visible between his eyes.
This passage describes the conquest of Alexander the Great over the Media-Persia empires. Finally, the great ÷ÆøÆï, the power of Alexander the Great's rule, is broken (v. 8) and divided into the four empires of Greece, Syria, Egypt and East Asia ca. B.C.E. 300.
Verses 9-12 describe the emergence, out of Syria (one of the previous four ÷øðéï), of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, described (v. 23) as the strong-faced king. This was the villain of the Kha•nukh•âh′ story who magnified himself even to the "tzâ•vâ′ of the heavens, and cast down some of the tzâ•vâ′ and of the stars and trampled them." This refers to the ravaging of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ Shein•i′ and slaughter of many Ko•han•im′ and Lewiy•im′ . "Stars" here may refer to Ko•han•im′ ha-Rosh•im′ (head priests) in charge of the various îùîøåú. The æÆáÇç was terminated by Antiochus IV and it was he who cast down the foundation of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ . This "tzâ•vâ′ was permitted upon the æÆáÇç feloniously and it cast down truth to the ground" (v. 12).
13 àçã-÷ãåù spoke to "so-and-so" (the ma•lâkh′ who had been speaking), asking "Until when is the vision of äÇúÌÈîÄéã? and the ôÌÆùÇò ùÑÉîÅí permitting the trampling of the ÷ÉãÆùÑ and the tzâ•vâ′ ?" 14 Then another àçã-÷ãåù said to [Dân•i•eil′ ], "Until evening is morning shall be 2300 [éÈîÄéí], then åÀðÄöÀãÌÇ÷ ÷ÉãÆùÑ."
This passage is the primary basis for the notion that the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ must be rebuilt before the Mâ•shi′ akh will come. However, this passage stipulates that, subsequent to the coming of the Mâ•shi′ akh, åðöã÷ ÷ÉãÆùÑ, not the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ rebuilt!
The ôùò ùîí refers to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ravaged the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ and, ca. B.C.E. 167, sacrificed swine on a pagan altar constructed atop the Miz•bei′ akh.
2300 days = 6 years 3 months and 20 days. 8.13 declares that within 6 years 3 months and 20 days of äÇùÑÄ÷ÀåÌõ îÀùÑÉîÅí (ca. B.C.E. 167), åðöã÷ ÷ÉãÆùÑ. Indeed, the story of Kha•nukh•âh′ derives from ca. B.C.E. 164—within or "by" the prophesied deadline.
Thus, the "twilight òÅú in which there will be Light" referred to the "twilight" years commencing with the ôùò ùîí of ca. B.C.E. 167 and fulfilled ca. B.C.E. 164. This "twilight" era ended with the destruction of 70 C.E., closing out the "twilight" years of that era.
"Twilight," in this case then, refers to the "dusk," the closing years, of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ .
During this "twilight" period, the control of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ was in the control of those (first Ma•kab•im′ , later Hellenist-Tzәdoq•im′ of Yәho•shu′ a ("Jason") Bën-Shim•on′ (2) Bën-Tzâ•doq′ ) whom the Qum•rân′ Tzәdoq•im′ would describe as neither "Light" (the proper Kәhun•âh′ of Khon′ yo (Yëkhon•yâh′ ) Bën-Shim•on′ (2) Bën-Tzâ•doq′ ) nor the Hellenist Roman servants of Darkness—neither Light nor Darkness. (Dead Sea Scroll ms. 4Q MMT confirms that the Qum•rân′ Tzәdoq•im′ regarded the Hellenist-Tzәdoq•im′ in the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ as within the purview of tәshuv•âh′ rather than being servants of Darkness.)
If one argues that "Light" must refer to the Mâ•shi′ akh, then, since this period ended at the destruction of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ in 70 C.E. at the hands of Titus and the Romans, the prophesied "Light" of Zәkhar•yâh′ 14.7 (see also Danieil 8.14, 26) could only have been Ribi Yәho•shu′ a the Nәtzâr•im′ . This is reinforced by the prophecy of Khaj•ai′ 2.7-9. (The kâ•vod′ of é--ä is a metonym for the Shәkhin•âh′ .) Speaking of the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ ha-Shein•i′ , Khaj•ai′ wrote that "the kâ•vod′ of the latter House will be greater than the kâ•vod′ of the first." While the kâ•vod′ / Shәkhin•âh′ was present in the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ ha-Rish•on′ , the Sages acknowledged that the Beit ha-Mi•qәdâsh′ ha-Shein•i′ lacked the Shәkhin•âh′ (Ma•sëk′ ët Yom•â′ 21b and Yәkhëz•qeil′ 44.9). A priori, the only possible fulfillment of the prophecy of Khaj•ai′ 2.7-9 was a visit by the Mâ•shi′ akh—which, then, could only have been Rib′ i Yәho•shu′ a !
Interestingly, Yi•sәr•â•eil′ , Yәru•shâ•la′ yim and Har ha-Bay′ it is today in the hands of those—primarily secular "Jews" and Ultra-Orthodox Jews, neither of whom keep Tor•âh′ according to Biblical Ha•lâkh•âh′ —who are neither Light nor goy•im′ servants of Darkness. In other words, we are now (!) living in "twilight" years, in which there is neither Light nor Darkness, an era that will eventually close out the "70th Week of Dân•i•eil′ ."
Additionally, however, the verse, like most prophetic passages, has a secondary future meaning, describing the parallel twilight period closing out the era stretching
The prophecy suggests that the secondary future instance will close out the present era that began in 70 C.E.. Therefore, there must be another, future, "strong-faced king" who, like Antiochus IV Epiphanes, will also magnify himself above all others.
The secondary, future, application of 2300 yâm•im′ seems to have no obvious thematic linkage to the other stated periods (1260, 1290 or 1335 yâm•im′ ) of the "70th Week" of Dân•i•eil′ . It seems to stand alone and upon its own basis (ca. B.C.E. 167). If this were interpreted straightforwardly as 2300 years from ca. B.C.E. 167 this would suggest the realization of the prophecies of Zәkhar•yâh′ 14 in the year ca. 2133 C.E. (2300-167). (See also chap. 10.) We shall see, however, that such a simplistic approach doesn't unlock Ja•vәr•i•eil's Code.
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