Segment 7 – Daniel 10:1 – 11:35
Israel’s Prophetic Destiny
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Caught Between Two Groups of People

Since we are considering Israel being caught in the middle of a series of wars, a few comments about this concept is necessary. Several parallels can be made of ancient Israel’s position between the kings of the north and the kings of the south. For example, after Jesus went to Heaven, early Christians found themselves caught between Rome’s hatred for the Jews and the Jews hatred for the Romans. The Romans viewed Christians as an offshoot sect of the Jews, and the Jews viewed the Christians as traitors worthy of death. Both groups hated the Christians! What a terrible place to be. God’s people will have a similar experience during the Great Tribulation. As the Great tribulation unfolds, three groups of people will appear:

1.      Religious wicked.   These people will be people like the Pharisees of old. They will devise and endorse the false doctrines of Babylon. This group of people will embrace the Antichrist when he appears because they will believe that he is God. These people are identified in Daniel 11 as followers of the king of the north (Lucifer).

2.      Non-religious wicked.   These people will be like the Moabites of old. The Moabites did not worship Jehovah; they had their own gods. These people will rebel against the laws imposed by Babylon. They will refuse to submit to the laws and authority of Lucifer, the Antichrist. This group is described in Daniel 11 as the followers of the king of the south. Wicked people of Earth will be divided in their loyalties – the north verses the south.

3.      Saints.   The saints will make up a third group of people during the Great Tribulation. They are identified as “the holy people” mentioned in Daniel 12:7 and revelation 11:2. The saints will oppose the false doctrines of Babylon and they will refuse to submit to the laws of Babylon because of their faith in Jesus and obedience to His commandments. Because the saints will not join either group, the groups in the north and in the south will hate the saints. (See also Revelation 12:17; 13:7; 14:12.)

Lucifer and his angels will eliminate the kingdom of the south by killing its people. (Revelation 9:15) Many saints will also be martyred during this time. (Revelation 6:9) The net effect is that Jesus appears at the Second Coming, two groups of people will remain: one-third of the world’s population worshiping the Lamb of God, and two-thirds of the world worshiping the Antichrist, Lucifer. (Zechariah 13:8,9)

Remember, God gave this vision to benefit two groups of people. The first section of this vision (Daniel 10:1-11:35) lays out a chronological sequence of historical events for the benefit of early Christians. By following the sequence of events in this vision, they could determine and anticipate the outcome of Jerusalem’s fate. The second section of this vision (Daniel 11:26-12:13) belongs to Great Tribulation Christians. For them, this vision describes the future actions of the stern-faced King of the North (Daniel 8), as well as some information about the persecution of the saints during the Tribulation. If you understand the first section of this vision (pertaining to early Christians), the second section will make a lot more sense because there are parallels between the two sections.

The Region of the North   

The title, “The king of the north,” is used nine times, and the title “The king of the south,” is used ten times in this vision. These titles have geographic value, as well as figurative value, because the kings of the south and the north stand in opposition. Because the devil will appear as the king of the north during the Great Tribulation, review the following points about him (the Horn Power) in Daniel 8 before we proceed:

Horn Power from the North

1.       The Horn Power will come out of one of the four winds.

2.       The Horn Power will come out of the north, but will grow toward the south, east and west.

3.       Divine destruction in the Old Testament consistently comes out of the north.

4.       God’s throne is located on the north side of His temple.

You may recall that King Nebuchadnezzar came out of “the north” to implement divine judgment against Jerusalem. (Jeremiah 6:1,22; 25:9) Likewise, divine judgments against Babylon came out of “the north.” (Jeremiah 50:2,3) 

When the Antichrist appears, he will also come out of the north. (Daniel 8:9; 11:36-40) Finally, when Jesus returns, He will come out of the north with divine destruction. (Job 37:22; Daniel 11:44) Of course, from out point of view on Earth, which rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, Jesus will physically show up in the East!

Initial Summary

Try to keep four issues in mind as you examine this vision: (1) It was given for the benefit of two groups of Christians; (2) God has perfect foreknowledge, but He does not use His foreknowledge to manipulate the outcome of events; (3) God’s people will be caught in the middle of opposing forces; and (4) God will empower the antichrist, the stern-faced king that comes out of the north, to cause great destruction because of the world’s rebellion. (2 Thessalonians 2:11,12)

What Did Jesus Mean?

