Daniel Sees The End Of It All

It Is Always A Spiritual Battle

Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; but lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness on high.

Here, we get a remarkable insight into the unseen world, and of the conflict even now being carried on in heavenly places. This could also explain why many of our prayers do not seem to be answered when and as we would desire. An evil angel, evidently delegated by Satan to seek to influence the hearts of the Persian kings against the people of God, had withstood this holy angel of the Lord for one and twenty days.

The Wars of the Ptolemies & Seleucids

From verse five to thirty-five, we have the wars of the Seleucids and the Ptolemies, for about two centuries. These rulers are called respectively, the King of the North, and the King of the South, the directions having to do with the land of Palestine, which in God’s eye is the center of the earth.

There was continual warfare between Egypt and Syria during this period and Israel seemed repeatedly to make the wrong choices, finding herself being made captive by each of them.

History now records the decisive victory of Antiochus the Great over Egypt, and it caused Israel to suffer immeasurably. Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled in a remarkable way, as a period of 125 years was fulfilled in detail.

The Beast & The Antichrist

The Roman empire is to be revived in a ten-kingdom condition; ten European powers will be united in one federation. To bring this about, there will be a union of socialistic and imperialistic policies. One of these ten kings will become arbiter of Europe, with absolute power. In Revelation 13:1 and other places, he is called “The Beast.” He is seen as the Little Horn of the West.

Daniel 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him. And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind. It is ‘the time of the end.’

The South is Egypt, with a leader who will probably unite all of Africa against the Antichrist. The king of the north mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39, is Russia. Russia will open the campaign of Armageddon. The entrance of Russia into Palestine precipitates the great crisis and conflict of the Great Tribulation Period.

When Antichrist enters Palestine, he will have trouble for a while with Edom, Moab, and Ammon, the territory where the Arabs, are today. Dan. 11:44 “Tidings out of the east”, means the Orient with its teeming millions. A great army will come from there to the Battle of Armageddon, and at that time, there will be no hope for the world, and certainly there will be no hope for God’s people, except Christ God Himself.

“The seas” in verse 45 refer to the Mediterranean Sea, and “the glorious holy mountain” is Jerusalem.

The Antichrist will establish his headquarters there for world conquest, but will ultimately be destroyed by the Christ Himself.

As Christians, we have this eternal promise and hope, even as history progresses toward:

The Tribulation Period

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who stands for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that same time. And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one who shall be found written in the book.

At that time, at the time of the rise of the Antichrist, and the overthrow of the armies of the North. “Michael” is identified for us here. He is the only angel given the title of archangel ( Jude 9). He is the one who protects the nation Israel and stands in her behalf, as Daniel makes clear here. Revelation 12:14–16.

Tested by the proclamation of the everlasting gospel on the one hand, and by the placing of the abomination that makes desolate on the altar on the other, will result in bringing a national and religious awakening on the part of those who have so long been ‘sleeping among the dead.’

Many of the Jews who have been ‘sleeping’ in their recognition of Christ, shall now awake, some ‘to everlasting life,’ and some ‘to shame and everlasting contempt.’ It is the same kind of language that is used both in Isaiah 26:12–19, and Ezekiel 37, to describe Israel’s national and spiritual revival.

For centuries they have been sleeping in the dust of unbelief, buried among the Gentiles. Their awakening will have taken place at last; but while for some it will be to everlasting life and blessing in the glorious kingdom of the Son of Man soon to be established, for the others, the apostates, it will be to everlasting shame and contempt because of their submission to the Beast and the Antichrist.

These events will lead to the end of the world as we know it. Only those who place their faith in Christ will have any hope now and for eternity. Those in Christ are eternally secure in Him.