Table of Contents
- Daniel Overview
- Daniels Prophecies
- The 4 Great Kingdoms of Earth
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
- The Writing on the Wall
- Daniel Interprets the Writing on the Wall
- Fulfillment of the Writing on the Walls
- Future World Empires
- Vision of the 4 Beasts
- Fourth Beast Details Anti-Christ’s Reign
- God’s Kingdom will Reign
- Prophecy of the Coming Saints
- Saints & the Church
- Daniel’s Vision
- Persia and Greece
- Interpretation of the Goat Vision
- Messianic Kingdom
- Timeline – 70 Weeks Prophecy
- End Times
- Empires of the World
- Timeline Daniel 11
- Persia
- 4 (more) Kings of Persia, Last 1 is Most Powerful
- Greece – Divided in to 4 Lesser Authorities
- Prediction of Egypt’s Rise & Fall
- The Final Empire of Mankind
- Parodist Literal Interpretation
- Technological Advancements
- References
Overview
Time frame of Daniel’s Prophecies: 605 – 530 b.c.
Daniel was one of the prophets of the Old Testament. He was one of the captives taken to Babylon, but always remained faithful to God. God gifted Daniel with visions and the ability to interpret spiritual things, which eventually led him to be the highest person advisor to King Nebuchadnezzar.
DANIEL PROPHECIES
The 4 Great Kingdoms of Earth
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, had a dream that caused him great trouble. He summoned all his advisors, commanding that they tell him both what the dream was and the interpretation of it. Only Daniel, after receiving insight from God, was able to give the king what he demanded:
The Dream, that Nebuchadnezzar had, was of a great statue made of 5 different types of materials, each representing one of 5 different eras or kingdoms of world authority.
- Body Material Empire Represented
- Head Gold Babylon
- Torso Silver Medo-Persia
- Abdomen Bronze Greece
- Legs Iron Rome
- Feet Iron & Clay Revised Rome
This prophecy is perfectly harmonious with ancient history; and since the time of ancient Rome there has yet to be any other world ruling empires, just as predicted, and it will continue as such, until the last days when the ‘revised Roman Empire’ arises.
The Head of Gold- Babylon
Prophesied: circa 600 b.c
Fulfilled: 612 – 539 b.c
36. This is the dream; and we will make clear to the king the sense of it. 37. You, O King, king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the strength, and the glory, 38. Wherever the children of men are living; into whose hands he has given the beasts of the field and the birds of heaven, and has made you ruler over them all, you are the head of gold. – Dan 2:36-38
Babylon is the great kingdom of the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and God is showing him that he is the first of 5 final ruling world powers, or empires, that will come before God sets up his kingdom on earth.
The Chest of Silver- Medo-Persia
Fulfilled: 539 – 331 b.c.
And after you another kingdom, lower than you, will come to power; – Dan 2:39 a
Medo-Persia was the next world power that rose to power, whom overtakes Babylon and setup up their dominion.
The Abdomen of Brass-Greece
Fulfilled: 331 – 44 b.c.
and a third kingdom, of brass, ruling over all the earth. – Dan 2:39 b
After Medo-Persia, Greece was the next world power to arise and take over dominion.
The Legs of Iron- Rome
Fulfilled: 44 b.c. – 1453 a.d.
And the fourth kingdom will be strong as iron: because, as all things are broken and overcome by iron, so it will have the power of crushing and smashing down all the earth. – Dan 2:40
The next ruling kingdom is Rome taking over all of the ancient world and spreading its borders very far. It is also the longest lasting of all the world powers. Rome lasted until 1400’s a.d. and was eventually lost its power to the Ottoman empire.
The Feet of Iron/Clay- Future ‘Rome‘
Fulfilled: Future a.d.
And as you saw the feet and toes, part of potter’s work and part of iron, there will be a division in the kingdom; but there will be some of the strength of iron in it, because you saw the iron mixed with the potter’s earth.
42. And as the toes of the feet were in part of iron and in part of earth, so part of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will readily be broken. 43. And as you saw the iron mixed with earth, they will give their daughters to one another as wives: but they will not be united one with another, even as iron is not mixed with earth. – Dan 2:41
God gives us a glimpse as to what the future world power will look like. It will have great similarity and perhaps even come from Rome itself. It will comprised of two major kingdoms or powers but they will not get along very well or unite with each other, even though they give their children in marriage.
