( When You SEE the Abomination of Desolation )

 

A Companion Article Identifies the 4^th BEAST of Daniel 7 and Revelation 13.  Continuing the Subject, This Article Investigates What the Scriptures Say

as to the BEAST’s Brutal Crusade Against the ‘Saints of the Most High’ !

    

© Rich Traver,  81520-1411,   5-16-06     [ 62 ]

 

An Enigmatic Prophecy, first revealed to the Prophet Daniel, well into his senior years, not long before the end of the Babylonian Empire, is found in Daniel Chapter 7.  As was true of many of the things God revealed to him, certain things were intentionally ‘sealed’ until the time of the end.  That time is now!  In the companion article, referred to in the sub-title above, the identities of the three latter-day empires in Daniel’s ‘night vision’ are considered.  Under this article, we look into that matter that disturbed Daniel so greatly in his vision, that this Fourth Beast that he saw would make direct war against the Saints of the Most High, and would prevail against them. Its activities in that regard are clearly spelled out in Daniel Chapters 11 and 12, as well as Revelation, Chapter 17.  These clearly are for our information and understanding.  We should not be remiss by not paying close attention to God’s explicit revelation

 

Third Ruler in the Kingdom

 

It might be good we be reminded that Daniel was one of the top officials of the rulership of Babylon.  In just a few years, that Empire, represented by the ‘head of gold’ in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, related in Daniel Chapter Two, would fall to the Persians.  Daniel knew that, and would soon interpret ‘the writing on the wall’, (Daniel 5) announcing the imminent fall of that ‘golden’ Empire.  Before interpreting the writing, Daniel was offered the position of ‘third ruler in the kingdom’, (5:16 & 29) attesting to the high regard in which he was still held, even at this late date.  This ‘honor’ was short-lived, as Belshazzar and his Empire fell to the forces of Cyrus the Persian under Darius the Mede that same night!

 

Under Darius, Daniel was made one of only three governors over the 120 satraps appointed to rule the succeeding kingdom.  After serving honorably, Darius even considered putting Daniel over the affairs of the entire kingdom, (Dan. 6:3), on account of his ‘excellent spirit’!

 

These are the credentials of God’s Prophet, who in his career, was favored with visions, revelations and understandings unparalleled until the time of John, in the late 90’s AD, some 700 years later!

 

But these revelations were not for his time.  Many of the things revealed were ‘sealed’ until the time of the end.  Though Daniel asked the meanings, he was told, “Go your way. Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified and made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” (Dan. 12:9-10)

 

Intended For Our Day!

 

Recorded in two of the gospels, Jesus Christ gave a clue to one of the most focused and explicit segments of Bible Prophecy found anywhere.  In both Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14, He makes pointed reference to ‘when (we) see the Abomination of Desolation, spoken of by Daniel the Prophet’.., we should be especially attentive!  Now, this is found in what is known as the “Olivet Prophecy”.  The curious thing is, as is well documented, this final phase in the series was already history in His day!

 

So, what this reveals is the fact that this prophecy, though clearly fulfilled in history, has a modern day repetition.  At some point in the narratives, somewhere around Daniel 9:27 and 11:31, there begins a second application of this series of events in the last days!  Daniel chapter 9 brings us thru that period from the perspective of the 70 weeks prophecy.  Chapter 11 does also, but from the perspective of the struggles between the kings of the north and south.  Both of those narratives converge at this single event.  In Daniel 7 and in Revelation 13, we have a more focused view of the coming Fourth BEAST.  This prophecy, in Daniel 11 & 12, expands on and gives details of the activities of a religious figure operating within this BEAST.  Once we realize this, the point of these prophecies becomes clearer.

 

Millennia of Struggle

 

Those who attempt to understand this epic struggle between ‘the king of the south’ and the ‘king of the north’ entirely within the context of the Greco-Macedonian Empire represented by the third segment of Nebuchadnezzar’s Image in Daniel chapter 2, miss an obvious point.   Historical identification of Antiochus Epiphanes as being an earlier fulfillment in the 160’s B.C. demonstrates that the series of events included in Daniel 11 & 12 extend beyond the era of Greece’s world empire.  Being that this succession of repetitive military confrontations extends out beyond that time, and describes a repeat fulfillment of at least the latter part in the very end time, we can see that its fulfillment extends thru the time-period of the final segment, that of the Roman Empire. The Greek Empire merely set the cultural stage for this prolonged series of campaigns, but their outplay is perpetuated beyond the duration of Greece’s historical preeminence, continuing into that of Rome, with its seven successive ‘restorations’.  Antiochus IV was merely a type of the end-time Antichrist, who we are here focusing upon.

