First and Second coming of the Messiah

Daniel 11 is living historic proof of two central things: 1) the veracity of God's Word, the Bible; 2) since 9/10ths of this prophecy is already fulfilled and in the history books, it shows conclusively in one chapter that Bible prophecies (in this case Old Testament) are to be taken quite literally, and not figuratively--allegorizing away their literal meaning is not an option for the honest Biblical historian. The verses up to verse 35 of this prophecy in this study have been linked up with and compared to "A Manual Of Ancient History" by Rawlinson, a noted British historian of impeccable credentials. Amillennialists, basing their theories and allegorizations on their church father Origen cannot stand up to this chapter with any coherent explanation, other than that the Bible's prophecies should be interpreted literally. But not wanting to do this, they try to teach that Daniel was written "by a bunch of Jews in 139BC in an effort to influence their brethren with Messianic prophecies". Such claptrap denies the Old Testament canon as being the true Word of God, a very serious thing to do, and amounts to nothing more than interpretive slight of hand. Even if Daniel were written in 139BC, which eliminates about half of the details of this prophecy, the other half have been fulfilled, right up to the 1930's. So I guess Daniel must have been written by Daniel in 539 BCE, the first year of Darius the Mede (Daniel 1:1), as it clearly states in the Bible. There is absolutely no way a "bunch of Jews wanting to influence Messianic prophecies" could have written even the latter half of these prophecies and gotten it right. The laws of probability say just as much. It goes directly against the laws of probability and averages, which is a very specific science (there are mathematical books on the subject).

Daniel 11:1, "Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him." The angel talking to Daniel is giving the actual date when this prophecy was given to Daniel. Daniel 10 describes the coming of this angel to speak with Daniel, and it was probably Gabriel. [October 9, 539 BCE]

Daniel 11:2-3, "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. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall bear rule with great dominion, and do according to his will [that is referring to Alexander the Great]."

Daniel 11:5, "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." Ptolemy I consolidates his power and forces in Egypt. Seleucus (Nicator) consolidates his power and forces in Syria, assumes the diadem as king there.

Daniel ll:6, "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." Bernice, daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus (king of the South) marries Antiochus II (king of the North). Philadelphus dies in 247 B.C. Antiochus divorces Bernice (Philadelphus's daughter), takes back Laodice his first wife. Laodice doesn't trust him, murders both him and Bernice. Seleucus II becomes the new king of the North.

Daniel ll:7, "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." Philadelphus's son, Bernice's brother becomes the next king of the South (Ptolemy Euergates III), and he invades Syria in 245 B.C. to avenge Bernice's murder. He took immense booty, 2,500 gold molten images and vessels. Daniel 11:8, "And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold: and he shall continue more years than the king of the north." Seleucus II dies in 226 B.C. His two sons take the kingdom of the north, first Seleucus III in 226-223 B.C., and then Antiochus III (the Great), together they attack Egypt and recover their port and fortress (Seleucia) (verse 10). Verse 9, "So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land." Verse 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." Verse 11, "And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand." Verse 12, "And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: But he shall not be strengthened by it." The king of the South, now Ptolemy IV (Philopater), with an army of 20,000 inflicted severe defeat on Antiochus the Great. He killed tens of thousands and again annexed Judea to Egypt. But this was a throw-away victory because of a speedy peace treaty too hastily drawn up.

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." B.C. 205 Ptolemy Philopater dies--left the throne to an infant son Ptolemy Epiphanes. Antiochus the Great (III), king of the north, masses a great army, allies with Philip of Macedon and others against Egypt--assisted by some of the Jews.

Daniel 11:15-16, "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. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed." Antiochus III takes Sidon from Egypt, ruined Egyptian interest in Judea at Battle of Mount Panium, B.C. 198, took possession of Judea.

Verse 17, "He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him." Antiochus III marries his daughter Cleopatra (not the famous one) to Ptolemy Epiphanes hoping to gain Egypt as well, but the plan fails. He turns his attention to Asia Minor, B.C. 197-196, but is stopped by the Roman General Cornelius Scipio Asiaticus, at the battle of Magnesia in B.C. 190. 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." Antiochus III killed in B.C. 187. Verse 19, "Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found."

Daniel 11:20, "Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within a few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle." Antiochus III's son, Seleucus Philopater IV (187-176 B.C.) reigned eleven years, was killed by his tax collector Heliodorus. Seleucus Philopater left no heir.

