History or Prophesy?

Understanding

Daniel 11:1 NASB95

“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.

Even in the midst of not understanding a troubling vision Daniel was not swayed from his task to serve the king of the time. Even in the midst of troubling times now when the world is falling apart, apostasy is happening in the church, the unchurched are rebelling against the church and winning, we still need to serve the King!

(Slide) we have seen the transfer of power from the Persians to Greeks (11:3)

We have seen many battles (11:4-15)

We have seen the rise of Antiochus Epiphanies IV (vv.16-35)

We have seen the “desolation of abomination” the end of sacrifices and the return of sacrifices after the death of Antiochus.

So now we come to a passage of scripture that is not the easiest to understand; many put this section off to the future of a coming “Anti-Christ” whom Antiochus was just a foreshadow for.

For your consideration tonight we will look at this passage with open eyes, open hearts and trusting the scripture to define or at least help us to understand.

To start with.

Luke 24:44–45 NASB95

44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Point out: “All things written”; when were they fulfilled? In Christ all things are fulfilled there is nothing future to be fulfilled. In Moses and the Prophets they spoke of what was the come from the captivities to the desolation of abomination, Christ spoke of the abomination to come (AD70) and what the faithful were to do. In Christ all things are fulfilled.

So there are questions on who is this king of the North we find in our passage tonight?

View 1

One historic view is that this section is a summary of the life, rise, fall of Antiochus Ephiphanes IV.

Daniel 11:3 NASB95

3 “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases.

Daniel 11:16 NASB95

16 “But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

Daniel 11:36 NASB95

36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.

(Slide) Without a doubt Antiochus did as he pleased including defecating the temple. Yes Antiochus is an Anti-Christ (shadow) who wanted to turn the faithful to him and not to God of Israel.

(Slide) But. . .

(Slide) King of South never moved against him (v.40) -Antiochus was always on the offensive not the defensive, so it seems this king cannot be Antiochus

(Slide) Antiochus never fought against Egypt --after 168bc, much less a successful one (v.40ff) - in (v.297-28) he had been victorious; but the next time was disastrous (v.29)

(Slide) Antiochus never fought against Libya or Ethiopia (vv.40-45) - Still same as mentioned a bout Egypt there is no history showing this

(Slide) Remember Antiochus died in poverty trying to rob temple and raise taxes (v.43) - Antiochus took heavy loss when came against Egypt the 2nd time and when he tried to go for the Greek Isles and met with the rising Roman Empire.

View II

(Slide) Herod the Great ruled in Judea (34-4bc)

(Slide) He was the first of the Herod’s who demanded worship as a god

(Slide) But then he is also the one who enlarged the temple (would be known as Herods temple)

(Slide) He is also the one who ordered the slaughter of the male children in Mt2

(Slide) But. . .

(Slide) There is no historical evidence of Egypt coming against Herod - Herod wanted worship of himself, but peaceful and wanted to keep the peace in the Judea region and not to raise any notice with Rome, any conflict would raise Rome’s attention of him and he was already an outcast in an outlining area under Roman control. He wanted to appease the Jews and built onto their temple.

(Slide) Herod did not go after Egypt. IF this would have happened there would be historical evidence of it especially in the writings of Josephus the historian of the era.

(Slide) Herod did not ever conquer Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia - again, no historical proof. so it seems again this king of the North is not Antiochus Epiphanies and it is not Herod the Great so let’s move on.

View III

(Slide) A dispensational millennialism view

(Slide) Relates chapter 11 to chapter 7 and the little horn

(Slide) This is view of “The” Antichrist that will come at future date and described in Revelation by this dispensational view.

(Slide) BUT . . .

(Slide) Time period involved in “last days” has no proof it will jump or be extended to the present or future time 21 centuries later

(Slide) The vision is said to conclude with the breaking in peaces of the power of the Holy People and that happened at end of time (end of Jewish Age) AD70.

(Slide) The Scope of chapter 11 as laid out seems to be Rome, Roman’s, it does not go to sometime in the unknown future and the rise again of a Roman power.

View IV

(Slide) This view seems to stay close to the pattern of the book

(Slide) This view deals with the “later days” for Jewish Age

See Mt24:21

Matthew 24:21 NASB95

21 “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

What is Jesus speaking of there? - AD70; speaking to the Jews about Jews!

(Slide) This view historically fits with Roman policy and character

(Slide) Battle of Actium

(Slide) Battles of Raphia and Panium

But what about the rest of the verses?

What we know is (vv.36-37) whoever the king is He will magnify himself

In (v.41) we know the king will enter and Jerusalem

Daniel 11:36 ASV 1901

36 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 he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.

(Slide) Nothing happens by accident, God always had a plan, His plan was to allow these things, or to use these things to bring justice against a rebellious people.

(Slide) Times and seasons are in the hand of God

(Slide) No kings succeeds without God’s approval

(Slide) No trends take God by surprise

(Slide) No national policies surprise Him

(Slide) No movements come up unexpectedly

Daniel 11:45 NASB95

45 “He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

God will always have His way. God allowed kingdoms to prosper until He was done with them then the Lord will bring him, them to the tombs. We can see that more in

Daniel 12:6–7 NASB95

6 And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” 7 I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed.

More to follow on this next week.

Until then

Matthew 25:13 NASB95

13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

Invitation! - drive home the point we don’t know everything, don’t need to know everything, we do need to know Jesus and the day is coming for judgment we need to be ready, we need to be prepared, we need to be His!