THOUGHTS ON DANIEL 11
Without a doubt this is a difficult chapter. I only wish to concern myself at this time with the latter part of it.
30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
(Dan 11:30-31)
There is a break after verse 30, and beginning at verse 31 a new 'king of the north' is addressed. The identity of the 'kings of the north and south' changes throughout the prophecy as various kings and governments act in these capacities.
'Arms shall stand on his part'... It is believed that here the Romans are introduced as the 'king of the north'. This seems evident. It is the Romans who polluted the sanctuary, took away the daily sacrifices, and placed 'the abomination of desolation'.
From here through verse 39 the growing apostasy is addressed culminating in the Papacy, whose description, I believe, cannot be missed:
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And [some] of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
(Dan 11:32-39)
Beginning at verse 40 there is yet another obvious change:
'And at the time of the end....'
It boggles the mind how so many futurist interpreters do not see a problem here with their own exposition. The description of what they consider to be the 'one man antichrist' PRECEDES the time of the end. All that they ascribe to the antichrist, which they feel takes place IN the time of the end is expressly stated to PRECEDE the time of the end.
But we read:
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
(Dan 11:40-45)
My reflections on this are that whatever power followed the papacy will, in the time of the end, go on a military rampage through the Middle East, even encamping in Jerusalem itself. My thoughts are that this can be nothing other than the western Alliances who will be forced into this military position due to growing tensions in the Middle East.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
(Dan 12:1)
'And at that time'... The time in which this military rampage is going on. This will coincide with the 'great tribulation'. What many in this country do not realize, is that in times of national crisis there is provision to suspend the constitution of our country. If this turns out to be a 'war of religion', or part of a 'war on terror' then it takes little imagine to see how Christians themselves could suddenly be viewed as 'terrorists' and enemies of peace. In fact, such a military campaign could be the very means of enforcing some U.N. resolution which in itself is really 'the mark of the beast'.
Surely such accuracy of prediction concerning the past will not fail to come to pass, probably sooner rather than later.
--David
Without a doubt this is a difficult chapter. I only wish to concern myself at this time with the latter part of it.
30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily [sacrifice], and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.
(Dan 11:30-31)
There is a break after verse 30, and beginning at verse 31 a new 'king of the north' is addressed. The identity of the 'kings of the north and south' changes throughout the prophecy as various kings and governments act in these capacities.
'Arms shall stand on his part'... It is believed that here the Romans are introduced as the 'king of the north'. This seems evident. It is the Romans who polluted the sanctuary, took away the daily sacrifices, and placed 'the abomination of desolation'.
From here through verse 39 the growing apostasy is addressed culminating in the Papacy, whose description, I believe, cannot be missed:
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do [exploits]. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, [many] days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And [some] of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make [them] white, [even] to the time of the end: because [it is] yet for a time appointed. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge [and] increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
(Dan 11:32-39)
Beginning at verse 40 there is yet another obvious change:
'And at the time of the end....'
It boggles the mind how so many futurist interpreters do not see a problem here with their own exposition. The description of what they consider to be the 'one man antichrist' PRECEDES the time of the end. All that they ascribe to the antichrist, which they feel takes place IN the time of the end is expressly stated to PRECEDE the time of the end.
But we read:
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
(Dan 11:40-45)
My reflections on this are that whatever power followed the papacy will, in the time of the end, go on a military rampage through the Middle East, even encamping in Jerusalem itself. My thoughts are that this can be nothing other than the western Alliances who will be forced into this military position due to growing tensions in the Middle East.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
(Dan 12:1)
'And at that time'... The time in which this military rampage is going on. This will coincide with the 'great tribulation'. What many in this country do not realize, is that in times of national crisis there is provision to suspend the constitution of our country. If this turns out to be a 'war of religion', or part of a 'war on terror' then it takes little imagine to see how Christians themselves could suddenly be viewed as 'terrorists' and enemies of peace. In fact, such a military campaign could be the very means of enforcing some U.N. resolution which in itself is really 'the mark of the beast'.
Surely such accuracy of prediction concerning the past will not fail to come to pass, probably sooner rather than later.
--David
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