Daniel 11

Daniel 11:1, 2

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.

Observation: Verse 1 of Daniel 11 is a direct continuation of chapter 10. In Daniel 10, Gabriel revealed the 21-day struggle between himself and Satan, during Daniel’s prayer, which required Michael, or Christ, to step in before God’s purposes could progress. At the end of Daniel 10, Gabriel confirmed, as in chapter 8, that Greece would replace Medo-Persia as the next world power. Now, as chapter 11 begins, Gabriel shows that he confirmed and strengthened Darius the Mede, Medo Persia’s first king. We see the concept repeated (see Daniel 2:21) that God sets up and removes kings. As in Daniel 8, Daniel 11 begins the flow of history with the Medo-Persian empire in 539 B.C. We previously discussed that Daniel 11 is much more detailed about the events surrounding the beginning of the 2,300 days and of its termination.

We notice that, as the bear was lopsided in Daniel 7:5 and the ram of Daniel 8:3 had horns of different lengths, the Persian part of the Medo Persian empire is stronger, as only one king is Median (Darius), while the rest are Persian. After establishing the first king of the Medo-Persian empire in verse 1, Gabriel proceeds to tell Daniel the kingdom’s future in verse 2.

Presently, Cyrus was in his third year of reigning, in B.C. 536-535 (see Daniel 10:1). Verse 2 says four kings would follow Cyrus, the fourth being the richest king. According to history, kings Cambyses (the son of Cyrus), Smerdis, Darius Hystaspes, and Xerxes fulfilled this prophecy. Xerxes was the richest king after Cyrus and reigned from B.C. 486 - 464. Nine minor kings followed Xerxes before the fall of the Medo-Persian empire in B.C. 331. Verse 2 says that during the time of Xerxes, Medo-Persia was successful against Greece.

Daniel 11:3, 4

And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.

Observation: In verse 3, a mighty king stands up, and verse 4 shows that his kingdom is divided toward the four winds of heaven. This is speaking of Alexander the Great, the mighty king who defeated Medo- Persia in B.C. 331. Daniel 7 and 8 already described Alexander’s fast conquest of the world—as a leopard with fowl’s wings in Daniel 7:6, and a he-goat with a notable horn (Alexander) that didn’t touch the earth in Daniel 8:5. Verse 3 says that Alexander rules “with great dominion” and does “according to his will.”

Verse 4 describes Alexander’s death at the height of his power, and again describes the division of the empire of Greece into four divisions as we have also seen in Daniel 7:6 with the leopard having four heads, and in Daniel 8:8 in which four notable horns replace the great horn (Alexander) that was broken. We see here in verse 4 that the kingdom is not given to Alexander’s posterity. As discussed in Daniel 7 and 8, Alexander declared that the kingdom be given to the strongest when asked shortly before his death who would replace him.

We saw in Daniel 7 and 8 that Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus (four generals) replaced Alexander as rulers. To see what territory these men ruled, see Daniel and the Revelation, p. 240 by Uriah Smith. As can be seen from the diagram, Ptolemy ruled in Egypt to the south of Palestine and Seleucus ruled to the north of Palestine. Cassander and Lysimachus had much smaller territories in the northwest region. Eventually, Seleucus conquered the territories of Cassander and Lysimachus leaving the Seleucid empire and the Ptolemaic empire as the two key divisions of the Greek empire.

Daniel 11:5, 6

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. And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south 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.

Observation:

Verses 5 and 6 mention the kings of the south and the north for the first time. Based on the diagram mentioned above, the king of the south is in Egypt and the king of the north is in Macedonia and Syria. Remember, what Gabriel describes what happens to God’s people in the latter days from Daniel’s time (as discussed in Daniel 10:14). The development of the king of the north and south directly affected God’s people in Palestine, which was in the crossfire, sitting between the lands of the king of the north and the king of the south.

Verse 5 shows that the king of the south “shall be strong,” describing Ptolemy I Soter ruling Egypt. Next we see the phrase, “and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.” The phrase “one of his princes” refers to one of Alexander the great’s princes who would be strong above the king of the south. This refers to Seleucus I Nicator, who overthrew Cassander and Lysimachus and took control of three-fourths of the Greek empire. Thus Seleucus I was strong above Ptolemy I, and had a great dominion. The Seleucid empire was composed of kings named Seleucus and Antiochus.

In verse 6 we read, “And in the end of years they shall join themselves together.” This describes a political alliance formed in 249 B.C. after many years of battles between the kings of the north and south. The king of the south, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, and the king of the north, Antiochus II Theos formed this alliance. The next phrase reads, “for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement.”

In this agreement, Ptolemy II gave his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus II. Antiochus II was already married to Laodice (incidently for whom the city of Laodicea was named) and had a son with her, Seleucus II Callinicus. He put Laodice away, and had a son with Berenice. Next we read, “but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm, and they that brought her, and he that begat her (or rather, whom she brought forth), and he that strengthened her in these times.”

Two years later in B.C. 247, after Ptolemy II Philadelphus died, Antiochus II Theos took Laodice back as his wife. Thus, Berenice did not retain the power of the arm. Laodice did not forgive Antiochus II for being put away, and poisoned him. She then arranged the murder of Berenice, her son, and Egyptian princesses who came with Berenice. Seleucus II Callinicus, son of Antiochus II Theos and Laodice, then became the king of the north. Consequently, Antiochus II Theos did not stand and the Egyptian princesses who brought Berenice, and the son whom Berenice brought forth all were killed, fulfilling this prophecy.

Daniel 11:7-9

But out of a branch of her roots 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: 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. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.

Observation: In verse 7 we read, “But out of a branch of her roots 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.” The “branch of her roots” is Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes, who became the king of the south after the death of his father, Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Ptolemy III Euergetes brought his army against Seleucus II Callinicus and defeated him around B.C. 246. Laodice, the woman responsible for killing Ptolemy’s sister, was put to death as a result of Ptolemy’s victory, and Seleucus II Callinicus, the king of the north, was exiled.

Verse 8 continues, “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.” It is important to note that verse 8 is the one specific verse that identifies Egypt as king of the south.

After Ptolemy’s victory, he recovered 40,000 talents of silver and precious vessels, and 2,500 Egyptian god images, which were stolen years earlier by Cambyses, a Persian king listed in Daniel 11:2. Ptolemy III Euergetes lived about 4-5 years longer than Seleucus II Callinicus, the king of the north, who died in exile by falling from a horse.

Verse 9 continues, “So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.” This verse means that Ptolemy III came into the kingdom of the king of the north, but returned to Egypt, and history shows that he would have likely conquered the king of the north if a domestic dispute had not forced him to return home to Egypt (see Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 238, 239, by Uriah Smith).

Daniel 11:10

But his sons 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.

Observation: Verse 10 begins with the phrase, “But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces.” “His sons” refer to the sons of the king of the north, Seleucus II Callinicus. These two sons were Seleucus III Ceraunus and Antiochus III Magnus, the Great.

Then we read, “and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through.” The one who came was Antiochus III Magnus, who reigned from B.C. 223 - 187, after Seleucus III Ceraunus’ murder in his short reign from 226 - 223 B.C. Beginning in 219 B.C., Antiochus III Magnus recovered Syria and Seleucia, which had been lost to the king of the south. Verse 10 closes with the phrase, “then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.” Antiochus III Magnus did not destroy Egypt, but made a truce and returned home (see Daniel and the Revelation, p. 239, by Uriah Smith).

Daniel 11:11, 12

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. 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.

Observation: In verse 11, we read, “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.” The king of the south who moved with “choler” against the king of the north was Ptolemy IV Philopator, son of Ptolemy III Euergetes.

The phrase “he shall set forth a great multitude” refers to the great army set forth by the king of the north, Antiochus III Magnus. Antiochus III Magnus prepared 62,000 footmen and 6,000 horsemen for battle. However, Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus III in the battle of Raphia in 217 B.C., when 14,000 men of Antiochus’ army were slain, and 4,000 were taken as prisoners. In other words, the multitude set forth by Antiochus III was given into the hand of Ptolemy IV. Verse 12 continues, “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.”

After Ptolemy IV Philopator defeated Antiochus III Magnus, taking the great multitude of Antiochus III Magnus’ army, his heart was lifted up. He did not advance after his great victory. Instead of conquering the king of the north, he was satisfied with his victories, and made peace with Antiochus III Magnus, so he could return and enjoy a life of debauchery and intemperance. Then he brought his army to Jerusalem and offered sacrifices, but was not allowed to enter the most holy place of the temple, which enraged him. He killed 40,000 to 60,000 Jews in his own kingdom in Alexandria, Egypt to retaliate.

The last phrase of verse 12 says, “he shall not be strengthened by it.” His own subjects, the Jews and the Egyptians, rebelled against him for his cruelty. He was not strengthened by his violent behavior or intemperance. His intemperate life led to his early death in 203 B.C., resulting in turning over the kingdom to his infant son Ptolemy V Epiphanes (see Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 239-242).

Daniel 11:13, 14

For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 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.

Observation: Verse 13 reads, “For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and much riches.” In Daniel and the Revelation, p. 242, Uriah Smith notes that the certain years were the 14 years of agreement between Antiochus III Magnus and Ptolemy IV Philopator when no battles were fought. During that time, Antiochus III Magnus strengthened his army, or the multitude, and returned to fight Ptolemy V Epiphanes, the infant king of about five years of age, two years after the death of Ptolemy IV Philopator in B.C. 201. In his quest to enlarge his kingdom, he believed that the infant king’s presence in Egypt presented an opportunity too good to pass.

Verse 14 continues, “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.” Uriah Smith notes in Daniel and Revelation p. 242, 243, that of the many who stood against the king of the south in those times, “Antiochus Magnus was not the only one who rose up against the infant Ptolemy. Agathocles, his prime minister, having possession of the king's person and conducting the affairs of the kingdom in his stead, was so dissolute and proud in the exercise of his power that the provinces which before were subject to Egypt, rebelled. Egypt itself was disturbed by seditions, and the Alexandrians, rising up against Agathocles, caused him, his sister, his mother, and their associates, to be put to death.

At the same time, Philip of Macedon entered into a league with Antiochus to divide the dominions of Ptolemy between them, each proposing to take the parts which lay nearest and most convenient to him. Here was a rising up against the king of the south sufficient to fulfill the prophecy, and it resulted, beyond doubt, in the exact events which the prophecy forecast.” Thus, we see many rising against Ptolemy V Epiphanes, the king of the south.

The phrase, “also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision” introduces a new power. As SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. IV, p. 869 shows, “robbers of thy people” is literally translated “the sons of the breakers of thy people,” and refers to a nation “who act violent against” Daniel’s people, or the Jews. History shows the iron rule of persecution that Rome placed upon the Jewish nation. Of this new power, Uriah Smith notes on p. 243 of Daniel and the Revelation, that “Far away on the banks of the Tiber, a kingdom had been nourishing ambitious projects and dark designs. Small and weak at first, it grew in strength and vigor with marvelous rapidity, reaching out cautiously here and there to try its prowess and test its warlike arm, until with consciousness of its power it boldly reared its head among the nations of the earth, and seized with invincible hand the helm of affairs. Henceforth the name

of Rome stands upon the page of history, destined for long ages to control the world, and to exert a mighty influence among the nations even to the end of time.”

When it seemed that the king of the south would be overtaken by Antiochus III Magnus and Philip V of Macedon, the Roman empire intervened in 200 B.C. to protect the helpless and defenseless infant king from the hostile takeover. Although initially unsuccessful, as will be seen in verse 15, Rome established itself as a noticeable force and exalted itself. Daniel and the Revelation, p. 244 comments on the next phrase, “to establish the vision”, and says, “The Romans more than any other people are the subject of Daniel's prophecy. Their first interference in the affairs of these kingdoms is here referred to as being the establishment, or demonstration, of the truth of the vision which predicted the existence of such a power.”

In our study of Daniel’s prior chapters, we learned that Rome always followed Greece. Daniel 2 pictured Rome as legs of iron following the thighs of brass of Greece. Daniel 7 illustrates Rome as the dreadful and terrible beast which followed the leopard (Greece). In Daniel 8, the little horn of pagan, then papal Rome, followed the he-goat of Greece. Daniel 11 shows “the robbers of thy people” who arrive to establish the vision. The next few verses of this chapter will show that Rome was the next power.

Verse 14 concludes with the phrase, “but they shall fall.” Daniel and the Revelation p. 244 notes that some apply this phrase to the first half of verse 14, referring to those who stood against the king of the south, such as Antiochus III Magnus, Agathocles, and Philip V of Macedon who all fell. Others apply this to the Romans. They believe this foreshadows the fall of Rome in its pagan and papal phases, first of pagan Rome in 476 A.D., reached by Daniel 11:30, and finally of papal Rome, reached in Daniel 11:45, which says “he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Regardless, all of the above powers fall by the end of the prophecy of Daniel 11.

Daniel 11:15

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.

Observation: Verse 15 reads, “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.” The Roman power defended the king of the south beginning in 200 B.C.