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." Seleucus Philopater IV's younger brother, Antiochus Epiphanes (IV), came by surprise, took the kingdom by flattery. Drives out Heliodorus in 176 B.C. In verse 22 at the end it mentions the prince of the covenant. This is talking about the high priest of the Jews, who was at this time under control of no government of man (i.e. under no government of Satan). Verse 22, "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." This was an attempt by Antiochus Epiphanes (IV) to replace the Jewish high priest of God by another who would be subservient to him.

Verses 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 father's 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." Although only a few were with him at first, yet by this Roman manner, by deceit and flattery, he crept into power and prospered. He also invaded Galilee and Lower Egypt. His fathers, the former kings of Syria, had favored the Jews, but says Rawlinson's history, page 255, they "were driven to desperation by the mad project of this self-willed monarch."

Verse 25, "And he shall stir up 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." Verse 26, "Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him [the king of the south], and his army shall overflow, and many shall fall down slain." Antiochus Epiphanes marches against Ptolemy Philometor (king of the south), defeated him through treachery of his (Philometor's) own officers.

Verse 28, "Then shall he return into his own land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land." Antiochus in 168 B.C. returns from Egypt with great plunder, massacres many Jews, loots the temple. Verses 29-30, At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south, but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter 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." Antiochus Epiphanes IV invades Egypt again, with no success this time. Philometor (king of the south) gets help from Rome. The Roman fleet came against Antiochus and forced him to surrender to terms of Popillius of the Roman fleet, return from Egypt and restore Cyprus to Egypt. Smarting from defeat he vented his wrath on the Jews, extended special favors to Jews who would turn from their religion.

Note: This period of time is just at the end of the 6^th head or candle (symbolically, on the candelabra or minorah) of the Old Testament church or congregation. This sixth head or candle corresponds to our era of the church, and this prophecy is a foreshadow of how our church era and work will be cut short. It is also a foreshadow of how an end-time resurrection of the king of the north, the Holy Roman Empire, will flow into the holy land and of what this leader of the new Roman Empire will do.

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 [or that astonisheth]." Then Antiochus Epiphanes [as a fore-runner of the abomination that makes desolate mentioned by the apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 2:3-4 and Daniel 11:36, the anti-Christ] sends troops to the holy land, has them desecrate the sanctuary and abolish the daily sacrifices (Daniel 8:11,24), and place the abomination of the image of Jupiter Olympus in the Holy of Holies (the most sacred part of the temple building). Verse 32, "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." Right here I am going to insert a historic piece from Josephus which shows historically who this people were that knew their God and were strong and did exploits. Right at the time of Antiochus Epiphanes IV, the following occurred:

Background history for the Festival of Lights, taken out of Josephus' "Antiquities of the Jews", translated by William Whiston, Kregel Publications, pp. 256-257, 258-262.

2. Now Antiochus [Epiphanes IV], upon the agreeable situation of the affairs of his kingdom, resolved to make an expedition against Egypt, both because he had a desire to gain it, and because he contemned the son of Ptolemy, as now weak, and not yet of abilities to manage affairs of such consequence; so he came with great forces to Pelusium, and circumvented Ptolemy Philometer by treachery, and seized Egypt. He then came to the places about Memphis, and when he had taken them, he made haste to Alexandria, in hopes of taking it by siege, and of subduing Ptolemy, who reigned there. But he was driven not only from Alexandria, but out of all Egypt by the declaration of the Romans, who charged him to let that country alone. Accordingly, as I have elsewhere formerly declared, I will now give a particular account of what concerns this king,--how he subdued Judea and the temple; for in my former work I mentioned those things very briefly to go over that history again, and that with great accuracy."

Now here is where we can get a real historic picture of just how evil this Antiochus was. The Bible often uses a prior historic type to represent a future coming event, and Antiochus is just such a fore-type. The famous secular historian Santayana is often quoted as saying "He who forgets the lessons of history is doomed to relive them." We'd be wise to take note of this guy, as we live in such perilous times with the world filled with weapons of mass destruction and mad dictators with itchy trigger fingers. And when we see a temple being built in Jerusalem, we'd be extra wise in putting our spiritual affairs in order, as the time will be getting shorter to the final fulfillment of these prior events. And if Antiochus is a type of a future European dictator who touches off World War III, Judas Maccabee is a type of Yeshua the Messiah and his conquering army, coming to save the world (cf. Zechariah 14:1-15 and Revelation 19:1-21). Notice Judas hardly lost a man in many of the battles he fought.

