seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Daniel 11:21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue. 22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. 23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.
25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him. 26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle. 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.
29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. 34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. 35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
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Here's the link to the study guide I read.In his place shall arise a vile person: The angel told Daniel that after the brief reign of the former king of the North, the next king would be a vile person. He would not be recognized as royalty, but shall take power by intrigue.
In his place: This was fulfilled in the successor of Seleucis III, named Antiochus IV. He did not come to the throne legitimately because it was strongly suspected that he murdered his older brother, the previous king. The other potential heir (the son of Seleucus III) was imprisoned in Rome.
He shall come in peaceably: Apart from the murder of his older brother, Antiochus IV didn’t use terror to gain power. He used flattery, smooth promises and intrigue.
“He flattered Eumenes, king of Pergamus, and Attalus his brother, and got their assistance. He flattered the Romans, and sent ambassadors to court their favour, and pay them the arrears of the tribute. He flattered the Syrians, and gained their concurrence.” (Clarke)
Antiochus IV took the title Epiphanes, meaning illustrious. Others derisively called him Epimanes, meaning madman.
His heart shall be moved against the holy covenant: When the vile person returned to his land, he would attack the land, people, and the temple of Israel. It will be a time of great courage and great treachery among the people of God.
So he shall do damage and return to his own land: This was fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes returned from Egypt, bitter from defeat. He vented his anger against Jerusalem, which was already shaken because Antiochus sold the office of High Priest and persecuted the Jewish people to conform to Greek culture, forsaking the faith and traditions of their fathers.
Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong: When Antiochus Epiphanes turned on Jerusalem, the Jewish people were divided. Some forsook their covenant with God and embraced Greek culture. Those who knew their God made a stand for righteousness in the face of incredible persecution.
For many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering: In his attack on Jerusalem Antiochus IV is said to have killed 80,000 Jews, taken 40,000 more as prisoners, and sold another 40,000 as slaves. He also plundered the temple, robbing it of approximately $1 billion by modern calculations.
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Please let me remind you that Daniel and his buddies were joined by Michael, the Angel.
Daniel 10:6 His body was like topaz, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of a multitude.
The men who were with Daniel freaked out at the sight of eyes like flaming torches, etc., etc., etc. They hid. Michael doesn't seem to notice or care about the men shivering behind the rocks or in other hiding places. Michael proceeded to tell Daniel how Daniel's Vision will actually play out in history. None of the stuff we read about Laodice, Bernice, Cleopatra, or their families, had happened when Daniel had his vision. Daniel, chapter 11, is all about what "will be" not what "was".
I wonder if the men hiding could hear Michael. I guess they were the "witnesses" that are so important. After all Daniel could claim to have seen and talked to Michael, the Angel, but unlike the men who were with Saul of Tarsus [Paul], the men who were with Daniel, saw the Angel in all his glowing glory and they hid. So, they might have hidden so quickly they stayed within earshot.
In these verses, Michael predicted that Antiochus IV would murder his brother while his other brother was jailed in Rome, so that he could take the throne. Apparently, he was a real prize. The Online Bible I use called him a "vile person".
When he didn't win his battle in Egypt he took his loss out on the people of Jerusalem.
I like the statement in verse 27.
Daniel 11:27 27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.
Don't you just love that description of "peace talks"?
As we leave the section my Online Bible titled "The kings of the south and the north", Michael described Jerusalem as divided.
The people of the South, the people of Judah and Jerusalem, are being ravaged by war and with war there always seems to be famine.
On top of that, according to the commentary, Michael explained to Daniel that there would be people who still believe that God is the One True God. And there will be people of Israeli descent who are now not so sure there is a god at all.
Vile people were in charge.
I once asked my Jewish brother-in-law, why he didn't believe Jesus is the Messiah. He said he just couldn't believe that God sent His Son, because there is so much war and famine in the world today. He passed away before Hamas attached Israel on October 7th. I wonder if the current events would have cemented his disdain for the "good Christians".
I guess it was the same way back then. The people of Judah didn't witness Michael with his glowing eyes. They only heard the stories and the stories didn't stop the wars or put food on their tables.
Have you been watching the news? Of course you have. Do you think there are some people in Israel today who are supposed to be good Jewish boys and girls, who have lost faith? Do you think there are some people today who think the Palestinians did nothing wrong, simply got caught in the middle? Do you think good Jewish boys and girls are siding with the Palestinians against Israel?
Well apparently, that's how it was back when that vile man was in charge.
That "vile man" killed 80,000 Jews, took 40,000 more as prisoners, and sold another 40,000 as slaves. He also plundered the temple, robbing it of approximately $1 billion by modern calculations.
All these things had to come about before Jesus was born.
I don't think the vision is done. Remember, history repeats itself.
Is there a "vile" man running things now???? Aren't there a few "vile" men on the scene now? Aren't there a couple "vile" men in Israel today?
Michael said a "vile" man would come.
A "vile" man!