However, Antiochus III Magnus, king of the north, overcame this initial defense. Daniel and the Revelation p. 245 says the Roman Senate took it upon themselves to protect Ptolemy V Epiphanes by providing for his education and building up his army. Scopas, an Egyptian native and general of the Aetolian army was sent to develop the Egyptian forces. The phrase “his chosen people” would better read “the people of his choices” and Scopas was chosen by the south to defend itself. Scopas promptly invaded Palestine and Coele-Syria, taking them away from Antiochus III Magnus, the king of the north, while he was away fighting another enemy. Antiochus III Magnus fulfilled the prophecy of verse 15, and promptly returned to recover these losses, defeating Scopas in battle near the source of the Jordan river. Scopas fled to Sidon, one of the strongest fenced cities of its time. He kept himself within the city walls, until forced to surrender. Smith notes, “Here was the failure of the arms of the south to withstand, and the failure also of the people which the king of the south had chosen; namely Scopas and his Aetolian forces.”

Daniel 11:16

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.

Observation: The Roman kingdom was introduced for the first time in verse 14. In verse 16 we read, “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.” In the Great Controversy

Experience DVD, in the section on Daniel 11 entitled “The Roman Kingdom Becomes the King of the North”, P. Gerard Damsteegt, summarizes events surrounding the transition of the king of the north from the Seleucid empire to the Roman empire.

In 198 B.C., the Romans, due to their friendship alliances with Egypt from 274 B.C., diplomatically pressured Antiochus III Magnus to surrender conquered portions of Egypt to them. Antiochus III Magnus yielded, negotiated with Egypt, and gave his daughter in marriage to Ptolemy of Egypt, along with a dowry of the disputed conquered areas. Next, in 190 B.C., according to Damsteegt, “the Romans delivered a devastating defeat to Antiochus III Magnus forcing him to leave Asia Minor.” In this battle, over 50,000 of Antiochus III Magnus’ soldiers were killed, compared to around 300 Romans.

In 168 B.C., two key events occurred. First, the Romans abolished independence of the Macedonian division of the Greek empire, after defeating the Macedonians in the Battle of Pydna, ending a four-year struggle. And secondly, the Romans ended the power of Antiochus IV Epiphanes (king of the north), in his invasions of the south. Damsteegt shows that Antiochus IV Epiphanes invaded Egypt several times during the the Sixth Syrian War between 170 - 168 B.C. In B.C. 168, Antiochus IV Epiphanes was invading Egypt again when he was met this time by the Romans. The historian Polybius is quoted from Histories, book 29, section 27, where he describes the encounter. The Roman Senate informed Antiochus IV Epiphanes that he was not to attack Egypt and Ptolemy. When Antiochus met the Roman commander, Gaius Popilius Laenas, the Roman commander would not give him friendly greetings until Antiochus read the tablet with the command from the Roman Senate. After reading the command, Antiochus wanted to consult with his advisers. Before he could step away, the Roman commander drew a circle around Antiochus using a vine stick, and said Antiochus must decide before he walked out of the circle. To quote Polybius from the same source above, “The king (Antiochus) was taken aback by this haughty proceeding. After a brief interval of silence, he replied that he would do whatever the Romans demanded. Then Popilius (the Roman commander) and his colleagues shook him by the hand, and one and all greeted him with warmth. The contents of the dispatch was an order to put an end to the war with Ptolemy at once.... Thus did the Romans save the kingdom of Ptolemy, when it was all but sinking under its disasters.”

From these two key historical events, we can see how 168 B.C. matches with the historical date for Rome becoming the pre-eminent world kingdom, as seen in Daniel 2, 7, and 8. By this point, the southern portion of the division of Greece, Egypt, was fully controlled by Rome, and the western portion of Greece, including Macedonia, had come under its power. Syria, or the Seleucid kingdom had not yet fallen to Rome in 168 B.C., and still retained its power as king of the north. However, it also fell to Rome.

In verse 16, the phrase, “he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will” represents Pompey of Rome, and the phrase “and none shall stand before him” symbolizes Antiochus XIII Asiaticus, the king of the north. In 65 B.C. Pompey conquered Antiochus XIII Asiaticus and Syria, the dominion of the king of the north, and Syria became relegated to the status of a Roman province. As Damsteegt says again in this section, “Gradually Rome extended its influence into the eastern Mediterranean until they fully dominated the Seleucid kingdom, incorporating Syria into their Empire. When that was accomplished, the Roman empire had replaced Syria as the king of the North. From that time onward it is Rome that fulfills the role of the king of the North in the prophecy. Rome, therefore, can be identified from Daniel 11:16 onward.”

This crucial development in the history of Daniel 11 helps us to understand the king of the north as Rome first in its pagan phase through verse 30 of Daniel 11. Then we will see the transition to papal Rome as the king of the north beginning in verses 30 and 31. Therefore, Rome is the king of the north through the remainder of Daniel 11.

In addition to conquering Antiochus XIII Asiaticus and becoming the new king of the king of the north, we see in verse 16 that “none shall stand before him” also applies to the last part of verse 16 which says, “he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.” In B.C. 63, Pompey

conquered the Jews. The Jews and Romans made an alliance in 161 B.C., but in 63 B.C., the Jews came under the rule of the Roman power. Daniel and the Revelation pp. 246, 247 narrates the conquest. Leading up to the invasion, the sons of the high priest, Hyrcanus and Aristobulus competed for the crown of Judea. Pompey believed that Aristobulus was unjust in his claims for the crown, but deferred to resolve the matter so that he could take a much desired trip to Arabia. Aristobulus realized that Pompey was against him, and while Pompey was in Arabia he strengthened his army. When Pompey learned of this, he made a war march on Judea. Aristobulus and his supporters made a three month stand within the temple fortress, but at the end of that time, Pompey’s forces made a breach and killed 12,000 Jews. Daniel and the Revelation p. 247 says that “After putting an end to the war, Pompey demolished the walls of Jerusalem, transferred several cities from the jurisdiction of Judea to that of Syria, and imposed tribute on the Jews. For the first time Jerusalem was by conquest placed in the hands of Rome, that power which was to hold the ‘glorious land’ in its iron grasp till it had utterly consumed it.”

Clearly, the glorious land refers to Judea in this verse. We see that Pompey stood in Judea and conquered it. We see at the end of verse 16, that the glorious land will be consumed by the hand of this power that conquered it. This foreshadows the eventual destruction of the Jewish nation by the Roman kingdom in A.D. 70. As we can see, God reveals what will happen to Daniel’s people throughout history (Daniel 10:14), and the overtaking of the Jewish nation by the Romans was a significant event. Daniel 11:41 mentions the glorious land one more time. It’s helpful to understand what the glorious land represents in verse 16 to determine its meaning later.

Daniel 11:17

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.

Observation: In verse 17 we read, “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.” Daniel and the Revelation, p. 247 states that the beginning of the verse can also be translated more clearly: “He shall also set his face to enter by force the whole kingdom.”

Again, Smith helpfully narrates the history of verse 17 in pp. 247-251 of Daniel and the Revelation. To summarize, Rome forcefully conquered all of the Grecian portion of Alexander the Great’s empire except Egypt, with which it had an alliance. Now, as the new king of the north, it set out to set out to conquer by force that which the Seleucid empire had failed to do when it was king of the north.

In 51 B.C., Ptolemy XI Auletes died. He bequeathed the kingdom to his oldest daughter Cleopatra and oldest son Ptolemy XII, designing for them to marry and reign jointly. He asked the Romans to serve as their guardians until they could rule on their own. Pompey of Rome undertook the task in serving as their guardians. Around that time, Julius Caesar and Pompey had a major disagreement, resulting in the Battle of Pharsalus, which was between the two men’s forces. Pompey was defeated and fled into Egypt, where he was still the guardian of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra. Julius Caesar quickly followed him. Shortly after Pompey’s arrival, Ptolemy XII murdered him. Julius Caesar then assumed the guardianship of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra when he arrived in Egypt.

At this time, hostility broke out between Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra, as Ptolemy’s allies had worked to deprive Cleopatra of a role in government. Julius Caesar, as the guardian of both parties, declared that they must disband their armies and he would decide what would happen regarding who would have power in Egypt once that was done. This created anger on the part of the Egyptians who felt their independence was being intruded upon. Caesar replied that he was carrying out the wishes of Ptolemy XI Auletes, as the guardian of Cleopatra and Ptolemy XII.

At this point, Cleopatra took matters into her own hands. She figured her best chance of getting what she wanted was to strategically appear before Julius Caesar in person. She had herself wrapped in a long rug to be delivered to Julius Caesar as a gift. When Caesar opened up the rug, he found the beautiful, ambitious Cleopatra standing before him. Her ploy worked, as he fell in love with her. Now, he did not wish to leave Egypt but wanted to stay with Cleopatra, and he ended up having a child with her.

Immediately after the encounter with Cleopatra, he declared that Cleopatra and her brother should reign jointly according to their father’s will. This was the victory which Cleopatra wanted. Ptolemy’s allies reacted, leading to a battle between Ptolemy’s allies and the Roman army. The Egyptians tried to destroy the Roman fleet of vessels, and Caesar responded by burning the Egyptian vessels, causing part of the city of Alexandria to burn, including its library with 400,000 volumes.

Then, an army of Jews under Antipater arrived, tipping the battle in favor of Julius Caesar. The Jews were “the upright ones with him” in verse 17. At the end of the battle, Ptolemy XI was drowned while trying to escape and the Egyptians submitted to Julius Caesar.

By this point, Rome had conquered the entire original kingdom of Alexander the Great. This occurred in 47 B.C. “The daughter of women” who was corrupted by Julius Caesar refers to Cleopatra. As mentioned above, she became pregnant with his child.

Verse 17 closes by saying, “but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.” Ultimately, as we will see later in the chapter, Cleopatra formed an alliance with Mark Antony, who as we will see, was on the side of Rome and then became the enemy of Rome, and therefore did not stand with Caesar and Rome.

Daniel 11:18, 19

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. Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

Observation: These next two verses continue with the subject of Julius Caesar and read as follows starting in verse 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.” Daniel and the Revelation, p. 251 says that after Julius Caesar’s victory in Egypt, he was drawn away from Egypt into war against Pharnaces, king of the Cimmerian Bosphorus. He immediately went to battle and defeated Pharnaces. After his victory he wrote to his friends, “Veni, vidi, vici! or I came, I saw, I overcame.” Thus, he turned his face to the isle and took many.

Continuing in verse 18, we see that a prince is introduced who works on behalf of Julius Caesar. This prince is Mark Antony, who is described in greater detail in verses 25-27 of Daniel 11. In the book, Tidings Out of the Northeast, p. 121, Marc Swearingen describes how Mark Antony served as a political ally for Julius Caesar in his role as tribune of the Roman senate in 49 B.C. While Julius Caesar was away on military conquests, Mark Antony worked to ensure that Caesar’s political interests were protected. Thus, he was a prince for Caesar’s own behalf.

As Swearingen points out, “Because Caesar was not present in Rome personally, Antony would often be the target of criticisms aimed at Caesar during senatorial debates because of his personal loyalty to the famous general. In one specific instance, Caesar was issued a senatorial ultimatum to either disband his troops and return to Rome as a private citizen, or be declared an outlaw of the state. Antony promptly vetoed this decree, which then led the senate to illegally suspend his tribunal power and take legal action against him. He would later flee to Caesar and serve under him in the civil war. Thus, Antony would ‘cause’ Caesar’s ‘reproach’ to fall upon himself.” As we can see, Mark Antony did not have his “own reproach” but stood in the line of fire for Caesar, causing the reproach of Caesar to fall on himself.

Continuing in verse 19, we read, “Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.” Daniel and the Revelation, p. 252 comments that after Julius Caesar won key battles in Asia Minor, he returned to Rome, the “fort of his own land” where he was made perpetual dictator for life.

Continuing with this thought, the original edition of Daniel and the Revelation, p. 265 says, “other powers and honors were granted him as rendered him in fact absolute sovereign of the whole empire. But the prophet had said that he should stumble and fall. The language implies that his overthrow would be sudden and unexpected, like a person accidentally stumbling in his walk. And so this man, who had fought and won five hundred battles, taken one thousand cities, and slain one million one hundred and ninety-two thousand men, fell, not in the din of battle and the hour of strife, but when he thought his pathway was smooth and strewn with flowers, and when danger was supposed to be far away; for, taking his seat in the senate chamber upon his throne of gold, to receive at the hands of that body the title of king, the dagger of treachery suddenly struck him to the heart. Cassius, Brutus, and other conspirators rushed upon him, and he fell, pierced with twenty-three wounds. Thus he suddenly stumbled and fell, and was not found, B.C. 44.”

Swearingen notes again in Tidings Out of the Northeast, p. 121, that after the murder of Caesar, “Antony would exact revenge for Caesar, causing his ‘reproach to cease’ (see verse 18) by hunting down his assassins. He would eventually win two decisive battles against Brutus and Cassius at Philippi in Macedonia, which later led both of these men to commit suicide in the year 42 B.C.”

Daniel 11:20

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.

Observation: After Julius Caesar’s death in verse 19, we read in verse 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.”

Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 252, 253 summarizes the transition after Julius Caesar’s death. Octavius, the nephew of Julius Caesar, took the throne in 27 B.C. and reigned until A.D. 14. (We see the detailed history between 44 B.C. and 27 B.C. in verses 25 - 27). Julius Caesar had adopted him as a son and upon his ascension to the throne of Rome, he publicly announced his adoption and took the name of Caesar. He became known as Caesar Augustus. He formed a triumvirate with Mark Antony and Lepidus to avenge Julius Caesar’s death, but by the time he ascended to the throne in 27 B.C., Mark Antony and Lepidus were dead.

Clearly, Caesar Augustus was a raiser of taxes as shown in Luke 2:1. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.” This taxing directly affected where Jesus was born, causing his parents Joseph and Mary to return to Bethlehem from Nazareth for this taxing, which fulfilled the prophecy in Micah 5:2, 3 that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. The verse continues that he stood up in “the glory of the kingdom” and that “he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.”

Of these two points, Uriah Smith, in Daniel and the Revelation, p. 253, says “He stood up ‘in the glory of the kingdom.’ Rome reached the pinnacle of its greatness and power during the ‘Augustan Age.’ The empire never saw a brighter hour. Peace was promoted, justice maintained, luxury curbed, discipline established, and learning encouraged. During his reign, the temple of Janus was shut three times, signifying that all the world was at peace. Since the founding of the Roman Empire this temple had been closed but twice previously. At this auspicious hour our Lord was born in Bethlehem of Judea. In a little less than eighteen years after the taxing brought to view, seeming but a ‘few days’ to the distant gaze of the prophet, Augustus died in A.D. 14, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. His life ended not in anger or battle, but peacefully in his bed, at Nola, whither he had gone to seek repose and health.”

Daniel 11:21, 22

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

Observation: After the death of Caesar Augustus, we read in verse 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.” The vile person who took the throne after Caesar Augustus was Tiberius Caesar. Tiberius was the stepson of Augustus. He reigned from 14 - 37 A.D., although he began to jointly reign with Augustus in 12 A.D.

Daniel and the Revelation, p. 255 says, “It is recorded that as Augustus was about to nominate his successor, his wife, Livia, besought him to nominate Tiberius, her son by a former husband. But the emperor said, ‘Your son is too vile to wear the purple of Rome.’ Instead, the nomination was given to Agrippa, a virtuous and much-respected Roman citizen. But the prophecy had foreseen that a vile person should succeed Augustus. Agrippa died; and Augustus was again under the necessity of choosing a successor. Livia renewed her intercessions for Tiberius, and Augustus, weakened by age and sickness, was more easily flattered, and finally he consented to nominate that ‘vile’ young man as his colleague and successor. But the citizens never gave him the love, respect, and ‘honor of the kingdom’ due to an upright and faithful sovereign.”

Continuing in verse 22, we read, “And with the arms of a flood shall they be overthrown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.” On pp. 256, 257 of Daniel and the Revelation, Smith summarizes Tiberius’ death, showing that the first half of verse 22 would be better translated, "And the arms of the overflower shall be overflown from before him, and shall be broken." This indicates that Tiberius, who used the force of arms as an “overflower” through violence, would himself die in the same manner.

In 37 A.D., Tiberius fell into a coma, appearing as though he was dead. However, his medical condition improved suddenly. Preparation had already been made for a succession in the kingdom and so his aides suffocated him with pillows, fulfilling the prophecy that he would be overflown and broken.

Verse 22, is also significant with the phrase, “yea, also the prince of the covenant.” Just as Tiberius was broken, so also was the prince of the covenant. This refers to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who, as prophesied in Daniel 9:27, would confirm the covenant for one week and be cut off in the midst of that week. As we already saw from our study in Daniel 9, Jesus died, or was broken, in 31 A.D. during the reign of Tiberius Caesar (12 - 37 A.D.) The prophecy in Daniel 11:22 shows that Jesus, the prince of the covenant, would die, or be broken during the time of Tiberius Caesar, and the same fate would fall upon Tiberius himself. Christ’s death for man’s salvation is the focal point of history, and it could not be passed by in the prophetic history of Daniel 11.

Daniel 11:23, 24

And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 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.

Observation: After we see the prophecy of the death of Christ during the time of Tiberius Caesar in verse 22, we read in verse 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.”

Up to this point, we have seen a direct chronological progression from the time of Darius, the Mede, to the death of Christ in 31 A.D. and the death of Tiberius Caesar in 37 A.D. However, verse 23 refers to the league that the Romans made with the Jewish people in 161 B.C. We must recall, that God’s people are a focal point of this prophecy (see Daniel 10:14). The Jews were in the direct crossfire between the king of the north and the king of the south as Judea was the territory directly between the two empires.

Thus, the league that Rome made with the Jews is worthy of special mention in this prophecy. Uriah Smith gives a helpful comment about the prophecy of Daniel 11 jumping back chronologically in verse 23 on p. 258 of Daniel and the Revelation. “Now that the prophet has taken us through the secular events of the Roman Empire to the end of the seventy weeks of Daniel 9: 24, he takes us back to the time when the Romans became directly connected with the people of God by the Jewish league in 161 B.C. From this point we are then taken through a direct line of events to the final triumph of the church and the setting up of God's everlasting kingdom. Grievously oppressed by the Syrian kings, the Jews sent an embassy to Rome to solicit the aid of the Romans and to join themselves in a league of amity and confederacy with them." This request was granted by the Romans.

Verse 23 shows that after the league made with the Jews in 161 B.C., that Rome would “work deceitfully” and that Rome would “come up, and shall become strong with a small people.” As history bears out, Rome had small beginnings, but eventually became a very strong empire.

Verse 24 tells how Rome developed this strength. “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.”

We see that Rome entered “peaceably” in its rise to power, and the verse says that they gained this power in a way that his “fathers and fathers’ fathers” had not done. Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 259, 260 says, “Rome came into possession of large provinces in this manner. Those who thus came under the dominion of Rome derived no small advantage. They were treated with kindness and leniency. It was like having the prey and spoil distributed among them. They were protected from their enemies, and they rested in peace and safety under the aegis of the Roman power.” The friendship alliance with Egypt in B.C. 274 and the league with the Jews in B.C. 161 are among the examples of this.

Verse 24 concludes that Rome would “forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.” Smith notes on p. 260 of Daniel and the Revelation that the phrase “even for a time” refers to “a prophetic time, 360 years. From what point are these years to be dated? Probably from the event brought to view in the following verse.” As we will see in the next two verses, a decisive battle between Rome, as the king of the north, and Egypt, as the king of the south, gives us the starting date for this 360-year prophecy.

Daniel 11:25-27

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. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 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.

Observation: As we study these three verses, we find a major battle between the king of the north and the king of the south, which occurred after the league with the Jews in 161 B.C. In history, this is the most significant battle between the king of the north and the king of the south, until we come to the time of the end in verse 40.

By jumping ahead to verse 27, we get a clearer picture of this battle’s key players. Verse 27 shows that at one point, the king of the north and the king of the south worked together, helping us to understand who

these kings were. It says, “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.” Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 260-263 is an excellent resource about this section.

In these verses, Mark Antony and Caesar Augustus were part of the triumvirate with Lepidus to avenge the death of Julius Caesar. Mark Antony married Caesar Augustus’ sister, Octavia. They claimed to be friends, but both aspired for universal power. Thus, they spoke “lies at one table.” The split between Caesar Augustus and Mark Antony occurred when Antony went to Egypt on government business and became infatuated with Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt. His love for her caused him to divorce Octavia and become head of the affairs of state in Egypt. In other words, Mark Antony was now the king of the south, and the enemy of Caesar Augustus, the king of the north.

Antony’s actions on behalf of Egypt and against Rome were so offensive to the Romans that Augustus did not have any trouble convincing the Romans to war against Egypt. We read of this battle in verses 25 and 26. In verse 25, it says, “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; be he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.”

As the verse notes, the king of the south, or Antony had a “very great and mighty army” compared to the “great army” of Augustus. Antony had 500 ships and 125,000 soldiers while Augustus had half as many ships and 80,000 soldiers. The difference was that Augustus’ army was trained while many in Antony’s army were inexperienced.

The decisive battle took place on September 2, 31 B.C. near the city of Actium. Of this battle, Uriah Smith makes the following comment on p. 262 of Daniel and the Revelation: “The world was the stake for which these stern warriors, Antony and Augustus, now played. The contest, long doubtful, was at length decided by the course which Cleopatra pursued. Frightened at the din of battle, she took to flight when there was no danger, and drew after her the Egyptian squadron numbering sixty ships. Antony, beholding this movement, and lost to everything but his blind passion for her, precipitately followed, and yielded a victory to Augustus, which, had his Egyptian forces proved true to him, and had he proved true to his own manhood, he might have gained.”

Verse 26 continues: “Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.” On p. 263 of Daniel and the Revelation, Uriah Smith describes verse 26. “Antony was deserted by his allies and friends, those that fed ‘of the portion of his meat.’ Cleopatra as already described suddenly withdrew from the battle, taking sixty ships of the line with her. The land army, disgusted with the infatuation of Antony, went over to Augustus, who received the soldiers with open arms. When Antony arrived arrived at Libya, he found that the forces which he had left there under Scarpus to guard the frontier, had declared for Augustus, and in Egypt his forces surrendered. In rage and despair, Antony then took his own life.” Thus, as the prophecy predicted, the king of the north, Augustus of Rome, defeated the king of the south, Antony of Egypt, and those who fed “of the portion of his meat” destroyed him.

This battle occurred in 31 B.C., which is the starting point for the 360 year prophecy from verse 24 of “even for a time.” This is the time in which the Roman empire ruled from the city of Rome. Verse 29 shows that the capital of the Roman empire moved from the city of Rome to Constantinople in 330 A.D., exactly 360 years after B.C. 31, just as the prophecy predicted.

Daniel 11:28

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.

Observation: In verse 28 we read, “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.” Daniel and the

Revelation, pp. 263-266 comments that this verse mentions two returns. The first return was Augustus’ return from Egypt to Rome with great riches after defeating Mark Antony and Cleopatra.

Marc Swearingen points out in Tidings Out of the Northeast, p. 138 that after Augustus defeated Egypt, he “confiscated the treasury of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which made him richer than the entire Roman state.” Rome celebrated his victory over Antony with a three day triumph. Cleopatra would have been among the royal captives present at this gathering, but she allowed herself to be fatally bitten by a poisonous asp, once she was convinced that she would not be able to allure Augustus as she had done to Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.

We also see in verse 28 that Rome would be “against the holy covenant.” Historically, it is clear that the pagan Roman empire persecuted the Jewish nation and the early Christian church. SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 872 shows that Jesus is referred to as “the prince of the covenant” in verse 22 of Daniel 11. Rome crucified Christ in 31 A.D., and was against the covenant-maker Himself. Romans continued persecuting the early Christian church. They also had persecuted the Jewish nation, culminating with Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 A.D., when 1,100,000 Jews were killed and the temple was destroyed. This fulfilled the prophecy (Daniel 9:26, 27 and Matthew 24:15) concerning the abomination of desolation and Jerusalem’s destruction. After Rome, completed this destruction, he returned a second time “to his own land.”

Daniel 11:29

At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.

Observation: After Rome’s two victorious returns against Egypt and Judea in verse 28, we read in verse 29, “At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.” Again, Uriah Smith gives helpful information on this verse in Daniel and the Revelation, p. 266. The phrase, “At the time appointed” refers to the end of the prophetic period of “even for a time” from verse 24. This is the 360 years of power that Rome exercised in its city after the victory of Caesar Augustus over Mark Antony in the battle of Actium in 31 B.C.

Extending 360 years into the future brings us to 330 A.D. Does verse 29 describe an event of significance at an appointed time in the year of 330 A.D.? What we see in verse 29 is that Rome returns again and comes “toward the south.” In Daniel 11, the south is Egypt. Rome comes toward Egypt, not actually to it.

However, when Rome comes this time, it does not carry the same significance of conquest as it did when Rome came to Egypt (the former) with the victory in B.C. 31, or when Rome came to Judea (the latter) when it destroyed Jerusalem in 70 A.D. This time, Rome moves its capital to Constantinople, Turkey (a nation toward the south) in 330 A.D. at the end of the prophetic fulfillment of 360 years, which weakened the kingdom making Rome more vulnerable to attacks from barbarian tribes. We will see significance of this vulnerability in the next verse.

Daniel 11:30

For the ships of Chittim shall 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.

Observation: After Rome’s capital moved to Constantinople in verse 29, we read in verse 30, “For the ships of Chittim shall 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.”

We see Rome attacked by the “ships of Chittim.” Uriah Smith comments on this point on pp. 267, 268 in Daniel and the Revelation. Isaiah 23 describes Tyre’s destruction, referring to the land of Chittim on the

eastern coast of the Mediterranean sea, north of Judea. From this region, was the well-known city of Carthage. From Carthage, the Vandals, led by Genseric were among the four barbaric tribes that attacked the western Roman empire, leading to its downfall in 476 A.D.

