Who this fierce king points at, or what awful indignation is to take place at the time, when the latter kingdom shall come, and the transgressions are come to the full; I presume not to say. But one spiritual improvement ariseth out of it, which both Writer and Reader will do well to regard: namely, how awful are all the Lord's visitations, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. We behold Daniel's mind so affected in the very contemplation of it, that though he knew it would not happen in his days, yet, it induced sickness and fear. There is a sickness of soul as well as sickness of body, and both may be supposed to have their operations on the Lord's faithful ones in times of sorrow for Zion's welfare. But in the midst of these, while the soul lives on the Person, Work, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; the purposes of an unchangeable God in Covenant, will bring comfort within, when matters are ever so unpromising without. Oh! how truly blessed is it to have this Covenant God in Christ to fly to, and to trust in, when the world is convulsed with storms and tempests; and all things in disorder!
Daniel 8:20-27
20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.
22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holyg people.
25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peaceh shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.
26 And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.
27 And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.