"3. King Antiochus [Epiphanes] returning out of Egypt [Hereabout Josephus begins to follow the first book of the Maccabees], for fear of the Romans, made an expedition against the city of Jerusalem; and when he was there, in the hundred and forty-third year of the kingdom of the Seleucidae, he took the city without fighting, those of his own party opening the gates to him. And when he had gotten possession of Jerusalem, and slew many of the opposite party; and when he had plundered it of a great deal of money, he returned to Antioch.

Now it came to pass, after two years, in the hundred and forty-fifth year, on the twenty-fifth day of that month which is by us called Chasleu.that the king came up to Jerusalem, and, pretending peace, he got possession of the city by treachery: at which time he spared not so much as those that admitted him into it, on account of the riches that lay in the temple; but, led by his covetous inclination, (for he saw there was in it a great deal of gold, and many ornaments that had been dedicated to it of very great value,) and in order to plunder its wealth, he ventured to break the league he had made. So he left the temple bare, and took away the golden candlesticks, and the golden altar [of incense], and table [of shewbread,] and the altar [of burnt-offering;] and did not abstain from even the veils, which were made of fine linen and scarlet. He also emptied it of its secret treasures, and left nothing at all remaining; and by this means cast the Jews into great lamentation, for he forbade them to offer to God, according to the law. And when he had pillaged the whole city, some of the inhabitants he slew, and some he carried captive, together with their wives and children, so that the multitude of those captives that were taken alive amounted to about ten thousand. He also burnt down the finest buildings; and when he had overthrown the city walls, he built a citadel in the lower part of the city [this citadel seems to have been a castle built on a hill, lower than mount Zion, though upon its skirts, and higher than mount Moriah, but between them both.], for the place was high, and overlooked the temple on which account he fortified it with high walls and towers, and put into it a garrison of Macedonians. However, in that citadel dwelt the impious and wicked part of the [Jewish] multitude, from whom it proved that the citizens suffered many and sore calamities. And when the king had built an altar upon God's altar, he slew swine upon it, and so offered a sacrifice neither according to the law, nor the Jewish religious worship in that country. He also compelled them to forsake the worship which they paid their God, and to adore those whom he took to be gods; and made them build temples, and raise idol altars, in every city and village, and offer swine upon them every day. He also commanded them not to circumcise their sons, and threatened to punish any that should be found to have transgressed his injunction. He also appointed overseers, who should compel them to do what he commanded. And indeed many Jews there were who complied with the kings commands, either voluntarily, or out of fear of the penalty that was denounced: but the best men, and those of the noblest souls, did not regard him, but did pay a greater respect to the customs of their country than concern as to the punishment which he threatened to the disobedient; on which account they every day underwent great miseries and bitter torments; for they were whipped with rods, and their bodies were torn to pieces, and crucified while they were still alive and breathed: they also strangled those women and their sons whom they had circumcised, as the king had appointed, hanging their sons about their necks as they were upon the crosses. And if there were any sacred book of the law found, it was destroyed; and those with whom they were found, miserably perished also.
When the Samaritans saw the Jews under these sufferings, they no longer confessed they were of their kindred." Is that any wonder? Also if you look at history in II Kings 17:5-6, 24, Assyria in 721BC took all of Samaria captive and replaced the population with other races, deporting the ten tribes of Israel to the Caspian Sea region, never to return. So these Samaritans were a pretender race that wasn't really related to any of the 12 sons of Joseph, the 12 tribes of Israel. This Antiochus Epiphanes was also a forerunner of a super-dictator who will come out of Europe, as prophecied in Daniel, and come into Jerusalem by flattery, and take it and the temple captive, cutting off the evening and morning sacrifices (cf. Daniel 8:5-25; 11:33-40). Classic pre-Millennialists believe this event marks the beginning of the tribulation, when in Matthew 24 Jesus warns the people who will read and understand this warning of his in Matthew 24 to flee to the mountains when they see Jerusalem compassed with armies "and the abomination that makes desolate standing in the Holy place where he ought not." [It is my guess, these will be Messianic Jewish Christians, as the Orthodox Jews wouldn't be regarding Yeshua's warning in the New Testament.] So a greater repeat of this "Antiochus history" is yet to come to the Israeli nation [this event will spill over into this world as World War III begins].

