The Fall of Iran & Daniel 8:8
Daniel 8:8 states that when the great horn of the he-goat was broken, four notable ones rose up in its place toward the four winds of heaven.
“Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.” (Daniel 8:8, KJV 1900)
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“Then the he-goat from among the goats prevailed exceedingly, and when it had grown powerful, its great horn was broken, and four different horns came up after it toward the four winds of heaven.” (Daniel 8:8, LES)
This is not merely symbolic language, it describes a decisive overthrow of a dominant power and the immediate emergence of four successor rulers. In this study, the fall of Iran’s oppressive regime represents this prophetic breaking. The he-goat, understood here, as a long standing power structure influencing global politics for generations, is losing its grip.
As that system fractures, four distinct leaders rise into prominence. The war surrounding Iran is not random conflict, it signals transition. It marks the breaking of one governing force and the visible emergence of four new powers, corresponding to the prophetic pattern of Daniel 8:8. What appears political on the surface is in fact prophetic in nature, a shift from one era of rule into another.
As a type, the great horn appeared to break in 1974. Pastor Arnold Murray believed that four kings rose at that time: Begin, Sadat, Carter, and Khomeini.
However, over the last forty years or so, it has become clear that this was only a type, not the final prophetic fulfillment.
Today, in our modern time, we are watching for the true breaking of the he-goat horn in its final fulfillment. When that happens, four leaders will emerge to a new system. They will be similar to those Pastor Murray identified, but different in one key way. Their power will not come from a hidden group. The hidden group itself is the he-goat horn. That is why we believe the breaking of the he-goat horn is happening before our eyes today. It was not fulfilled in 1974 with the resignation of Richard Nixon.
The power structure behind him, symbolized by Henry Kissinger, continued ruling and was never broken! Now we are watching for the real breaking of that system, when the secret governments, their rule, and their money system finally collapses.
In Daniel 8:8, we see the breaking of the he-goat horn. This represents a transition of power. One ruling system is falling. This idea is not new.
It follows the same pattern shown earlier in Daniel chapter 2, in the great statue. The statue teaches that world power moves from one kingdom to another. Right now we are watching a transition. The power symbolized by Persia is weakening and losing control. The next prophetic power is Grecia, as satan the antichrist. Even though the he-goat is fallen, man and his kingdoms fall, but they also picture satan’s role in different aspects.
In Daniel 10:20, we are told that the Prince of Grecia is coming, which is pictured by a he-goat. So it looks like the he-goat is both falling and arriving at the same time. The reason this is not actually a contradiction is because the he-goat represents Satan’s system of rule, when he appears on Earth as antichrist. So the human part falls, but the symbology of satan’s system still applies.
In Revelation 17, we are told that the eighth king is of the seven. This means the rulership of man, even fallen, pictures satan’s final rule as antichrist.
“And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”
(Revelation 17:11, KJV 1900)
Because of this, every kingdom in the statue can be seen as a different angle of Satan’s rule.
The head of gold, Babylon, shows Satan ruling as an all powerful king. The silver kingdom, the Medes and Persians, shows a divided rule, part supernatural influence and part earthly government.
The brass kingdom, Grecia, pictures the way Satan will fully appear as Antichrist from the four winds of heaven (Daniel 11:4).
“And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.”
(Daniel 11:4, KJV 1900)
The legs of iron show a strong empire that later becomes divided.
The feet of iron and clay show a mixed and unstable world system, focused especially on the land of Israel and the Gentiles within it’s boundaries, ruling over Israel.
Finally, the toes show the last stage of rule, where multiple powers and spiritual forces work together to rule the world under antichrist, the golden head.
So when we watch world events and see one system fall and another rise, it may look like different kingdoms, but in prophecy they are all stages of the same system, leading to the final rule of Satan as the Antichrist, his kingdom that is not yet.
“And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.”