Another interesting side note is later in Daniel, a ‘gap’ is mentioned between the time the messiah is ‘cut off’ and when he returns. This allows for a huge gap or timeframe differential between the 4th and 5th empire according to God’s mercy over mankind, this is when the ‘Age of the Church’ abounds on the earth.
Afterwards – God’s Final Kingdom
And in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will put up a kingdom which will never come to destruction, and its power will never be given into the hands of another people, and all these kingdoms will be broken and overcome by it, but it will keep its place for ever.
45. Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that by it the iron and the brass and the earth and the silver and the gold were broken to bits, a great God has given the king knowledge of what is to take place in the future: the dream is fixed, and its sense is certain. – Dan 2:44
Here God gives us a glimpse into His eternal kingdom. This is when He comes to rule the earth right after the final kingdom of man is destroyed, as it says ‘in the days of those kings.’ All the kingdom of man’s fallacies and troubles will be broken and God’s perfect kingdom will be revealed. The stone cut without hand is the living stone, our Lord Jesus Christ.
HISTORICAL ACCURACY-
To see the historical accuracy of these verses, and examine other large kingdoms during this timeframe, from 500 b.c. – now
- see Historic Facts – Kingdoms & Empires of the World
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
The Tree
The King Made to Acknowledge God
God gives Nebuchadnezzar a vision/dream about what is going to happen to him, so that at the end he will realize that the God of heaven gives the kingdoms of the earth to whomever He chooses.
On my bed I saw a vision: there was a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very high. 11. And the tree became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven, and to be seen from the ends of the earth:
12. Its leaves were fair and it had much fruit, and in it was food enough for all: the beasts of the field had shade under it, and the birds of heaven were resting in its branches, and it gave food to all living things. 13. In the visions of my head on my bed I saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven,
14. Crying out with a loud voice; and this is what he said: Let the tree be cut down and its branches broken off; let its leaves be taken off and its fruit sent in every direction: let the beasts get away from under it and the birds from its branches: 15. But keep its broken end and its roots still in the earth, even with a band of iron and brass; let him have the young grass of the field for food, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his part be with the beasts.
16. Let his heart be changed from that of a man, and the heart of a beast be given to him; and let seven times go by him. – Dan 4:10
Interpretation of the Dream
The tree which you saw, which became tall and strong, stretching up to heaven and seen from the ends of the earth; 21. Which had fair leaves and much fruit, and had in it food for all; under which the beasts of the field were living, and in the branches of which the birds of heaven had their resting-places:
22. It is you, O King, who have become great and strong: for your power is increased and stretching up to heaven, and your rule to the end of the earth. 23. And as for the vision which the king saw of a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven, saying, Let the tree be cut down and given to destruction; 24. This is the sense of it, O King, and it is the decision of the Most High which has come on my lord the king:
25. That they will send you out from among men, to be with the beasts of the field; they will give you grass for your food like the oxen, and you will be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven times will go by you, till you are certain that the Most High is ruler in the kingdom of men, and gives it to any man at his pleasure.
26. And as they gave orders to let the broken end and the roots of the tree be, so your kingdom will be safe for you after it is clear to you that the heavens are ruling. – Dan 4:20
Fulfillment of the Dream
After 1 month, the dream comes to fruition, and King Nebuchadnezzar is sent out for 7 seasons to fulfill what was spoken about him.
All this came to King Nebuchadnezzar. 29. At the end of twelve months …33. That very hour the order about Nebuchadnezzar was put into effect: and he was sent out from among men, and had grass for his food like the oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hair became long as eagles’ feathers and his nails like those of birds. – Dan 4:28
And at the end of the days, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifting up my eyes to heaven, got back my reason, and, blessing the Most High, I gave praise and honour to him who is living for ever, whose rule is an eternal rule and whose kingdom goes on from generation to generation.
36. At the same time my reason came back to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my honour and my great name came back to me; and my wise men and my lords were turned to me again; and I was made safe in my kingdom and had more power than before. – Dan 4:34
The End of Babylon
The Writing on the Wall
God prepared a special message for Balthazar the son of Nebuchadnezzar who was his successor, and heir to the kingdom of Babylon. Balthazar was full of pride because of power and might, thus God said it was time to end his kingdom through an elaborate demise.
Afterwards came the rise of the Persian kingdom to power.
