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"THE BOOK OF DANIEL"
The Vision Of The Time Of The End - III (11:36-12:13)
INTRODUCTION
1. We have been studying the final vision recorded in the book of
Daniel...
a. Depicting what will affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan
10:14
b. Describing events "in the latter days, for the vision refers to
many days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
c. Its words were closed and sealed "till the time of the end" - Dan
12:9
-- For such reasons this vision has been called "The Vision Of The
Time Of The End"
2. In the introductory remarks of the vision, there is a glimpse of
spiritual warfare...
a. Angelic forces withstanding each other - Dan 10:13a,20
b. Angelic forces helping each other - Dan 10:13b,21; 11:1
-- Such forces affecting the nations of Persia and Greece
3. As the vision unfolds, a series of future conflicts involving
nations is described...
a. Between the Persians and the Greeks - Dan 11:2-4
b. Between kings of the South (Egypt) and kings of the North (Syria)
- Dan 11:5-35
1) In this conflict, Israel would be caught in the middle
2) Israel would suffer extreme blasphemies by one Syrian king
(Antiochus Epiphanes)
4. Beginning with Dan 11:36, there is a large diversity of opinion...
a. Regarding the identity of the king described in Dan 11:36-45
b. The time in which events described in Dan 11:36-12:13 would be
fulfilled
[As with any difficult portion of Scripture, especially one involving
prophecy, dogmatism should be avoided. In this study, our final one in
this series of lessons on the Book of Daniel, I shall offer what I
believe is a plausible explanation of the text...]
I. THE IDENTITY OF THE KING AND HIS TIMES
A. THREE DIFFERENT VIEWS...
1. The king is Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria
a. The vile and blasphemous ruler described in Dan 11:21-35
b. The time of his persecution would therefore be 169-167 B.C.
c. The time of the Maccabean revolt
-- This view is espoused by Albert Barnes in his commentary
2. The king represents the Roman emperors
a. Who persecuted Christians in the early years of the church
b. The time of this persecution would therefore be 60-313 A.D.
-- This view is proposed by Robert Harkrider in his workbook
3. The king represents the Anti-Christ
a. A future ruler still to come
b. The time of this persecution would be shortly before the
return of Christ
-- This view is held by pre-millennialists, but also by some
amillennialists (e.g., Edward Young)
B. ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES SEEMS A LIKELY CHOICE...
1. The allusion in previous verses is undoubtedly to Antiochus
Epiphanes
2. There is no indication in the prophetic narrative of any
change; notice...
a. "Then the king shall do..." - Dan 11:36
b. "At the time of the end the king of South shall attack
him..." - Dan 11:40
c. "At that time Michael..." - Dan 12:1
d. "And at that time your people shall be delivered..." - Dan
12:1
3. A sudden transition, with no given indication, is not in
accordance with what is usually found in prophetic writings
(Barnes)
4. The word "king" is never applied to Antichrist (if there in
fact be "the Antichrist", as the Bible speaks of many
antichrists - 1 Jn 2:18,22; 4:3; 2 Jn 7)
5. The description that follows can easily be applied to the
person and times of Antiochus Epiphanes
[This is not imply there is no difficulty with applying this passage to
Antiochus Epiphanes and his times, but I believe it possesses fewer
difficulties than alternative views. Now let's consider what is
described to come...]
II. THE EVENTS AT "THE TIME OF THE END"
A. THE BLASPHEMY OF THIS KING...
1. He shall magnify himself above every god - Dan 11:36-37
a. Speaking blasphemies against the God of gods
b. Prospering till the wrath that has been determined is done
(suggesting that this was allowed by God as part of divine
judgment against Israel) - cf. Dan 11:35; as with the case
of Assyria and Israel, Isa 10:5-12
c. He shall not regard the god of his fathers, nor the desire
of women, nor any god
2. He shall honor a god of fortresses - Dan 11:38-39
a. A god which his fathers did not know (some suggest the
Roman god Mars, or Jupiter)
b. He shall act against the strongest fortresses with this
foreign god, rule over many and divide the land for gain
-- In his commentary, Albert Barnes explains how this could apply
to Antiochus
B. THE CONQUESTS AND END OF THIS KING...
1. The king of the South (Egypt) shall attack him - Dan 11:40
a. Note that this will occur "at the time of the end"
b. This may help pinpoint the meaning of the "latter days" of
Dan 10:14
2. The king of the North (Antiochus Epiphanes) will respond and
overwhelm the countries - Dan 11:40-43
a. Entering the "Glorious Land" (Israel)
b. Overthrowing many, while Edom, Moab and Ammon will escape
c. Egypt will not escape, even Libyans and Ethiopians will
submit
3. He shall come to his end - Dan 11:44-45
a. News from the east and north will trouble him (from Persia)
b. He shall proceed to destroy and annihilate many, planting
his tents between the seas and the glorious holy mountain
(Mt. Zion, Jerusalem?)