Before we examine the details of Daniel 10-12, one more point needs to be presented. Jesus warned His disciples, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15:16) When Jesus spoke these words, He knew that Daniel 11:31 would be fulfilled forty years later. According to Webster, an abomination is “a despicable act, an insult having no equal, a defiant act of insolence and total distain.” The highest insult or abomination that anyone can commit is to insult or defy God. Consider the following texts taken from the King James Version and notice how the Bible defines an abomination:

1.      Exodus 8:25,26 “And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?” The ancient Egyptians believed in transmigration of the soul. They considered the slaughter of animals to be a grave insult to their ancestors (who might be living in an animal). They also considered the killing of animals an abomination to their gods. Knowing this, Moses wanted to leave Egypt and offer animal sacrifices to God in the wilderness to avoid agitating the Egyptians with inflammatory behavior.

2.      Leviticus 18:20-22 “moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbor’s wife, to defile thyself with her. And thou shalt not let any seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is a abomination.” God considers a homosexual relationship to be an abomination. He created us in His image (Genesis 1:26) and is insulted when we debase His image. God also considers a sexual relationship with an animal to be an abomination. (Leviticus 20:15)

3.      Deuteronomy 17:1 “Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Lord thy God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evilfavouredness: for that is an abomination unto the Lord thy God.” When God established the ritual of animal sacrifices, He forbade anyone from presenting an offering that was considered a “second” or that had a known blemish on it. Each sacrificial animal represented the perfect “Lamb of God” who would take away the sins of the world. If any flaw was found in Jesus, He could not be man’s perfect substitute! Therefore, presenting a blemished sacrifice was an insult or abomination to God.

4.      Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that deviseth imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” God hates these seven things because they destroy love. God will not tolerate these forms of behavior in His coming kingdom because they ruin life, and this is an insult to the Author of life.

These few verses (and there are many others in the Bible) define certain actions that God considers an abomination. An abomination is a despicable act directed towards God. As you might expect, God may wick at our ignorance, but He does not tolerate insults very long. King Sennacherib insulted God and an angel struck 185,000 of his soldiers dead in a single night! (2 Kings 19:35)

“…. That Causes Desolation”

Now that we know that, an abomination is a great insult toward God, it should be easier to make sense of the prophetic phrase, “the abomination that causes desolation.” This phrase comes from a Jewish mindset because the Jews regarded their homeland as the “holy land.” That is, land set apart or separated from other nations for Abraham’s descendants. They also considered their homeland to be God’s “holy land” because God dwelt in their land; at the temple in Jerusalem. Notice King David’s song of praise: “He struck down all the firstborn of Egypt, the firstfruits of manhood in the tents of Ham. But he brought his people out like a flock; he led them like sheep through the desert. He guided them safely, so they were unafraid; but the sea engulfed their enemies. Thus he brought them to the border of His holy land, to the hill country his right hand had taken. He drove out nations before them and allotted their lands to them as an inheritance; He settled the tribes of Israel in their homes.” (Psalm 78: 51-55, italics mine)

The word holy means ‘set apart” from the common or usual. The term “holy land” defines land as that which is set apart from all other lands. God set Israel apart from Egypt as a holy nation of people. (Exodus 19:4-6) He placed Israel in the center of the nations, as a special location, called “His holy land.” (Ezekiel 5:5)

The Levites and Their Pastureland

You may recall that God did not give a share of the Promised Land to the tribe of Levi when Israel entered Canaan. “The Lord said to Aaron, “you will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites. I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.” (Numbers 18:20,21) God did this because He wanted to tie the prosperity of the tribe of Levites to their effectiveness as teachers and pastors of His flock. If the priests were faithful and taught the people of the ways of the Lord, the nation would prosper, and the Levites would prosper from the increase in title! If the priests failed to teach the people the ways of the Lord, the nation would suffer, and the Levites would suffer because of Israel’s economic failures.

