Little horn

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.

After the large horn, Alexander the great was broken off, four rulers were in power. A little horn grew in greatness. This was Antiochus IV Epiphanes who ruled Syria and Israels land. He gained his throne by murdering his brother, Seleucus Philopator, one of the four rulers. He ruled by flattery and bribery. Epiphanes means "illustrious" as a god. The Jews named him "Epimanes" meaning "madman."

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.

He cast down stars and trampled on them, he persecuted the Jewish people of God, He had over100,000 Jews murdered. The LORD told Abraham that they are as the stars of heaven.

Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

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.

He magnified himself even to the prince of the host, He made himself the object of worship instead of the Most High God of Israel. He took away the daily sacrifices in the temple in Jerusalem and defiled and profaned the holy temple. Paul later spoked of our bodies as the temple.

1 Cor 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

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 practiced, and prospered.

This was the time when the high priests would pay Antiochus bribes to remove another from their office and to be the high priest. God's truth and righteousness were not honored. The High priests would out bribe one another to be in this position of authority, even selling some of the gold vessels from the temple. Such corruption was one reason that Antiochus remained in power, as a judgment from God. The man of God should not use the methods of the world to remain in power.

The little horn is a type of the coming beast, the final antichrist.

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?
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 13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
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.
Rev 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.