Daniel
Chapter 11 and 12
This chapter 11 is long and Chapter 12 continues the information. It is hard to understand. It has a lot of information.
I am surprised that Daniel was able to remember all of this. The Lord must have helped me remember it to write in down later.
As we go through the chapter I will write the Bible verse then I will tell how this really happen in history. All the things the angel told Daniel happened before Jesus was born. History books record what happened.
People who think that the Bible is not true should look at this prophecy and then read the history books. These things were prophesied to happen many, many years before they happened.
Vs. 1 The angel said:
(Cyrus is the King now)
3 more Persian kings will rule then the fourth one he will be much richer than the others. This fourth king will use his riches to get even stronger in government.
He will have a war with the king of Greece.
A powerful king will rise to power who will rule a very large kingdom. He will be able to do everything he tries to do.
But when he is at his strongest at the highest of his power over lands his kingdom will be broken apart. It will be divided into 4 parts.
His kingdom will not be given to his family after him. His kingdom will not be as strong any more. His kingdom will be given to others.
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Xerxes was this fourth king. He did fight with Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great conquered (won over) many lands.
Alexander was young. He died young age 32 after drinking at a party. He died in Babylon the year 323 BC (BC means Before Christ)
Perdiccas, the leader of his cavalry (army on horses) was made in charge right after Alexander died. But he wanted to wait for awhile before dong anything.
Ptolemy , one of the generals, took charge.
Vs. 4 He decided to move ahead. So he divided up the kingdom into 4 parts and he took Egypt.
His kingdom was divided up and it was given to 4 of his generals.
Ptolemy was given Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia (King of the South)
Seleuces was given Syria, Iran, Iraq (King of the North)
Lysimaclus was given Turkey and that area
Cassander was given Greece and Macedonia area
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Vs.5 The King of the South will become stronger and stronger. One of his own leaders will become stronger than he and this leader will take over. (This may mean when Ptolemy took over from Perdiccas.)
of the North to seal the agreement.
But she will lose her influence over the King of the North. And her father, the
King of the South’s power will be weaken by it.
She will be given up (put away or divorced) with people who support her.
One of her relatives becomes King of the South. He will raise up an army and
go fight against the King of the North. The King of the South will win.
When he goes back to again to Egypt he will take with him many riches of
silver and gold and the idols. For many years he will leave the King of the North
alone.
Later the King of the North will go into the land of the King of the South but
he will soon go back home.
The sons of the King of the North will get a big army together and they will go
fast like a flood as far as the walls of the forts of the King of the South’s.
Then the King of the South will become very angry and will defeat him.
After this victory, the King of the South will be very proud. He will kill thousands of his enemies. But his success will not last long.
A few years later the King of the North will come back with a big army and he will fight against the King of the South.
Lawless men among your own people (Jews) will join them to make this war a victory. But it will not succeed.
The King of the North will come and capture the city. The best army of the South will not be able to stand against them.
The King of the North will keep going. No one will be able to stop him. He will stop in the land of Israel. His plan will be to destroy it.
He will make plans with his whole army and make an agreement with the King of the South. He will give his daughter to the King of the South to help the agreement, but the agreement will not last.
After this the King of the North will go up the coast fighting and conquering more lands. But an army leader from another land will stop him and he will return home in shame.
He will stay at home and then he will become weak and be seen no more.
Vs.20 The king who comes after him will be remembered for the taxes collected to keep up all his rich living. He will be king for a short time, then he will die though not in battle.
The next king to come to rule will be an awful evil man. He will not really be in line for the throne, but he will get the throne. He will be a person who deceives and uses flattery (says nice things to get people to do what he wants.).
He will have a small army but by his words and deceiving he will win many.
He will make agreements with many other kings. He will do something no other king has done—he will give some of his riches to his followers.
He will make plans to conquer stronger lands. But this will not last long.
He will get men to join his army until it is a big army and go against the King of the South.
He will win over the King of the South— but some people of his own household will make him fall.
Vs.27 The two kings try to come to an agreement. But they never agree.
