The he-goat represents the Grecian Empire, and its notable horn represents Alexander the Great.
Daniel's vision pictures the swift Greek conquest of the Medo-Persian Empire, which had been symbolized by a two-horned ram. Les Feldick connects the same Greek empire to the swift leopard of Daniel 7, emphasizing Alexander's rapid movements and the later division of his empire among four generals.
Daniel 8:20-21 — This passage is the Bible's own interpretation of the ram and the he-goat in Daniel's vision.
In Daniel 8, the prophet is given the interpretation of his vision. The ram with two horns is identified as the kings of Media and Persia, while the rough goat is called the king of Grecia. The great horn between the goat's eyes is the first king. Daniel also sees the goat coming from the west and moving without touching the ground, a picture of the speed with which the Greek conquest would take place.
Les explains Daniel's prophetic animals as world empires. He teaches that the ram was the emblem of the Medo-Persian Empire, even appearing on their coins. In Daniel 7, he identifies the leopard as the Greek Empire under Alexander the Great, noting that the leopard is one of the swiftest animals and pictures Alexander's rapid conquests. Les also explains that the leopard's four wings and four heads point to the four generals who divided the Greek Empire after Alexander's death. These empires, Les says, are part of the times of the Gentiles that the Bible follows from Babylon through Rome.
Les maps each beast to a specific empire: the bear to the Medes and Persians, the leopard to Greece under Alexander, and the fourth beast to Rome. He also shows the ram of Daniel 8 as the Medo-Persian Empire, whose coins bore a ram's head.
Les emphasizes the speed of Alexander the Great's armies, saying he could move over territory in ways no one dreamed possible. That is why Daniel pictures the Greek power as a leopard—one of the swiftest animals—and, in Daniel 8, as a goat that does not touch the ground.
The Ram as Medo-Persia
Les shows that the ram of Daniel's vision stands for the Medo-Persian Empire, even noting that ram's heads appeared on their coins.
Greek Empire as the Leopard
Les identifies the leopard in Daniel 7 as the Greek empire under Alexander the Great and highlights the leopard's swiftness.
Daniel's Four Beasts and the Revived Roman Empire Explained
And then he had no more in seeing that come out of his dream, and he says, I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked. In other words, it was defeated, it fell. And it was lifted up from the earth and made stand upon the feet of the man, and a man's heart was given to it. And then, verse 5, as a result of that fall, what happened? Well, another empire. And another beast.
Four Generals after Alexander
Les explains that the leopard's four wings and four heads represent the four generals who divided Alexander's empire.
Daniel's Vision of 4 Beasts & the Antichrist Explained
Alexander the Great could move his armies over territory that nobody else ever dreamed possible and in less time. He was known for it. And so consequently, he's pictured as the leopard here. And it had upon the back of it four wings. Now you remember I told you when we were studying over here, that when Greece conquered the then known world, Alexander died, and who took over? Four generals.
The Antichrist Revealed: What 2 Thessalonians Really Says
He saw the Medes and Persians as the bear. And he saw the Greek Empire as the ram, if I remember correctly. And then the fourth empire was a beast beyond description. All right, now look at them here. They're in reverse order, because see, Daniel saw them from a prophetic view from start coming down. John sees them now as looking back.
Four Empires in Daniel 7
Les maps Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome to the four beasts of Daniel 7.
Times of the Gentiles
Les says these four empires are the ones the Bible follows as the times of the Gentiles.
Daniel 8:20: The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
This verse provides the divine interpretation of the ram, making the goat's identity clear by contrast.
Daniel 8:21: And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
The Bible explicitly names the he-goat as Grecia and its notable horn as the first king, commonly understood as Alexander the Great.
Daniel 7:6: After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
Les uses this verse to show that the Greek Empire is pictured as a swift leopard, paralleling the goat's speed in Daniel 8.
The he-goat in Daniel 8 represents the Grecian Empire, and its notable horn represents Alexander the Great. The vision shows Greece conquering the Medo-Persian Empire, which is represented by the ram.
Les identifies the Greek Empire under Alexander as the swift leopard of Daniel 7. He also teaches that after Alexander's death, his empire was divided among four generals, which is pictured by the leopard's four wings and four heads.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About the Antichrist — Daniel 8 & 11