Dan 8:1-14  The Vision of the Ram and the He-Goat

[Study Aired January 10, 2022]

Dan 8:1  In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. 
Dan 8:2  And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. 
Dan 8:3  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 
Dan 8:4  I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. 
Dan 8:5  And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 
Dan 8:6  And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 
Dan 8:7  And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 
Dan 8:8  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. 
Dan 8:9  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. 
Dan 8:10  And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 
Dan 8:11  Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 
Dan 8:12  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 
Dan 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 
Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 

This chapter is about the second vision Daniel had relating to a ram and a he-goat. In several dimensions, this vision is similar to the first vision Daniel had in Daniel chapter 7. As we have already indicated in all our reviews of Daniel, there is a spiritual interpretation of the word of God which is applicable now, and there is the outward manifestation of the word in the future. Our focus is how the word of God applies to us now, that is, its spiritual interpretation. This is because it is the spirit that gives life. The flesh or the letter of the word profits nothing. We will, therefore, focus more on the spiritual reality of this vision.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

2Co 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 

Dan 8:1  In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first.

The mention of the third-year reign of king Belshazzar in verse 1 means that it is by the process of our spiritual completion through judgment that we are given visions and their understanding. This process of understanding visions or the mysteries of the kingdom through judgment continues until the days of the sounding of the voice of the seventh angel. The sounding of the voice of the seventh angel signifies the completion of our understanding of the mystery of God as our Lord has declared to His servants, the prophets. The days of the voice of the seventh angel are the last seven plagues of God’s judgment or wrath upon our sins.

Rev 10:7  But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

It is during the days of the voice of the seventh angel, or God’s judgment or wrath upon our sins, that we hear plainly the voice of our Lord.

Joh 16:25  These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.
Joh 16:26  At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: 
Joh 16:27  For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. 
Joh 16:28  I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. 
Joh 16:29  His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb.

Daniel, being a symbol of the Old Testament prophets, was not given understanding of the mysteries of the kingdom of God. These Old Testament men of God are, therefore, given visions and dreams. However, like Moses, we are given to know the mind of Christ or His mysteries. The reason our Lord talked plainly with Moses was that he was the only Old Testament prophet who was given the task of bringing his people out of bondage of sin (Egypt) to know Christ in the wilderness. As His elect, we are also given the same role as Moses – that is, the world should be saved through His Christ.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him.

Performing such an audacious role requires knowing Christ intimately, that is, being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God.

Num 12:5  And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.
Num 12:6  And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream. 
Num 12:7  My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house. 
Num 12:8  With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

In verse 1, the statement that this vision given to Daniel is after the first vision given to him in chapter 7, tells us that this vision of Daniel is a second witness to the single truth revealed in the first vision. Although the details are different regarding these two visions, the meaning is the same and it shows that the time is imminent.

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 
Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one.

2Co 13:1  This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

Dan 8:2  And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. 

It is significant to know that the vision Daniel saw took place at Shushan in the palace. Shushan means lily, and it represents the elect as shown in Hosea 14:5. The palace here represents the temple, or the bodies of the elect, where Christ sits in the throne of our hearts. So, it is within the elect that all the details of this vision are taking place. Shushan is in the province of Elam, and Elam means eternity. This is to let us know that this vision is taking place in the elect of every generation.

Hos 14:5  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 

Ulai stands for leaders or mighty. The mighty or the leaders are the elect. The Ulai river therefore symbolizes the word of God given to the elect. This river is what every joint supplies, which is the word of God. This word of God is what makes us understand what is taking place within the elect. This river is the same as the one proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. The Lamb is Christ, and as Christ has sent us with His words, this river of life is also proceeding from the elect.

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 

Dan 8:3  Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. 

A ram in the scriptures symbolizes Christ as the lamb who sacrificed His life for our sake.

Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 
Gen 22:8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 

Gen 22:13  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

Lev 5:14  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
Lev 5:15  If a soul commit a trespass, and sin through ignorance, in the holy things of the LORD; then he shall bring for his trespass unto the LORD a ram without blemish out of the flocks, with thy estimation by shekels of silver, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass offering: ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 

As Christ is, so are we. We are therefore this ram with two horns. In the scriptures, the horns of ram are used as trumpets.

Jos 6:4  And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.
Jos 6:5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. 

In Revelation 1:10 the voice of the Lord is likened to that of a trumpet. So, we can say that the two horns represent the two voices of the Lord, that is, the law of the letter and the spirit of the word.

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

The first horn speaks of the letter of the word of God or the law which kills. The second horn, which came later and is higher than the first horn, is the speaking of the word of God in the spirit. As we are aware, it is the spirit that gives life. The flesh or the letter of the word profits nothing. We also know that the flesh or the letter always comes before the spirit as the latter horn came after the first horn. The Lord’s elect represents the ram by the riverside carrying these two horns. We start our walk with Christ based on the law, and when the law has finished its walk by bringing us to know that we are the worst sinners, then we are given to understand the spirit of the word.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 
1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 
1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 
1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.  

Dan 8:4  I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.

As we know, a king is not separate from his kingdom. The coming of Christ is the coming of the kingdom of God. This kingdom is now within the elect where the detail of this vision is taking place.

Mar 1:14  Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,
Mar 1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.  

Luk 17:20  And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: 
Luk 17:21  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. 

The ram pushing westward and northward and southward tells us about the expansion of the kingdom of God within us after leaving the world or Egypt. However, the expansion comes at the back of false doctrines within our heavens which black out the knowledge of Christ. A rendition of verse 4 here in Daniel chapter 8 in the New Testament is the mustard seed which grew to become a great tree such that fowls of the air lodged in its branches.

Luk 13:19  It [the kingdom of God] is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.

The statement that no beasts might stand before him and neither were there any that could deliver out of his hand lets us know that this is all part of the Lord’s plan who has made us to submit to these false doctrines within our heavens.

Rom 13:1  Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Rom 13:2  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 

The statement that he did according to his will is the same as having the name of Christ but eating our own food and wearing our own garment. This confirms that the expansion of the ram westward, northward and southward is in the negative context.

Isa 4:1  And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.

We come to trust in our own self-righteousness which is iniquity before the Lord. This means we are using our own effort to build the kingdom of God within. The statement that the ram became great is to let us know that we become proud as we glory in our own self-righteousness.

Eze 33:13  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it. 

Dan 8:5  And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 

This male goat came from the west which signifies coming out of the great sea of flesh of humanity as the west signifies the great sea in Ezekiel 47:20. The beast from Revelation 13:1 also came from the sea. At the start of this chapter, we are told that this vision of Daniel is a witness to the first one which means that the dream is one!! This he-goat is therefore the same as the beast although it has a different description.

Eze 47:20  The west side also shall be the great sea from the border, till a man come over against Hamath. This is the west side.

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 

Touching not the ground means that this beast operates in the air. We can therefore say that this beast is the same as the prince of the power of the air. Operating in the air means that this beast operates in the spiritual realm.

Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Understanding that the dream is one means that the notable horn between the eyes of the he-goat and the ten horns of the fourth beast in Daniel chapter 7 are all the same. The ten horns’ function is to the perfection of the flesh or to make us worse off in our sins. The same is achieved by the one horn between the eyes of the beast.

Dan 7:7  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. 

Dan 8:6  And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.

As we have indicated in verse 4, the ram doing his own will means that we come to trust in our own self righteousness or effort to build the kingdom of God within. This is iniquity before the Lord, and if we are destined to become His elect, then it is a matter of time for the Lord to send the adversary to overcome us, making us worse off.  Making us worse off is all part of the Lord’s ways of bringing us to come to know that we are the greatest sinners. Coming to this conclusion of being a great sinner is the beginning of our deliverance from sin. What the he-goat was going to do to the ram is the same as what our Lord said he will do His vineyard:

Isa 5:1  Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
Isa 5:2  And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 
Isa 5:3  And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 
Isa 5:4  What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? 
Isa 5:5  And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: 
Isa 5:6  And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. 
Isa 5:7  For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

The emphasis of the ram standing by the river is to let us know that this whole struggle within is about the word of God. The adversary’s fury of his power is in the pollution of our heavens with false doctrines making it impossible to know Christ in our situation.

