Daniel 11

Watch Chuck Missler's video on Daniel 11.

Background. In Daniel 10, the prophet Daniel asked God for information about the end time. In response, God sent an angel to Him and after battling some evil angelic forces, the angel finally came to Daniel. The angel proceeded to explain why he was late and then to answer his question.

Dr. J. Vernon McGee had this to say about Daniel 11: "This prophecy is rather complicated and goes into prophecy a little deeper than the average person likes to go into it. Most people seem to like the exciting, sensational part of prophecy, but they do not want to dig down into the Word of God to see what it really says. However, if you are one who enjoys a deep and detailed study of prophecy, you will be thrilled by this section of the remarkable Word of God."

Chapter 11 begins the prophetic portion of this last vision which God gave to Daniel, presenting a foreview of Gentile dominion from the “first year of Darius” unto the battle of Armageddon and the return of Messiah. The chapter closes with the prediction that this “wilful king” “shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” And, we know that it is the return of the Lord Jesus that will bring this to pass.

Chapter 11 is one of the most remarkable chapters in the Bible in that it records prophecy that, for the most part, has been fulfilled in detail. It foretells the struggle between the kings of Syria and the kings of Egypt which took place after Daniel's day. It is prophetically and historically fulfilled. These historic events are described in great detail and cover two or three hundred years of history. You can see that the prophecies here have been worked out exactly in the pattern of history. In fact, the long series of wars, strife, bloodshed, deceit, diplomacy and trickery depicted in Daniel 11 has been so minutely fulfilled that the critics have argued that it must have been written after the events described had actually happened. They argue that such a correct and complete history could never have been written beforehand. God knows the end from the beginning because He exists outside of time. Prophecy is simply history written in advance.

A few important and interesting dates in the time covered by Daniel 11:

• 560 BC: The temple of Artemis at Ephesus that we read about in Acts 19 is built.
• 539 B.C.: Daniel 11:1: Darius the Mede is ruling.
• 539 B.C.: Daniel 11:2: Cyrus the Great captured Babylon.
• 530 BC: Pythagoras, founder of modern Mathematics.
• 490 B.C.:
• The Battle of Marathon takes place as a Persian army of more than 20,000 men which is repulsed by 11,000 Greeks. 6,400 Persians are killed at a cost of 192 Athenian dead.
• The Persians lost seven ships to the Athenians. However, the Athenians realized that the Persian fleet could sail and attack the undefended city of Athens. Phidippides ran from Marathon to Athens to bring the news of victory and a warning of the approaching Persian ships. Phidippides' 26-mile run from Marathon to Athens, the first marathon ever, was successfully completed in about three hours. Phidippides died from exhaustion after fighting all day and completing the run. His last words before collapsing and dying in Athens are ("Rejoice, we are victorious"). However, he successfully warned the Athenians, and when the Persian fleet arrived at Athens, Athenian soldiers were ready to protect their land. Upon seeing the prepared Athenian army, the Persians turned and sailed back to Persia in defeat.
• 486-465 B.C.: Xerxes I (called Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther) ruled over Persia.
• 480 B.C.:
• The Battle of Thermopylae. 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians killed.
• Xerxes' Persian army exceeded 5 million men and a fleet of 1207 ships plus 3000 smaller vessels.
• The Persian fleet defeated by the Greeks.
• Athens, including the Parthenon, burned to the ground by Xerxes.
• 450 BC: Herodotus, the founder of non-theological history. Hippocrates, the founder of modern Medicine.
• 388 BC: Plato, a pupil of Socrates, founds his philosophical Academy, the first university
• 375 BC: Plato writes the "Republic"
• 367 BC: Aristotle enters the Academia of Plato.
• 344 BC: Philip II of Macedonia conquers Thessaly, Illyria, Epirus.
• 342 BC: Aristotle tutors Alexander.
• 336 B.C.:
• Daniel 11:3: Alexander the Great succeeds his father, Philip, king of Macedon, who was assassinated.
• Alexander the Great cuts the Gordian Knot that predicted that the one to untie the knot would rule the world.
• Alexander defeats King Darius III at Issus.
• 332 B.C.:
• Alexander the Great conquers Tyre and Gaza.
• Jerusalem instead opened its gates in surrender to Alexander, and according to Josephus, Alexander was shown the Book of Daniel's prophecy, presumably chapter 8, which described a mighty Greek king who would conquer the Persian Empire. He spared Jerusalem and pushed south into Egypt.
• 331 B.C.: Alexander enters Egypt and orders the building of the city Alexandria.
• 331 B.C.: Daniel 11:4: Alexander defeats Darius again and occupies Babylon ending the Persian Empire.
• 323 B.C.: Alexander the Great died in Babylon at age of 32.
• 300 BC: Euclid writes the Elements of Geometry.
• 250 BC: Archimedes.
• 270 B.C.: Ptolemy II in Egypt instigated a translation of the Hebrew Bible into the Greek, called the Septuagint (abbreviated as LXX). Most New Testament quotations of the Old Testament are from the LXX.
• 168 B.C.: Daniel 11:31: Under the reign of Antiochus IV of Syria, the second Temple is looted and Judaism is outlawed.
• 167 B.C.:
• Antiochus orders an altar to Zeus erected in the Temple (the abomination of desolation spoken of by Jesus).
• Mattathias, and his five sons John, Simon, Eleazar, Jonathan and Judah lead a rebellion against Antiochus - the Maccabean revolt.
• 164 B.C. (December 14): The Temple is liberated and rededicated (celebrated today as Hanukkah). The Maccabeans formed the Hasmonean dynasty and became kings and priests despite the fact that they were not of the proper line to hold these offices. The group who participated in the revolt became the Pharisees afterwards.
• 63 B.C.: The Hasmonean Jewish Kingdom comes to an end because of rivalry between the brothers Aristobulus II and Hyrcanus II, both of whom appeal to the Roman Republic to intervene and settle the power struggle on their behalf. The Roman general Pompey the Great is dispatched to the area. 12,000 Jews are massacred as Romans enter Jerusalem. The Priests of the Temple are struck down at the Altar. Rome annexes Judea.
• 44 B.C.: Julius Caesar assassinated.
• 36 B.C.: Marc Anthony and Cleopatra VII are married.
• 30 B.C.: Cleopatra VII commits suicide. Egypt is added to the Roman empire.

