CHAPTER 08
The Vision by the Canal
Artistic reconstruction · not an authenticated photograph or exact archaeological model.
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The biblical account
Prepared narrative summary · not a Scripture quotation
In another vision Daniel finds himself at Susa beside the Ulai. A ram charges in several directions until a swift goat attacks and breaks its power. The goat’s great horn is broken, and later a smaller horn grows into a force that assaults the holy people and sanctuary. Worship is disrupted, truth is cast down, and a question rises about how long the devastation will last. Gabriel identifies the ram with Media and Persia and the goat with Greece, while describing a ruthless ruler who will finally fall without human power. Daniel is overwhelmed and ill before returning to royal work. Receiving a vision does not remove bewilderment; the account leaves him carrying both his duties and a burden he cannot fully explain.
Historical context
Susa is an identifiable ancient city, but the Ulai’s exact ancient course is debated, and the scene is explicitly visionary. Many scholars connect the persecuting horn with Antiochus IV; interpretive traditions differ. The image is a reused contextual artistic reconstruction, not an event-specific illustration; it does not show the canal, animals, or sanctuary.
Pause & Reflect
How can you remain attentive to ordinary responsibilities while carrying questions you cannot resolve?