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Dan 8:7  And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 

The statement that the he-goat came close to the ram and was enraged against him and struck the ram reminds us of the devil’s wrath as he comes to us at the time we are dwelling on earth and the sea and not in the heavens.

Rev 12:12  Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Part of the description here of the work of the evil one in verse 7 is the same as the description of the fourth beast who is the devil in Daniel chapter 7:7.

Dan 7:7  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

The he-goat casting the ram to the ground and stamping upon him is to let us know that we are overcome by the evil one through the beast within. We therefore submit to the dictates of the evil one and therefore become his children.

Joh 8:44  You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The essence of this vicious attack by the evil one against us is to destroy our strength or effort in serving the Lord as signified by the destruction of the two horns of the ram. As indicated in verse 7, the destruction of the two horns leaves the ram powerless. At that time of our walk, we were virtually sold out to the evil one, and no one could deliver us out of his hands. However, this is all part of the process of making us sons just like the prodigal son!!

Rev 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

During this dark period of our lives, our cry to the Lord is as follows:

Psa 71:9  Do not cast me off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.
Psa 71:10  For my enemies speak concerning me; those who watch for my life consult together 
Psa 71:11  and say, “God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is none to deliver him.” 
Psa 71:12  O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me!

Dan 8:8  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. 

What is being said here is the same as the beast receiving a mortal wound and later getting healed. This mortal wound in Revelation 13:3 is the same as destruction of the great horn.  This wound being healed is the same as the appearance of four notable ones in place of the broken great horn. The four horns mean the whole of the strength of the beast.

Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Here in verse 8, we are given additional information that the four notable horns that appeared are toward the four winds of heaven.  This means that the Lord uses the whole of the strength (horns) of the beast or the evil one as part of His spiritual resources to effectuate His purpose. For example, the Lord used the four winds to scatter His enemies and also to give life to the whole of mankind.

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters [the sea] which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

Jer 49:36  And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
Eze 37:10  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Dan 8:9  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.

As we have indicated, the vision here in Daniel chapter 8 is similar to that of Daniel chapter 7 based on the principle that the dream is one. Although the details are different regarding these two visions, the meanings are the same.

Gen 41:25  And Joseph said unto Pharaoh, The dream of Pharaoh is one: God hath shewed Pharaoh what he is about to do. 
Gen 41:26  The seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years: the dream is one. 

In the previous review of chapter 7, we said this little horn is the same as the beast based on the functions it performs. Here in verse 9, we are shown that the little horn became great and spread toward the south, east and the west which was the pleasant land. The little horn waxing great refers to its formidable opposition to the things of God within us. This beast’s formidable opposition is like a mountain within us, and it is only the Lord who can deal with it. The work of this beast is to make us realize that it is not by might nor by power but by the spirit of the Lord which is the word of God.

Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. 
Zec 4:7  Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

The spreading of this horn towards the west and south is to let us know of the beast’s dominion over the people of the world signified by the west and the physical churches of this world (Babylon) denoted by the south.

Jos 5:1  And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.

Jos 17:10  Southward it was Ephraim’s, and northward it was Manasseh’s, and the sea is his border; and they met together in Asher on the north, and in Issachar on the east.

This little horn or the beast also had dominion of the east which represents the Lord’s elect.

Num 3:38  But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death. 

The little horn or the beast’s victory over the Lord’s elect is demonstrated in the next verse as follows:

Dan 8:10  And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. 

Casting down some of the host and the stars to the ground and stamping upon them is the same as being given power to overcome the Lord’s elect or saints.