The King of the North will go back home the winner. He will have taken many riches.
He will go back home through Israel. He will destroy as he goes along.
Vs.29 Then at an “appointed time” the King of the North will go back South.
Vs.30 But warships on the coast will scare him. He will go back home.
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Notice the words “at the appointed time”. The angel uses these words. God is the one who lets kings rule. God decides when and how long they will rule.
Remember how God warned Nebuchadnezzar over and over? Nebuchadnezzar was so proud and so sure he was powerful all by himself. God proved him wrong.
Kings are very much like Nebuchadnezzar. They are proud people. And they most often think they are in the place of leadership because they are so smart and powerful.
Like the angel said—–God is still in charge. God has his times for things to happen.
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(On the King of the North’s way back home he goes through the Holy Land Israel.)
He will take his anger out on the people of Israel “people of the covenant”. He
will take over their temple. He will put a evil “dirty” thing in the temple.
He will say words to “flatter” and win over and he will deceive them — the Jews.
But some of the Jews “who know their God will strong and they will stand up against the king.”
Those people who are wise will teach many. But many of these teachers will die by the sword, or they will be put in jail, or be robbed.
While all of this trouble is happening, a little help will come, though many who come to “help” will not be truthful or sincere.
Some who are wise will suffer much hurt. But in this way, they will be made more pure before God until the time of the end.
The “appointed time is yet to come”.
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As you can see, there is much going back and forth between the two kings over many years——hundreds of years.
When you look up in the encyclopedia about Alexander the Great, Ptolemy and his sons, Seleucus and his sons the list of battles is very long.
Kings are murdered. Wives are married and put away. Agreements are made and broken. The lands in between the two suffers because of all the wars.
I could try to write each one of these battles and “back and forth” to prove that what the Bible said would happen did really happen. But perhaps if you are really interested in that kind of thing you can go to the encyclopedia and read it.
I will talk about the last king the evil wicked mean king Antiochus IV Epiphanes. His time in Israel was about 215-164BC.
He killed 80,000 Jews, 40,000 were put in prison, 40,000 were sold as slaves.
He robbed the temple of its treasure worth about $1 billion.
He is the one talked about here about the sacrifice in the temple.
He came into Israel on his way back home after being afraid of the ships and navy on the coast. He also was feeling very angry.
He was of Greek background and he worshipped the Greek gods and idols.
He put a statue of the god Zeus in the Jews’ holy temple of God at the altar.
He tried to make the Jews to make sacrifices to Zeus. He killed those who would not do it.
He did get some of the Jews to follow what he wanted. He was good with words. He used a lot of nice sounding words and promises to get what he wanted.
Some of the Jews took his promises and did what he wanted.
Some of them would not and were killed.
One man fought against him.
He was a Maccabee. He fought, but then he had to leave and hide. He hid in a cave for a long time. Years later, his son and others came back and fought and took Jerusalem back again.
They made the temple clean again. And they wanted to have a dedication ceremony and burn oil in their lamp stand for 8 days. But they only had oil for one day. So they lit the lamp.
God made a miracle happen. The oil lasted for 8 days ! This time is called Hanukkah.
The Jews remember this time in December near our Christmas time.
The candle stand called the Menorah use to have 7 places for oil. They did not have “candles” back then. There are cup shapes at the top of each branch to hold oil.
After this miracle happened of the lamp burning for 8 days the Menorah was changed in memory of it with 9 places for oil.
The first Menorah had 6 cups 3 on each side 1 in the middle they were all the same level (7) and now the Menorah has 8 cups 4 on each side and 1 in the middle higher (9).
The one in the middle higher is the “helper or servant” candle. (Candles are used nowadays not oil.) The middle candle is used to light the other candles. So it is the helper or servant candle.
Some Bible teachers say that the middle higher candle stands for Jesus the Light of the World. He is lifted up higher. He is the “servant helper” and from Him we all get our light.
The Menorah is the symbol that the government of Israel uses on all of its official letters and buildings——not the Star of David—-the Star of David is on the flag though.