When the time came for Israel to possess the holy land, God gave Moses certain instructions about the Levites. Notice the size, place and role of the pasturelands that were set apart for the priests: “On the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho, the Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to give the Levites towns to live in from the inheritance the Israelites will possess. And give them pasturelands around the towns. They will have the towns to live in and pasturelands for their cattle, flocks and all their other livestock. The pasturelands around the towns that you give the Levites will extend out fifteen hundred feet from the town wall. Outside the town, measure three thousand feet on the east side, three thousand on the south side, three thousand on the west and three thousand on the north, with the town in the center. They will have this pastureland for the towns. Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few.” (Numbers 35:1-8, italics mine)

When the Israelites finally possesses the land, Joshua sanctified, or “made holy,” Bezer, Ramoth, and Golan as cities of refuge on the east side of the Jordan River, and Kedesh, Shechem and Kiriath Arba on the west side of the Jordan River. (Joshua 20:7,8) These six cities became known as “holy cities” because they were set apart as cities of refuge. If a murder was committed, the murderer could seek refuge by fleeing to one of these cities for either temporary or permanent safety from the avenger of blood. About four hundred years after Israel occupied the Promised Land, King David overthrew the city of Jebus and established his throne there. David renamed Jebus, “Jerusalem” (city of peace), and it became the seventh (and last) of the holy cities. After Solomon’s death the kingdom of Israel was divided into two states and in 722 B.C., the northern kingdom was destroyed. At that  time, Jerusalem became the only holy city remaining for the tribes in the south, Benjamin and Judah.

When each ‘holy city” was established, the nearby pastureland around the walls of the city was ‘set apart” for the Levites as a place for their gardens and flocks. They called the pastureland around the walls of each city “the holy place” or “holy ground” because it was set apart for the Levites. When Jerusalem became a holy city the pastureland just outside the city was also set apart for the priests to use exclusively. Even after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem, God planned for the rebuilt city to have “holy ground” surrounding its walls. (Ezekiel 45: 1-6) Now that you know how the language is used to describe the pastureland around the walls of the holy cities, examine these two texts:

1.  Jesus said, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the [Gentile] reader understand – then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let no one on the roof of his house go down to take anything out of the house. Let no one in the field go back to get his cloak. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath.” (Matthew 24:15-20, insertion mine)

2.  Jesus said, “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the cities get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people.” (Luke 21:20-23)  

There is an interesting difference between these two texts. Both Matthew and Luke heard Jesus give the same discourse. Years later, when the gospels were written, Matthew, the Jew, wrote as a Jew would have remembered Jesus’ prediction. Luke, a Gentile converted to Christianity, wrote according to what he understood Jesus to mean. Both men understood the meaning of Christ’s words. In the Jewish mind, the city of Jerusalem was the object of highest adoration and exaltation. Jerusalem was the hub of Judaism. Jehovah’s temple was located on Mount Moriah, and the Jews regarded Jerusalem as the invincible City of God. Given this ideology, the Jews considered the presence of an uncircumcised Gentile army standing in the land dedicated to the Levites to be an insult to God. Luke confirms this understanding. He interprets Jesus’ words to mean, “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by foreign armies, you will know that its desolation is near.” Jesus was trying to warn His followers about a future event that was something unbearable to hear! Why would God allow His holy city and His temple to be subjected to barbarians bent on destruction? His justification for destroying Jerusalem a second time was the same as the first destruction of the city and temple by Nebuchadnezzar. God destroyed Israel because of defiant apostasy.

Jesus quoted Daniel 11:31 saying, “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel…” because the first section of the prophecy in Daniel 10-12 was about to reach fulfillment in A.D. 70. This portion of Daniel’s prophecy was fulfilled when Vespesian set siege to Jerusalem in A.D. 68.

He surrounded Jerusalem so that no one could enter or leave the city. However, Nero died shortly after the siege began, and Vespesian ordered his troops to return to Rome to secure his position on the throne. The following year, the siege was renewed under the leadership of Vespesian’s son, Titus. In A.D. 70, the city of Jerusalem fell and was totally destroyed. When Vespesian lifted the siege on Jerusalem and returned to Rome because of Nero’s death, a short window of time opened up. The retreat gave believers enough time to escape the city of Jerusalem. Early Christians understood Daniel’s words, as well as Jesus’ warning. When Titus destroyed Jerusalem the following year, few, if any, Christians perished. Thousands of Christians survived because Jesus pointed them to Daniel 11:31! Incidentally, the dispersion of thousands of Christians from Jerusalem in A.D. 69 forced the gospel into many places where it had not gone before. 

