Gabriel himself told Daniel that the vision concerned the end times. He did not say that part of the vision was historical and part of it was future. He simply said that the vision concerned the time of the end and then repeated it.

“Son of man (Daniel), understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end.” (Daniel 8:17).

Behold, I (Gabriel) am going to let you (Daniel) know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.” (Daniel 8:19).

Then in Daniel 8:20 “The ram which you (Daniel) saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia.”

There is no doubt that the modern nation of Iran geographical encompasses the three ancient peoples mentioned in Daniel – Medes, Elam and Persians. 

Mark Davidson in his book Iran’s Great Invasion suggests the two horns are represented by the two power bases existing in Iran today: the Ayatollah is the supreme leader, the political power but the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is the military power.

Daniel describes the second horn growing up later and stronger which describes the IRGC precisely e.g. former President Ahmadinejad awarded two-thirds of the cabinet positions to former IRGC commanders.

Daniel tells us that the ram will run out (invade): north, west and south and it even tells us the starting point Susa on the border of Iran and Iraq.

WEST – Syria: Already, we know that Iran has military in Syria -The Islamic Republic of Iran has conducted an extensive, expensive, and integrated effort to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power as long as possible while setting conditions to retain its ability to use Syrian territory and assets to pursue its regional interests should Assad fall. The deployment of IRGC Ground Forces to conflict abroad is a notable expansion of Iran’s willingness and ability to project military force beyond its borders.

WEST – Lebanon:  The Shiite militia known as Hezbollah was created by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be an Iranian proxy, nominally “resisting” Israel, but in fact resisting the normal governance of Lebanon by its people. After more than 30 years, Hezbollah is still in Lebanon, sacrificing lives, resisting democracy, dictating foreign policy and corrupting the true Lebanese Armed Forces. Since the 2006 war with Israel, Hezbollah has rearmed dramatically, with an estimated 150,000 missiles, including short-range Katyusha-type rockets and thousands of medium-range missiles capable of striking Tel Aviv. In November of last year, the Saudi-supported prime minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri, in a broadcast from Riyadh announced his resignation, blaming Iran’s “grip” on his country via Shiite movement Hezbollah.

WEST – Iraq:  Iran has effectively won the struggle to dominate the future of Iraq. It has done so against the formidable Shi’ite Arab populace, and after nearly a month of raw pressure, manipulations, special operations, threats and cajoling. The Iraqi election of May 12, 2018 — the catalyst for the Iranian intervention — was but the harbinger of a greater threat looming. Thus — even as the final election results are still being challenged, calculated, manipulated, and abused — the key outcome is clear: The future government in Baghdad will be dominated by pro-Iran Shi’ites.

WEST – Israel: 

Hamas’ new leader, Yehiyeh Sinwar,  in the Gaza Strip said Monday his group has repaired relations with Iran after a five-year rift and is using its newfound financial and military aid to gear up for new hostilities with Israel.

“Today, the relationship with Iran is excellent, or very excellent,” Sinwar said. He added that the Islamic Republic is “the largest backer financially and militarily” to Hamas’ military wing.

The announcement  came as U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting Israel. At a meeting with the U.N. chief, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu complained about what he called rising anti-Israel activity by Iran and its allies in the region.

In his meeting with Guterres, Netanyahu alleged Iran is building sites in Syria and Lebanon to produce “precision-guided missiles” to be used against Israel.

Israel and Iran are bitter enemies, and Israel has recently expressed concern that Iran and its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah are seeking a permanent military presence in Syria near the Israeli border. Both Hezbollah fighters and Iran have backed Assad’s forces in the Syrian war.

“Iran is busy turning Syria into a base of military entrenchment, and it wants to use Syria and Lebanon as war-fronts against its declared goal to eradicate Israel,” Netanyahu said. “This is something Israel cannot accept. This is something the U.N. should not accept.”

SOUTH – Saudi Arabia: The “Cold War” between Middle East rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran has been heating up.

The Sunni-Shiite divide between Saudi Arabia and Tehran is a crucial factor in conflicts between the two countries.

Religious tensions have heightened since the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq that brought the majority Shiites to power in Baghdad instead of Saddam’s Sunni-dominated regime.

Sunni powerhouse Saudi Arabia and Iran, the predominant Shiite power, have a long-standing rivalry based as much in geo-strategic interests as religious differences. Facing off across the Gulf, the two energy-rich powers have for decades stood on opposing sides of conflicts in the Middle East.

The Iranian revolution of 1979 and the advent of the Islamic Republic — with its fiercely anti-American slant — were perceived as a double threat to the conservative Sunni monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula, allied with the United States.

Saudi Arabia was a key financial backer of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his 1980-1988 war with Iran. With Iraq weakened following the 1991 Gulf War, Saudi Arabia and Iran became “the two main regional powers,” said Clement Therme, a researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The latest round of tensions began when Riyadh and Tehran broke off diplomatic relations in January 2016, after Iranians stormed Saudi Arabia’s embassy and consulate in response to the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

On the first weekend of November, the animosity reached new heights, Saudi Arabia said its air defences near Riyadh intercepted and destroyed a missile fired from Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed Shiite rebels.

The Bible is primarily a book of prophecy with a major emphasis on Jesus first and especially His second coming. It tells us the events that will happen next.
Iran’s (the ram) time centre stage is brief.
The male goat that overcomes the ram is believed to be Turkey (Sunni) who is seeking to reestablish its former position as leader of the Muslims, with a revived Ottoman Empire. Suggest you read the article in Abaka News by Edmond Y Azaian entitled Erdogan’s Ottoman Ambitions Are for Real

My next post will include a video of Joel Richardson on the final Gog/Magog war.

“Then he (male goat with one notable horn) came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing beside the river, and ran at him with furious power. And I saw him confronting the ram; he was moved with rage against him, attacked the ram, and broke his two horns. There was no power in the ram to withstand him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled him; and there was no one that could deliver the ram from his hand.” Daniel 8:6-7