The last part of verse 30 concludes with Rome having “indignation against the holy covenant” and having “intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.” Marc Swearingen shows in pp. 147-151 of Tidings Out of the Northeast, that there are two phases to the work of Rome against the holy covenant with respect to this verse. The first phase was pagan Rome’s attack against the true Christian church, including the persecution by Diocletian (303 - 313 A.D., see also Revelation 2:10) as well as the change of the Sabbath to Sunday by Constantine, in which the new covenant of God’s law was desecrated through the attempted change of the day of worship (see the discussion from Daniel 9:27 about the covenant). As the Roman Catholic church gained pre-eminence in pagan Rome, it assimilated paganism into the teachings of Christianity.

In the second phase, papal Rome triumphed over paganism and Arian Christianity, including the Heruli, Goths, and Vandals who had conquered pagan Rome, and who professed the Arian Christian faith. Ellen White makes it clear that papal Rome is introduced for the first time here in verse 30. In Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 394, she says, “The prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated. In the thirtieth verse a power is spoken of that ‘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.’”

Thus, inspiration helps us to understand that papal Rome is the power that comes onto the scene and we see that it has “intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.”

In order for papal Rome to conquer these Arian nations, it needed military strength, and the acquirement of military strength was one of the key ways in which it had “intelligence” with those who forsook the holy covenant. We will see where that source of support came from in the next verse.

Application of Daniel 11:1-30: It is helpful to remember at this point, the struggle that occurred between Gabriel and Lucifer, as chronicled in Daniel 10, before Christ finally came after 3 weeks and settled the issue in the mind of Cyrus, the Persian king, so that the the truths of Daniel 11 could be revealed. It also helpful to remember that the purpose of what is being shown to Daniel in chapter 11, stated in Daniel 10:14, is what would “befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.”

The first 30 verses show an abundance of history about the king of the north and the king of the south, and as we saw, God’s people in the glorious land of Judea got caught in the middle of this struggle. The reader of this study should be fascinated by the minute detail accurately foretold by God, and yet all that we have studied through verse 30 is now history. This reminds us of the veracity of the prophetic word.

We remember 2 Peter 1:19 which says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” As we continue studying the remaining verses of Daniel 11, and subsequent verses in Daniel 12, it is exciting to realize that just as the first 30 verses of Daniel 11 are a faithful prophetic account, so the last 15 verses will be faithfully fulfilled, including the verses about future events down to the close of probation.

Ellen White says in Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, p. 14 that we are near the end of Daniel 11: “The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.” Let us rightly divide the word of truth as we move forward.

Daniel 11:31

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.

Observation: Verse 31 is another key transition in Daniel 11 about the king of the north. We saw the fall of the western Roman empire in verse 30 in 476 A.D. Therefore, a new power must replace pagan Rome as the king of the north. We read in verse 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.”

First, we see that “arms shall stand” on the part of the king of the north. The word for “arms” in this verse comes from the Hebrew word zeroah and means “mighty, power, or strength.” This is the same word used in Daniel 11:15 when “the arms of the south shall not withstand” the king of the north, and in Daniel 11:22 when it describes the death of Tiberius as “with the arms of a flood.” This verse describes military force or power by “arms.”

From history, the power that stood up with military force after the fall of pagan Rome in 476 A.D. was papal Rome beginning in 508 A.D. Thus papal Rome becomes the king of the north through the remainder of Daniel 11. While papal Rome did not have its own military, Clovis, the king of the Franks supported papal Rome in 508 when the conquest of western Europe was uncertain. A few years after this, Justinian also lent influence to the military support of the papacy with the full force of his support becoming effective in 538 A.D.

In The Seals and the Trumpets, p. 77, Alberto Treiyer says that “the need for the military power felt by the Roman Church was satisfied especially in the conversion of the heathen Frank king Clovis. The Roman bishops encouraged this pagan king to conquer other kingdoms with the support of the Church, by appealing to his lowest instincts. Actually, after baptizing him, they appealed to his cruel, lying, treacherous, murderous character, and to his carnal nature, to attain through militaristic and coercive methods, the baptism of the pagans, and the destruction of the Arian and Monothelite heretics of that time.”

Treiyer adds on p. 94 that Clovis “was the first barbarian king to be converted to the Roman faith, to fight against the enemies of the bishop of Rome. He uprooted the Arian Visigoths from Gaul, and started a kingdom of Church-State union in Paris (508) which would significantly mark the history of Europe for the next 1290 years.”

Justinian was the second king to use the force of arms to support the papacy. Treiyer discusses Justinian on pp. 94, 95 of the same book, saying that Justinian was “the Eastern emperor who recognized the bishop of Rome as the head of all the churches and addressed him a letter of recognition with a blasphemous title in 533. His letter became effective when Belisarius, his general, was finally successful in driving out the Arian Ostrogoths from Rome in 538, for the first time since the Arian occupation of Rome and after the time when the last Western emperor was dethroned. Before the expulsion of the Ostrogoths from Rome, in 534, Belisarius had been able to free the Catholic populations of Northern Africa from the Arian Vandals, strengthening more and more the autonomy of the Roman pope. This date of 538 is important because it is then we find, in connection with the universal acknowledgment of the papacy by the Eastern Roman emperor, the resort to the secular or military power to destroy the papal adversaries, a policy that the papacy would continue to employ during the 1260 years of their predominance to expand their influence and power and to oppress heretics” [Emphasis in the original].

Therefore, we see that through Clovis (508) and Justinian (538), the force of “arms” was used to establish papal Rome as the supreme power in Europe. Through these two men, the three horns (Ostrogoths, Vandals, and Heruli) were plucked up by the roots in Daniel 7:8, and thus we see the same transition from pagan to papal Rome. Daniel 7:8 introduces papal Rome as the little horn. Daniel 11:31 introduces papal Rome as the new king of the north.

The next phrase in verse 31 says “and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength.” In the observation of Daniel 8:11-13, we noted two views about “the daily” as well as to what constitutes the “sanctuary of

strength” as seen in Daniel 8 and in Daniel 11:31. Those who hold the view that “the daily” is the heavenly ministry of Christ believe that “the sanctuary of strength” is God’s sanctuary that is being polluted by papal Rome. The other view, which holds that “the daily” is paganism believes that “the sanctuary of strength” represents Rome.

The Hebrew word for “sanctuary” in Daniel 11:31 is miqdash just as it is in Daniel 8:11, and as noted in the observation of Daniel 8:11, there is a distinction between the word for “sanctuary” in Daniel 8:11 compared to 8:13 and 8:14, in which the Hebrew word qodesh is used. Miqdash can be used for God’s sanctuary or a pagan sanctuary, while qodesh is exclusively used in Scripture for God’s sanctuary. Thus, it is believed that “the sanctuary of strength” is referring to a pagan sanctuary that was polluted through the force of arms of the papacy.

In Daniel and the Revelation, p. 270, Uriah Smith believes that the polluting of the “sanctuary of strength” may refer “to those rulers of the empire who were working in behalf of the papacy against the pagan and all other opposing religions” and may “signify the removal of the seat of empire from Rome to Constantinople, which contributed its measure of influence to the downfall of Rome. The passage would then be parallel to Daniel 8:11 and Revelation 13:2.”

Then we read in verse 31, “and they shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.” Here we see that the king of the north, papal Rome, takes away “the daily” and it places the abomination of desolation. Taking away “the daily” and placing the abomination of desolation is prophetically important because we see two time prophecies associated with the starting point of these two actions in Daniel 12:11, 12 with the 1,290 and 1,335 day (or year) prophecies.

As stated previously in Daniel 8:11-13, two views on “the daily” exist. One view states it is the heavenly ministry of Christ taken away, while the other view states that paganism was taken away by papal Rome. What can be shown clearly is that “the daily” was taken away, and the abomination of desolation was placed in 508 A.D. (see above regarding p. 94 of The Seals and the Trumpets by Alberto Treiyer) when a church-state union was formed in Paris between papal Rome and the Franks. The power of the state through Clovis, who converted from paganism to Catholicism, provided military enforcement of papal wishes.

From this point in time (1,290 years), paganism lost its grasp on the supremacy of power in Europe, and from this point forward for the next 1,290 years, the interests of the state were subservient to the interests of the church. Thus, paganism was taken away. The abomination of desolation was the union of church and state that began in 508. This parallels the sequence of history and matches the events of Daniel 8:12 in which “an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised and prospered.” The “host” was Clovis’ army, and the “reason of transgression” is the same as the abomination of desolation. Thus, as discussed in Daniel 8, a comparison between Daniel 8 and 11 shows that the transition of the little horn to papal Rome in Daniel 8 begins in verse 12.

In Daniel 9:26, 27, the word abominations is plural, showing that more than one abomination would occur. The first was in 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was destroyed and the pagan Roman army placed its idolatrous standards in the holy ground outside the walls of Jerusalem and then brought desolation to the city through destruction. The abomination was placing a profane, idolatrous standard in holy ground.

In 508, the abomination was the union of church and state in which the Roman church, which was supposed to be holy, mingled itself with Clovis’ unholy state power. The ensuing desolation was the church’s use of force against all heretics who disagreed with the church. Papal Rome, or the king of the north, received this power in 508 and would continue for the next 1,290 years as seen in Daniel 12:11, taking us to 1798. The observation of Daniel 12:11, 12 will discuss the significance of the 1,335 years.

As seen above, Justinian’s assistance became fully effective in 538 A.D. starting the 1,260 years of persecution described in Daniel 7:25, 11:32-35, 12:7, Revelation 11:2, 12:6, 12:14, and 13:5. Revelation 13:12 reminds us that the dragon, or Satan, gave papal Rome “his power, and his seat, and great authority.”

Therefore, because the king of the north began transitioning from pagan to papal Rome in 508, this is the time for the working of Satan through papal Rome to attack God’s true people. As we discussed in Daniel 7, this long period of persecution gave Satan the time that was needed for the principles of his government to be carried out. We will see what those principles are in the following verses.

Daniel 11:32, 33

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 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.

Observation: In verse 32, we read, “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” The covenant, seen in Hebrews 8:10-13 and 10:16-17, includes God’s law written in our hearts and minds, and His law includes the seventh-day Sabbath.

As seen in Daniel 7:25, papal Rome thought to change times and laws, including the Sabbath. Remember, one of Satan’s charges against God in the great controversy battle is that God’s law cannot be kept. In these verses, we see Satan setting up a government in which God’s law was openly trampled upon by His professed people. Those who did “wickedly against the covenant” were the people who were corrupted by papal Rome’s flatteries, including selling indulgences for salvation, by which eternal life was guaranteed even if people sinned, as long as they bought indulgences. People also gained wealth and position by disobeying God’s law and following the traditions of the papacy instead of God’s Word. Thus, they were corrupted.

However, the verse contrasts “people that do know their God” who “shall be strong and do exploits.” Despite the apostate Christian church at large during this time, faithful people remained true to God, including the Albigenses, Huguenots, and Waldenses. B.G. Wilkinson’s book, Truth Triumphant, chronicles many faithful groups who remained Sabbath-keepers for centuries after the apostasy of papal Rome. The Waldenses were known for memorizing large portions of Scripture. Thus, these people were “strong” and did “exploits.”

Continuing in verse 33 we read, “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.” The faithful people who understood instructed many to be faithful during the long period when the church was in the wilderness.

We also learn that the king of the north, papal Rome, persecuted God’s faithful people in four ways. The sword (murder), the flame (burning at the stake), captivity (imprisonment), and spoil (papal Rome gave the heretics’ property to those who killed them) were the four methods of persecution inspired by the dragon for papal Rome to use against God’s saints.

In Satan’s government, if one disagrees with his leadership, he compels by force to either follow or pay the consequences, which is entirely opposite to the principles of God’s government. We see that this persecution continued for “many days.”

While the KJV supplies the word “many”, the SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 874 shows that “many” is in some of the original Hebrew manuscripts. This strengthens the argument that the reference to “many days” concerns the 1,260 years of persecution of God’s saints, as seen in Daniel 7:25. This shows the duration of the persecution to be from 538 - 1798 A.D., and the next two verses support this concept.

Daniel 11:34, 35

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

Observation: In verse 34 we read, “Now when the shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.” Those who fell were God’s faithful who knew their God and were strong in verse 32, and understood and instructed many in verse 33. We see that they were “holpen [or helped] with a little help.” Daniel and the Revelation, p. 279 notes that “The Protestant Reformation led by Martin Luther and his co-workers furnished the help here foretold. The German states espoused the Protestant cause, protected the reformers, and restrained the work of persecution carried on by the papal church. But when the Protestants were helped, and when their cause began to be popular, many were to cleave unto them with flatteries, or embrace the faith from unworthy motives.”

Thus, during the 1,260 years of persecution, God raised up reformers who helped His cause of truth. Even then, Satan tried to gain a foothold among the Protestants by the same process of flattery, or the promise of position and power, as he did with the papacy. (For a good historical overview of the Protestant Reformation, the reader is encouraged to study The History of Protestantism, Vols. 1-4, by J.A. Wylie, The History of the Reformation, Vols. 1-5, by J.H. Merle D’Aubigne, and the section in The Great Controversy, by Ellen White that deals with the Reformation).

Continuing in verse 35, we read, “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 for a time yet appointed.” Verse 35, repeats that God’s people have understanding, as we saw in verse 33. The passage repeats that God’s people would be persecuted.

