We are now about to see that the same narrative of the Ten Horns and the Little Horn in Daniel 7 is reiterated in Daniel 8. However, the reason why many of us don't see the connection between Daniel 7 and 8 is because we are forgetting one of the most basic principles of interpretation—Repeat and Expand.

Repeat and Expand

Remember, Repeat and Expand declares that when a prophecy repeats, it expounds upon that prophecy and provides more detail. Thus, we understand that Nebuchadnezzar's Image in Daniel 2 is repeated and expanded in Daniel 7. Knowing Daniel 7 expands upon Daniel 2, gives us a reference point that provides context and a correct interpretation for Nebuchadnezzar's Image. Without using Repeat and Expand interpretation principles, one might misinterpret the metals in Nebuchadnezzar's image to be China or Russia.

Adventists are persistent when it comes to using Repeat and Expand principles to connect Daniel 2 to Daniel 7; however, for some odd reason, we have abandoned this principle when it comes to interpreting Daniel 8. If we were applying this principle, then we would see that Daniel 8 is expounding on the Ten Horns and the Little Horn in Daniel 7.

The Ten Horns confirmed in Daniel 8

Once you become open to the reality of this new view of the Ten Horns, you will see that Daniel 8 tells us exactly who the Ten Horns are. Notice Daniel 8:20 says, “The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.” Ask yourself this question. Why are we ignoring the Bible when it clearly identifies two horns out of the ten? But it doesn’t stop there.

Notice what the next verse says: “And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king.” Daniel 8:21.

But there’s more. The next verse says, “Now that being broken, whereas four [horns] stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation” Daniel 8:22. And we should see that these four horns were the four divisions of Alexanders divided kingdom: Macedonia, Asia Minor, the Ptolemaic Empire, and the Seleucid Empire.

Do you see it? Daniel 8 has already mapped out seven of the Ten Horns for us! Here they are listed in their order:

1. The kings of Media (vs. 20)

2. The kings of Persia (vs. 20)

3. The king of Greece (vs. 21)

4. The kings of Macedonia (vs. 22)

5. The kings of Asia Minor (vs. 22)

6. The kings of the Ptolemaic Empire (vs. 22)

7. The kings of the Seleucid Empire (vs. 22)

Now do you understand why I said we are forgetting to apply Repeat and Expand principles Daniel 8? If Daniel 7 gave us a symbol and Daniel 8 interpreted that symbol, why are we ignoring its interpretation? This veering away from our core principles of interpretation has, unfortunately, led us to interpret the Little Horn as the Papacy in Daniel 7, but then as both phases of the Roman Empire in Daniel 8. And then it also has caused us to interpret the Horns as Germanic tribes in Daniel 7 and then as kings of world powers in Daniel 8. As Adventists, we often say the Bible is its best interpreter. Well, if we believe this, then why is it beyond the pale that Daniel 8 is interpreting the horns of Daniel 7?

We often accuse Evangelicals of bad interpretation rules when they apply the Little Horn to Rome in Daniel 7 but then apply it to Antiochus Epiphanes in Daniel 8. We say, “How can you interpret the same symbol as two different powers?” Well, the same thing we are accusing them of, is the same thing we are doing. If the Horns in Daniel 8 are the kings of the world, then the Horns in Daniel 7 are the same. And if the Little Horn in Daniel 8 represents both phases of the Roman Empire, then the Little Horn in Daniel 7 must be the same. 

So even though we only see seven horns presented in Daniel 8, we have no reason to believe that the kings of Egypt, Assyria, and Babylon wouldn’t also be symbolized as horns. Thus, we can see that the Bible tells us exactly who the Ten Horns are in Daniel 8— the kingships of the world powers that persecuted God's people.

The narrative of the Three Plucked-up Horns in Daniel

 Daniel 7 and 8 are telling the same narrative of the Little Horn and the three subdued horns. Let me prove it to you.

Out of one of them

Daniel 8:8-9 says, “Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.”

Here, we see four horns coming up towards the four winds of heaven, and then out of one of them came a Little Horn. You should understand that when Alexander's kingdom fell, there was war and strife in the north, south, east, and west. These compass directions were also known as the four winds of heaven. And through this war and strife, four kingdoms would arise: Macedonia in the west, Asia Minor in the north, the Ptolemaic Kingdom in the south, and the Seleucid Kingdom in the east.



And just like the four kingdoms arose out of that strife and warfare, another horn known as the Little Horn (Pagan Rome) would also arise from the strife in one of those established compass directions. To understand which direction it’s referring to, all you would need to know is from where Rome originated. Everyone should know that Rome originated in what we know today as Italy, and Italy is west of Greece, so Rome arose OUT of the WESTERN wind. And so when Daniel 8:9 says, “out of one of them,” you must understand that the rising of Rome in the west reveals that when it arose to power it had to have conquered the Macedonian horn which was situated in the west. History reveals that Rome conquered the Macedonian horn at the conclusion of the Third Macedonian War in 168 BC.

History also reveals that by 88 BC, although not yet formally conquered, Egypt and Cyprus were gifted to the Roman Empire. And finally, in 64 BC, the Roman Empire absorbed the Seleucid Empire. Thus by the 1st century BC, the Little Horn had waxed great towards the south and the east.



The Bible not only revealed what nations Rome conquered to become a world power, but it also revealed the order in which those nations were conquered by Rome so that it stood unopposed. According to the prophecy, the Little Horn would rise out of the west, conquering Macedonia in 168 BC, then it would wax great towards the south and obtain Egypt in 88 BC, then finally it would wax towards the east and conquer Syria in 64 BC. It should now be clear to you that this phase of the Little Horn was obviously the Pagan Roman phase. And it should also be clear to you that both Daniel 7 and 8 reveal that the three horns plucked up by the Little Horn were the Macedonian, Egyptian, and Syrian horns.