The above time line chart is from www.neverthirsty.org/pp/bible-studies/daniel/study018/page01-persian-empire-and-alexander-the-great.html


Above image from www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html


Above chart from www.thesecondcomingofchrist.org/dan11_timelines.htm

The following time line charts are from www.neverthirsty.org/pp/bible-studies/daniel/study018/page01-persian-empire-and-alexander-the-great.html

Daniel 10:14,21: Now I am here to explain what will happen to your people in the future, for this vision concerns A TIME YET TO COME." ... But before I do that, I will tell you what is written in the *Book of Truth. (There is no one to help me against these spirit princes except Michael, your spirit prince.

• *Book of Truth: We learned in chapter 10 that there is in God’s library a book called The Book of Truth. We know of at least two other books: there is the scroll on which the events of the end time are recorded, which the Lamb takes from the hand of God, the Father, (Revelation 5:1,7) and there is The Book of Life (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12,15; 21:27) in which the names of those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation are written.

PERSIA

(1) I have been standing beside *Michael as his support and defense since the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede.)

• *Michael: Since Michael (Israel's spirit prince) was involved, the conflict must have concerned the Jewish people. The conflict probably involved Cyrus' decree to allow the Jews to return to the land of Israel. Cyrus released the Jews, but unknown to the Persian king, angelic forces played a part in that decision.

(2) "Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. *Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a **fourth, far richer than the others. Using his wealth for political advantage, he will stir up everyone to war against the kingdom of Greece.

• *Three more: Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis and Darius Hystaspes, called by Ezra Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes and Darius I.
• **fourth: The fourth which was to be “far richer than them all” was Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.), called Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther. A proud, self-willed monarch, he invaded Greece with his army of two million (according to Herodotus) when Persian power was at its height. After his defeat, the kings who succeeded him decreased in power and are not mentioned here. Then, Alexander the Great took the center of the world's stage. Hence the prophecy of verses 3 and 4.

