"THE BOOK OF DANIEL"
The Vision Of The Time Of The End - III (11:36-12:13)
INTRODUCTION
- We have been studying the final vision recorded in the book of
Daniel...
- Depicting what will affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan
10:14
- Describing events "in the latter days, for the vision refers to
many days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
- 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"
- In the introductory remarks of the vision, there is a glimpse of
spiritual warfare...
- Angelic forces withstanding each other - Dan 10:13a,20
- Angelic forces helping each other - Dan 10:13b,21; 11:1
-- Such forces affecting the nations of Persia and Greece
- As the vision unfolds, a series of future conflicts involving
nations is described...
- Between the Persians and the Greeks - Dan 11:2-4
- Between kings of the South (Egypt) and kings of the North (Syria)
- Dan 11:5-35
- In this conflict, Israel would be caught in the middle
- Israel would suffer extreme blasphemies by one Syrian king
(Antiochus Epiphanes)
- Beginning with Dan 11:36, there is a large diversity of opinion...
- Regarding the identity of the king described in Dan 11:36-45
- 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...]
- THE IDENTITY OF THE KING AND HIS TIMES
- THREE DIFFERENT VIEWS...
- The king is Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria
- The vile and blasphemous ruler described in Dan 11:21-35
- The time of his persecution would therefore be 169-167 B.C.
- The time of the Maccabean revolt
-- This view is espoused by Albert Barnes in his commentary
- The king represents the Roman emperors
- Who persecuted Christians in the early years of the church
- The time of this persecution would therefore be 60-313 A.D.
-- This view is proposed by Robert Harkrider in his workbook
- The king represents the Anti-Christ
- A future ruler still to come
- 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)
- ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES SEEMS A LIKELY CHOICE...
- The allusion in previous verses is undoubtedly to Antiochus
Epiphanes
- There is no indication in the prophetic narrative of any
change; notice...
- "Then the king shall do..." - Dan 11:36
- "At the time of the end the king of South shall attack
him..." - Dan 11:40
- "At that time Michael..." - Dan 12:1
- "And at that time your people shall be delivered..." - Dan
12:1
- A sudden transition, with no given indication, is not in
accordance with what is usually found in prophetic writings
(Barnes)
- The word "king" is never applied to Antichrist (if there in
fact be "the Antichrist", as the Bible speaks of many
antichrists - 1Jn 2:18,22; 4:3; 2Jn 7)
- 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...]
- THE EVENTS AT "THE TIME OF THE END"
- THE BLASPHEMY OF THIS KING...
- He shall magnify himself above every god - Dan 11:36-37
- Speaking blasphemies against the God of gods
- 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
- He shall not regard the god of his fathers, nor the desire
of women, nor any god
- He shall honor a god of fortresses - Dan 11:38-39
- A god which his fathers did not know (some suggest the
Roman god Mars, or Jupiter)
- 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
- THE CONQUESTS AND END OF THIS KING...
- The king of the South (Egypt) shall attack him - Dan 11:40
- Note that this will occur "at the time of the end"
- This may help pinpoint the meaning of the "latter days" of
Dan 10:14
- The king of the North (Antiochus Epiphanes) will respond and
overwhelm the countries - Dan 11:40-43
- Entering the "Glorious Land" (Israel)
- Overthrowing many, while Edom, Moab and Ammon will escape
- Egypt will not escape, even Libyans and Ethiopians will
submit
- He shall come to his end - Dan 11:44-45
- News from the east and north will trouble him (from Persia)
- He shall proceed to destroy and annihilate many, planting
his tents between the seas and the glorious holy mountain
(Mt. Zion, Jerusalem?)
- 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
- THE ULTIMATE VICTORY OF DANIEL'S PEOPLE...
- To occur "at that time" - Dan 12:1
- To be assisted by "Michael...the great prince who stands
watch over the sons of your people" - cf. Dan 10:13,21
- In a time of a trouble not seen before
- Deliverance of Daniel's people "at that time"
- I.e., the time just previously described
- I.e., the time of the conflict involving Antiochus
Epiphanes
- Many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake - Dan 12:2
- Some to everlasting life
- 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
- Those who will shine at this time - Dan 12:3
- The wise will shine like the brightness of the firmament
- 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
- FINAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ANSWERS GIVEN TO DANIEL...
- Shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end
- Dan 12:4
- Perhaps what is meant is to stop writing, and secure what
he has written
- Compare this with Dan 8:17,19,26
- Both visions (Dan 8, 10-12) were to be sealed up
- Both pertained to many days in the future
- Yet both visions were fulfilled within 200-400 years
- Contrast this with Rev 22:10
- The vision of the Revelation was not to be sealed, for
the time was at hand
- How then the explanation of some that the events of
Revelation have yet to begin, nearly 2000 years later?
- Two final questions answered
- One question overheard by Daniel - Dan 12:5-7
- Daniel saw two others, one on each side of a river bank
- One asked the man clothed in linen (cf. Dan 10:5-6)
above the river: "How long shall the fulfillment of
these wonders be?"
- 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."
- 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
- When the persecution has accomplished its purpose,
then the things described will take place
- The question asked by Daniel - Dan 12:8-13
- Not understanding, Daniel asks: "...what shall be the
end of these things?"
- Daniel is first told:
- To go, for the words are closed and sealed till the
time of the end
- That many shall be purified, and the wise shall
understand - cf. Dan 11:33-35
- That the wicked shall do wickedly, and not understand
- cf. Dan 11:32
- That there will be a period of "1290 days" beginning
from:
- The time the daily sacrifice is taken away - cf. Dan 11:31
- The abomination of desolation is set up - cf. Dan 11:31
- 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.)
- Daniel is then told:
- To go his way till the end
- 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 the
actual resurrection on the day of Judgment, not "the
time of the end" spoken of throughout this vision
CONCLUSION
- We have seen that "The Vision Of The Time Of The End" describes
events that would...
- Affect Daniel's people (i.e., Israel) - Dan 10:14
- Take place "in the latter days, for the vision refers to many
days yet to come" - Dan 10:14
- Occur in "the time of the end" - Dan 11:35,40; 12:4,9
- 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.,...
- The inter-testamental period between Malachi and Matthew
- 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)
- As we conclude our study of the Book of Daniel, we have found it to
be a book that...
- Strengthens faith in God and His Word through its fulfilled
prophecies
- Describing the rise and fall of world empires - Dan 2,4-5
- Foretelling the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom
- Dan 2,7,9
- Depicting the events to befall the people of Israel - Dan 8,9,
10-12
- Inspires faithfulness to God through its examples of dedicated
faith and service
- Of Daniel - Dan 1,6
- 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