 

As seen in the narrative of Chapter 8, Alexander’s Empire lent its characteristic, Hellenistic Culture, [1] to its successor power.  Hellenism,or more specifically, its enduring contribution to world philosophy: Gnosticism, remains a major component in modern religions of the western world, particularly that of apostate Rome.  While Alexander’s conquests extended from Greece and Macedonia to western India to Egypt and Ethiopia, effectively the entire region we know today as the greater ‘Middle East’, his early decease resulted in the division his empire into four lesser empires, ruled by his predominant generals.  These four eventually devolved into two major spheres of power, one to the north and the other toward the south in relative position to each other.   We tend to think of them as being north of or south of Jerusalem, but keep in mind, when this prophecy was written, Daniel was up north in Babylon!  In addition to the geographical proximity of one to the other, we should also note that it’s the king of the north that forthe most part is the major player! 

 

Jesus’ Perspective

 

Bible commentators and ancient historians have marveled at the specific details in this long-running prophecy.  The facts are so accurate, skeptics have dismissed them as having been written after the fact rather than centuries before. Being apparently fulfilled in ancient history, what need would there be to correlate these comments to the end-time?  If it weren’t for Jesus’ statements in Matthew 24:15 we would have little solid basis to recognize this narrative as particularly relevant to our day.   (in that scholars see them as specifically fulfilled in history prior to the first century.)  But they are relevant!

 

The Prophetic Narrative

 

Beginning in Daniel chapter 11:5 which begins after Alexander’s death, we read:    “And the king of the south ( identified as Ptolemy I of Egypt )  [2]shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. ( refers to Seleucus Nicantor of Syria, the king of the north, formerly an officer under Ptolemy I. )               
6:  And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south ( Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II, was given in marriage to Antiochus II, and she was murdered. )  shall come to the king of the north (to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.   
7:  But out of a branch of her roots  ( Ptolemy III, brother of Berenice, in retaliation invaded Syria, and won a great victory. )   shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:          
8:  And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north.
9:  So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.  

10. But his sons ( Seleucis III and Antiochus III ) shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.

11. And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand.   (Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III with great loss in the battle of Raphia, near Egypt in 217 B.C.)

12. And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it.

13. For the king of the north ( the defeated Antiochus III ) shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years (14 years) with a great army and with much riches.

14. And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.  ( The Jews helped Antiochus III, who defeated the forces of Egypt..)

15. So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.

16. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. ( Antiochus III then conquered Palestine. )

17. He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.  (Antiochus III gave his daughter Cleopatra in treacherous marriage alliance to Ptolemy V, hoping thru her to get control of Egypt, but she stood with her husband.)

18. After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. ( He then invaded Asia Minor and Greece, and was defeated by the Roman army at Magnesia in 190 B.C. )

19. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.  ( Returning to his own land, he was slain. )

20. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. ( His successor was overthrown. )

21. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.  ( This ‘contemptible person’ was Antiochus Epiphanes, (Antiochus IV.))

22. And with the arms of a flood shall they be over-flown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

23. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.  ( Not the rightful heir, he got the throne by treachery. )

24. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.

25. And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. ( He made himself master of Egypt, partly by force and partly by cunning deceit. )

26. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.  ( Ptolemy IV, the son of Cleopatra, nephew of Antiochus, was defeated by the treachery of his subjects.)

27. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.  (Under the guise of friendship, Antiochus IV and Ptolemy IV vied with each other in treachery.)

28. Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.  ( Antiochus IV then attacked Jerusalem, slew 80,000, took 40,000 and sold 40,000 Jews into slavery.)

■ 29. At the timeappointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.  (Antiochus IV again invaded Egypt, but the Roman fleet compelled him to retire.)

30. For the ships of Chittimshall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.  ( He then vented his anger on Jerusalem and desecrated the Temple. )

31. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.  (168 B.C.)

32. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries:   ( He was helped by apostate Jews.) but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 

33. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.  (These passages are attributed to the Maccabean brothers, fighting against Antiochus Epiphanes.)

34. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

35. And some of them of understanding shall fall,to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.

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 shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.

37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.

38. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious

stones, and pleasant things.

39. Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with

a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.