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Vs. 36 (At this verse the prophecy changes it is not talking about the things that
will happen at the same part of history that has just been talked about. The next few verses are about a much later time.)
The king will do as he pleases. (The King of the North).
He will lift himself up saying that he is greater than all other gods. He will blaspheme (say terrible bad things and curses) against the God of all gods.
He will succeed until the “time of wrath is complete” Because “what has been decided will surely happen” (meaning God in heaven has decided how long things will go on and the plan God has made will happen.)
This man will have no respect for the god of his fathers. Or for the “desire of women”, He will be proud and say that he is greater than them all.
He will worship the “god of fortresses” (fort–safe place in a war) He will have much faith in military power. He will have a big military group. Powerful weapons.
He will spend a lot of money on this “god of fortresses” gold, silver, precious stones, etc. (He will spend a lot of money on military things.)
He will have great faith in his military power. He will go against other strong nations.
He will give honor to those who will submit (give in) to him. He will give them places of leadership. He will give them land to rule over.
At the “time of the end”, the King of the South will attack him.
The King of the North will fight back with his big army, and navy, He will go through other lands and conquer as he goes.
He will come into Israel. Many nations will fall. Except: Moab, Edom, and the best part of Ammon (Jordan). These will escape from him.
He will conquer many nations and Egypt will not escape.
He will get control over the gold, silver and treasures of Egypt.
The Libyans and Ethiopians will be his servants.
Then news from the east and north will make him afraid. He will leave Egypt. He will be very angry. He will destroy as he goes.
He will stop between Israel and the Sea (Mediterranean) and he will set up camp there. But while he is there, “his time will be finished” and there will be no one who will help him.
Chp. 12 Vs. 1 Michael, the archangel, who stands guard over your nation Israel will come.
At that time, it will be a time of the worse suffering and trouble the world has ever seen.
At that time, everyone of Daniel’s people who had their names written in the Book would be saved.
Many of those who have died and are buried will rise up. Some of them will go to everlasting life and some will go to everlasting punishment.
Those people who are wise will “shine as bright as the sky”. Those people who bring other people into believing and righteousness will shine like stars forever.
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You, Daniel, you keep this prophecy a secret. Keep the book sealed until the time of the end.
At the time of the end, knowledge will increase and people will be going fast to and from.
(This is in our time. Never before has knowledge grown so much. Computers. You can ask any question about anything on a computer and you will get an answer.)
(Thousands of people a day fly all around the world.)
Then Daniel saw men on the other side of the river. One of them asked The man dressed in linen how long before these things happen.
The man in linen was now standing above or upon the river) and he raised his hands above his head and he promised by the One Who Lives Forever—–he said, “This things will go on for a period of time, another period of time, and a half period of time. When He has finished to scatter the power of the “holy people” Israel–.–all of these things will be finished.”
Daniel heard what he said, but he did not understand, So he asked again, “How will all of this finally end?”
The angel said, “Go, Daniel, all of this is for the time of the end. Many will be made pure and clean by these troubles. But wicked evil people will continue in their sin—-and none of them will understand what this means.”
“From the time that the every day sacrifice is taken away and the evil “dirty” thing is put in the temple to be worshiped it will be 1290 days. And blessed are those people who wait and are true until the end of 1335 days.”
“As for you, Daniel, go your way until the end. You will rest, and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the reward put away for you.”
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The reason Bible teachers think this means a later time is because the things said about this king were not true of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
This king makes people worship him as god. Antiochus made them worship Zeus.
This king will put a statue in the Jews’ holy temple. In Revelation we read that it is a statue of himself. And the statue is made to speak. Revelation 13:15
These verses also say that this king will not worship the god of his fathers.
We do not know what “god” that was.
Some people have said that maybe he will have some Jewish father, grand-fathers in his family and that he will be part Jewish.
People say that Hitler had Jewish people in his family of grand-fathers. He was raised in a Christian church—–but he got into the occult—witchcraft, cards, stars, etc. Hitler killed 6 millions Jews, and millions of non-Jews.