In verse 33, we saw that the persecution would occur for many days, or 1,260 years (Daniel 7:25). Verse 35 shows that persecution continues until the time of the end. As we saw in our study of Daniel 7, and as we see in this chapter, God’s people were persecuted for 1,260 years. The 1,260 years started in 538 A.D. when, as noted in the observation of verse 31, papal Rome received power from Justinian’s decree to use secular or military power to destroy heretics. Daniel 7:25 and 11:33 show that this persecution occurred for 1,260 years which takes us to 1798. Daniel 11:35 shows us that “the time of the end” began at the end of the persecution of God’s saints, or at the end of the 1,260 years, which is 1798.

Therefore, the time of the end began prophetically in 1798 based on when the persecution of God’s saints ended. This period of 1,260 years was “the time appointed” and it shows us the true character of Satan and the principles of his government.

Daniel 11:36

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.

Observation: Verse 36 says, “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.”

Uriah Smith and other contemporaries placed the king of the north as France through verse 39, and Turkey as the king of the north from that point. However, based on Scripture and the flow of history in Daniel 11, it becomes clear that the king of the north remains papal Rome through the remainder of the chapter. The SDA Bible Commentary, Vol. 4, p. 875 notes that “king” is preceded by a definite article “the” indicating that this king has already been referred to, likely in the preceding 5 verses. Furthermore, when looking at the description of this “king” in verse 36, it is helpful to see parallels from other parts of Daniel and the rest of Scripture to come to an understanding of who this “king” is in verse 36.

By comparing Scripture, clearly the king of the north in Daniel 11:36 still refers to papal Rome. Claiming infallibility, attempting and claiming to authoritatively change God’s law are among the exalting, magnifying and “marvellous words” spoken against God. Papal Rome had the longest prospering domination (1,260 years) of the kingdoms in Daniel.

As noted in Daniel 8:19, “indignation” is God’s indignation against papal Rome’s sins of persecution, which continued until 1798. Daniel 8 reveals the judgment for this indignation began in 1844 at the end of the 2,300 day prophecy.

In the booklet Daniel 11 in the Light of the Three Angels’ Messages, p. 28, author Eko Wahjudi presents a nice diagram of this verse in comparison to other Scripture.

Daniel 11:36

Other Scripture

“exalt himself”

“exalt himself above all that is called God” - 2 Thess. 2:4

“magnify himself”

“he shall magnify himself” - Dan. 8:25

“shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods”

“he shall speak great words against the most high” - Dan. 7:25 “he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God” - Rev. 13:6

“shall prosper”

“and prospered” - Dan. 8:12

“till the indignation”

“what shall be in the last end of the indignation” - Dan. 8:19

Daniel 11:37-39

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. 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. 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.

Observation: Verse 37 says, “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.” Papal Rome does not regard the “God of his fathers.” While the apostles and first century Christians faithfully followed God’s Word, the papacy created traditions, in which the pope is said to be the Vicar of the Son of God, or the voice of God on earth. The papacy also does not allow the “desire of women” among the priesthood, in which celibacy is required.

Notice 1 Timothy 4:1, 3, which says “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving head to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils... Forbidding to marry.” Thus, we see that this teaching of celibacy in the papacy is a doctrine “of devils,” and we already saw in Revelation 13:2 that Satan gave his power, seat, and authority to papal Rome. Not regarding any god and magnifying himself above all is a repetition of verse 36.

In verse 38, we read, “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.” Remember that papal Rome used the power of force, and this is referred to as a god in his estate (note that the original language did not capitalize “God” as it is by the KJV). Daniel 11:31 first denotes when the professed Christian church began to use force to compel conscience, which the apostolic Christian church did not use. In John 18:36, Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” True Christianity follows Christ’s words. Papal Rome follows a diabolic model, using force and persecution.

We also see that papal Rome honors another god whom his fathers did not know whom he honors “with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.” The description of gold, silver, and

precious stones reminds us of the harlot representing papal Rome in Revelation 17:4, where she is “decked with gold and precious stones.”

Some believe this other “god” who the forefathers of the Catholic church did not know is the Catholic church’s deification of Mary, Jesus’ mother. In Tidings Out of the Northeast, p. 167, Marc Swearingen quotes the 1997 edition of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 254, about the Catholic church’s belief of Mary’s role. “‘Taken up to heaven she [Mary] did not lay aside this saving office [the supposed mother of God] but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. ... Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.’” Notice that papal Rome gives Mary titles which can only belong to God and Christ, such as “Advocate” and “Mediatrix,” while Scripture teaches that we have one Advocate (see 1 John 2:1) and one Mediator (see 1 Tim. 2:5) in heaven in our behalf, Jesus Christ.

In the book The King of the North at Jerusalem, pp. 29, 30 Louis Were shows that in addition to the veneration of Mary, the worship of images and idols is part of the “strange god” worshipped by the Catholic church.

Verse 39 continues the thought of this “new” god. “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.”

In The King of the North at Jerusalem, pp. 29, 30 author Louis Were reports about the veneration of Mary, and that she has been honored “with millions of pounds worth of jewellry. Costly shrines have been multiplied in every part of the world.” Of the phrase, “he shall cause them to rule over many” Were notes again on p. 30 of the same book that “Millions of Rome’s devotees are held in bondage by these idols and images.” Of the phrase “and shall divide the land for gain,” Were says on p. 30 of his book, “This prophecy concerns the world field: claiming to exercise the vicarship of Jesus Christ over the world, the Papacy believes that countries are subject to its disposal. The Papacy, alone, among all the powers of earth, has claimed the right to divide the world among nations.”

For more helpful information, see pp. 30-32 of Louis Were’s book (cited above). The margin interprets the phrase “for gain” as “for a price.” Were again notes on p. 31 that “The Papacy ‘for a price’ has supported dictators in their covetous ambition for power. Today, they are bargaining with any force that will operate in any country to bring those countries under their control. ‘For a price’ they lend their aid to ambitious men who desire to rise to power in their respective countries.”

Thus, by the end of verse 39, we have more details of the characteristics of papal Rome, as the king of the north, compared with information in Daniel 2, 7, and 8. In each prophecy, we see information repeated, and enlargement of information about kingdoms that relate specifically to God’s people. By this point in the book, we can see that papal Rome deserves much of our attention. We have more information about this kingdom than all the others, and as we shall see, the most important information about this kingdom as it works on behalf of Satan to destroy God’s people is yet to come.

Daniel 11:40

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

Observation: Verse 40 is a crucial transition in Daniel 11. We read, “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 through.”

The first phrase that we see is “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him.” Daniel 11:33, 35 showed that persecution lasts until the time of the end, and that this period is “many days.” We saw in Daniel 7:25 that this time period was 1,260 years, and based on our discussion in Daniel 7 as well as Daniel 11:31, this period began in 538 and ended in 1798. Thus, the time of the end began in 1798, and here in verse 40, we see that in 1798, at the time of the end, the king of the south pushes at the king of the north, or papal Rome.

The king of the south has not been mentioned since Daniel 11:27. Up to that point, literal Egypt, or the Ptolemaic kingdom, had always been the king of the south. Pagan Rome completely obliterated the Ptolemaic kingdom when Caesar Augustus defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra in the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Thus, over 1,800 years passed before the king of the south re-emerges. Then, the king of the south mounts another attack in 1798 by pushing at the king of the north. The word “push” comes from the Hebrew word naggach, which means “to butt with the horns” or “to war against” or “to gore” or “push down.” This clearly violent language portrays the attack of the king of the south on papal Rome and paints the picture of giving a deadly wound.

But who is the king of the south in 1798? What major power of this earth “pushed” at papal Rome in 1798 to denote the beginning of the time of the end? Revelation 13:1-5 details the same power of papal Rome, and verse 5 shows that papal Rome dominated for 42 months or 1,260 years. In Revelation 13:3, we see that papal Rome received a “deadly wound.” This deadly wound of Revelation 13 parallels with the pushing of the king of the south against papal Rome in Daniel 11:40 in 1798. This also parallels Revelation 17:8 of the beast that “was and is not.”

In 1798, Papal Rome was “pushed at” and received a deadly wound. From history, we know that Napolean of France sent his general, Berthier, into Rome in 1798, and Berthier took Pope Pius VI captive. Pius VI died a year later in captivity. This act ended Rome’s control over the state which it exercised for 1,260 years, and it ended the 1,290 years from when the first church-state union was formed between papal Rome and Clovis, king of the Franks. The church-state union had begun in the region of France in 508 with Clovis, and was ended 1,290 years later by the nation of France through Napolean and Berthier.

Now that we have seen that France was the nation that “pushed” against papal Rome in 1798, we learn how Scripture qualifies France as the king of the south in 1798. Throughout the first 30 verses, Egypt was always the king of the south. However, in 1798, Egypt was not significant historically and did not attack papal Rome. Revelation 11:8 mentions Egypt however, as playing a prophetic role. Revelation 11 describes the “time of the Gentiles” in Revelation 11:2 as 42 months, or 1,260 prophetic years, and the following verses proceed to describe how Scripture was clothed in sackcloth during this time.

At the end of that time, we see that the Scripture was attacked in Revelation 11:7-9, for three and-a-half prophetic years during the French Revolution. From the fall of 1793 to the spring of 1797, the Bible was banned in France and the goddess of reason was worshipped. As discussed in Daniel 7, the French Revolution resulted from Satan’s work through the papacy for the 1,260 years when the Scriptures were suppressed. Consequently, God was put away completely and the principles of atheism developed out of the French Revolution. France is connected to Egypt because France, or the great city, in Revelation 11:8 is “spiritually called Sodom and Egypt.” Notice that France is “spiritual” Egypt, not literal Egypt.

The Great Controversy, p. 269 says: “‘The great city’ in whose streets the witnesses are slain, and where their dead bodies lie, is ‘spiritually’ Egypt. Of all nations presented in Bible history, Egypt most boldly denied the existence of the living God and resisted His commands. No monarch ever ventured upon more open and highhanded rebellion against the authority of Heaven than did the king of Egypt. When the message was brought him by Moses, in the name of the Lord, Pharaoh proudly answered: ‘Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto His voice to let Israel go? I know not Jehovah, and moreover I will not let Israel go.’ Exodus 5:2, A.R.V. This is atheism, and the nation represented by Egypt would give voice to a similar denial of the claims of the living God and would manifest a like spirit of unbelief and defiance.”

Again, Satan’s principles working through papal Rome led to atheism developing in the nation of France. When the principles of atheism matured in France, God allowed France to end the 1,260 years of papal dominance when it “pushed at” papal Rome, or delivered a deadly wound, by destroying the power of the church over state when Pius VI was taken captive. As we shall see here in Daniel 11, as well as in Revelation 13 and 17, papal Rome’s power over the state will return, and we will see how in the remainder of verse 40 and the final verses of chapter 11.

Before we see the comeback of the king of the north, it is helpful at this point to see how the king of the south continued to push at the king of the north after 1798. While France never developed into an atheistic superpower, the French Revolution spawned the rise of atheism in a way the world had never seen. Rev. 11:7 describes this rise of atheism as “the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit.”

From its initial rise, atheism would flourish in the Soviet Union. In 1844, Karl Marx wrote the first draft of the Communist Manifesto, while in Paris, France and it was published in 1848. Communism espouses atheism as one of its core principles. In 1917, the Russian Revolution, under the principles of communism, was led by Vladimir Lenin leading to the development of the Soviet Union. By the end of World War II, with Joseph Stalin as its leader, the Soviet Union had become a major world power. Communist Soviet Union dictated the Communist eastern European nations under its power. The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, represented the divide between Democratic western Europe and Communist eastern Europe. Christianity, including papal Rome, was kept out of Communist Europe during “The Cold War.” Clearly, papal Rome was being pushed at, and its once dominant role as the ruler of church and state throughout Europe was crippled severely.

However, the last half of verse 40 shows that the king of the north, papal Rome, returns to power. Ellen White has forewarned us about papal Rome’s return, based on what Daniel 11 says. Let’s look again at the complete version of the quotation we saw in verse 30. Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 394 says: “We have no time to lose. Troublous times are before us. The world is stirred with the spirit of war. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. The prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated. In the thirtieth verse a power is spoken of that ‘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.’” After this statement, she quotes Daniel 11:31-36. She is showing that papal Rome arose in verse 30, and that much of the history seen in verses 30-36 will be repeated. This helps us to understand how papal Rome recovers.

As discussed in verses 30-36, “arms” stood on its part, giving papal Rome military strength. By receiving this military support, it formed a church-state union, also called the abomination of desolation because of the union of that which is holy with that which is profane. This union of church and state (the abomination) with military strength led to the persecution of God’s saints (the desolation) over 1,260 years. We need to be careful that we do not give a literal time to the work of papal Rome at the end of time. Revelation 10:6 states that there is no more prophetic time after 1844. What we can clearly say though is that in the repeating of history, papal Rome will regain military strength, as it did when Clovis threw his military support behind the papacy, leading to a union of church and state. Consequently, the abomination of desolation will be repeated and that God’s people will again be persecuted through this union of church and state.