In that very hour the fingers of a man’s hand were seen, writing opposite the support for the light on the white wall of the king’s house, and the king saw the part of the hand which was writing. – Dan 5:5
The king, crying out with a loud voice, said that the users of secret arts, the Chaldaeans, and the readers of signs, were to be sent for. The king made answer and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whoever is able to make out this writing, and make clear to me the sense of it, will be clothed in purple and have a chain of gold round his neck, and will be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom. – Dan 5:7
Because a most special spirit, and knowledge and reason and the power of reading dreams and unfolding dark sayings and answering hard questions, were seen to be in him, even in Daniel named Belteshazzar by the king: now let Daniel be sent for, and he will make clear the sense of the writing. – Dan 5:12
Daniel Prophecies – Interprets the Writing on the Wall
And you, his son, O Belshazzar, have not kept your heart free from pride, though you had knowledge of all this; – Dan 5:22
23.But you have been lifting yourself up against the Lord of heaven, and they have put the vessels of his house before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your women, have taken wine in them; and you have given praise to gods of silver and gold, of brass and iron and wood and stone, who are without the power of seeing or hearing, and without knowledge: and to the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways, you have not given glory;
24. Then the part of the hand was sent out from before him, and this writing was recorded. – Dan 5:23-24
And this is the writing which was recorded, This is the sense of the words:
- Mene; your kingdom has been numbered by God and ended.
- Tekel; you have been put in the scales and seen to be under weight.
- Peres; your kingdom has been cut up and given to the Medes and Persians.
– Dan 5:25-28
Fulfillment of the Writing on the Walls
The night the prophet Daniel gave his prophecy, it was fulfilled. Babylon was overthrown and the Medes took over the kingdom.
29.Then, by the order of Belshazzar, they put a purple robe on Daniel, and a gold chain round his neck, and a public statement was made that he was to be a ruler of high authority in the kingdom. 30. That very night Belshazzar, the king of the Chaldaeans, was put to death. 31. And Darius the Mede took the kingdom, being then about sixty-two years old – Dan 5:29-31
Future World Empires
Vision of the 4 Beasts
Prophesied: approx 600 b.c.
Fulfilled: 612 b.c. – Future a.d.
God gives Daniel a vision of future events, of the future World Empires each represented as beasts.
1.) Babylon– The First Beast
I had a vision by night, and saw the four winds of heaven violently moving the great sea. 3. And four great beasts came up from the sea, different one from another. 4. The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings; while I was watching its wings were pulled off, and it was lifted up from the earth and placed on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. – Dan 7:2-5
2.) Medo-Persia– the Second Beast
And I saw another beast, like a bear, and it was lifted up on one side, and three side-bones were in its mouth, between its teeth: and they said to it, Up! take much flesh. – Dan 7:5
3.) Greece– the Third Beast
After this I saw another beast, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings like those of a bird; and the beast had four heads, and the power of a ruler was given to it. – Dan 7:6
4.) Rome– the Fourth Beast
After this, in my vision of the night, I saw a fourth beast, a thing causing fear and very troubling, full of power and very strong; and it had great iron teeth: it took its food, crushing some of it to bits and stamping down the rest with its feet: it was different from all the beasts before it; and it had ten horns.
8. I was watching the horns with care, and I saw another coming up among them, a little one, before which three of the first horns were pulled up by the roots: and there were eyes like a man’s eyes in this horn, and a mouth saying great things. – Dan 7:7-8
5.) God’s Kingdom Supreme
I went on looking till the seats of kings were placed, and one like a very old man took his seat: his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head was like clean wool; his seat was flames of fire and its wheels burning fire.
10. A stream of fire was flowing and coming out from before him: a thousand thousands were his servants, and ten thousand times ten thousand were in their places before him: the judge was seated and the books were open.
11. Then I saw–because of the voice of the great words which the horn said–I saw till the beast was put to death, and its body was given to destruction, and the beast was given to the burning of fire. – Dan 7:9
Remnants of mankind’s kingdom in God’s Kingdom
God reveals that after He takes over the world and sets up His kingdom on earth, He is going to allow mankind’s kingdoms to coexist with His for a time. This will most likely be in conjunction with Revelations when it states that after 1000 years the kingdom of the earth led by Satan will have one final attack against God’s kingdom on earth.
As for the rest of the beasts, their authority was taken away: but they let them go on living for a measure of time. 13. I saw in visions of the night, and there was coming with the clouds of heaven one like a man, and he came to the one who was very old, and they took him near before him.
14. And to him was given authority and glory and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages were his servants: his authority is an eternal authority which will not come to an end, and his kingdom is one which will not come to destruction.