Now let's go back to Antiochus Epiphanes IV, where we see here, the temple has been polluted with swine's blood. How is the Messiah going to come to the temple, and go through all the ceremonies prescribed by the law of Moses for a Jewish newborn male child? Think, if Jesus, Yeshua, didn't go through this, he would have been disqualified as the Messiah and his death couldn't have paid for the sins of the world. Yeshua, Jesus, was totally sinless throughout his life, from the very beginning to the very end. Here we see Antiochus being used by Satan to try to thwart God's plan of salvation for the world. What follows is truly miraculous, for Antiochus's army was huge and powerful when compared to the forces Judas Maccabeus commanded.

HOW JUDAS OVERTHREW THE FORCES OF APOLLONIUS AND SERON, AND KILLED THE GENERALS OF THEIR ARMIES THEMSELVES; AND HOW WHEN, A LITTLE WHILE AFTERWARD, LYSIAS AND GORGIAS WERE BEATEN, HE WENT UP TO JERUSALEM, AND PURIFIED THE TEMPLE.

When Apollonius, the general of the Samaritan forces, heard this, he took his army, and made haste to go against Judas, who met him, and joined battle with him, and beat him, and slew many of his men, and among them Apollonius himself, their general, whose sword, being that which he happened then to wear, he seized upon and kept for himself; but he wounded more than he slew, and took a great deal of prey from the enemy's camp, and went his way; but when Seron, who was general of the army of Caelesyria, heard that many had joined themselves to Judas, and that he had about him an army sufficient for fighting and for making war, he determined to make an expedition against him, as thinking it became him to endeavor to punish those that transgressed the king's [Antiochus's] injunctions. He then got together an army, as large as he was able, and joined to it the runagate and wicked Jews, and came against Judas. He then came as far as Bethoron, a village of Judea, and there pitched his camp; upon which Judas met him, and when he intended to give him battle, he saw that his [own] soldiers were backward to fight, because their number was small, and because they wanted food, for they were fasting, he encouraged them, and said to them, that victory and conquest of enemies are not derived from the multitude in armies, but in the exercise of piety towards God; and that they had the plainest instances in their forefathers, who, by their righteousness, and exerting themselves on behalf of their own laws, and their own children, had frequently conquered many ten thousands,--for innocence is the strongest army. By this speech he induced his men to contemn the multitude of the enemy, and to fall upon Seron; and upon joining the battle with him, he beat the Syrians; and when their general fell among the rest, they all ran away with speed, as thinking that to be their best way of escaping. So he pursued them unto the plain, and slew about eight hundred of the enemy; but the rest escaped to the region which lay near to the sea.
When king Antiochus heard of these things, he was very angry at what had happened; so he got together all his own army, with many mercenaries, whom he had hired from the islands, and took them with him, and prepared to break into Judea about the beginning of the spring; but when, upon his mustering his soldiers, he perceived that his treasures were deficient, and there was want of money in them, for all the taxes were not paid, by reason of the seditions there had been among the nations, he having been so magnanimous and so liberal that what he had was not sufficient for him, he therefore resolved first to go into Persia, and collect the taxes of that country. Hereupon he left one whose name was Lysias, who was in great repute with him, governor of the kingdom, as far as the bounds of Egypt, and of the Lower Asia, and reaching from the river Euphrates, and committed to him a certain part of his forces, and of his elephants, and charged him to bring up his son Antiochus with all possible care, until he came back; and that he should conquer Judea, and take its inhabitants for slaves, and utterly destroy Jerusalem, and abolish the whole nation; and when king Antiochus had given these things in charge of Lysias, he went into Persia; and in the hundred and forty-seventh year, he passover over Euphrates, and went to the superior provinces.
Upon this Lysias chose Ptolemy, the son of Dorimenes, and Nicanor, and Gorgas, very potent men among the king's friends, and delivered to them forty thousand foots-soldiers and seven thousand horsemen, and sent them against Judea, who came as far as the city of Emmaus, and pitched their camp in the plain country. There came also to them auxilaries out of Syria, and the country round about; as also many of the runagate Jews; and besides these came some merchants to buy those that should be carried captives, (having bonds with them to bind those that should be made prisoners,) with that silver and gold which they were to pay for their price; and when Judas saw their camp, and how numerous their enemies were, he persuaded his own soldiers to be of good courage; and exhorted them to place their hopes of victory in God, and to make supplication to him, according to the custom of their country, clothed in sackcloth; and to shew what was their usual habit of supplication in the greatest dangers, and thereby to prevail with God to grant them the victory over their enemies. So