Daniel 8 - second vision of Daniel

In Daniel 7 we read about a succession of kingdoms that finishes with the kingdom of Heavens coming to earth. In Daniel 8, we see almost the same succession of kingdoms. We read:


20-22 “‘The double-horned ram you saw stands for the two kings of the Medes and Persians. The billy goat stands for the kingdom of the Greeks. The huge horn on its forehead is the first Greek king. The four horns that sprouted after it was broken off are the four kings that come after him, but without his power.

23-26
“‘As their kingdoms cool down
    and rebellions heat up,
A king will show up,
    hard-faced, a master trickster.
His power will swell enormously.
    He’ll talk big, high-handedly,
Doing whatever he pleases,
    knocking off heroes and holy ones left and right.
He’ll plot and scheme to make crime flourish—
    and oh, how it will flourish!
He’ll think he’s invincible
    and get rid of anyone who gets in his way.
But when he takes on the Prince of all princes,
    he’ll be smashed to bits—
    but not by human hands.
This vision of the 2,300 sacrifices, evening and morning,
    is accurate but confidential.
Keep it to yourself.
    It refers to the far future.’

Many commentaries point to Antiochus as the one who persecuted the people of the Lord. However, he is smashed to bits, not by human hands. We live in a world where the Evil may seem invincible, but it is not. It is smashed to bits.