It is possible that this king will have Jewish in his family. And may be that is the “god” of his fathers the true God that he does not worship any more.
These verses also say that he “worships the god of fortresses”. I do not think there is such a “god”, so what I think is——that he has put his faith in military power.
These verse say he gives gold, silver, precious stones to this “god of fortresses”— to get military power.
He seems to trust in military power. He seems to be very proud of himself—and sure of himself.
He will conquer other lands, nations. He will “be nice” to those who give in to him.
He will go to Egypt and conquer it and take its riches.
He will hear news that makes him afraid. He will go back toward home and go through Israel on his way (same as Antiochus did) he will set up camp along the sea.
These verses say “no one will help him”.
Michael comes to help Israel.
This will be a time of the most awful suffering and trouble that the world has ever known.
These verses say That those who have their names written in the Book will be saved.
The angel says the dead will be raised some to everlasting life some to punishment. That has not happen in history yet.
The angel said That from the time the Jewish sacrifices are stopped and the evil thing is set up in the temple it will be 1290 days.
Blessed will be the ones who are true and faithful and last until the end of 1335 days.
Each of these times are about 3 and a half years. This is a 7 year period of time. Back in chapter 9 we saw the groups of times:
One week stands for 7 years.
70 weeks = that is 490 years
The first period of 7 weeks would be 49 years
The 70 weeks is divided into groups
7 weeks 62 weeks 1 week
49 years 434 years 7 years total of 490 years
The 49 years was the time of the next Persian kings.
The 434 years was the time from the beginning to build the temple in Jerusalem until the Anointed One (Jesus) came and then was “cut off”.
Now 2015 years have passed and we have not seen a time that is the worse suffering and trouble the world has ever seen. The book of Revelation also speaks of such a time to happen on earth.
We have not seen a man who made the Jewish people worship him.
We have not seen the king that sets up the statue in the temple in Jerusalem that is made to speak like Revelation speaks of. And the king makes people worship him and it.
Another thing the angel said that from the time that the daily sacrifices were stopped until the evil thing is set up in the temple will be 3 and a half years. But that the people will need to stay true for another 3 and a half years.
The Jews have not done sacrifices in their temple for many years. They have not had a temple since 70AD when the Romans destroyed the temple in Jerusalem.
So the temple will have to be built to do sacrifices. The temple can not be built yet on the temple mount because the Jews made an agreement with the Arabs who have a Mosque there.
In the 1967 war Israel took Jerusalem over again. The Muslims already had a Mosque there on the temple mount. The Muslims had first thought that Israel would tear it down.
Israel let the Muslims have their —Mosque (church).
Even though the temple mount was in the control of Israel after the 1967 war, The person who was Israel’s leader at that time gave the Mosque and the land it was on to the Muslims.
Many people were not happy that the leader of Israel did that.
We guess that he thought if he was “nice” to the Muslims, they would appreciate it and show favor to the people of Israel.
That feeling of appreciation did not really happen. And the whole thing has been a sore point for all these years.
So for prophecy to be fulfilled something will have to change. for the Jews to be able to build their temple on the mount.
The book of Revelation tells us that the Anti Christ will have control over Jerusalem.
We are not sure how this will happen. The Bible says that the Anti Christ will be a “smooth talker” and he will deceive.
Maybe he will talk his way into an agreement with Israel and will somehow get the control of Jerusalem. Maybe it will be a war.
But he will make an agreement with the Jews to let them build their temple. They will begin the sacrifices like of old.
Revelation tells us that the Anti Christ will break this agreement after about 3 and a half years. He will stop the sacrifices. He will put his image in their temple. He will say they have to bow down and worship it. (Just like Antiochus IV did.)
There is talk that the Jews have been getting things ready to build a temple. They are getting all the things together—-furniture, priest’s things, etc.
People who study the Bible watch the news about Israel very carefully. What happens to Israel shows us where we are on the “time line” of prophecy.
Because of the things we see in the news people feel that we are very near the “times of the end” that the angel spoke of.