ALEXANDER THE GREAT

(3) "Then a *mighty king will rise to power who will rule a vast kingdom and accomplish everything he sets out to do.

• *mighty king: This mighty king was Alexander the Great, the "male goat" in chapter 8, who, after a successful career and after conquering the world, suddenly died, and his kingdom was divided into four parts under four generals (the four horns in Daniel 8:8). He is referred to here, as also in chapter eight, because the Antichrist will arise out of the part of the Roman Empire over which Alexander ruled.
• A letter Alexander wrote to justify his invasion sent to the Darius who ruled Persia at that time has been preserved. According to Barnes’ Notes, it reads: “Your ancestors entered into Macedonia, and the other parts of Greece, and did us damage, when they had received no affront from us as the cause of it; and now I, created general of the Grecians, provoked by you, and desirous of avenging the injury done by the Persians, have passed over into Asia.”

(4) But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into *four parts. It will not be ruled by the **king's descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others.

• *four parts: When Alexander died, his generals partioned the empire into four parts.
• Daniel 7:6: Then the third of these strange beasts appeared, and it looked like a leopard. It had four wings like birds' wings on its back, and it had four heads. Great authority was given to this beast.
• Daniel 8:8: The goat became very powerful. But at the height of its power, its large horn was broken off. In the large horn's place grew four prominent horns pointing in the four directions of the earth.
• **king's descendants: Alexander's sons were murdered and so no part of his territory went to his "descendants."

In verses 5-35 we have an account of what is known in history as the wars of the Ptolemies, kings of Egypt, against the kings of Syria, a long series of conflicts covering a period of 120 years, with the land of Israel caught in the middle.

(5) "The *king of the south will increase in power, but one of this king's own officials will become more powerful than he and will rule his kingdom with great strength.

• *king of the south refers to the Kings of Egypt. “The king of the south” here was Ptolemy Soter; one of his officials was Seleucus I.

SYRIA vs. EGYPT (PTOLEMIES & SELEUCIDS)

(6) "*Some years later, an alliance will be formed between the **king of the north and the king of the south. The daughter of the king of the south will be given in marriage to the king of the north to secure the alliance, but she will lose her influence over him, and so will her father. She will be given up along with her supporters.

• *Some years later: After the death of the antagonists in verse 5, in 250 B.C. Antiochus II Theos and Ptolemy II Philadelphus agreed to a peace treaty by an arranged marriage.
• **king of the north refers to the kings of Syria.
• The prediction of verse 6 was fulfilled in the marriage of Berenice; daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, to Antiochus Theos, third king of Syria.
• Antiochus, in order to marry Berenice, divorced his wife, Laodice, and disinherited her son. But the marriage of Berenice to Syria's king failed to bring about peace. Ptolemy, king of Egypt; died, whereupon Antiochus, king of Syria, took back his former wife, Laodice. She, in turn, poisoned him, and put to death Berenice and her son. Laodice then placed her own son, Seleucus Nicator, upon the throne.

(7) But when one of her relatives becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him.

• Verses 7-9 tell us how the brother of Berenice, “one of her relatives,” invaded Syria, 245 B.C., to avenge the murder of his sister, Bernice. That brother was Ptolemy Euergetes, the next king of Egypt.

(8) When he returns again to Egypt, he will carry back their idols with him, along with priceless gold and silver dishes. For some years afterward he will leave the king of the north alone.

• Berenice's brother, Ptolemy Euergetes, invaded Syria, even to the Euphrates, killed Laodice, and returned to Egypt with 40,000 talents of silver, precious vessels and 2400 images, including Egyptian idols.

(9) "Later the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south but will soon return to his own land.

The Wars of Antiochus III the Great, the Father of Antiochus IV Epiphanes

(10) However, the sons of the king of the north will assemble a mighty army that will advance like a flood and carry the battle as far as the enemy's fortress.

• In fulfillment of the latter part of verse 10, Antiochus III the Great, after 27 years conquered the territory of Syria, as far as Gaza, including Judea. But the young Egyptian king, now Ptolemy IV (Philopater) with an army of 20,000 inflicted severe defeat on Antiochus the Great (verses 11-12).