17. These great beasts are four kings who will be cut off from the earth. 18. But the saints of the Most High will take the kingdom, and it will be theirs for ever, even for ever and ever. – Dan 7:12-18
Fourth Beast Details Anti-Christ’s Reign
Daniel inquires about the fourth beast and the details he saw. Apparently it will have a great power to destroy its oppressors, and to cause fear. This is the ‘Rome Empire’ reborn in the last days and apparently it rules the majority of the world (v.23).
This prophecy reveals that world power, or kingdom of the anti-christ, will be dominated by 10 major/minor kingdoms that dictate rule and authority. Afterwards one particular power (the anti-christ) will overpower and made 3 of these kingdoms fall in order to gain domination. This anti-christ will seek to destroy all the ‘saints’ or the people of God, and will proclaim to be God incarnate, and begin to change the laws and times.
This anti-christ will have the authority to accomplish this for ‘a time and times and half a time.’ Translated from Hebrew [See Hebrew Calendar] this comes to be about 2 sets of 3 1/2 years or a total ruling period of 7 years, according to the Gregorian calendar Americans and most of the western world uses.
Then it was my desire to have certain knowledge about the fourth beast, which was different from all the others, a cause of great fear, whose teeth were of iron and his nails of brass; who took his food, crushing some of it to bits and stamping on the rest with his feet;
20. And about the ten horns on his head and the other which came up, causing the fall of three; that horn which had eyes, and a mouth saying great things, which seemed to be greater than the other horns. 21. And I saw how that horn made war on the saints and overcame them,
22. Till he came, who was very old, and the decision was made and the authority was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came when the saints took the kingdom. 23. This is what he said: The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom which will come on earth, different from all the kingdoms, and it will overcome all the earth, crushing it down and smashing it.
24. And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will come to power; and after them another will come up: he will be different from the first ones and will put down three kings.
25. And he will say words against the Most High, attempting to put an end to the saints of the Most High; and he will have the idea of changing times and law; and the saints will be given into his hands for a time and times and half a time. – Dan 7:19-25
God’s Kingdom will Reign
God tells us that He is going to put an end to the authority of the anti-christ, and that all authority will be under His command.
But the judge will be seated, and they will put an end to his authority, to overcome it and send complete destruction on it. 27. And the kingdom and the authority and the power of the kingdoms under all the heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Most High: his kingdom is an eternal kingdom, and all powers will be his servants and do his pleasure. – Dan 7:26-27
PROPHECY OF COMING ‘SAINTS’
SAINTS & THE CHURCH
PROPHESIED: 4000 b.c. – 400 b.c. [Variously throughout different ancient Hebrew texts]
FULFILLED: After Christ’s death
The term used in the prophecies of Daniel to describe the coming church is saints. This word was not a commonly used word, and when the prophet Daniel used it, it was to describe the coming people of God, redeemed by the Messiah.
The term Saints was not a common term used in the Old Testament when referring to God’s people. Typically in the Old Testament times, God’s people where referred to as Israel or ‘God chosen people.’ The term saints is usually only used in reference to a ‘coming people’ from Old Testament prophets like Daniel and Enoch. All these prophecies are in anticipation of a future generation of a new ‘type’ of God’s people, specifically referring the church, or believers in Christ (saints).
This word saint (Qaddesh or ‘holy ones’) specifically used in the book of Daniel, referring to a future people, correlate to other references in the Bible such as in Psalms, speaking about the future ‘chosen of God’ people.
But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. – Daniel 7.18
He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time – Daniel 7.25
DANIELS VISIONS
Persia and Greece
PROPHESIED: approx 600 b.c. (Dan 8.1 first year of King Balthazar)
FULFILLED: Persia taken over 331 b.c.
Greece reigns (1 king) 351 b.c.
4 kingdoms of Greece 323 b.c.
Rome Future a.d.
Daniel is given a vision for each historic milestone of completion:
- Coming World Powers
- Restitution for Sin
- The Final Kingdom
All these events throughout history play part one to another and Daniel is given a vision by God that sets each of them in chronological order, and to reveal how they each affect one another in proper sequence.
- First, God gave Daniel a vision of two goats (which are the coming kingdoms of Daniel’s time), their interpretation is seen below (starting in 8.19).
- Second, Daniel is also shown the sin offering (8.12) given as a sacrifice because of transgression (Jesus Coming dying on the cross) will be made for sin.
- Last, Daniel hears the explanation of how long the time period will be from “when the regular sacrifice is taken away” to “the time the unholy thing is setup in the temple and the temple destroyed” (v.13) The answer is a little over 6 years, thus stating that once the antichrist sets himself up in the holy place and makes himself god, it will be 6 years from that point God’s true kingdom will come (v.14).