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, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

41. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

42. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

44. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

45. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

 

Where this Prophecy Originated

 

As is obvious, this lengthy narrative is explicit and extremely accurate.  It was given to Daniel some 200 years before the rise of the Greek Empire, and covered a span of time of nearly another two hundred years beyond that!  But, not only that, historians and scholars have long understood the identities of each of the major players.  We now know exactly who these individuals were and have clear evidence of the startling accuracy of Daniel’s vision.   He relates the story of how this vision came to him:  Dan. 10:  “In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long:   (Or ‘of prolonged duration’)and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.                                                        
2: In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks.      
3: I ate no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine in my mouth, neither did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.   
4: And in the twenty fourth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; (the Hebrew name of the Tigris)    
5: Then I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz:    
6: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. [3]      
7: And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.      
8: Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength.      
9: Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground         .
10: And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands.
11: And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. (Sent by the Father!)  And when he had spoken this word unto me,   I stood trembling.       
12: Then said he untome, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didstset thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13: But the prince of the kingdom of Persia with-stood 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.     
14: Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.     
15: And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb.
16: And, behold, one like the similitude of the sons of men touched my lips: then I opened my mouth, and spake, and said unto him that stood before me, O my lord, by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength.         
17: For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.  (A much greater reaction than when he encountered Gabriel.  (Dan. 8:16-18)          
18: Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me,
19: And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when hehad spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me.

 

Where This Becomes Interesting

 

We can see that this vision was very different than previous ones.   They were dreams or ‘night visions’. This one was a semi-conscious vision, where Daniel understood himself to be hearing directly from and speaking with his lord. [4]   If this is the case, then we would understand the speaker this time to be the person who would later become known to us as Jesus Christ!  This lord then lays out a long-running series of struggles between two regional powers that ultimately resulted in the prototype in the second century B.C. of another prominent individual who will dominate the world scene right at the time of the end!   I say ‘prototype’, because the initial fulfillment of this prophecy was only a type of the arrogant ‘god-position-usurper’ who’ll campaign against and to major degree overcome the peoples of God in the end-time. 

 

It was this aspect of his previous visions that disturbed Daniel so greatly.

 

Now, as we have seen above, this prophecy is all fulfilled in ancient history.  In fact, it had been fulfilled a couple of centuries before the beginning of the Christian era!  Why would we have any inclination to consider it as having a modern application?

 

It was Jesus Himself who made reference to this passage in His Olivet Prophecy, (likely the very Being who gave the prophetic vision to Daniel in the first place): “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, ( whoso readeth, let him understand: )”  Matthew 24:15 (& Mark 13:14)  Except for His specific reference, we wouldn’t have real reason to consider this prophecy as having a latter day fulfillment!  Yet, Jesus Christ knew that it does, and made us aware of the fact!  It’s something He wants His Saints to know! [5]

An End-Time Recurrence

 

From this, we can understand that this prophecy, as it was revealed to Daniel, was to also have a latter-day fulfillment, at least the final phase of it, as first enacted by Antiochus IV (Epiphanes)as theGreek Empire ( the third segment of the image in Daniel 2 ) was fading.  Daniel chapter 11, probably beginning with verse 29, provides us with a further detail enhancement of that vile pompous fellow acting within and on behalf of the ‘Beast Power’ that makes war against the Saints, and prevails against them again in the end-time.  It being the matter that disturbed Daniel so profoundly in chapter 7, verses 15 & 28, and 8:27, which also addresses this campaign (crusade?) against God’s Saints.  This influential individual, operating within the political Beast, (his organization is seen riding upon it [6] ) exerts influence upon the Beast in the religious arena, seeking to eliminate all who know and obey the Truth!   It is this organization that, on behest of the Dragon, [7] implements a‘worship system’ for the BEAST, and oversees its brutal enforcement. [8]

 

Now for years, many in the Church of God have taken great comfort in the idea of there being an end-time ‘place of safety’ for God’s people.  That teaching confirming the fact of the need for such protection, otherwise God’s Saints wouldn’t survive thru this time period!  It’s that perilous! This matter is addressed more specifically in the article: “The Place of Final Training” Revisited, which considers one faulty premise regarding this ‘escape’.   It’s obvious from other passages (including the above) that not all will be afforded physical protection! For that matter, many in the fundamentalist community take great comfort in their ‘rapture theory’ created as a direct result of this very concern. (Their conjured version of a ‘place of safety’ idea!)

 

End Time Martyrdom

 

From places like Daniel 7:21 and Revelation 6:11 & 12:17, we see a deadly campaign directed specifically against God’sSaints, which ends only with Christ’s return.  Daniel was given a preview of this end-time situation, as was John in the late first century A.D.  The fact that it alarmed Daniel so much is a statement of his character.   Daniel was eyewitness to the conquest of his own nation and the brutal slaughter or deportation of its peoples.  Being high in government, he was also privy to the reports of conquests of the Babylonian Empire subsequent to that time.  Of all people, Daniel would be able to visually relive and empathize with the extreme suffering experienced by conquered peoples.  This time, it isn’t empathy for his ethnic brothers, but for the faithful Saints of the Most High God!   It troubled him to the end!  No less so should we be, who are to be personal eye-witnesses of, and quite possibly direct participants in, the events involving the power who again sets-up the Abomination that makes Desolate.