A Different Commentary Style

Because the vision in Daniel 10-12 has one section applying to early Christians and a second section applying to Great Tribulation Christians, I have divided this vision into two sections. This chapter deals with early Christians and the next chapter deals with Great Tribulation Christians.

Because this vision presents wars that can be somewhat complicated to follow, a different style of commentary will be used. According to the dictionary, a paraphrase is an attempt to clarify the meaning of an author’s words by restating his or her original ideas using different words. On the other hand, a translation is a direct conversion of words or their equivalent sense from one language to another. The commentary style that follows is neither a paraphrase nor a translation. The following commentary style should be called interlacing. The text from Scripture will be presented first, then my commentary will be interlaced with Scripture so you can follow the vision as it moves back and forth between the armies of the north and the south.

Daniel 10:1-6 (KJV) – Part 1

“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: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision. In those days I Daniel was mourning three full weeks. 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. And in the four and twentieth day of the first month, as I was by the side of the great river, which is Hiddekel; 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: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightening, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like the colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.”

Interlaced Commentary on Part 1

“During the third year of Cyrus (534 B.C.), king of Persia, I, Daniel also called Belteshazzar by the Babylonians, received a vision. This vision contained scenes of a great war and I did not understand the vision. When the vision ended, I was sad and distressed for three weeks because of what I had seen. I petitioned the Most High God for understanding. I ate no delicious food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no cologne until the three weeks were over. Then, on Nisan 24, I had another vision to help me understand the vision of the great war. I was standing on the banks of the Tigris. I looked up toward the sky and there I saw a glorious man dressed in linen, wearing around his waist a belt of the finest gold. His body was as bright as sunlight shining on gold, his face was brighter than lightening, his eyes were like flaming torches, his arms and legs had the gleam of polished bronze, and his voice could be heard for miles, like the sound of a great multitude.”

Daniel 10:7-14 (KJV) – Part II

“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. 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. Yet heard I the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then I was in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground. And, behold, a hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and upon the palms of my hands. 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. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. Then he said unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 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. 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.”

Interlaced Commentary on Part II

“I, Daniel, was the only one who saw the glorious man. The men with me did not see Him, but when they saw His glory, they were filled with terror and fled for refuge. Therefore, I was left alone, gazing at the glorious man; my body had no strength, my face turned deathly pale and I was utterly helpless. Then I heard him speak, as I listened, I fell unconscious and I crumbled to the ground. An angel, Gabriel, came to me and helped me on my hands and knees. He said, ‘Daniel, you are highly esteemed; carefully consider the words I am about to speak to you. So stand up, for God has sent me to you.’ After he said this to me, I stood up even though I was trembling. Then Gabriel said, ‘Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the day you received the vision and begun humbling yourself with fasting and prayer – requesting understanding, the Lord heard your words, and has sent me to you. I would have come sooner, but a conflict over the king of Persia thwarted my efforts for the past twenty-one days. Then Michael Himself, the archangel, came to my aid because I could not overcome the prince of darkness. Now that the crisis has passed, I have come to explain what will happen in the future, for this vision reaches far beyond the expiration of the seventy weeks.’”

Daniel 10:15-21 (KJV) – Part III

“And when he had spoken such words unto me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb. 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.  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. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. Then he said, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? And now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince.”

Interlaced Commentary on Part III

“While Gabriel was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless. Then the angel touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak. I said to the angel, ‘I am overcome with anguish because of the vision, my lord, and have no strength; I am helpless. How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.’ So the angel touched me, and instantly I received strength. ‘Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed,’ he said. ‘Peace! Be strong now; be strong.’ When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.’ Gabriel continued, ‘I have come to explain things that will help God’s people in days to come. Soon, destruction will overtake Persia, and the kingdom of Greece will rise to power. First, however, I will tell you some secrets that are written in the book of Truth containing God’s master plan for Earth. No one else has access to these secrets except Michael, the prince of Heaven.’”

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