Now that the stage has been set, we will examine the last half of verse 40 as we see the king of the north, papal Rome, make a comeback. More recent history is now under discussion, and we will see that we are on the cusp of moving from the past into the present and then into the future. Daniel 11 began in the first year of Darius, the Mede in 539 B.C. Now, we are studying verse 40 at the time of the end, beginning in 1798. We have moved forward through the development of atheism, as France, and then the Soviet Union, pushed at papal Rome, which brings us to the present time. This makes this part of the study of Daniel 11

fascinating. It would be fair to call the remainder of the chapter “present truth” because it relates to prophetic Bible truth that is especially relevant for our time.

As we look to the next phrase of verse 40 we read, “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.” Papal Rome revives, gaining ground against the king of the south, sometime after 1798. We need to examine the elements papal Rome uses to make this comeback.

We see in the last half of verse 40 that the king of the north comes against the king of the south “like a whirlwind” which means “to storm, hurl as storm, be tempestuous, come like a whirlwind.” Next we see that the king of the north comes against the king of the south “with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships.” In Scripture, we find that chariots and horsemen are used together in the context of military force. In 2 Kings 6:15 we see the “chariots and horses” of the Syrian army that surrounded Samaria. Thus, we see military power used by papal Rome in its recovery. History repeats from Daniel 11:30-36 in which “arms” stood on the part of papal Rome beginning in 508. Now in verse 40, we see sometime after 1798, that papal Rome gains military strength again, which as we will see, comes through a political alliance as it did with Clovis in 508.

In addition to the military power, we see that the king of the north is described as coming with “many ships.” 2 Chronicles 9:21 and Proverbs 31:14 use “ships” to describe riches and merchandise. In Revelation 18:11-19, we find the merchants of the earth and the shipmasters lamenting the fall of Babylon (which is papal Rome and the king of the north) because they had been made rich by her. Specifically, in Revelation 18:19 we read, “Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness!” Clearly, we see that “ships” in Scripture describe economic power.

Thus, after 1798, papal Rome makes a comeback against the king of the south using military force and economic power. At the end of verse 40 we read, “and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” The word “overflow” in this verse is also found in Daniel 11:10, 26 and originates from the Hebrew word shataph which means “to conquer.” We see that papal Rome entered into the “countries” of the king of the south and conquered them. The key question is then, which countries of the king of the south did papal Rome conquer through military and economic power after 1798?

As we have discussed, the king of the south rose to prominence through the nations espousing atheism, first France, then with the Soviet Union and the eastern European nations. Communist China, North Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Cuba would also be among the nations espousing atheism. We have seen, that after World War II, the Soviet Union achieved tremendous strength and became a leading superpower of the world in competition with the United States of America. From Rev. 13, we understand that the United States would arise around 1798 after the deadly wound of the papacy and ultimately it will make an image to the beast of papal Rome. Historically, the Soviet Union and its allies served as a key roadblock to the image of the beast being formed. However, the course of history shifted in the 1980s and early 1990s, just as Daniel 11 predicted.

Because papal Rome had no military power of its own, it formed an alliance with the leading superpower of the world to bring down Communist eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The United States of America became that ally. On June 7, 1982, President Ronald Reagan held his first meeting with Pope John Paul II. This meeting is discussed in Time Magazine, February 24, 1992 in an article entitled, “The Holy Alliance” by Carl Bernstein. The article quotes Reagan saying “one of the earliest goals of his presidency was to recognize the Vatican as a state and to make them an ally.”

At least four of Reagan’s key cabinet members were Catholic. In the first meeting between Reagan and the pope, they discussed a strategy to bring down the Soviet Union and Communism. The plan centered around Lech Walesa’s solidarity movement in Poland. Reagan committed military and economic support to the plan, creating a haven for democracy in eastern Europe. Reagan’s first National Security Adviser, Richard Allen, who also is Catholic says, that “this was one of the great secret alliances of all time.”

Eventually, Reagan and the pope crafted a plan to force the Soviet Union into an expensive nuclear arms race called “Star Wars” that would financially ruin the Soviet Union in their effort to keep up. In 1984 the United States formally recognized the Vatican as a sovereign body. Reagan sent a U.S. ambassador to the Vatican. On June 12, 1987, Reagan gave his famous speech in the presence of Mikhail Gorbachev, the leader of the Soviet Union, in front of the Brandenburg gate at the Berlin Wall in West Germany. He uttered the famous words, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

Two years later, on November 9, 1989 the wall came down in dramatic fashion, suddenly ending the Cold War. The Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991. Europe’s history was changed forever, and papal Rome, or the king of the north had re-asserted itself as a key force throughout Europe.

In addition, the United States was in a much better position to fulfill the prophetic role in Revelation 13. This political alliance between papal Rome and the United States, beginning in 1982, is part of the healing of the deadly wound that will fully heal when papal Rome has the power of military force to enforce its religious teaching.

But we can see an image to the beast is already being formed. What we have seen in the repetition of history from Daniel 11:30-36 is “arms” standing on the part of papal Rome through the United States of America. When a union of church and state is formed that enforces the teachings of papal Rome, we will see the abomination of desolation repeated. We will see how this is developed in the following verses.

As we can see at this point, the Soviet Union and eastern Europe had fallen by 1991. However, China and other Communist nations such as Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, and North Korea are still standing. We will see their fall in later verses as well. Momentous events in the 1980’s and early 90’s fulfilled Bible prophecy in Daniel 11, culminating with the Berlin Wall’s fall in 1989 and the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991. This is very significant as we consider where we are in the prophetic history of Daniel 11 right now and as we look to the next events of prophetic history in verse 41 because the next event to occur in the course of history is after 1991, and we are now living past the fulfilled history of verse 40.

The other key point to mention here is that Daniel 11 gives a clearer picture of the events that will lead to the cleansing of the sanctuary from Daniel 8. Daniel 10:14 shows us that this prophecy will give us information about what will “befall God’s people in the latter days.” Daniel 8 and Daniel 10-11 follow the same sequence of kingdoms. Daniel 10 shows the struggle that occurred for the vision to be revealed because the beginning of the 2,300 prophecy was dependent on the Persian king following through on the decree to rebuild Jerusalem (see discussion on decrees in Daniel 9:25).

From Daniel 8:14 and 9:24, 25, we understand that the 2,300 days began in the fall of 457 B.C. and ended on October 22, 1844. Therefore, the last half of verse 40 (after the beginning of the time of the end) through the end of Daniel 11 gives specific information that helps us to understand the events leading to the cleansing of the sanctuary and the close of probation as it relates to God’s people.

Daniel 11:41

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.

Observation: After a key portion of the king of the south’s dominion falls at the end of verse 40, we read in verse 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.”

In this verse, we see that papal Rome enters into “the glorious land.” This is important because prophetically, this will be the next event to take place in the history of Daniel 11. We read about the “glorious land” earlier in verse 16, and, as we saw, it represented the land of literal Judea, which was the location of God’s professed people, the Jews.

In order to best understand what the “glorious land” represents here, notice that in verse 40, the king of the south represents “spiritual Egypt.” As we saw, this represents the nations espousing the principles of atheistic Egypt of old. Thus, it seems reasonable to believe that the “glorious land” represents “spiritual Israel.” It will also be helpful to briefly mention the distinction between the “glorious land” and the “glorious holy mountain” in verse 45.

We will see in detail how the “glorious holy mountain” is spiritual Mount Zion or Jerusalem, or the remnant church, the Seventh-day Adventist church at the time of the close of probation. This is a worldwide group of people not limited to one geographic location. The “glorious holy mountain” as spiritual Jerusalem is a smaller subset within the “glorious land” of spiritual Judea, as literal Jerusalem was clearly part of Judea, serving as its capital city.

If the “glorious holy mountain” is representative of a worldwide group of people and is a smaller subset of the “glorious land” then clearly the “glorious land” must represent a worldwide group of people as well. Some have said that the “glorious land” is the United States of America. However, for the “glorious holy mountain” to represent the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist church while at the same time being a smaller subset within the United States of America does not make sense.

Others have even suggested that the glorious land is literal Israel today. The significant weakness with that position is that the struggle between the king of the north and the king of the south throughout Daniel 11 has always involved God’s people who live in the glorious land as being caught in the middle. Israel ceased to be God’s chosen people in 34 A.D. Thus, to make literal Israel today a significant part of end- time prophecy that is overtaken by papal Rome is not consistent with the theme of Daniel 11 in which God reveals what happens to Daniel’s people in the latter days.

There seem to be two plausible arguments for what represents the glorious land. One position suggests that it is worldwide Protestantism. The other position suggests that the glorious land represents the worldwide pre-shaken Seventh-day Adventist church.

First, we will examine the position that the glorious land represents worldwide Protestantism. The “glorious holy mountain” as the remnant Seventh-day Adventist church is actually a smaller portion of territory within the “glorious land” because literal Mount Zion was in Jerusalem, and clearly this is part of literal Judea or the “glorious land.”

While the “glorious holy mountain” and the “glorious land” are two distinct entities, there is clearly some overlap. The distinction between the two is that the “glorious holy mountain” represents the remnant of God. Therefore, the argument is made that the “glorious land” represents God’s professed people worldwide, which would include the “glorious holy mountain” as part of its territory.

We see in this verse that papal Rome is entering into the “glorious land” and it would not make sense, as Marc Swearingen points out on p. 187 of Tidings Out of the Northeast, for papal Rome to enter into its own “Catholic Christian” territory. Therefore, it is suggested that the “glorious land” is representative of worldwide Christianity, specifically worldwide Protestantism, which would include, but not be limited to the Seventh-day Adventist church (“glorious holy mountain”).

Starting in verse 40, the king of the south was “spiritual Egypt.” In verse 41, the “glorious land” is “spiritual Israel.” And Galatians 3:27-29 shows that spiritual Israel consists of those that are baptized into Christ and are professed Christians. This position is certainly reasonable based on the historicist principles and based on the fact that the struggle at the end of time is worldwide.

Next, we will examine the other plausible position that the “glorious land” represents the worldwide Seventh-day Adventist church before it is shaken at the end of time. This view also agrees that the “glorious holy mountain” in verse 45 is the worldwide remnant. This view places an emphasis on the

remnant in verse 45 being the Seventh-day Adventist church that remains after the shaking when probation closes. As the “glorious holy mountain” represents spiritual Mount Zion, this view promotes the idea that the Seventh-day Adventists who remain after the shaking represent the 144,000 who will stand on Mount Zion with the Lamb in Revelation 14:1.

This view also argues that it does not make sense to represent the fallen Protestant churches of Babylon as part of the glorious land because papal Rome, as the king of the north, is also part of Babylon. Rather, it is argued that Edom, Moab, and Ammon, in the last half of verse 41 represent the worldwide Protestant churches that are part of fallen Babylon, and yet, some will respond to the call to come of Babylon and will escape out of the hand of the king of the north. A more detailed discussion on Edom, Moab, and Ammon will occur shortly.

Thus, the second view that we have discussed where worldwide pre-shaken Seventh-day Adventism is the glorious land seems quite reasonable and perhaps a little more plausible than worldwide Christianity but both views seem acceptable based on historicist principles.

We see that according to verse 41, papal Rome enters into the glorious land, and as a result, “many countries shall be overthrown.” The word “countries” is a supplied word in the KJV and does not belong to the text. Therefore, when papal Rome enters into the glorious land, “many” Seventh-day Adventists (could represent Protestant Christians as well according to first viewpoint discussed) will be overthrown or shaken out. The question then is, what is the mechanism that papal Rome uses to overthrow many Seventh-day Adventists sometime after 1991?

As we have seen, papal Rome gained significant political strength with the assistance of the United States of America in the 1980s in taking down the Soviet Union and eastern Europe. Papal Rome is not simply content with an alliance with the United States for merely political purposes. It wants this political alliance for the purpose of re-uniting with Protestant America and the Protestant world on its terms.

Protestant America will lead the rest of the Protestant world to reunite with papal Rome. From Revelation 13:11-17, we understand that the United States, the second beast “exercises all the power of the first beast” which is papal Rome. We see in Revelation 13:12 that the United States causes “the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast” or papal Rome and they say to the earth in Revelation 13:14 “that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live.”

In these verses, we see church and state united between the United States and the papacy. We also understand that apostate Protestantism forms this union with papal Rome. In Revelation 16:13, we see the threefold union of the dragon (Satan and spiritualism), the beast (papal Rome), and the false prophet (apostate Protestantism). Revelation 19:20 makes it clear that the false prophet is apostate Protestantism in the United States (as the second beast of Revelation 13) that works with papal Rome to cause the earth to worship the beast’s image and receive its mark. The image of the beast is the union of church and state. The mark of the beast is the enforcement of Sunday worship. The union of church and state through the image to the beast is the abomination of desolation and is a further development in the repetition of history from Daniel 11:30-36.

Once the union of church and state is restored, as it existed from 508—1798, the deadly wound that papal Rome received in 1798 will be healed. That time is not far away. A political alliance is already in place. The next step will be for Protestant America, through legislation, to cause all the world to follow after papal Rome (see Revelation 13:3).

