The Little Horn of the Goat

With reference to Daniel 8:9,12—The Desolator is unquestionably the Little Horn of the Goat, which, in the days of Constantine, transferred its residence and Court to Constantinople, while its Senate continued to hold its sittings in Rome. In the days of Jesus and the apostles, Rome was the residence of Caesar and his Court, as well as of the Senate. It was then the exclusive capital of the Little Horn of the Goat; but, in the subsequent division of the Roman empire into the Greek and Latin empires, Rome became in the days of Charlemagne, the capital of the Little Horn, having "Eyes like the eyes of a man, and a Mouth speaking very great things" (Dan. 7:8,20); while Constantinople continued the sole capital of the Little Horn of the Goat (Dan. 8:9).

Of this Little Horn of the Goat While its empire was as yet undivided, and the seat of its government not yet transferred from Rome, it was predicted, that he would "magnify himself against the Prince of the Host" of Israel; this he did in condemning and crucifying the Lord of Glory; and furthermore, "by him the Daily should be taken away, and the place of his sanctuary cast down;" and that he should "destroy wonderfully, and prosper, and practise, and should destroy mighty ones, and the people of the Holy ones". It is this power that Daniel refers to when he says, in ch. 9:26, "and the people of the Prince that shall come shall destroy the city (Jerusalem), and the holy" or temple. The people was "the host given against the Daily" (ch. 8:12) by the Nahgid, or prince, who sent them to destroy the city of the murderers of the Son of God (Matt. 22:7). When this people encompassed Jerusalem, and "cast a trench about her, and kept her in on every side," it was given to that generation as a sign, that her destruction was imminent; and in warning his disciples of what was predetermined against Judah's commonwealth, Jesus referred to this prophecy of Daniel, saying, as it stands in Matt. 24:15, "when ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place ("where it ought not" - Mark 13:14) whoso readeth, let him understand - then let them that be in Judea flee into the mountains", and so forth, "for then shall be great tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the State to this time, no, nor ever shall be;" that is, upon Judah. This prediction was fulfilled about A.D. 70.