(Revelation 17:10, KJV 1900)
Now we continue with the thought of kingdoms of the Earth rising and falling with respect to the war with Iran happening in 2026.
“Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.” (Daniel 10:20, KJV 1900)
We are shown what happens behind the curtain of world events. The angel declares that he must return to fight with the prince of Persia, and that afterward the prince of Grecia shall come. This is described as a transition of power, not merely political power, but a spiritual power.
The prince of Persia in Daniel 10 is not presented as a human ruler, but as a spiritual power, a demonic principality that resisted the purposes of God until Michael the archangel intervened. Therefore, when a modern fall of oppressive leadership in Iran occurs, it may reflect more than political upheaval. It could signify the defeat of the spiritual force that once empowered that system in Iran.
If Daniel 8 reveals the breaking of the visible horn, then Daniel 10 reveals the unseen battle behind it. The fall of a regime may therefore correspond to Michael overcoming the spiritual prince that stood behind it, marking a prophetic transfer of authority.
After the war in heaven, described in Revelation 12:7, Michael and his angels fight against Satan and his angels. When that battle ends, Satan and his angels are cast out of heaven and down to the earth.
This event appears to come after the defeat of the Prince of Persia, which we understand today as Iran. No exact timeline is given for these events. The reason is that this conflict takes place in another dimension, in the spiritual realm. Because of this, the prophecies in Daniel and the political events happening in the world today are important to watch. They help us understand what may be coming next.
Daniel himself stood in that very region, the land we now know as Iran, which in ancient times was called Elam. Seeing this connection causes us to pause and consider the signs around us. We also see the mention of the four winds in Daniel 11:4, again connected to the Prince of Grecia. In addition, there are other prophecies that mention Elam and the nations connected to it, which seem to point to a coming fall of Iran. Taken together, these scriptures help us watch the unfolding signs and understand the direction prophecy is pointing.
Jeremiah prophesies of the “bow of Elam” being broken. Elam was in Persia. The “bow” is the strength of Elam just like the Horn is the strength of the he-goat.
“What Jeremiah prophesied against the nations of Elam. This is what the Lord says: “The bow of Elam has been broken, the power of their sovereignty. And I will bring the four winds from the four edges of the sky against Elam, and I will scatter them among all these winds, and there will be no nation to which those who were thrust out of Elam will not come. And I will terrify them before their enemies who seek their life. And I will bring bad things upon them, according to the wrath of my anger, and I will send my sword after them until they are consumed. And I will set my throne in Elam, and from there I will send a king and nobles. And this will happen in the end of days: I will also bring back the captivity of Elam,” says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 25:14–19, LES) or (Jeremiah 49:34-39 KJV)
We are reminded in the end of days that all these kingdoms will be removed and God will set up His Millennial kingdom with the boundaries described below.
Over the last fifty years we have watched many world leaders rise and fall. During that time, Pastor Arnold Murray and Pastor Dennis Murray taught how these events relate to the prophecies found in Daniel chapter 8 and Daniel chapter 10. As we study these scriptures and watch the world around us, we can see how prophecy continues to unfold exactly as it is written. Along the way, we have also seen types, smaller events that help us understand the larger prophecy that is still coming. These rising Gentile kingdoms will not last forever. The Bible tells us in Daniel chapter 2 that a stone will strike the great statue of man's kingdoms and completely destroy it. When that happens, all the divided kingdoms of men will come to an end. In their place, God’s kingdom will rise. This is the Millennial Kingdom, when Christ will rule and the land promised in the scriptures will finally be established, as shown in the map above and described in passages such as Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4. This study is only the beginning. In the future, Machelle will be expanding on these topics in full Bible studies, where each of these prophecies will be examined in greater detail. If you would like to follow along and learn more, please watch for upcoming studies on Machelle’s YouTube channel or visit her website at: propheticbiblestudies.com Thank you for studying with us, and we look forward to continuing this journey through God’s Word together.
