Daniel 8:24

“And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power, etc.] He should possess a large kingdom, and that should be increased by conquests: but not in his powerf402, the power of Alexander; he should not arrive to that greatness he did, as in (<270822>Daniel 8:22) so Jacchiades: or, “in his own power”f403; for it was not so much by his own courage and valour, by any heroic actions of Antiochus, he became so great, as by craft and deceit: through sedition he procured the death of his father and eider brother; and by fraud got the kingdom from his nephew; and through the perfidy of Menelaus and Jason, the high priests of the Jews, and other apostates, he obtained what dominion he had over the…”

“not by his own power--which in the beginning was "little" (Dan 8:9; Dan 7:8); but by gaining over others through craft, the once little horn became "mighty" (compare Dan 8:25; Dan 11:23). To be fully realized by Antichrist. He shall act by the power of Satan, who shall then be permitted to work through him in unrestricted license, such as he has not now (Rev 13:2); hence the ten kingdoms shall give the beast their power (Th2 2:9-12; Rev 17:13). prosper and practise--prosper in all that he attempts (Dan 8:12). holy people--His persecutions are especially directed against the Jews.”

“And his power shall be mighty - He shall be a powerful monarch. Though not as mighty as Alexander, yet his conquests of Egypt and other places show that he deserved to be numbered among the mighty kings of the earth. But not by his own power - That is, it shall not be by any strength of his own, but by the power which God gives him. This is true of all kings and princes (compare John 19:11; Isaiah 10:5, following), but it seems to be referred to here particularly to show that the calamities which he was about to bring upon the Hebrew people were by Divine direction and appointment. This great power was given him in order that he might be an instrument in the Divine hand of inflicting…”

“8:24 not by his own power: God remained in sovereign control of the seemingly fortuitous events of history that brought Antiochus IV to power. • a shocking amount of destruction: See 1 Maccabees 1:10-63, which describes many of the evils that Antiochus IV instigated.”

“but: Rev 13:3-9, Rev 17:12, Rev 17:13, Rev 17:17 shall prosper: Dan 8:12, Dan 11:36 shall destroy: Dan 8:10, Dan 8:12, Dan 7:25, Dan 11:31-36; Rev 13:10, Rev 16:6, Rev 17:6, Rev 19:2 holy people: Heb. people of the holy ones Daniel 8:25”