(11) Then the king of the south, in great anger, will rally against the vast forces assembled by the king of the north and will defeat them.

• Upon the death of his father, and later upon the death of his brother, Antiochus the Great regained all the land of Syria that had been subjugated by Ptolemy Euergetes. Then “the king of the south,” Ptolemy Philopater, "in great anger" (verse 11) moved against Antiochus, slew 10,000 of Syria's army and took 4,000 captives. This king of Egypt had previously killed his own father, mother and brother; was filled with pride (verse 12).

(12) After the enemy army is swept away, the king of the south will be filled with pride and will have many thousands of his enemies killed. But his success will be short lived.

(13) "A few years later, the king of the north will return with a fully equipped army far greater than the one he lost.

• During 212-205 B.C. Antiochus III greatly expanded his empire into the Caspian Sea and to the border of India. That is the reason he is called Antiochus III The Great. But Antiochus had avoided Egypt until he heard that the thirty-five year old Ptolemy IV Philopator and his wife had died and a four year boy, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, was the new king.

(14) At that time there will be a general uprising against the king of the south. Lawless ones among your own people will join them in order to fulfill the vision, but they will not succeed.

• Antiochus then made a treaty allying Philip of Macedonia with him, and others, against Egypt, and they wrested Phoenicia and southern Syria from the king of the south.
• The lawless ones of Daniel's people (verse 14) were “factious Jews” who rebelled against Ptolemy, joining themselves to Antiochus, hoping thereby to gain independence for the Jews. In so doing, they established, or fulfilled, the vision given to Daniel; yet their efforts did not succeed (verse14).

(15) Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught.

• Egypt was defeated. It was a crushing loss because the Egyptian commander Scopas was the best general Egypt had, and the troops he led were Egypt’s elite.

(16) "The king of the north will march onward unopposed; none will be able to stop him. He will pause in the glorious land of Israel, intent on destroying it.

• Antiochus the Great besieged and took Sidon from Egypt, ruined the interests of Egypt in Judea at the Battle of Mount Panium, 198 B.C., and then Antiochus took possession of Judea.
• After Scopas surrendered at Sidon, Antiochus III was welcomed by the Jews in Jerusalem. The Jews were glad to be free of the Egyptians. The Seleucid Empire would keep control of the land of Israel until the Romans came in 146 B.C.

(17) He will make plans to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will form an alliance with the king of the south. He will give him a *daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom from within, but his plan will fail.

• *daughter: Antiochus the Great gave his 11 year old daughter, Cleopatra I,  in marriage to Ptolemy Epiphanes, the king of Egypt, against whom he had fought for a long time, promising Judea and other lands as a dowry. By this scheme, he hoped to hold a neutral position in the war with Rome, securing also much territory. But his plan failed.

(18) "After this, he will turn his attention to the coastal cities and conquer many. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and will cause him to retreat in shame.

• Antiochus turned his attention in another direction and tried to conquer, 197 to 196 B.C., the islands and coasts of Asia Minor. But the Roman general, Lucius Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, utterly defeated him at the Battle of Magnesia, 190 B.C.  Rome demanded payment for the expense of defeating him, and Antiochus fled to Elymias.
• Then Antiochus turned his attention to the coastal cities (verse 18) and took many of the islands of Greece in the Aegean Sea in his war with the Romans. But, Lucius Scipio Asiaticus, a Roman general, forced Antiochus to relinquish much of his territory and defray the expenses of the war.

(19) He will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall, and he will be seen no more.

• Antiochus turned “his face toward his own fortresses ” (verse 19). Attempting to plunder the temple of Jupiter at Elymais by night, whether through avarice, or the want of money to pay the tribute imposed by Rome (a thousand talents), he was slain with his soldiers in an insurrection of the inhabitants. Then were fulfilled the closing words of the prophecy of verse 19, “. . . will stumble and fall, and he will be seen no more”.

(20) "His successor will be remembered as the king who sent a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor, but after a very brief reign, he will die, though neither in battle nor open conflict.

