Daniel's prophecy in chapter 8 highlights the Greek Empire, focusing on its rise under Alexander the Great and the later reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Syrian king surnamed Epiphanes, meaning the manifest or the illustrious. The Jews, with tragic wit, called him Epimanes, or the madman, due to his violently anti-Jewish policies. Determined to Hellenize the Jews, this little horn systematically forbade, under penalty of death, circumcision, Sabbath and holy day observance, and the reading or possession of the Torah scrolls. He executed some for refusing to eat swine's flesh and butchered others who would not bow to a pagan image. Additionally, he erected a statue of Zeus Olympius in the Temple, sacrificed swine on God's altar, and permitted pagan rites, orgies, and festivals in the Temple grounds. In his pride, he decreed that he should be worshiped as Zeus, with his coins bearing the inscription theos epiphanes, meaning God manifest. Other despicable deeds of Antiochus, including his wars against Egypt and the Maccabees, are detailed in prophecy, where he is depicted as a precursor to a future world dictator who will also speak blasphemies and persecute God's people.

In 168 BC, on the 25th day of the month Kislev, Syrian king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, with the aid of his army, erected an altar to the Greek god Zeus on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and offered swine upon it. This act intensified Jewish resistance, sparking the Maccabean revolt. Subsequently, in 165 BC, the Jews retook Jerusalem, cleansed, and rededicated the Temple, an event commemorated in the Jewish Hanukah celebration.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes stands as a significant historical type of the end-time Beast, embodying the militaristic zeal and ruthless ambition that characterize this prophesied figure. Known for his aggressive conquests and desecration of sacred spaces, Antiochus exemplifies the Beast's obsession with war and domination. His actions, marked by a relentless drive to impose his will through overwhelming force, mirror the predicted behaviors of the coming ruler who will thrive on military victories and the destruction of enemies. Like Antiochus, the Beast will be a formidable conqueror, delighting in the imposition of harsh terms on the subdued and reveling in the power and riches that conquest brings. These traits of unyielding martial prowess and strategic cunning, as seen in Antiochus, serve as critical clues to recognizing the Beast when he rises to prominence.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes is referenced as a historical figure who fulfilled a prophecy found in Daniel 8:14. This verse, now considered history, describes a period of 2300 days, understood as 1150 days of morning and evening sacrifices, totaling two per day. Antiochus Epiphanes serves as a forerunner of events yet to come, specifically relating to the future abomination of desolation and the cessation of daily sacrifices during the Tribulation.

In the context of prophetic events described in Daniel 12, a historical precedent is seen in the actions of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the Temple during his assault on Jerusalem between 167-164 BC. This act serves as a type of the future abomination of desolation mentioned in Daniel 12:11, illustrating a pattern of interference with sacred practices that will recur in the end times.