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Daniel’s vision of the ram in chapter 8 is traditionally applied to the Medo-Persian Empire. Yet the angel insists it also concerns “the time of the end” (Daniel 8:17, 19, 26). Like other dual–fulfilment prophecies, it speaks both to historical empires and to the last days.
I believe the two horns of this ram point to America and “Israel.” They represent not isolated nations, but the culmination of a spiritual pattern that began at the Tower of Babel—humanity’s first organised act of rebellion against God. From Babel onward, every empire has carried this same spirit of conquest, self-exaltation, and lawlessness, and it finds its sharpest expression in these two nations.
To read it faithfully requires a lens of justice and truth, with Christ as the standard by which every system is measured. Through that lens, America and “Israel” emerge as the horns of the ram - pillars of end-times Babylon, carrying forward the rebellion that began at Babel. Cloaked in biblical language and geopolitical power, they wield influence that masquerades as righteousness while advancing lawlessness, foreshadowing the moral and spiritual corruption examined in the chapters ahead.
The ram signifies a spirit of conquest - a demonic principality that has driven empires throughout history. Historically, it was embodied in the Medes and the Persian Empire. Its nature persists into the last days through powers claiming divine legitimacy. This spirit appears religious but is lawless at its core - deceptive, violent, and proud. It mimics divine authority while disregarding truth and justice. The United States and “Israel” exemplify this pattern. One is a global superpower; the other, a smaller state, yet wields influence far beyond its size - shaping American policy to serve its own interests. Together, they perpetuate empire under a sacred guise. Their union is not covenantal but imperial, relying on military dominance, financial leverage, media manipulation, and propaganda masquerading as divine mandate.
The first horn, America, rose higher and earlier - establishing unmatched military, economic, and cultural dominance. The second horn, “Israel,” appeared later, smaller, but grew strong through the power of the first. Today, the younger horn exerts disproportionate influence over the elder, steering its policies through lobbying, finance, and media power. Criticism of this union is branded heresy, even as injustice is sanctified under the guise of security and prophecy.
What makes this alliance unique is its fusion of power, ideology, and religious authority. No other partnership has so effectively projected divine legitimacy while shaping global culture, politics, and faith to serve its own interests. Much of the heretical teaching and spiritual deception of our age traces back to these two nations. Like a ram mimicking a lamb, they cloak lawlessness in righteousness, fulfilling the “mystery of lawlessness” Paul spoke of (2 Thessalonians 2). The horns embody a modern manifestation of the same imperial spirit that once animated ancient empires.
Both nations veil themselves in biblical language while building systems of conquest and dispossession. America proclaims itself “a nation under God” even as its legacy is marked by slavery, indigenous genocide, and endless wars. “Israel,” invoking covenant heritage, enforces apartheid and expansion through walls, blockades, and airstrikes. Both cite Scripture, yet act contrary to the God of justice and mercy (Micah 6:8). Their partnership is an unholy alliance - appearing as shepherds while devouring the flock. Americans gain little to nothing from this bond; it is a one-sided relationship in which the elder becomes a tool for the younger, fulfilling Daniel 8:3: “the latter horn shall be higher than the older.”
The ram’s body is the imperial system - a structure older than Medo-Persia, rooted in Babel and perfected by Rome. Rome cloaked tyranny in law and piety; America inherited this mantle, redrawing borders, toppling governments, and exporting a false gospel wrapped in democracy. “Israel,” invoking sacred heritage, employs similar methods: militarisation, occupation, and erasure of indigenous identity - all legitimised by distorted theology of chosenness. Scripture warns against those who “call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). This system baptises violence as “security,” sanctions theft as “inheritance,” and blesses empire as “God’s plan.” Prophecy is weaponised, twisting God’s promises into tools of domination.
Proverbs 6:16-19 lists what the LORD hates: pride, deceit, bloodshed, wicked plotting, swift violence, false witness, and sowing discord. These traits are stamped upon the ram’s system:
- Haughty eyes claim divine favour while trampling the meek.
- Lying tongues frame genocide as defence, apartheid as security.
- Hands that shed innocent blood stain deserts and cities with drone strikes and blockades.
- Hearts devising wicked plans orchestrate coups under the mask of liberation.
- Feet swift to evil march in pre-emptive wars and economic strangulation.
- False witness twists prophecy into an excuse for empire.
- Sowing discord fractures nations, their own people, churches, and families for profit and control.
"As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between its eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. It came toward the two-horned ram I had seen charged at it in great rage. I saw it attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering its two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against it; the goat knocked it to the ground and trampled on it, and none could rescue the ram from its power." (Daniel 8:5-7)
The Rise of the Goat.
(To be continued)