• When we come to verse 20, Ptolemy V Epiphanes is dead. Ptolemy VI Philometor is pharaoh in Egypt. Cleopatra is the queen mother. Antiochus III The Great is dead also, and Seleucus IV Philopator is king over the Seleucid Empire. Seleucus IV inherited a great debt that his father did not pay to Rome for his failed invasion. So he “imposes taxes” to pay off the debt to Rome and sent his prime minister, Heriodorus, to Palestine - “the glorious kingdom” - to collect taxes. Seleucus IV died due to poisoning after a reign of only eleven years - “within a few days he shall be destroyed.”
• The “raiser of taxes” was the son of Antiochus the Great, who ruled Syria after his father had been slain. His name was Seleucus Philopater; he it was who was compelled by Rome to raise taxes for tribute (verse 20). He caused the temple in Jerusalem to be plundered; was betrayed and poisoned by the very man whom he had used to perform this sacrilege; and was succeeded to the throne of Syria by his brother, the “despicable man” described in verses 21-35 of our chapter, as well as in chapter eight of Daniel's prophecy. Thus it came to pass that “within few days” Seleucus died “neither in battle nor open conflict. The “brief reign” were really twelve years, but “brief” when compared with the thirty-seven years of his father's reign.

The Wars of Antiochus IV Epiphanes—That “despicable man” in verse 21.

From verses 21-35 the vision describes Syria's wicked, blasphemous king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, that “despicable man,” of whom we read in chapter eight, in which he was called “a small horn” (8:9). There the record is given of his defilement of the Jewish sanctuary when he offered a sow upon the sacred altar and erected a temple to Jupiter. In our study of this earlier chapter, we saw that God gave Daniel a detailed description of Antiochus Epiphanes because he is a type of the Antichrist who is to come. “The beast,” too, will defile the sanctuary, setting up his own image to be worshipped, and persecuting to death all who refuse to give him divine honors.

(21) "The next to come to power will be a *despicable man who is not directly in line for royal succession. But he will slip in **when least expected and take over the kingdom by ***flattery and intrigue.

• *despicable man (vile person in the KJV): Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175 B.C. - 163 B.C). He is the "small horn" of chapter 8:
• Daniel 8:9-12:  From one of the prominent horns came a small horn whose power grew very great. It extended toward the south and the east and toward the glorious land of Israel. His power reached to the heavens where it attacked the heavenly armies, throwing some of the heavenly beings and stars to the ground and trampling them. He even challenged the Commander of heaven's armies by canceling the daily sacrifices offered to him and by destroying his Temple. But the army of heaven was restrained from destroying him for this sin. As a result, sacrilege was committed against the Temple ceremonies, and truth was overthrown. The horn succeeded in everything it did.
• Daniel 8:23-25: "At the end of their rule, when their sin is at its height, a fierce king, a master of intrigue, will rise to power. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard. Without warning he will destroy them. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power.
• **when least expected: Just as Anti-Christ will appear unexpectedly and take over.
• By ***flattery and intrigue, he had taken the throne from the son of his deceased brother, who was the rightful heir. He was not directly in line for royal succession.

(22) Before him great armies will be swept away, including a *covenant prince.

• *covenant prince does not refer to Christ. This was the attempt of Antiochus to replace the Jewish high priest by another who would be subservient to him.

(23) By making deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. With a mere handful of followers, he will become strong.

• After various alliances made with him, Antiochus with deceitful promises, took with him a mere handful of followers at first, in order to escape suspicion.

(24) Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land and do something that none of his predecessors ever did -- distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while.

• He entered without warning the richest areas of the land, doing that which his predecessors had not done (verse 24). In other words, he took possession of Memphis and all Egypt as far as Alexandria, something which the former kings of Syria had sought to do in vain. Then were fulfilled, in part, the words of the latter portion of verse 24.

(25) "Then he will stir up his courage and raise a great army against the king of the south. The king of the south will go to battle with a mighty army, but to no avail, for plots against him will succeed.

• In verse 25, we read of the expedition of Antiochus into Egypt in 171 B.C., against “the king of the south,” or Ptolemy Philometer.

(26) Those of his own household will bring his downfall. His army will be swept away, and many will be killed.

• Ptolemy Philometor, king of the south, was defeated through the treachery of his own officers and was outwitted by Antiochus.