3. And lifting up my eyes, I saw, there before the stream, a male sheep with two horns: and the two horns were high, but one was higher than the other, the higher one coming up last. 4. I saw the sheep pushing to the west and to the north and to the south; and no beasts were able to keep their place before him, and no one was able to get people out of his power; but he did whatever his pleasure was and made himself great.
5. And while I was giving thought to this, I saw a he-goat coming from the west over the face of all the earth without touching the earth: and the he-goat had a great horn between his eyes. 6. And he came to the two-horned sheep which I saw before the stream, rushing at him in the heat of his power.
7. And I saw him come right up to the sheep, and he was moved with wrath against him, attacking the sheep so that his two horns were broken; and the sheep had not strength to keep his place before him, but was pushed down on the earth and crushed under his feet: and there was no one to get the sheep out of his power. 8. And the he-goat became very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and in its place came up four other horns turned to the four winds of heaven.
9. And out of one of them came another horn, a little one, which became very great, stretching to the south and to the east and to the beautiful land. 10. And it became great, even as high as the army of heaven, pulling down some of the army, even of the stars, to the earth and crushing them under its feet.
11. It made itself great, even as great as the lord of the army; and by it the regular burned offering was taken away, and the place overturned and the holy place made waste. – Daniel 8:3-11
12. And a sin offering was given for the sacrifice, because of transgression. And it threw the truth down to the ground, and it worked and prospered.
13. Then there came to my ears the voice of a holy one talking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was talking, How long will the vision be while the regular burned offering is taken away, and the unclean thing causing fear is put up, and the holy place crushed under foot?
14. And he said to him, For two thousand, three hundred evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be made clean. – Daniel 8:12-14
Interpretation of the Goat Vision
Overall, this clearly is a vision of prophecy concerning the end of time (as stated in 8.19). Although we have to first understand the history of what has happened to the world, so we can understand the foundation work for the coming anti-christ’s kingdom (8.19-22 give us the history before going into the last days details).
- The Male sheep = king of Media-Persia [ pushed or Conquered the west north and south]
- 2 Horns = Kingdoms of Media & Persia [ one was stronger, Persia and was last]
- Male goat = king of Greece.
- Great Horn = First King of Greece [conquered going east, and south]
- 4 Horns = 4 kingdoms of Greece – after Alexander the Great died, 4 kingdoms rose up as the Grecian or Macedonian monarchy division in his place Egypt, Asia, Macedonia, and Syria. none of them had the power Alexander had.
19. And he said, See, I will make clear to you what is to come in the later time of the wrath: for it has to do with the fixed time of the end. 20. The sheep which you saw with two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia.
21. And the he-goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn between his eyes is the first king. 22. And as for that which was broken, in place of which four came up, four kingdoms will come up from his nation, but not with his power. – Dan 8:19-22
Now at this point, this turns to future prophecy, and talks about the anti-Christ. These kingdoms of Persia and Greece leading up to Rome’s rule are spoken of for a specific reason they will all have their part in future events that correlate to the other future events leading up to the anti-Christ. The anti-Christ will cause deceit, turn against the prince of princes (Jesus Christ) speaking dark things.
23. And in the later years of their kingdom, when their evil doings have become complete, there will come up a king full of pride and expert in dark sayings.
24. And his power will be great, and he will be purposing strange things. And all will go well for him and he will do his pleasure; and he will send destruction on the strong ones.
25. And his designs will be turned against the holy people, causing deceit to do well in his hand; in his heart he will make himself great, and send destruction on numbers who are living unconscious of their danger; and he will put himself up against the prince of princes; but he will be broken, though not by men’s hands.
26. And the vision of evenings and mornings which has been talked of is true: and keep the vision secret; for it has to do with the far-off future. – Daniel 8:23-26
The Power of Greece Will Rise After Persia
An Angel of the Lord came to speak to Daniel, and told him specifically that after Persia, Greece will rise to power. This is interesting because it speaks about these nations on a spiritual level as well.
Then the angel said: Now do you understand why I have come? Soon I must leave to fight against the guardian angel of Persia. Then after I have defeated him, the guardian angel of Greece will attack me. – Daniel 10:20
MESSIANIC KINGDOM
Timeline – 70 Weeks Prophecy
PROPHESIED: Approx 600 b.c. (Dan 8.1 first year of King Balthazar)
FULFILLED: Cyrus Decree 444-5 b.c.
Messiah appear & Killed 32-3 a.d.