he set them in their ancient order of battle used by their forefathers, under their captains of thousands, and other officers, and dismissed such as were newly married, as well as those that had newly gained possessions, that they might not fight in cowardly manner, out of an inordinate love of life, in order to enjoy those blessings. When he had thus disposed his soldiers, he encouraged them to fight by the following speech, which he made to them:--"O my fellow-soldiers, no other time remains more opportune that the present for courage and contempt of dangers; for if you now fight manfully you may recover your liberty, which, as it is a thing of itself agreeable to all men, so it proves to be to us much more desirable, by its affording us the liberty of worshipping God. Since, therefore, you are in such circumstances at present, you must either recover that liberty, and so regain a happy and blessed way of living, which is that according to our laws, and the customs of our country, or to submit to the most opprobrious sufferings; nor will any seed of your nation remain if you be beat in this battle [if you doubt the reality of what Judas was saying here, go back and read what Antiochus did at the beginning of this article.]. Fight therefore manfully; and suppose that you must die, though you do not fight; but believe, that besides such glorious rewards as those of the liberty of your country, of your laws, of your religion, you shall then obtain everlasting glory. Prepare yourselves, therefore, and put yourselves into such an agreeable posture, that you may be ready to fight with the enemy as soon as it is day to-morrow morning." [Some speech! General Patton couldn't have said better.]
And this was the speech which Judas made to encourage them. But when the enemy sent Gorgias, with five thousand foot and one thousand horse, that he might fall upon Judas by night, and had for that purpose certain of the runagate Jews as guides, the son of Mattathias perceived it, and resolved to fall upon those enemies that were in their camp, now their forces were divided. When they had therefore supped in good time, and had left many fires in their camp, he marched all night to those enemies that were at Emmaus; so that when Gorgias found no enemy in their camp, but suspected that they were retired and hidden themselves among the mountains, he resolved to go and seek them wheresoever they were. But, about break of day, Judas appeared to those enemies that were at Emmaus, with only three thousand men, and those ill-armed, by reason of their poverty; and when he saw the enemy very well and skilfully fortified in their camp, he encouraged the Jews, and told them, that they ought to fight, though it were with their naked bodies, for that God had sometimes of old given such men strength, and that against such as were more in number, and were armed also, out of regard to their great courage. So he commanded the trumpeters to sound for the battle: and by thus falling upon the enemy when they did not expect it, and thereby astonishing and disturbing their minds, he slew many of those that resisted him, and went on pursuing the rest as far as Gadara, and the plains of Idumea, and Ashdod, and Jamnia; and of these there fell about three thousand. Yet did Judas exhort his soldiers not to be too desirous of the spoils, for that still they must have a contest and battle with Gorgias, and the forces that were with him: but that, when they had once overcome them, then they might securely plunder the camp because they were the only enemies remaining, and they expected no others. And just as he was speaking to his soldiers, Gorgias's men looked down into that army which they left in their camp, and saw that it was overthrown, and the camp burnt; for the smoke that arose from it shewed them, even when they were a great way off, what had happened. When, therefore, those that were with Gorgias understood that things were in this posture, and perceived that those that were with Judas were ready to fight them, they also were affrighted, and put to flight; but then Judas, as though he had already beaten Gorgias's soldiers without fighting, returned and seized on the spoils. He took a great quantity of gold and silver, and purple, and blue, and then returned home with joy, and singing hymns to God for their good success: for this victory greatly contributed to the recovery of their liberty.
Hereupon Lysias was confounded at the defeat of the army which he had sent, and the next year he got together sixty-thousand chosen men. He also took five thousand horsemen, and fell upon Judea; and he went up to the hill country of Bethsur, a village of Judea, and pitched his camp there, where Judas met him with ten thousand men; and when he saw the great number of his enemies, he prayed to God that he would assist him, and joined battle with the first of the enemy that appeared, and beat them, and slew about five thousand of them, and thereby the battle became terrible to the rest of them. Nay, indeed, Lysias observing the great spirit of the Jews, how they were prepared to die rather than lose their liberty, and being afraid of their desperate way of fighting, as if it were real strength, he took the rest of the army back with him, and returned to Antioch, where he enlisted foreigners into the service, and prepared to fall upon Judea with a greater army [boy these stupid pagans just don't learn, do they?]."