 

By way of review, we should understand that it was the One who would later become Jesus Christ, who in person, revealed this incredibly detailed and specific prophecy to Daniel.[9]  It wasn’t so much the narrative regarding the rivalries between the Ptolemys and Seleucids that is relevant to our time.  That detailed narrative was given to establish the accuracy of and thus the certainty of this prophecy and to also identify the one who would illustrate these things, providing us with a historical pre-rehearsal of that evil character who would dominate end-time events as his predecessor did in Judea in the 160’s B.C.  

 

We’d’ve thought that this archetype ( predecessor ) was the fulfillment, except for the clear statement by Christ Himself in His ‘Olivet Prophecy’ just a couple of days before His crucifixion!  That there is to be another repetition of a particular historic precedent: the Abomination that Makes Desolate.

 

It’s the section beginning with Daniel 11:29 that has application to our day.  This is the area of Scripture that Jesus referred to in His ‘Olivet Prophecy’ in Matthew 24:15,  Mark 13:14 and Luke 21:20.  We see from His reference that this phenomenon is to occur right at the end.  It is to involve a military incursion into Judea under the pretext of providing ‘security’, and in the context of current world affairs, to also stay an irresolvable conflict that threatens the entire world and its economy.  Only ‘the wise shall truly recognize’ [10] the significance of the situation as it happens.

 

So, as Jesus instructed, let’s review again the passage He referred to: Daniel 11:29, etc., this time with comments. We should realize that the following comments are speculative at this point.

 

The Final Campaign!

 

“At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. (Comment: The end-time version of these events will not exactly conform to their earlier out-play.  The “King of the North” will begin a retaliatory campaign against a “southern power”, but will be frustrated by another power, and will instead defuse the conflict by occupying Jerusalem and Judea under the pretext of providing it ‘security’ against the overwhelming forces which surround it.)   30: For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: (A military power having a formidable navy.) therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: (A behind-the-scenes conspiracy to undermine Israel.)so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. (Even elements within the peoples of Israel will co-operate with this evil conspiracy to betray and negate the culture and religion of Israel, who will lose their right of self-determination and to direct their own defenses.)   

31:And arms shall stand on his part, (A military power will back this.) and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, (Obviously a political malformation, changing the power structure of the Middle East and Europe.)   and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Their anti-(true) religious crusade will be quite transparent. Desolating true practices and imposing false ones: the worship of Power!)  32: And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: (These betrayers are ‘set-up’ politically!) but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Despite this religious climate, God’s True Servants will have opportunity to get the message out.)    33:And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. (But they who ‘instruct’ will do so at great personal peril.)   34:Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. (An undercurrent of support will be extended them from the general public, including from those who offer un-genuine lip-service.)   35: And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (This is the period identified as the ‘end-time martyrdom of Saints’ that we read about in Revelation 6:9-11.)

 

An ‘Imposter’ god

 

At this point in Daniel’s narrative he shifts to a more focused overview of the person and career of the Religious Beast operating within the Political BEAST who promotes the worship of its sponsor:

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 shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.   37: Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.    38:But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.  (So, what traditional religious organization possesses such treasures? One already politically and religiously corrupted to where sponsorship of an evil military power would be temporally pragmatic, despite pointed opposition from a few in its membership?)     39:Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: [11]and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.  

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, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.       (At this point, we see this world power attaining sufficient military supremacy (and political position) to where they have free reign to fully defeat the offending “King of the South’s” alliance, which is here identified for us: that region once under Alexander the Great.  (Those areas already under his ‘protective occupation’ will not suffer his wrath.))  41: He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.   42: He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43: But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.   44: But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.   (The ‘Far East’ (Asians) will at this point intervene militarily.   Asia’s prominent military characteristic is its “many” troops.) 45: And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.  (We read of this “end” in Revelation 17 and the first half of chapter 18)

 

THIS is the matter that disturbed Daniel so greatly that is recorded in Daniel 7:28.  “Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.”  In 8:27 the experience isamplified:  “And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.”

 

“When you see the Abomination of Desolation (Luke refers to, ‘the armies that make desolate’) spoken of by Daniel the prophet…”, be assured that the temple of humanity is on its countdown to total self destruction that only the intervention of God’s returning Christ with His Saints can forestall!      Ω