Dan 7:21  I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them;

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Dan 8:11  Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 

Verse 11 continues to spell out what happens to us when we are dominated by the beast within. We end up putting more confidence in the works of our hands, which is our self-righteousness, and become boastful before the prince of the host who is Christ our Lord.

Psa 94:4  How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?

Isa 10:15  Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood.

Verse 11 gives us more insight into our woeful state when we are dominated by the beast within. He takes away our daily sacrifice and casts down the place of our Lord’s sanctuary within us. The altar is where our sacrifices are offered to the Lord. Within us, this altar is our heart and mind with our body as the sacrifice. This is because with our hearts, we offer a sacrifice of praise to the Lord and with our bodies we present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord.

Psa 9:1  To the chief Musician upon Muthlabben, A Psalm of David. I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

The taking away of the daily sacrifice therefore signifies our inability to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, as our hearts and mind are dominated by the beast or the evil one through false doctrines. As long as we are carried about by diverse and strange doctrines, we do not have access to the altar of our hearts to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice.

Heb 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 
Heb 13:10  We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

The place of our Lord’s sanctuary is our body. The casting down of the place of sanctuary relates to not being able to offer our bodies as a dwelling place for God. This is because, through the influence of the beast, we have conformed ourselves to the standards of this world. In addition, our minds are not renewed to prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

1Co 6:19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 
1Co 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Dan 8:12  And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 

This verse affirms the reasons why the daily sacrifice is taken away. The reasons given are transgression and the casting down of the truth to the ground. In the next verse, this transgression is described as the transgression of desolation. The transgression of desolation is when the beast within us occupies the throne of our hearts and mind and sets himself forth as God.

2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

In verse 12, this transgression involves the casting down of the truth to the ground. Upholding false doctrines in our heavens which is also called the stumbling block of iniquity results in the casting to the ground the truth of the word which is the same as resisting the truth of the word of God.

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Dan 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 
Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. 

The question posed here concerns the period of time that the daily sacrifice will cease, together with the transgression of desolation and the treading underfoot by the beast. This question is basically talking about the time it takes for us to be under the dominion of the beast. The answer given was two thousand and three hundred (2300) in verse 14. This number (2300 = 23x10x10) signifies the period of time that the beast reigns supreme in our lives with our judgment about to commence.

2Ki 23:31  Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

1Co 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

In Exodus 9:38-42, the burnt offering was offered morning and evening on a daily basis, which suggests that the number 2300 refers to the number of times that the daily sacrifice was not offered. In that case, the number (2300) could mean 1150 days. This type of numbering days is seen in Genesis 1 where an evening and morning constitute a day.

Exo 29:38  Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. 
Exo 29:39  The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning; and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even: 

Gen 1:8  And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. 

However, in the sight of the Lord or in the spirit, a day or a thousand years are the same.

2Pe 3:8  But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 

So, whether it is 1150 days or 2300 days is irrelevant. It is the numbers themselves that are significant. We know that 2300 = 1150 x 2. So, what we are being told is that the period of the taking away of daily sacrifice within every individual is established since by two or three witnesses a thing is established. These 1150 days fall short of the one thousand, two hundred and sixty days (1260) in which the beast will be given the power over us which is the same as the cessation of the daily sacrifice. It is also the same as when we, the Lord’s elect, are trodden upon by the gentiles.

Rev 13:5  And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.

Rev 11:2  But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months. 
Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

These 1150 days are short of the thousand two hundred and threescore days (1,260 days) by 110 days which is equal to 11×10 days. The number eleven signifies the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh which is the same as what 110 signifies. Thus, the difference between 1,150 days or the 2300 days and the 1,260 days has to do with the fact that the cleansing of the sanctuary was not part of the 1,150 days while the 1,260 days includes the process for the destruction of the beast.  This is affirmed by verse 14 of Daniel chapter 8 which says that it was after the 2300 days that the cleansing of the sanctuary took place.

Dan 8:14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.