c. Yet he shall come to his end, no one helping him (Antiochus
died in 163 B.C. of a terrible disease)
-- Again, Barnes relates in detail how these events could refer
to Antiochus
C. THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF DANIEL'S PEOPLE...
1. To occur "at that time" - Dan 12:1
a. To be assisted by "Michael...the great prince who stands
watch over the sons of your people" - cf. Dan 10:13,21
b. In a time of a trouble not seen before
c. Deliverance of Daniel's people "at that time"
1) I.e., the time just previously described
2) I.e., the time of the conflict involving Antiochus
Epiphanes
2. Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake - Dan 12:2
a. Some to everlasting life
b. Some to shame and everlasting contempt
-- Note that this is not likely the physical resurrection of
the dead, for then "all" (not "many") shall be raised
- Jn 5:28,29
3. Those who will shine at this time - Dan 12:3
a. The wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament
b. Those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the
stars forever and ever
-- Using the figure of the resurrection, this may depict the
Maccabean revolt when the Jews came out of caves and mountain
hideouts to resist Antiochus - cf. Dan 11:33-35
D. FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ANSWERS GIVEN TO DANIEL...
1. Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end
- Dan 12:4
a. Perhaps what is meant is to stop writing, and secure what
he has written
b. Compare this with Dan 8:17,19,26
1) Both visions (Dan 8, 10-12) were to be sealed up
2) Both pertained to many days in the future
3) Yet both visions were fulfilled within 200-400 years
c. Contrast this with Rev 22:10
1) The vision of the Revelation was not to be sealed, for
the time was at hand
2) How then the explanation of some that the events of
Revelation have yet to begin, nearly 2000 years later?
2. Two final questions answered
a. One question overheard by Daniel - Dan 12:5-7
1) Daniel saw two others, one on each side of a river bank
2) One asked the man clothed in linen (cf. Dan 10:5-6)
above the river: "How long shall the fulfillment of
these wonders be?"
3) The answer: "...a time, times, and half a time; and when
the power of the holy people has been completely
shattered, all these things shall be finished."
a) The "time, times, and half a time" (3 and a half
years, 42 months, 1260 days) is commonly used to
describe a definite, marked, period of tribulation
- cf. Dan 7:25; Re 11:2,3; 12:6,13-14; 13:5
b) When the persecution has accomplished its purpose,
then the things described will take place
b. The question asked by Daniel - Dan 12:8-13
1) Not understanding, Daniel asks: "...what shall be the
end of these things?"
2) Daniel is first told:
a) To go, for the words are closed and sealed till the
time of the end
b) That many shall be purified, and the wise shall
understand - cf. Dan 11:33-35
c) That the wicked shall do wickedly, and not understand
- cf. Dan 11:32
d) That there will be a period of "1290 days" beginning
from:
1/ The time the daily sacrifice is taken away - cf.
Dan 11:31
2/ The abomination of desolation is set up - cf. Dan
11:31
e) Those who wait and come to "1335 days" will be
blessed
-- Whether literal or figurative, these numbered days
appear to apply to the period of the Antiochian
persecution (ca. 168 B.C.)
3) Daniel is then told:
a) To go his way till the end
b) For he shall rest and arise to his inheritance at the
end of the days
-- This "end" or "end of the days" may refer to actual
resurrection on the day of Judgment, not "the time of
the end" spoken of throughout this vision
CONCLUSION
1. We have seen that "The Vision Of The Time Of The End" describes
events that would...
a Affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan 10:14
b. Take place "in the latter days, for the vision refers to many
days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
c. Occur in "the time of the end" - Dan 11:35,40; 12:4,9
2. From the context, "the time of the end" likely refers to the closing
days of God's dealings with Israel as His covenant nation; i.e.,...
a. The inter-testamental period between Malachi and Matthew
b. The period involving the Greek-Persian and Egyptian-Syrian
conflicts
-- Which is how the phrase is used in "The Vision Of The Ram and The
Goat" that depicts many of the same events - cf. Dan 8:1-27
(esp. 17,26)
3. As we conclude our study of the Book of Daniel, we have found it to
be a book that...
a. Strengthens faith in God and His Word through its fulfilled
prophecies
1) Describing the rise and fall of world empires - Dan 2,4-5
2) Foretelling the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom
- Dan 2,7,9
3) Depicting the events to befall the people of Israel - Dan 8,9,
10-12
b. Inspires faithfulness to God through its examples of dedicated
faith and service
1) Of Daniel - Dan 1,6
2) Of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego - Dan 3
While there is certainly much in this book that challenges our
understanding, may we never neglect to mine its spiritual treasures
preserved for the people of God:
"For whatever things were written before were written for our
learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have hope." - Ro 15:4
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© Mark A. Copeland, 2001
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