Daniel 8:1  “In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar…”
Two years after the first dream.

1  “…a vision appeared unto me…”
Apparently while he was awake as opposed to the one he had before which was while he was sleeping.

2  “…Shushan in the palace…”
He not only sees visions of the future, but the location he finds himself in within the vision is also from the future.  Shushan would be the capitol of the Persian kingdom after Cyrus.

3-14  The vision that Daniel saw.  It will be interpreted for him by Gabriel.

5  “…touched not the ground…”
Conquered so quickly it was like it didn’t touch the ground.

7  “…there was no power in the ram to stand before him…”
The ram which had been so powerful that none could withstand him, is now unable to withstand this new power.  Earthly kingdoms come and go.  God allows them only as long as He wishes.

18  “…I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground…”
Probably fainted from fear.  Every time we see someone come into physical contact with a heavenly being, their reaction is always the same; fear and reverence.  No pretense will hold up when a person is confronted with such awesome truth.

19  “…at the time appointed the end shall be”
The end is already determined.  No question.

20-25  Gabriel’s interpretation of the vision and what it means.

23  “…a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up…”
God’s use of parallelism, duplicating events within prophecy, is very intriguing.  Some of what is said here was brought to pass under Antiochus.  But the same things will also come about again at the very end under the Antichrist, the man of perdition.  Watching God weave His purposes into the fabric of history is amazing and awe inspiring.  We’re reminded that nothing is by random chance.  All is by His doing.

27  “…I rose up, and did the king’s business…”
Earlier question about what part Daniel had in the court of Belshazzar.  Apparently he had some office to perform even if it wasn’t as well known or flashy as that he held under Nebuchadnezzar.

27  “…I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it”
Interesting comment as he has just had the vision interpreted for him.  However, we see the explanation through the advantage of hindsight.  We know of Alexander and of the Roman Empire.  But Daniel knows only that new kingdoms will arise and fall.  He doesn’t yet have the context of the reason for the visions.  Actually, that context will come as a result of his prayer for the Jewish people.  God began to answer his prayers way before he prayed them.

I hope you enjoy reading and studying His word.  May it accomplish what He desires.  Please feel free to comment or post questions.  Thanks for reading!