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Purple - The Dragon, the serpent, or any part of him, is Satan In section 3.5 we saw four powers taking over the world. There were also 10 horns. In section 3.6 we saw that a little horn, that came out of one of the original horns, it uprooted three horns and then became great. In section 3.7, we saw what the little horn (also the king of the south) does to the people of God. It also takes away the daily and places there the abomination of desolation. This power is the one that wears out the saints and casts truth to the ground. It makes war with the saints hoping to overcome them. |
Daniel 11 is like no other prophecy. It seems to be some what different than the other parallel prophecies. Rather than being a short 3 and 1/2 year period, Daniel seems to indicate years and years. Some have suggested that Daniel 11 has been modified to fit certain historical events. However, it is possible that there may be some time involved. More time than seems to be indicated by the other prophecies. See below in the next section on this commentary page to learn about other possibilities. It may be possible that it is only the last 3 and 1/2 years that are of the worst persecution, where Satan is able to really attack God's people and to attack the temple. If so, then much of Daniel 11 is describing the rising of the king of the south to great power. Daniel 11 should be a very important prophecy to link the events between the time that the four powers take up power, till the time that the daily is taken away. The 3 and 1/2 years seems to mostly start with the daily being taken away. Daniel 11 is also different in its approach. Instead of describing four powers, it is only looking at two powers, the King of the North and the King of the South, the two powers are seen warring against each other. In addition, we see powers that seem to be located in or near the region of Israel. However the other prophecies seem to be describing world powers. It could be that because Israel is so important that the world powers will choose certain places such as Egypt etc. as bases from which they will do their madness. Only after the actual activities described in these books actually start happening, will we be able to fully understand what is happening, and what these words mean. |
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Daniel 11:5-28 could be describing how the king of the south had gained power. Daniel 11:29-39 describes the terrible things that the little horn does except that now we see that it is the Southern King that is doing these things. There seems to be an endless series of wars described in Daniel 11. We almost seem to get lost in the description. This could be a problem, because it seems that many years are involved in the process. On the other hand, it may be that some of the descriptions are not sequential in nature. Some events could be generalized statements in the first part of Daniel 11. These actions, which could be covered in general, are than covered in much more detail later on in the Chapter. Could the descriptions in verse 16, 36, 41, and 45, or at least some of these verses, be referring to the same action? If so then the description we see in Daniel 11 is not in sequence. Rather the writer is introducing the subject matter in a different way rather than a sequential description. If this is true, than the time may well be within the 3 and 1/2 years as is indicated by the other Scriptures. Since the subject matter seems to be that of the prince who becomes stronger than the king, I have used a brown color scheme to indicate the places where it seems like the little horn, the prince, is really called the king of the south. And the king of the south, the little horn, the prince, is the one who does all the things against God and against Jerusalem. He may do all that it does in the name of the king of the south. This idea is supported by verses 5 and 6. In verse 6, it says that "they shall join themselves together". But in verse 5 it says: And the king of the south 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. So the prince (the little horn) could be the king of the south, not the actual king of the south (the father). However, other possibilities exist. The king of the south could still be the king of the south, not the prince. Verse 40 of Daniel 11 is especially interesting. Who is "him"? Is it the little horn (as is indicated by the brown color scheme used in the harmony, or is "him" the king of the North? In other words: Is both the king of the south and the king of the North attacking the little horn, the prince? Or are the king of the south and the king of the north attacking each other? 40 At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. It seems that the power that seems to do everything in the other chapters is the little horn, which is the prince. So it would seem that the description found in Daniel 11 is really about the prince who had joined up with the king of the south. Here it seems that the king of the south could now be against his own prince. However, if the little horn, the prince, is called the king of the south at times, it will lead to some confusion as to who it really is in the various texts of Daniel 11. Maybe, only after the actual activities described in these books actually start happening, will we be able to fully understand what is happening, and what these words mean. In fact, it may be that Daniel chapter 11 is written in such a way so that it cannot be fully understood until the time starts. The order of events may not be fully indicated in the text. |