(27) Seeking nothing but each other's harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for an end will still come AT THE APPOINTED TIME.

(28) "The king of the north will then return home with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.

• History records that when Antiochus returned to Syria, he crushed a revolt in Jerusalem in support of Menelaus, the high priest. The high priest was his supporter.
• At this time that "despicable person” “attacked Jerusalem . . . slew 80,000, took 40,000 prisoners, and sold 40,000 as slaves . . . entered the sanctuary with blasphemies, took away the gold and silver vessels, sacrificed swine on the altar, and sprinkled broth of the flesh through the temple” (II Maccabees 5:15-21).

(29) "Then AT THE APPOINTED TIME he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different.

(30) For *warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant.

• *warships: The Roman fleet had to come to Alexandria at the request of the Ptolemies. Several early historians tell the story of the defeat of Antiochus IV, stating that the Roman commander met Antiochus IV outside Alexandria and handed him a letter from the Roman senate telling him to leave Egypt or risk war with Rome. Next, the Roman commander drew a circle around Antiochus and told him to decide before he left the circle. Furious, Antiochus left Egypt and took out his fury on Jerusalem on his way back from Egypt.

ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION - THE SACRILEGIOUS OBJECT IN THE TEMPLE

(31) His army will take over the Temple fortress, polluting the sanctuary, putting a stop to the daily sacrifices, and setting up the *sacrilegious object that causes desecration.

• Encyclopedia Britannica: “Antiochus’ hellenizing policies brought him into conflict with the Jews. Since Antiochus III’s reign, the Jews had enjoyed extensive autonomy under their high priest. They were divided into two parties, the orthodox Hasideans (Pious Ones) and a reform party that favored Hellenism. For financial reasons, Antiochus supported the reform party and, in return for a considerable sum, permitted the high priest, Jason, to build a gymnasium in Jerusalem and to introduce the Greek mode of educating young people. In 172, for an even bigger tribute, he appointed Menelaus in place of Jason. In 169, however, while Antiochus was campaigning in Egypt, Jason conquered Jerusalem - with the exception of the citadel - and murdered many adherents of his rival Menelaus. When Antiochus returned from Egypt in 167, he took Jerusalem by storm and enforced its Hellenization. The city forfeited its privileges and was permanently garrisoned by Syrian soldiers.”
• In his wrath, in 167 B.C., he turned once more against the Jews, for he was indignant that meantime God's worship had been restored at Jerusalem. Apostate Israelites who ”forsook the covenant” helped him. In his rage, both against Rome and against the Jews, he sent an army of 22,000 men to destroy Jerusalem. Multitudes were slain; the city was pillaged; and all the Jews were told to worship the heathen god, Jupiter, on pain of death if they refused obedience. What a picture of the coming “man of sin”!
• *sacrilegious object (abomination of desolation) also found in:
• Daniel 9:27: He will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. Then as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the end that has been decreed is poured out on this defiler."
• Daniel 12:11: "From the time the daily sacrifice is taken away and the sacrilegious object that causes desecration is set up to be worshiped, there will be 1,290 days.
• 1 Maccabees 1:54: Now the fifteenth day of the month Casleu, in the hundred forty and fifth year, they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar, and builded idol altars throughout the cities of Juda on every side;
• 1 Maccabees 6:7: Also that they had pulled down the abomination, which he had set up upon the altar in Jerusalem, and that they had compassed about the sanctuary with high walls, as before, and his city Bethsura.
• 2 Maccabees 6:1–11: Not long after this the king sent an Athenian senator to force the Jews to abandon the customs of their ancestors and live no longer by the laws of God; also to profane the temple in Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and that on Mount Gerizim to Zeus the Hospitable, as the inhabitants of the place requested...They also brought into the temple things that were forbidden, so that the altar was covered with abominable offerings prohibited by the laws. A man could not keep the sabbath or celebrate the traditional feasts, nor even admit that he was a Jew. At the suggestion of the citizens of Ptolemais, a decree was issued ordering the neighboring Greek cities to act in the same way against the Jews: oblige them to partake of the sacrifices, and put to death those who would not consent to adopt the customs of the Greeks. It was obvious, therefore, that disaster impended. Thus, two women who were arrested for having circumcised their children were publicly paraded about the city with their babies hanging at their breasts and then thrown down from the top of the city wall. Others, who had assembled in nearby caves to observe the sabbath in secret, were betrayed to Philip and all burned to death.
• Matthew 24:15-16: "The time will come when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about: the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place" -- reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
• Mark 13:14: 14: "The time will come when you will see the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where it should not be" -- reader, pay attention! "Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
• While this happened in the past, the Anti-Christ will repeat this blasphemy, as prophesied by Jesus.