Ellen White shows that we should expect this Protestant and Catholic union. In The Great Controversy, p. 588 she says, “The Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hands of spiritualism; they will reach over the abyss to clasp the hands with the Roman power; and under the influence of this threefold union, this country will follow in the steps of Rome in

trampling the rights of conscience.” Notice that Protestant America is “foremost” in the union, but all of Protestantism will be involved.

Ellen White also comments about the image to beast in Signs of the Times, March 22, 1910. “When the Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution; when the state shall use its power to enforce the decrees and sustain the institutions of the church - then will Protestant America have formed an image to the papacy, and there will be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin.”

Manuscript 118, 1899 comments on the mark of the beast: “Sundaykeeping is not yet the mark of the beast, and will not be until the decree goes forth causing men to worship this idol sabbath. The time will come when this day will be the test, but that time has not come yet.” The decree that calls for worship on Sunday constitutes the mark of the beast. When papal Rome enters into the “glorious land,” civil decrees enforcing religious laws forms the image to the beast, which is the Sunday worship decree.

A key observation here is that the “glorious land” symbolizes God’s people in the last days. The purpose of the mark of the beast is for Satan, through the king of the north, to exterminate God’s people, by entering into the glorious land, before Jesus can come to claim them as His loyal followers. Sadly, many Seventh-day Adventists, as well as a large number of God’s people in the Babylonian churches will choose to receive the mark of the beast and will be overthrown by Satan when the final crisis comes.

Ellen White mentions in The Great Controversy, p. 608 that many Seventh-day Adventists will be overthrown: “As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel's message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side. Men of talent and pleasing address, who once rejoiced in the truth, employ their powers to deceive and mislead souls. They become the most bitter enemies of their former brethren. When Sabbathkeepers are brought before the courts to answer for their faith, these apostates are the most efficient agents of Satan to misrepresent and accuse them, and by false reports and insinuations to stir up the rulers against them.”

The papacy will overthrow a large class of Seventh-day Adventists, who will receive the mark of the beast, and the key receive is that they have not been sanctified by obedience to the truth. Unfortunately, there are many among professed Seventh-day Adventists today who claim that sanctification is simply a fruit of salvation and not part of it. Yet the inspired writings show us that only those who are sanctified will be kept from receiving the mark of the beast when the king of the north enters into the “glorious land.”

Verse 41 of Daniel 11 introduces the first phase of Sunday worship enforcement that will steadily progress to a death decree in verse 45. Remember that Sunday worship enforcement will come in four phases, discussed in the Daniel 6 study, and are adapted from The Closing Events Chart, by Gordon Collier.

Phase 1 - Refrain from working on Sunday; 9T 232, 233; CT 550, 551
Phase 2 - Honor Sunday, but can still worship on Sabbath; GC 608, 624
Phase 3 - Cannot worship on Sabbath, only Sunday; fines and imprisonment imposed; GC 607
Phase 4 - Death penalty to those who worship on Sabbath and disregard Sunday; Rev. 13:15-17, GC 604, 615-616, 621, 635; PK 12; EW 34, 36-37, 272, 282-285; 1T 353-354.

Based on Daniel 11’s chronology, it seems that phases 1 and 2 of the Sunday law begin in verse 41 when the king of the north enters the “glorious land.” Phases 3 and 4 culminate in verses 44 and 45 when the king of the north “plants the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain.”

When Sunday legislation is enacted, and the test between the Sabbath and Sunday is set before us, Seventh-day Adventists’ will be tested first. Probation, however, closes for all at the same time. 1 Peter 4:17 tells us that judgment begins at the house of God. As Adventists, we know the issue of Sabbath versus Sunday, and when the test comes, we will be judged first. Probation will close when the death decree is enforced (see verse 45).

Now, we must step back and look at where we are right now prophetically. Based on the historic fulfillment of Daniel 11, the next major prophetic event will be the church and state union through the Sunday worship decree in the United States and around the world. This will usher the test for Seventh-day Adventists first as they choose between the seal of God and the mark of the beast.

When all have chosen, probation will close for everyone else. It is impossible to say when this occurs, but Revelation 7:1-3 shows the four destructive winds are held until the servants of God, the 144,000, are sealed, or when their sins have been blotted out in the cleansing of the sanctuary. The length of this delay depends largely upon us. When God’s people are ready to be sealed, He will allow the prophetic clock to move forward. The papacy and Protestantism will unite, and the great final test will come upon the world.

Understanding this prophecy should lead to scrutinizing our personal lives as we realize that momentous things will occur that will usher in the final events before Jesus’ second coming. Do we love Him with all of our hearts? Are we ready to meet Him in the clouds? Do we want Him to come back, or would we rather accomplish more things here on the earth before He comes back? We must give our lives to Him each day. Understanding these truths should lead us to share the three angels’ messages with the world around us.

In the last part of verse 41, we see that papal Rome does not overtake everyone. We read, “but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.” The Edomites were the descendants of Esau (see Gen. 25:30), who was the brother of Jacob (Israel), so the Edomites and Israelites were cousins. Moab and Ammon were the sons that Lot, Abraham’s nephew, had with his daughters after the destruction of Sodom. Thus, Moab and Ammon were the great nephews of Abraham.

All three of these nations, Edom, Moab, and Ammon were related to the Israelites, but they all departed from the faith of God and were heathen nations. Because of their ancestry, they knew about the true God. These nations were to the east of Judea, the “glorious land.”

Amos 9:11, 12 prophesies that a remnant of Edom will be recovered by God’s people. Edom is referred to as “the heathen, which are called by my name saith the Lord.” Acts 15:16, 17 quotes from Amos 9, substituting the word “Gentiles” in place of “Edom.”

Note in Isaiah 11:14 that “Edom, Moab, and the children of Ammon” are also mentioned. In Isaiah 11:10-14, Scripture describes that “The Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people.” This describes the Second Advent movement, the Seventh-day Adventist church. The remnant sets up an “ensign” which is the Sabbath. In Isaiah 11:14, we see that this Sabbath message causes “Edom, Moab, and the children of Ammon” to obey the remnant. We see that Daniel 11:41 and Isaiah 11:10-14 show the same event.

As the image to the beast is set up and Sunday worship is advocated, the Sabbath message, or the messages of the three angels from Revelation 14, gains power. When this message is given, some will escape the mark of the beast, or out of the hand of papal Rome. This message, which repeats especially the second angel’s message, is found in Revelation 18:1-4, and emphasizes that “Babylon the great, is fallen, is fallen.”

The Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites are worldwide groups of people who will come into the remnant through the message of the Sabbath and Revelation 18. Amos 9 and Acts 15 help us to understand that they are “spiritual heathens or Gentiles.” The fact that the Sabbath message and the loud

cry of Revelation 18, from the three angels’ messages, causes them to escape the hand of papal Rome, helps us understand that these people escape from “spiritual Babylon.”

Thus, not only can the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites represent non-Christian and heathen people groups, but they can also represent those in Babylon who heed the call to “come out her my people.” It should encourage us that God’s last-day message will bring His people out, who are called “God’s people” in Rev. 18:4, and who are “called by God’s name” in Amos 9:12 and Acts 15:17.

Daniel 11:42, 43

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

Observation: After papal Rome enters the “glorious land” and the test between Sabbath and Sunday becomes an issue, we read in verse 42, “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape.”

Here we see that the king of the north, papal Rome, by stretching forth his hand “upon the countries” gains power over “the land of Egypt.” A simple cause-and-effect relationship can be seen in this verse which makes it likely that the “countries” that papal Rome stretches his hand upon are the “land of Egypt.”

In Daniel 11, Egypt consistently represented the king of the south. Daniel 11:8 is the one verse in the first 30 verses that clearly identifies Egypt as the king of the south. In verse 40, we saw the transition of the king of the south to “spiritual Egypt,” and in our discussion we have seen that “spiritual Egypt” or the king of the south from 1798 onward is represented by the nations espousing atheistic principles.

The Communist Soviet Union for years was at the leading edge, but as we saw in verse 40 was overthrown by papal Rome and came to its end of power in 1991. However, since 1991, Marc Swearingen points out on p. 210 of Tidings Out of the Northeast, there are still five Communist, atheistic nations that constitute “spiritual Egypt,” or the king of the south: China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam.

Notice the contrast between “Edom, Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon” with that of the “land of Egypt.” The first group escapes out of the hand of papal Rome by not receiving the mark of the beast, but “spiritual Egypt” does not. Therefore, it seems that the great majority of the people in the atheistic, Communist countries that still exist will “wonder after the beast” as the rest of the world does in the prophecy of Revelation 13:3, and will also receive the mark of the beast. This will be the final complete victory of the king of the north over the king of the south.

After papal Rome conquers “spiritual Egypt,” we read in verse 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 Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” In the first half of verse 43, we see that papal Rome overpowers the economic treasures of the nations of the king of the south, or Egypt. This repeats history from pagan Rome conquering literal Egypt when Caesar August defeated Mark Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C. Dan. 11:28 shows that Rome returned “into his land with great riches.” Thus, papal Rome gains great riches as it overtakes the world in the final crisis.

Another point worth mentioning is that when papal Rome has “power over the treasures of gold and silver,” this could likely parallel Revelation 13:17 where it shows that no man will be able to buy or sell unless he has the mark of the beast.

In the last half of verse 43, we read “and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” In a literal, geographic sense, Libya is due west of Egypt and Ethiopia is due south of Egypt. Consequently, they are

Egypt’s neighbors. This also puts Libya and Ethiopia to the south and west of Jerusalem, or the “glorious holy mountain.”

From the study of history in the first 30 verses, in a literal sense, when the king of the north had conquered the nations to the north, and then conquered the “glorious land” and “Egypt,” by the time the king of north came to Libya and Ethiopia he would have nearly conquered the whole world known at that time. Thus, spiritually and globally, at the end of time, after papal Rome conquers the “glorious land” and “spiritual Egypt,” his conquest for complete world dominion will have been nearly achieved when the Libyans and Ethiopians are at his steps.

It is helpful to read Scripture to learn about the Libyans and Ethiopians. Jeremiah 46:9 describes the Libyans and Ethiopians as those “that handle the shield.” The immediate context describes how Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to destroy the land of Egypt as an act of vengeance for God, and the Libyans and Ethiopians, men of war, defended Egypt.

In Ezekiel 30:3-9, we again find the Libyans and Ethiopians connected with Egypt. In verses 6 and 8, it seems that the surrounding nations, which would include Libya and Ethiopia, are described as those “that uphold Egypt” in verse 6 and are “all her (Egypt’s) helpers” in verse 8.

Finally, Ezekiel 38:5 describes Libya and Ethiopia as those with “shield and helmet.” From these verses, it seems clear that Libya and Ethiopia served as a military source of support or defense for the nation of Egypt.

From Daniel and the Revelation, p. 263, we learn that when pagan Rome defeated literal Egypt for the final time in 31 B.C., Mark Antony retreated from the sea battle with Caesar Augustus to Libya in which he had left a large number of ground forces with his general Scarpus to guard the frontier. It was here that he found that these men had declared for Augustus, or the king of the north. In this battle, Libya was the last line of defense for the king of the south.

As history repeats at the end of the world, the final source of support, or the last men standing, for “spiritual Egypt” or the king of the south, will turn against “spiritual Egypt” as they see that papal Rome has insurmountable power from its alliance with the rest of the world. Thus, it seems reasonable to believe that “spiritual Libya” and “spiritual Ethiopia” represent the political leaders of the nations (possibly Islamic nations, and other nations that provide support to the Communist nations such as Buddhists and Hindhus) that currently strengthen the remaining nations of “spiritual Egypt,” but will lend their support to papal Rome, or change sides as the defeat of “spiritual Egypt” becomes imminent. They will then, as Revelation 17:12 predicts, join with all the other kings of the earth and “receive power as kings one hour with the beast,” and as Revelation 13:3 reminds us, “all the world” will wonder after the beast.

Daniel 11:44, 45

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. 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.

Observation: As papal Rome, as the king of the north, enters into “spiritual Libya” and “spiritual Ethiopia,” south and west of “spiritual Jerusalem,” he seemingly has conquered the whole world.

However, an important turn of events occurs in verse 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.”

In verse 44, we see that “tidings out of the east and out of the north” trouble papal Rome. From verse 43, we understand that in a geographical sense, papal Rome is “spiritually” to the south and west of Jerusalem

by being at the footsteps of Libya and Ethiopia. Therefore, the “tidings” from the “east” and “north” must be coming from “spiritual” Jerusalem.

From Ezekiel 9:4, we understand that in “spiritual” Jerusalem, God’s last-day people will be sealed. We also see in Joel 2:32 that “spiritual” Jerusalem is where God’s remnant will be found in the last days. Thus, God’s remnant, the Seventh-day Adventist church, is giving “tidings” from the “east” and “north” that trouble papal Rome. The “tidings” are a clear message that are worldwide in scope to counter the worldwide dominance of papal Rome. This message competes with Rome’s efforts to cause all the world to receive the mark of the beast.

It is very interesting to note that in Revelation 7:2 we see an “angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God.” From these two passages, we can conclude that the message from the “east” is the sealing message, which includes the message that the true seventh-day Sabbath of God is the seal of God, and that worshipping on Sunday is the mark of the beast.