Temple Destroyed 70 a.d.
Messiah Return future a.d.
God has given Daniel the exact time in which all the events presented to him are going to take place. From the time the Messiah is going to appear to the time He will setup His kingdom (God’s Kingdom on earth).
70 weeks (1 week it the representation of 7 years or a ‘jubilee year’) as this timeframe of 70 years is itself divided up into 3 parts, for more information on Jewish years
- see Hebrew Calendars
7 weeks – Cyrus decreed the temple of Jerusalem to be rebuilt in 445 b.c., and after 49 years (48 solar years) (7 weeks or 397 b.c. V.25b.), God begins the 400 years of silence after Malachi
62 weeks – 434 years (428 solar years), (after 62 weeks) the Messiah will be cut-off in 32-3 a.d., and the holy temple will be destroyed. At the end of this 62 weeks, this is the exact time the Lord Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey and shortly after was crucified “cut-off” for our sins.
Afterwards there is a gap between the time Jesus dies to the time he comes back, do to all this prophecy being in reference to the ‘time of the Jews,’ the church age is the ‘time of the gentiles.’
1 week – split into 2 – 3 1/2 week parts, this is the tribulation period of 7 years which is covered in detail in revelation.
3.5 weeks – right after half the final week (v.27) the antichrist attempts to make himself god in the holy temple, and stops the ‘regular burnt offering (sacrifice as in v8.13)’
3.5 weeks – at the very end God sets up His kingdom on earth!
24. Seventy weeks are determined for thy people, and for thy holy city, to shut up the transgression, and to seal up sins, and to cover iniquity, and to bring in righteousness age-during, and to seal up vision and prophet, and to anoint the holy of holies.
25. And thou dost know, and dost consider wisely, from the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem till Messiah the Leader is seven weeks, and sixty and two weeks: the broad place hath been built again, and the rampart, even in the distress of the times.
26. And after the sixty and two weeks, cut off is Messiah, and the city and the holy place are not his, the Leader who hath come doth destroy the people; and its end is with a flood, and till the end is war, determined are desolations.
27. And he hath strengthened a covenant with many–one week, and in the midst of the week he causeth sacrifice and present to cease, and by the wing of abominations he is making desolate, even till the consummation, and that which is determined is poured on the desolate one.’ – Dan 9:24-27
END TIMES
Empires of the World
Timeline Daniel 11
God gives to Daniel a timeline of events from Daniels time until the Millennium Kingdom of God.
Persia
4 (more) Kings of Persia, Last 1 is Most Powerful
After the death of King Cyrus, whom was ruler at the time Daniel had this vision; the following kings according to history came to rule:
- Cambyses (530-522 B.C.),
- Smerdis or Bardiya (522)
- Darius I (522-486 B.C.).
- Xerxes (486-465 B.C.), known in the Bible as Ahasuerus and the husband of Queen Esther.
Xerxes was just as the angel said, the most wealth of all of them, he became so wealthy and powerful he believed he could even take the kingdom of Greece. Leading an estimates 300,000 men he fought against Greece in their homelands in the battles of Salamis in 480 b.c. and Plataea in 479 b.c. to where Persia was utterly defeated.
1. You also need to know that I protected and helped Darius the Mede in his first year as king. 2. What I am going to tell you is certain to happen. Four kings will rule Persia, one after the other, but the fourth one will become much richer than the others. In fact, his wealth will make him so powerful that he will turn everyone against the kingdom of Greece. – Daniel 11:1-2
Greece – Divided into 4 Lesser Authorities
Greece is prophesied as having a king that would be able to do as he pleases. This was fulfilled by Alexander the Great. The 4 kingdoms of Greece, after Alexander the Great died, eventually became known as the Grecian / Macedonian monarchy division:
- Egypt
- Asia
- Macedonia
- Syria
Prediction of Egypt‘s Rise & Fall
None where ruled by Alexander’s descendants, neither where they as great as his kingdom. King Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt grew strong but was rebelled against by his general Seleucus I Nicator, just as predicted.
Then a mighty king will come to power and will be able to do whatever he pleases. 4 . But suddenly his kingdom will be crushed and scattered to the four corners of the earth, where four more kingdoms will rise. But these won’t be ruled by his descendants or be as powerful as his kingdom. 5. The king of the south will grow powerful. Then one of his generals will rebel and take over most of the kingdom. – Daniel 11:3-4
The Final Empire of Mankind
-3 Schools of Thought-
Daniel 11 verses 6 through 45 cause conflict among scholars concerning exactly where this prophecy belongs in history.