That's the background history of the Festival of Lights, which the Jews call Hanukkah, as accurately told by the Jewish historian Josephus. As brought out before, the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus, could not have gone through the special dedication ceremonies specified for a Jewish male newborn. Without following the Mosaic Law of God to the letter, he could not have been sinless, and his sacrifice for the sins of the world would have been in vain. Luke 2:21-24-32, "And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcision of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, [Yeshua, Hebrew for Jesus, means "salvation"] which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." [K'vod Israel = Glory of God in Hebrew.]

In spite of the archaic language of Josephus, I think the power of God's divine providence and protection shine through, a power bestowed on Judas Maccabeus so he could fulfill a special mission from God, in preparation for the coming Messiah as Jesus, Yeshua of Nazareth. No, there could have been no Christmas without Hanukkah. If you've read about any of the battles of Jonathan or David against their enemies in the Old Testament, you will recognize God's divine hand in the life of Judas Maccabee, and his father Mattathias.

As we have seen, Antiochus Epiphanes IV tried to end the religion of the Jews--pure biblical Judaism--before it was corrupted by the Jewish leaders under the yoke of the Roman government of Yeshua's time.

Verses 33-35, "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. 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." This is a description of God's people, true Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, from the days of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, to the present. There was no real understanding until Jesus arrived on the scene, when he restored spiritual understanding and magnified the Law (cf. Matthew 5:20-48). Yeshua, Jesus Christ, and all the apostles except John were martyred. And up into the middle ages between 50 to 100 million were martyred for their faith. The next verse takes us into the future, as verse 35 shows us, when it states: ".to make them white, even to the time of the end."

The Roman government is described here, the new king of the north-from just before the time of Christ onward

Verses 36-39, "And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation is determined shall be done. 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 [Heb. Munitions ]: 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." The king of the north, who is he now, in the early and middle New Testament times (to which this prophecy has come)? In 65 B.C. Syria was swallowed up by the Roman Empire, and became a Roman province [In "New Testament History" by F.F. Bruce, on page 9 Bruce states, "In 64 B.C. Syria also was made a [Roman] province, the last remnant of Seleucid power having collapsed, and the neighboring principalities, including Judaea, had to acknowledge Roman overlordship."]. The Roman Emperor now controlled Syria and Judea, and therefore the king of the north, here referred to in verses 36-39, at this time is the Emperor of Rome. Verse 37 describes how the Roman Emperors set themselves up as gods. Verse 38 describes their real god, the god of forces, munitions, military might. That, basically, describes the Roman Empire, they worshipped the god of war and munitions, and Rome became the greatest war machine in history up until its fall in 476AD. In a letter written to Arsaces XII, king of Persia (c. 69 B.C.), Mithridates, a king in the Asia Minor area wrote: "The Romans have from of old known but one ground for waging war with all nations and kings-inveterate lust of empire and wealth.Do you not realize that they leave nothing that they do not lay their hands on-homes, wives, land, power? That they are a gang of men with no fatherland or ancestry of their own, swept together of old to be a plague to the whole world? No law, human or divine, can stand in their way; they uproot and drag off their 'friends' and 'allies', whether they live near at hand or far away, whether they are weak or strong; they treat as their enemies all men, and especially all kingdoms that refuse to serve them as slaves." (New Testament History, F.F. Bruce, p. 10). Bruce goes on to describe the Romans further, quoting from a Qumran commentary on Habakkuk, composed shortly before the Roman occupation of Judaea in 63 B.C. The interpretation of 'Ktti'im' or 'Kittim', he says, "it is not difficult (as in Daniel 11:30) to recognize the Romans: 'Their fear and terror are on all the nations, and in the council all their device is to do evil, and with trickery and deceit they proceed with all peoples.They trample the earth with their horses and their beasts: from afar they come, from the coastlands of the sea, to devour all peoples like an eagle, and there is no sating them. With wrath and anger and fury of face and impetuousness of countenance they speak with all peoples.They scorn great ones, they despise mighty men, of kings and princes they make sport, and they mock at a great people.[here this description gets real interesting in light of Daniel's prophecy] They sacrifice to their ensigns, and their weapons of war are their objects of worship.They apportion their yoke as their tribute, the source of their sustenance, on all peoples, to lay waste many lands year by year.They destroy many with the sword-youths, men in their prime, and old men; women and little children, and on the fruit of the womb they have no compassion." Bruce goes on to say "Yet in the eyes of the Qumran commentator the Kittim were to be the executors of divine judgement against the Hasmoaeans, who usurped the high-priesthood that belonged properly to the sons of Zadok-although he was tempted to think that the cure might prove worse than the disease.'" (New Testament History, F.F. Bruce, p. 11.) So the Jews recognized that the "Kittim" in Daniel 11:30 were none other than the Romans, who were sweeping across the Mediterranean toward the Middle East and Judea.