A brief study on the Sabbath as the seal of God shows that it is a “sign” in Ezekiel 20:12, 20, and in Romans 4:11, we find that a “sign” and a “seal” are interchangeable. At the end of the world, as papal Rome tries to set its “mark” of authority by advocating the worship of Sunday, God’s people will demonstrate God’s “seal” of authority by proclaiming the truth of the seventh-day Sabbath to the world.

Because these “tidings” have a worldwide scope, they fit the description of the “loud cry” message found in Revelation 18:1-5 that “lightens the earth with its glory,” which is the message of righteousness by faith (see Ellen White’s quote in Manuscript 15, 1888), and which tells the world “mightily with a strong voice” that “Babylon, the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”

Therefore, not only does the “loud cry” or “tidings out of the east and the north” identify the truth for the last days, but it also demonstrates in unmistakeable language the true character of Babylon, or papal Rome, or the king of the north.

Notice how Ellen White talks about this final message in The Great Controversy, pp. 605, 606. “The Sabbath will be the great test of loyalty, for it is the point of truth especially controverted. When the final test shall be brought to bear upon men, then the line of distinction will be drawn between those who serve God and those who serve Him not. While the observance of the false sabbath in compliance with the law of the state, contrary to the fourth commandment, will be an avowal of allegiance to a power that is in opposition to God, the keeping of the true Sabbath, in obedience to God's law, is an evidence of loyalty to the Creator. While one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God. Heretofore those who presented the truths of the third angel's message have often been regarded as mere alarmists. Their predictions that religious intolerance would gain control in the United States, that church and state would unite to persecute those who keep the commandments of God, have been pronounced groundless and absurd. It has been confidently declared that this land could never become other than what it has been--the defender of religious freedom. But as the question of enforcing Sunday observance is widely agitated, the event so long doubted and disbelieved is seen to be approaching, and the third message will produce an effect which it could not have had before.”

Thus, as papal Rome agitates the issue of Sunday observance, the three angels’ messages will have an effect that they have not yet had, and this will constitute the “tidings” that trouble papal Rome.

Ellen White also paints a beautiful word picture of how this final message will be given to the world in The Great Controversy, pp. 611, 612. “The great work of the gospel is not to close with less manifestation of the power of God than marked its opening. The prophecies which were fulfilled in the outpouring of the former rain at the opening of the gospel are again to be fulfilled in the latter rain at its close. Here are ‘the times of refreshing’ to which the apostle Peter looked forward when he said: ‘Repent ye therefore,

and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and He shall send Jesus.’ Acts 3:19, 20. Servants of God, with their faces lighted up and shining with holy consecration, will hasten from place to place to proclaim the message from heaven. By thousands of voices, all over the earth, the warning will be given. Miracles will be wrought, the sick will be healed, and signs and wonders will follow the believers.”

As we see in this statement, those who have had their sins blotted out will therefore have been cleansed by God’s work in the sanctuary in heaven, which results in giving the loud cry message.

The papacy will be infuriated as the truth of the loud cry extends around the world. Fearful of losing his grasp on the world he has nearly conquered, we read that the king of the north “shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”

Remember that while papal Rome is a professed “Christian body,” Revelation 13:2 makes it clear that the dragon, or Satan, has given his “power, and his seat, and great authority” to papal Rome. Thus, we see the spirit of the dragon working through papal Rome to persecute and destroy God’s remnant who are giving the last message of mercy to the world. This parallels Rev. 12:17, which says, “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments (including the seventh-day Sabbath) of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

In this verse, we notice that papal Rome revives its spirit of persecution. This is the last piece in the repetition of history that Ellen White told us would be repeated from Daniel 11:30-36. The sequence is very similar. In Daniel 11:31 Papal Rome first gained “arms,” then it formed the “abomination of desolation” through the union of church and state in 508 A.D., and then persecution followed beginning in 538 A.D. for 1260 years. We see the same sequence in Daniel 11:40-45.

In the last half of verse 40, the United States provides “arms.” In verse 41, papal Rome enters the “glorious land” and forms the “abomination of desolation” by uniting church and state through the enforcement of Sunday worship. As the crisis progresses, Rome resorts to persecution against God’s faithful, just as it did during the 1260 years. Verse 44 strongly describes persecution. Papal Rome goes forth to “destroy, and utterly to make away many.” This describes the king of the north’s intent to kill those who oppose his plans.

In speaking of the persecution of God’s people, we briefly refer to the previously-mentioned four phases of progression in Sunday observance. The first three phases are during the period of what is known as the “little time of trouble” for God’s people. It is only when the death decree is enforced that “Jacob’s time of trouble” begins. The language of verse 44 is describing the death decree that will come upon God’s people. The sequence continues through Daniel 12:1-3, and we see in Daniel 12:1 that “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there as a nation.”

As papal Rome sets forth to destroy God’s faithful people, we see the final mechanism that is used. In verse 45, we read, “ 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.”

First we see that the papacy “plants” or “sets up” the “tabernacles of his palace.” “Tabernacles” describes a place of religious worship. “Palace” describes the headquarters of the king, who has political authority. Again we notice the union of church and state by papal Rome.

In the last half of verse 45, we see the scope of this union. We see that the “tabernacles of his palace” are planted “between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.” First, it should be noted that the word “in” should be replaced by “and” due to a mistranslation in the KJV. Thus, the first part of the verse literally reads, “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain.”

Thus, this final escalation of the union of church and state, in connection with the death decree (phase 4 of Sunday law crisis) divides the “seas” from the “glorious holy mountain.” Literal Israel has two “seas” on its borders. The Mediterranean sea is to the west, and the Dead Sea is to the east.

In Revelation 17:15, we see that “waters” represent “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” In the context of Revelation 17, the “great whore” that sits upon the “waters” or the people of the world, is the same power as the king of the north, papal Rome, in Daniel 11. Thus, the final escalation of the union of church and state, represented by the planting of the tabernacles of the palace between the “seas” or people, is used by papal Rome to separate the world from “the glorious holy mountain.”

We already mentioned the similarity, and yet the distinction, between the “glorious land” and the “glorious holy mountain.” From Scripture, we see in Psalm 48:1, 2 that Mount Zion is the “mountain of his holiness.” In Psalm 2:6, Mount Zion is shown to be God’s “holy hill.” In Psalm 125:1, 2, those who “trust in the Lord” are compared to Mount Zion, one of the mountains around Jerusalem. Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so God surrounds His people. Finally, in Joel 2:32 we find a description of the last days and what Mount Zion specifically represents. “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.”

Notice that this passage says deliverance comes from those who call on the Lord. In this passage, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, and the remnant are the three synonymous names used to describe those God will deliver at the very end because they call on the Lord. Thus, Mount Zion, Jerusalem, and the remnant are synonymous and interchangeable with each other.

We have seen from Psalm 48:1, 2 that Mount Zion is the “glorious holy mountain,” and thus we see that the “glorious holy mountain” represents God’s remnant, the Seventh-day Adventist church who are warning (the sealing message of the Sabbath) the world through the proclamation of the three angels’ messages and the loud cry of Revelation 18. These are God’s remnant who have survived the shaking when papal Rome entered into the “glorious land” and are fearlessly proclaiming the last warning message to the world.

In Revelation 14:1, the 144,000, who have the Lamb’s “Father’s name in their foreheads” stand on Mount Zion in heaven with Christ. These are the same people who constitute “spiritual Mount Zion” on earth, or the “glorious holy mountain” and according to Revelation 7:1-3 received the “seal of God” in their foreheads, which is the same as having the “Father’s name in their foreheads.” Their reward will be to stand on the heavenly Mount Zion. This is the same group in Daniel 12:3. “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”

The people through whom God works to lighten the earth with His glory (see Revelation 18:1) with the message of His righteousness, will shine throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. God has called the Seventh-day Adventist church to do this work. God is looking for a generation who will rise up to meet this challenge, and who will, by God’s grace, proclaim this message to the world just before probation closes.

Thus, the final setting up of church and state is the universal Sunday law that comes with the death decree against all true Sabbath-keepers. The final phase of Sunday enforcement will divide the entire world (the seas) from the remnant church of God (glorious holy mountain). Revelation 13:3 shows us that all the world will wonder after the beast, so only a faithful remnant will remain in the “glorious holy mountain.”

The Great Controversy, pp. 615, 616 says, “As the Sabbath has become the special point of controversy throughout Christendom, and religious and secular authorities have combined to enforce the observance of the Sunday, the persistent refusal of a small minority to yield to the popular demand will make them

objects of universal execration. It will be urged that the few who stand in opposition to an institution of the church and a law of the state ought not to be tolerated; that it is better for them to suffer than for whole nations to be thrown into confusion and lawlessness. The same argument eighteen hundred years ago was brought against Christ by the ‘rulers of the people.’ ‘It is expedient for us,’ said the wily Caiaphas, ‘that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.’ John 11:50. This argument will appear conclusive; and a decree will finally be issued against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment, denouncing them as deserving of the severest punishment and giving the people liberty, after a certain time, to put them to death. Romanism in the Old World and apostate Protestantism in the New will pursue a similar course toward those who honor all the divine precepts. The people of God will then be plunged into those scenes of affliction and distress described by the prophet as the time of Jacob's trouble. ‘Thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. . . . All faces are turned into paleness. Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.’ Jeremiah 30:5-7.”

After the king of the north’s final act of enforcing a universal death decree against God’s remnant, we read in the last half of verse 45, “yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” The final phase of Sunday enforcement is the final stage of the abomination of desolation. In Daniel 9:26, 27, we find that the desolater (Rome), will eventually be made desolate, and here in Daniel 11:45 we see the final fulfillment of that prophecy.

When the death decree is enforced, the close of probation begins immediately. Daniel 12:1 makes that clear when it says, “And at that time shall Michael stand up.” When Michael, or Christ, stands up, papal Rome comes “to his end, and none shall help him.” Revelation 16 shows the seven last plagues are poured out as the final judgment on Rome after the close of probation. Revelation 18 also shows the final destruction of Rome, or spiritual Babylon.

After we have seen the evil that the king of the north, or papal Rome, or Babylon has done to God’s people down through the centuries (1,260 years) and up until the close of probation from the setting up the Sunday law, well may it be said in Revelation 18:20, “Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.”

When God pours out His vengeance on the king of the north, nobody will be able to help the king of the north, and thus the great controversy will nearly be over. The first three verses of Daniel 12 describe the final events of earth’s history and the great controversy leading up to the second coming of Christ. We will discuss those events in detail in the observation of Daniel 12.

Also, when Daniel 11 is fulfilled and Michael stands up at the beginning of Daniel 12, the sanctuary will have been cleansed, probation will close, and the second coming of Christ will not be far away. Thus, we see that Daniel 11 gives us detailed information for what it will take for the work of cleansing in the sanctuary of heaven to come to a completion and it shows us what befalls Daniel’s people in the latter days.

Application of Daniel 11:31-45: We have seen the history from 508 A.D. to the present time (verses 31-40), and have looked into the future through the prophetic eye of Daniel 11:41-45. Some of us may have been alive for the fulfillment of the last half of verse 40 when the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union capitulated.

God has raised us up as the remnant church for this time of earth’s history. He wants us to be among the people who give the “tidings out of the east and out of the north” that shall trouble papal Rome. The crisis that lies ahead is momentous. God needs people with deep spiritual maturity to pass through the trials of the great final test.

As we saw from Revelation 7:1-3, the four winds of strife that will be unleashed during the final crisis are being held back until God has a people that can be sealed in their foreheads with the name, or character,

of God the Father. Only people with God’s character will pass through the final crisis unscathed. The rest of the His professed people (“the glorious land”) will be overthrown by papal Rome and receive the mark of the beast.

Ellen White confirms this thought about the sealing in Maranatha p. 200. “Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads--it is not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both intellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved--just as soon as God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed, it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give us warning, that we may know what is coming.”

She also says in Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 69, that, “Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own. It is the privilege of every Christian not only to look for but to hasten the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (2 Peter 3:12, margin). Were all who profess His name bearing fruit to His glory, how quickly the whole world would be sown with the seed of the gospel. Quickly the last great harvest would be ripened, and Christ would come to gather the precious grain.”

Perhaps these truths about hastening the return of Christ are truths that we feel we have heard repeatedly, but it is time to be serious about letting Christ do His work of purification in our lives. God is working now to prepare His people for what lies ahead. The real sign of the nearness of His coming is the work of revival and reformation from within the church. GYC and like-minded groups are helping to revive the spirit of Godliness that is needed in the remnant church. We are not here by accident. God is preparing us, and it is up to us whether we will be with Him when the next phase of prophetic fulfillment moves forward in Daniel 11:41.

In Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 9, p. 11, Ellen White reminds us of how near the end we are. “Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones.” Three pages later in the same chapter (on p. 14) she connects the final movements being rapid with Daniel 11: “The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.”

We have seen the amazing precision and accuracy of Daniel 11:1-40, and we can be certain that what will take place in verses 41-45 will be just as accurate and precise. The events in the last 5 verses will be rapid. It is my prayer that each one who studies the prophecies of this chapter will be led to a much deeper walk with God in preparation for what lies ahead. May we be faithful Seventh-day Adventists in this time of earth’s history.