DANIEL 8:3C THE RAM’S TWO HORNS LITERAL /SPIRITUAL SYMBOLISM
Updated: Dec 12, 2022
CHAPTER 3 C
Power per the dictionary is the ability to influence behavior. The Ram in this vision has two horns. Horns in Scripture represent power. Since the Ram is the Medo-Persian kings we must find out what two powers these kings had, that influenced behavior. And since the Ram also represents Christ, we must see what two powers He has that influenced behavior.
Daniel 8:3 Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last.https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Daniel-Chapter-8/
The Hebrew word for horn means power.
HORN H7161
ן qeren, keh'-ren; from H7160; a horn (as projecting); by implication, a flask, cornet; by resemblance. an elephant's tooth (i.e. ivory), a corner (of the altar), a peak (of a mountain), a ray (of light); figuratively, power:—× hill, horn. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H7161&t=KJV
Horns in the Bible are a prophetic symbol for power. An example of this is found in Deuteronomy 33:17 where the horns had the power to push the people together to the ends of the earth.
Deuteronomy 33:17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Deuteronomy-Chapter-33/
Power according to the dictionary is:
1)the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality.
"the power of speech"
synonyms:ability, capacity, capability, potential, faculty, competence"the power of speech
2)"the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events".
Power can be used for good or bad. The Ram being the prophetic symbol for the Medo-Persian kings has two horns or special powers it provides to the Jews by decree for the good. Read the decrees below and see if you can discover these two powers.
Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezra-Chapter-1/
Ezra 6:7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which areat Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezra-Chapter-6/
Ezra 7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.
23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not.
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezra-Chapter-7/
Esther 8:10 And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed it with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, and riders on mules, camels, and young dromedaries:
11 Wherein the king granted the Jews which were in every city to gather themselves together, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish, all the power of the people and province that would assault them, both little ones and women, and to take the spoil of them for a prey,
12 Upon one day in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar.
13 The copy of the writing for a commandment to be given in every province was published unto all people, and that the Jews should be ready against that day to avenge themselves on their enemies.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezra-Chapter-8/
Considering they were captives they would need to be influenced to behave differently. The Medo-Persian kings empowered the released Jews to behave as though they were free. I define one horn as the power to impart religious liberty to the Jews to worship their God by enabling them to re-build their capital city and the temple of God. The other horn I have defined as being the power to impart to them the civil liberty to govern their nation under God and to defend it.
The two powers of 1) Religious liberty (the right to worship freely and tax free) and 2) Civil liberty (rights to teach the laws of the government of God and the right of self-defense) are obviously freedoms that God values, as His command was the motivation to the Medo-Persian kings to empower the Jews with these liberties.
SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TWO HORN/POWERS
OF THE LAMB/RAM OF GOD
Thinking spiritually, Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb or Ram of God also had two significant powers by which he influenced the behavior of humanity. These powers enabled Him to free us from the power of sin and the grave.
John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-10/
God the Son, as the Ram/Lamb of God, by sin, was literally caught in a thicket by his two horns or powers.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Genesis-Chapter-22/
There was no other being in heaven or earth that had the power to save man. See Ecclesiastes 8:8. Only One equal with God has the power to surrender His life. And only One equal with God has the power to take His own life back up again.
Ecclesiastes 8:8 There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ecclesiastes-Chapter-8/
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-3/
Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Acts-Chapter-3/
15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hebrews-Chapter-2/
Hosea 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hosea-Chapter-13/
Hebrews 13:14 above states that Christ ransoms us from the grave? What is a ransom? Or what does it mean to redeem something or someone?