Verse 40, "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him [the king of the north]: 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." The king of the south used to be the king of Egypt, but as of 31 B.C. Egypt became a province of the Roman Empire, swallowed up by the king of the north. In the reign of Ptolemy III (Euergetes) in B.C. 247-222, Egypt annexed part of Ethiopia, immediately south of Egypt. Since that time Egypt and Ethiopia were two or three times under the same government. Thus, the two were as one land. And the only portion of that land of the "king of the south" that remained independent until today is Ethiopia (since B.C. 168 to Heile Selassie's death). At the time of the end--our time--this "king of the south" was to push at the "king of the north", now at Rome! In 1896 King Menelik, of Ethiopia, sent an army of 9,000 to 10,000 men against General Baratieri's Italian army. In 1896 Barateiri tried to defend Eritrea (just north of Ethiopia) against the Ethiopians with 13,000 men. He lost 4,600 whites and 3,000 natives. 3,500 were taken prisoner. Italians since then thirsted for revenge. In 1927 Mussilini set the time. In 1935 Mussilini attacked. [Also, very interestingly, Bonito Mussilini was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in a secret Vatican Concordat in 1935, the very same year his forces attacked Ethiopia! So Mussilini, in a very real sense, was "the king of the north"--and he was allied with Germany and Adolf Hitler. Adolf Hitler loved Roman regalia as evidenced by all the Nazi banners and regalia which were direct copies taken from the Roman Empire. The Hitler Salute was a direct copy of the salute given to Roman Caesars. "Heil Hitler" meant Hail Hitler in German. Hail Caesar was the verbal statement made while extending the arm strait out and a little upward, and was the hand salute given Caesar. So the Holy Roman Empires that followed the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476 AD all became the "king of the north", one after the other.] Read Verse 40. A whirlwind comes in the air sweeping all before it. Mussilini did send a great air force into Africa. Also many modern "chariots", trucks and tanks, along with many ships loaded with soldiers, into Africa. And, notice it, Mussolini's forces were to pass over--in the air. It is at this precise point in time in this prophecy that Mussolini's struggle in Ethiopia and World War II ended. Mussilini never finished the prophecy. Therefore, there is yet another leader to arise in Europe. It says "at the time of the end". Let's clarify that a little, in context with modern history. The beginning of a time of "kingdom waging war against kingdom" began with Napoleon and got into full swing with World War I, and by the end of World War II nuclear weapons existed. From that point onward mankind could erase all life from the planet via nuclear war (since the 1950's). This would define "time of the end" as nothing else could. Also "kingdom waging war with kingdom", a condition prophecied in Matthew 24 as being at the time of the end, places the time of the end at a period in our history when World Wars would be fought. Ethiopia attacking the Italians was what you might consider at the doorstep of the time of the end, and Mussilini coming against Ethiopia would be further into this period of time we live in called "the time of the end". Time is relative. While you may look at the time stretching from World War I to the present as a long time, in God's eyes, it's quite short. One theologian marked the beginning of the time of the end as starting when we dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan. He wasn't far off. The next verses take us into the future, much closer to the end of man's evil rule over earth. Now we're going beyond WWII and Bonito Mussilini, onward sometime into the future, a future which hasn't occurred yet, but will. Whoever this "king of the north" is, he will come out of Europe, and be the leader over a united Europe, mimicking the previous Holy Roman Empires (Hitler/Mussilini, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles the Great, Otto the Great, Charlemagne, and Justinian). It's just history repeating itself, as it always does.