It would seem that many of the verses are relaying to events that have already happened. Unfortunately many of the currently recorded events in history that could potentially correlate with this prophetic potion of scripture (in Ch.11) are not accurately fulfilled, could indicate that our current world history or archaeological findings are not complete.
However, there are numerous clues in the text that seem to be pointing to a distance future right before Christ returns. This would also account for many of the historic records not lining up with the prophecies.
To view the other interpretation of this chapter
Parodist Literal Interpretation
The following context (below) will display the viewpoint of a distant future prophecy not yet fulfilled from a Literalist or Parodists’ point of view.
Remember the ‘Final Empire of World power’, (Rome or type of Rome), is connected to the first Roman Empire that existed right before and during the time of Christ, all the way until it is regeneration right before Christ returns. The experienced ‘gap’ in the middle is the ‘Time of the Gentiles or Church Age.’
Retaining the reference to the original context, the southern kingdom would reflect Egypt or Egyptian governed authorities. The North would reflect the ‘new roman’ ruled region, or, more likely we could have a historic background being read until verse 29.
6 Years later the southern kingdom and the northern kingdom will make a treaty, and the daughter of the king of the south will marry the king of the north. But she will lose her power. Then she, her husband, their child, and the servants who came with her will all be killed. After this,
7 one of her relatives will become the ruler of the southern kingdom. He will attack the army of the northern kingdom and capture its fortresses.
8 Then he will carry their idols to Egypt, together with their precious treasures of silver and gold, but it will be a long time before he attacks the northern kingdom again. Some years later
9 the king of the north will invade the southern kingdom, but he will be forced back to his own country. – Daniel 11.6-9
10 The sons of the king of the north will gather a huge army that will sweep down like a roaring flood, reaching all the way to the fortress of the southern kingdom.
11 But this will make the king of the south angry, and he will defeat this large army from the north.
12 The king of the south will feel proud because of the many thousands he has killed. But his victories won’t last long,
13 because the king of the north will gather a larger and more powerful army than ever before. Then in a few years, he will start invading other countries. – Daniel 11.10-13
14 At this time many of your own people will try to make this vision come true by rebelling against the king of the south, but their rebellion will fail. 15 Then the army from the north will surround and capture a fortress in the south, and not even the most experienced troops of the southern kingdom will be able to make them retreat.
16 The king who invaded from the north will do as he pleases, and he will even capture and destroy the holy land. 17 In fact, he will decide to invade the south with his entire army. Then he will attempt to make peace by giving the king of the south a bride from the northern kingdom, but this won’t be successful.
18 Afterwards, this proud king of the north will invade and conquer many of the nations along the coast, but a military leader will defeat him and make him lose his pride. 19 He will retreat to his fortresses in his own country, but on the way he will be defeated and never again be seen.
20 The next king of the north will try to collect taxes for the glory of his kingdom. However, he will come to a sudden end in some mysterious way, instead of in battle or because of someone’s anger. – Daniel 11.14-20
21 The successor of this king of the north will be a worthless nobody, who doesn’t come from a royal family. He will suddenly appear and gain control of the kingdom by treachery. 22 Then he will destroy armies and remove God’s chosen high priest.
23 He will make a treaty, but he will be deceitful and break it, even though he has only a few followers. 24 Without warning, he will successfully invade a wealthy province, which is something his ancestors never did. Then he will divide among his followers all of its treasures and property. But none of this will last very long.
25 He will gather a large and powerful army, and with great courage he will attack the king of the south. The king of the south will meet him with a much stronger army, but he will lose the battle, because he will be betrayed 26 by members of the royal court. He will be ruined, and most of his army will be slaughtered.
27 The two kings will meet around a table and tell evil lies to each other. But their plans will fail, because God has already decided what will happen. 28 Then the king of the north will return to his country with great treasures. But on the way, he will attack the religion of God’s people and do whatever else he pleases. – Daniel 11.21-28
The next section could indeed almost be seen as the split in the prophecies timeline, as it is stated ‘at the time God has decided,’ and by the second phrase ‘this time it will be different.’
When taken literally, this break in the chapter would make sense as God is giving us a reference from the past history of this part of the world as it will directly correlate to the future events that will take place in this region. Then the following verse will take place in future events with the anti-christ.
