但以理書8:9-14

8:9 四角之中有一角長出一個小角，向南、向東、向榮美之地，漸漸成為強大。

8:10 牠漸漸強大，高及天象，將些天象和星宿拋落在地，用腳踐踏。

8:11 並且牠自高自大，以為高及天象之君；除掉常獻給君的燔祭，毀壞君的聖所。

8:12 因罪過的緣故，有軍旅和常獻的燔祭交付牠。牠將真理拋在地上，任意而行，無不順利。

8:13 我聽見有一位聖者說話，又有一位聖者問那說話的聖者說：「這除掉常獻的燔祭和施行毀壞的罪過，將聖所與軍旅（或譯：以色列的軍）踐踏的異象，要到幾時才應驗呢？」

8:14 他對我說：「到二千三百日，聖所就必潔淨。」

9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, "For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?" 14 And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state."

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     四角之中有一角長出一個小角，竟然挑戰上帝，破壞聖殿與獻祭制度。對照到歷史應該是西流基王朝的「安提阿哥四世」，生於西元前215年，西元前175-164年做王。他出身微寒，有十四年在羅馬當人質，也不是王位的合法繼承人。

    安提阿哥四世迫害一些宗教信仰，強迫信徒放棄他們的神祇。登基後，改名號為「神的顯現」，自以為是天神宙斯的化身。推行希臘化政策：禁止聖殿的獻祭，禁止猶太人守節期，禁止為小孩行割禮，搶奪聖殿的財物，甚至將宙斯神像立在聖殿中，並在祭壇上灑上豬血，猶太人以這種事情是最奇恥大辱的行為。後來終於造成馬喀比革命。

    歷史上這些大君王因為某些特質，帶來輝煌的成功，但過份的成功讓他們忘記自己的限制，甚至做出挑戰造物者的愚昧行為。這樣的錯誤，就不會發生在我們的身上嗎？我們要引以為鑑，以免得罪上帝。