MACCABEAN REVOLT, CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE, HANAKKUH

(32) He will flatter those who have violated the covenant and win them over to his side. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.

• There is always a faithful remnant in Israel; and the days of Antiochus Epiphanes were no exception. The Maccabees were true to the God of their fathers.

(33) "Those who are wise will give instruction to many. But for a time many of these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed.

• Much has been said about the power of one. One person can make a difference. When the entire Syrian empire was against Jerusalem, one man, Judas Maccabeus, rallied an army of God-fearing Jews who were willing to die for a righteous cause - defending all that is holy from a tyrant. The Maccabean revolt is a historical phenomenon, a glorious example of men of clear understanding standing up and speaking out. Now, more than ever, righteous men must be heard, even if they must die for the cause.

(34) While all these persecutions are going on, a *little help will arrive, though many who join them will ***not be sincere.

• *little help: The faithful remnant was successful in opposing Antiochus under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus, when the sanctuary was cleansed (cf. Daniel 8:13-14)
• ***not be sincere: Just as today, many in the pulpits are deceitful and not only not Christians, but actually deny Christ and deny the Bible.

BEGINNING OF THE 70TH WEEK - THE APPOINTED TIME

(35) And some who are wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the *APPOINTED TIME is still to come.

• Here begins a passage that deals with that seventieth week of Daniel that is yet to be fulfilled -- the time of the end, the last days, the ultimate arrangement of earth's kingdoms just before the return of Jesus Christ. This remarkable passage predicts an invasion of the land of Israel from the north and the south, and then the meeting of two great armies in the land of Israel and the ultimate destruction of those armies there on the mountains of Israel. This is also clearly described in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of Ezekiel and the second chapter of Joel.
• *APPOINTED TIME is still to come: the last words of Verse 35 seem to suggest a leap of time that will carry us from these days in the past, to the "last days," to the time in the future when this shall again be fulfilled in a greater way. Then, beginning with Verse 36, we have the last section of this chapter. There we have a clear picture of the false prophet, the false Messiah, who is accepted by the Jews as a Messiah and who erects the abomination of desolation for the last and final time in a temple that is yet to be rebuilt in the city of Jerusalem.

ANTI-CHRIST and THE END-TIMES

Some scholars believe the following verses refer to Antiochus, but much of it is not true of him. Some believe the verses refer to Nero, but some of it does not fit. Both are types of Anti-Christ and there have been many other candidates Satan has brought forth over the ages including Charlemagne, some of the popes, Hitler and Stalin. The real Anti-Christ is yet to be revealed. The ten-horned Beast of Revelation 13:1-10 and the one called 666 in Revelation 13:10 is also the one who is the final "King of the North." Hence there is a future King of the North.

(36) "The king will do as he pleases, exalting himself and claiming to be greater than every god there is, even blaspheming the God of gods. He will succeed -- until the *time of wrath is completed. For what has been determined will surely take place.

• The king of verse 36 is the last great enemy of God and Israel, the Antichrist. The prophecy given to Daniel jumps over the present Church age in which we now live and which has already run its course for more than 2000 years during which time God has been “calling out” a people for His own name.
• The Jews and the world at large rejected the true Christ, the true King, who came to them in God’s name. They will accept the Antichrist who will come in his own name (John 5:43).
• *time of wrath is completed: the phrase "is completed" refers to the end of the 70 "weeks" and the Great Tribulation.

(37) He will have no regard for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god beloved of women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all.

• In 2 Thessalonians 2:34, we read how the Antichrist will oppose and He will exalt himself and defy every god there is and tear down every object of adoration and worship. He will position himself in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

(38) Instead of these, he will worship *the god of fortresses -- a god his ancestors never knew -- and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and costly gifts.