Ransom: a consideration paid or demanded for the release of someone or something from captivity
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ransom
To understand redemption, we must understand that we are captives of sin and death. Of ourselves we had no power to find release. Sin separates us from God the Power of Life and causes death. All on this earth have sinned and are under the dominion of sin and death. As humans, we are born prisoners sentenced to sin and death. (Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:20-21; Romans 3:9-10, 19; John 8:34; Hebrews 2:15)
As created beings, we do not have power over our own lives. Our lives belong to God by creation and are not ours to give or to take away. However, our lives were stolen from God by Satan when we sinned. This does not mean our lives now belonged to Satan. In fact, our lives still belonged to God. God, Who is all powerful, could have taken them back from Satan at any time. (John 10:10)
God, Who is all knowing, knew sin might arise. God knew that sin, which is transgression of the law of God, must not be allowed to go on or it would destroy all. He must have a plan to stop sin. But by His own law, He could not use force. Forced obedience is not based on love but only fear. God’s law is based on love. He would not force us to obey, causing us to be afraid of Him. But He must destroy those who by sin would destroy others. (Psalms 147:5; 1 John 3:4; 1 Corinthians 3:17; Romans 16:25; Romans 13:10;1 John 4:18)
Justice for sin demanded the penalty of death. Without judgment there would be no end to sin or stability to the government of God. Once a prisoner of sin and death, man could do nothing to effect release? As sinners, we are not worthy to be our own judges. Even if we did not sin again, our obedience to the law cannot justify us or save us from our sin or make us sin free. And even if there were a sinless man, his death could not accomplish a ransom or release from sin and death. The value of life has no price, for once taken, it cannot be returned by any effort of man. (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6:23; Romans 3:10-19; Isaiah 59:14-15; Revelation 3:17; John 8:7; Romans 3:20)
Only One without sin could be judge. And only One obedient to the Law of God could be honored as judge. Only One equal or greater than the law of God could reconcile us to God. Only One with the power of Life could give us life again. Only One equal to the image of God and His glory could restore us to the that image and glory. (John 8:7; Romans 6:9, Phillipians 2:8,9; John 5:22; Romans 3:21; John 10:17; Colossians 3:4,10; Colossians 2:9; Ephesians 4:23)
We were created in the image of God, full of the glory of God. Sin instantaneously made us fall short of the glory of God. We could do nothing to make up for this deficit to reconcile us to God. Christ took the sin deficit away by replacing or substituting it with His Own righteousness to reconcile us back to the glory of God. By taking our penalty for us, Christ, the Son of God, more than made up for the claims of a broken law. (Genesis 1:26, Romans 3:23)
Jesus could give the ransom for He could voluntarily lay down His life with our sins upon Him in submission to the obedience of death. Christ was and is equal to God. As God, His life was His to voluntarily give, not pay, thus the price of a soul was still of the greatest value in the universe. (Philippians 2:6; John 3:16; John 10:11)
Christ was and is greater than the law for it was from His very heart and mouth the law came forth in Word. He was and is the Word of God in the flesh. He was and is the heart of God in human form! He is not bound to the law but is the law for He is the foundation (cornerstone) of His government. In contrast, by the claims of the broken law of God, the penalty of sin must fall on the sinner. Christ humbled Himself to become sin for us. He Who was sinless took our sins, placing Himself under the claims of the broken law of God and then suffering the results of sin. He could be our Judge because He is sinless. He could return life to us for in Him was power to take His life back up again. As God, He forever continues to retain His humanity, the surety for our complete release from sin. (Exodus 20:1; John 1:14; John 1:18; Psalms 119:152; Isaiah 28:16; Exodus 32:33; Ezekiel 18:20; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:8; John 8:7; John 10:18;John 11:25;Hebrews 7:22-24.
Have you ever thought about the price Christ paid to set us free from sin and re-establish the law of God in the hearts of men on earth? All that any created being could do would never avail to establish the law of God in a world of sin because they fall short of the law which is the glory of God. Only One equal to God and to the power of His perfect healing love, and above all law could volunteer to avail (heal the gap between the Creator and the created) for the hurt that sin had made. And at what price was this? Jesus, Who, was above all law in that He was the Lawgiver submitted Himself to the law of God, placing His law above His throne and establishing that law of love by testifying by His blood to the eternal nature of the Law of God and to the results of breaking that law.
Friend, we see by experience that in our own human strength, resolutions and purposes are to no avail. I hope you can see that God is in the business of freely giving us power to be free from sin and death. Just as He gave the Medo-Persian kings power to free His people to worship and to govern themselves under God, Christ the Ram offers His power to ransom us. He freed us from sin and death by taking His flesh with all our sins to the grave and raising us to live a new life in Him reunited to God and governed by the power of Jesus Christ. If you are desirous of this power, please see the invitation at the back of this book.
Isaiah 49:24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-Chapter-49/