29 At the time God has decided, the king of the north will invade the southern kingdom again, but this time, things will be different. 30 Ships from the west will come to attack him, and he will be discouraged. Then he will start back to his own country and take out his anger on the religion of God’s faithful people, while showing kindness to those who are unfaithful. – Daniel 11.29-30
Abomination of Desolation
Described by our Lord Jesus in Matthew 24.15, that such a great tribulation as never before seen will sweep over Judea. In this verse Jesus is clearly speaking about the end of times. In Daniel we see this same reference, and the abomination is the anti-christ coming into the rebuilt temple to proclaim that he is god.
Temple in Jerusalem will be Rebuilt
This is one of the signs of the final times that after the temple on Jerusalem is rebuilt, the anti-Christ will go into the chamber of the holy of holies and declare himself to be God.
31 He will send troops to pollute the temple and the fortress, and he will stop the daily sacrifices. Then he will set up that “Horrible Thing” that causes destruction (or the abomination of desolation). 32 The king will use deceit to win followers from those who are unfaithful to God, but those who remain faithful will do everything possible to oppose him.
33 Wise leaders will instruct many of the people. But for a while, some of these leaders will either be killed with swords or burned alive, or else robbed of their possessions and thrown into prison. 34 They will receive only a little help in their time of trouble, and many of their followers will be treacherous.
35 Some of those who are wise will suffer, so that God will make them pure and acceptable until the end, which will still come at the time he has decided. 36 This king will do as he pleases. He will proudly claim to be greater than any god and will insult the only true God. Indeed, he will be successful until God is no longer angry with his people. [this would be a point for another interpretation of this chapter, that God remains angry with His people until His kingdom has come on earth]
37 This king will reject the gods his ancestors worshiped and the god preferred by women. In fact, he will put himself above all gods 38 and worship only the so-called god of fortresses, who was unknown to his ancestors. And he will honor it with gold, silver, precious stones, and other costly gifts.
39 With the help of this foreign god, he will capture the strongest fortresses. Everyone who worships this god will be put in a position of power and rewarded with wealth and land. – Daniel 11.31-39
In the following verse, this ‘time of the end’ is accepted by most to refer to the end of times, or last days, and this chapter leads right into ch.12, which is a revelation of the final Kingdom of God.
There is no break from this point so therefore it would seem to indicate these verses are referring to the end of time [the break in chapters was devised by Monks, not by Daniel the original writer]. Seeing how it seems to strongly correlate to verse 29-39, it would seem that most of this chapter is a revelation about the final kingdom of earth.
40 At the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the kingdom of the north. But its king will rush out like a storm with war chariots, cavalry, and many ships. Indeed, his forces will flood one country after another, 41 and when they reach the holy land, tens of thousands will be killed. But the countries of Edom and Moab and the ruler of Ammon will escape.
42 The king of the north will invade many countries, including Egypt, 43 and he will take its rich treasures of gold and silver. He will also conquer Libya and Ethiopia. 44 But he will be alarmed by news from the east and the north, and he will become furious and cause great destruction. 45 After this, he will set up camp between the Mediterranean Sea and MountZion. Then he will be destroyed, and no one will be able to save him. – Daniel 11.40-45
The Last Day of Mans World Empire
At the time of the utmost worst suffering for God’s people, the Jews, God will send Michael the Archangel to protect His people. God says those who remain faithful will be resurrected. Everyone whom awaits patiently until the last days of the tribulation, will be blessed by God.
1 Michael, the chief of the angels, is the protector of your people, and he will come at a time of terrible suffering, the worst in all of history. And your people who have their names written in The Book will be protected.
2 Many of those who lie dead in the ground will rise from death. Some of them will be given eternal life, and others will receive nothing but eternal shame and disgrace.
3 Everyone who has been wise will shine as bright as the sky above, and everyone who has led others to please God will shine like the stars. 4 But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” – Daniel 12.1-4
10 Many people will have their hearts and lives made pure and clean, but those who are evil will keep on being evil and never understand. Only the wise will understand.
11 There will be one thousand two hundred ninety days from the time that the daily sacrifices are stopped, until someone sets up the “Horrible Thing” that causes destruction.
12 God will bless everyone who patiently waits until one thousand three hundred thirty-five days have gone by. – Daniel 12.10-12
Technological Advancements
The last few verse seem to give a glimpse of the futuristic world from Daniels viewpoint. That knowledge will increase, implying a highly advanced world information system, and that many will be able to quickly move to and fro, implying a highly developed transportation system. Each of these we can see in modern days being achieved, but the question is, what is the limit to each of these statements?
But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” – Daniel 12.1-4
References
Koinonia House – Deep Study in the 9th Chapter of Daniel Prophecies