• *the god of fortresses: Satan. Revelation tells us ‘the dragon (Satan) gave the beast (Antichrist) his power and his throne and great authority.’

(39) Claiming this foreign god's help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and *dividing the land among them as their reward.

• *dividing the land: It's already been divided up with the Palestinians and is to be even further divided up. The USA, the EU and the UN seem intent on doing exactly this.

THE FINAL WORLD WAR ERUPTS

(40) "Then AT THE *TIME OF THE END, the king of the south will attack him, and the king of the north will storm out against him with chariots, cavalry, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood.

• *THE TIME OF THE END is the midpoint of the tribulation period prior to 12:1.
• Some feel the battle referenced here is corresponds to Ezekiel 38-39, the conflict with Gog and Magog.  In Ezekiel 38-39, an end time battle, after Israel is gathered out of the nations after a long period of absence.
• Ezekiel 38:8: A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be lying in peace after her recovery from war and after the return of her people from many lands.
• Ezekiel 38:5-6: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. Gomer and all its hordes will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north and many others.
• Ezekiel 38:17: This is what the Sovereign LORD says: You are the one I was talking about long ago, when I announced through Israel's prophets that in future days I would bring you against my people.
• Ezekiel 39:9: "Then the people in the towns of Israel will go out and pick up your small and large shields, bows and arrows, javelins and spears, and they will use them for fuel. There will be enough to last them seven years!
• Revelation 13:8: And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made.

(41) He will enter the glorious land of Israel, and many nations will fall, but Moab, Edom, and the best part of *Ammon will escape.

• *Ammon is modern-day Jordan and includes Moab and Edom. There is an interesting cross-reference in Revelation 12 to this idea of Jordan being a place-of-refuge for the Israelites during the tribulation.

(42) He will conquer many countries, and Egypt will not escape.

(43) He will gain control over the gold, silver, and treasures of Egypt, and the Libyans and Ethiopians will be his servants.

(44) "But then news from the *east and the **north will alarm him, and he will set out in great anger to destroy many as he goes.

• *east: What's east of Israel? Much of the Muslim world including Iran which wants to wipe Israel off the map and further east is China. Revelation 16:12: Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies westward without hindrance.
• **north: What's north of Israel? Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Europe, Russia.

(45) He will halt between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents there, but while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and there will be no one to help him.

• Megiddo or Armageddon is the place at which the hosts of hell, led by Satan and his Antichrist will finally gather (Revelation 16:16). Both Jerusalem with the valley of Jehoshaphat and Megiddo with its valley of Jezreel are truly “between the glorious holy mountain and the sea.”
• What a remarkable account! Here we have traced the final conflict, which is called, in the book of Revelation, the campaign of Armageddon.
• Antiochus Epiphanes hated and persecuted the Jews, trying to destroy every trace of Judaism and worship of the true God. The Popes and the Roman church in the Middle Ages hated and persecuted the Jews and tried to destroy every trace of the Jews. Hitler hated and persecuted the Jews and tried to destroy every trace of the Jews. In killing over 6 million Jews, he got one third of the way to achieving his satanic goal. Yet, as bad as these men were, they are still only smaller glimpses of the coming world leader. Both Daniel and Jesus stated that this period of time will involve distress and tribulation on a scale that had never been experienced before. Zechariah states that during this time two thirds of the Jews will be killed. (Zechariah 13:8). And yet this coming world leader is only given power for a limited time and the real King of kings will return and setup his kingdom.

Daniel 12:1-3: "At that time Michael, the archangel who stands guard over your nation, will arise. Then there will be a time of anguish greater than any since nations first came into existence. But at that time every one of your people whose name is written in the book will be rescued. Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like stars forever.

NOTES:

• Unless otherwise noted, the scripture version used is the New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois.
• Disclaimer: Source material for this study has been gleaned from many different sources. If you want further study, I have attempted to acknowledge these sources at http://studyingdaniel.blogspot.com/2013/08/references-for-book-of-daniel.html
• Index to all our studies are at http://oakview-bible-fellowship.blogspot.com/