Verses 41-45, "He [the king of the north] 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 [modern day Jordan and the Jordanians escape or are left alone in this Blitzkrieg war which will sweep across the Middle East]. 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. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him [east and north of Jerusalem--and even Europe where this dictator comes from, is Russia and the C.I.S. countries allied with Russia]: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many [this battle corresponds to the second "woe" in Revelation 9:1-12, where the forces of the Beast empire attack the forces of the east. This attack ultimately brings on a counter-attack, described in the 2^nd woe of Revelation 9:13-21]. 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." Verse 42 says that Egypt shall not escape, proving Egypt is not now the "king of the south." Verse 43 says the Libyans and Ethiopians (observe that after its conquest by Mussilini, Ethiopia is not again referred to as "the king of the south") shall be at his steps--and he will then control them. Italy lost control of Libya and Ethiopia after the war (World War II). Verse 44-"but news out of the east and out of the north"--Russia and the C.I.S. countries--shall trouble the revived Roman empire. Russia will enter the war that this revived Roman empire just initiated by conquering the Middle East [and probably the United States and Britain as well] in a blitzkrieg war. Russia, as part of the Soviet Union always desired to have the Middle East, much of Soviet intrigue was about gaining control and influence in the Middle East. But what would inspire a united Europe to want to conquer Jerusalem and all the surrounding Arab countries? The Book of Daniel also shows that the evening and morning sacrifices in the temple will be set up again in the end times, and that this Roman empire will come in and stop them from being carried out (from this point onward, the tribulation is 3.5 years long). Setting up of such a temple with sacrifices would inflame the Arab world against the Israeli nation beyond anything we've witnessed to date. Israel with nuclear capabilities and an inflamed and united Arab threat on Israel would force the hand of a united European military force. It is thought this dictator of Europe will come into Jerusalem with flatteries, just as Antiochus Epiphanes IV did, and then the blitzkrieg engulfs the Middle East. Verse 45 shows this coming Roman empire shall establish its palace, as a capital of the revived Roman empire, and eventually its religious headquarters at Jerusalem (to foil Russian designs on the Middle East and its oil). The whole big picture of these battles is outlined in Revelation chapters 9, 15-16, and 19, as well as Zechariah 14.

In verse 45 of Daniel 11 it says "yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." This language signifies the end of the Beast personage and the "false prophet" at the hand of God. You will find that described in Revelation 19:19-20 and Zechariah 14:12. And now what other glorious event is prophecied at this time of the end, at the close of this marvelous prophecy? The next verse is Daniel 12:1, and says it's the time of the resurrection of the just--which is the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ! This resurrection is described in 1 Corinthians 15:49-54, as well as Daniel 12:1-3. This is the end of Daniel 11, the Middle East in Prophecy. The literalness of the fulfillment of 9/10ths of this prophecy show that Bible prophecy is to be literally interpreted and not have their meanings allegorized away in any kind of amillennial interpretations which originally came from a Greek mystic who became a Christian in the 200's AD, this mystic being Origen.

Daniel 8:23-25 describes this next king to arise at the time of the end, and is a cross reference to Daniel 11:36-41. Daniel 8:23-25, "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up [verse 25 puts this in time context]. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty people and the holy people [Heb. People of the holy ones. Could mean the Jews, or if British Israelism is correct, could mean the United States and British, have to wait and see]. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [prosperity] shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes [direct reference to Jesus Christ, so this time setting is book of Revelation tribulation, 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ]; but he shall be broken without hand [cf. Revelation 19:20]."

This prophecy in the book of Daniel is not understood by many Christians, and many Jews also, as well as many Bible scholars admit they don't understand it. That may sound strange, the Jews not understanding one of their favorite prophets, but it's true. Why? Well most of the Jewish commentaries and the Midrash were written over hundred of years ago, and Daniel 12:9-10 states, "For the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried, but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand." That means the wise living today, not in the 1800's, not in the 1600's, not at the time of Jesus and the apostles. These prophecies written in Daniel (the whole book) are for our age, not for Daniel's day. This prophecy was not meant to be understood until the time of the end. We've been living in the time of the end since the 1950's, when either one of two major superpowers could annihilate all life from off this planet many times over in the space of half an hour. While the Jews have understood some of the prophecies in Daniel that pertain to some of the empires that have arisen in their time (Alexander the Great, The Persian Empire, etc.), they don't understand the meanings of these prophecies when they get into the time of the end that we live in right now, just as others don't. Why? Because they try to use the interpretations given to them by earlier Torah and Tenach scholars, and this fowls up their understanding.

It is the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king of Babylon (sometime just before 539 BCE). Daniel receives a vision while at Shushan in the Palace, in the province of Elam (Daniel 8:1-2). This is the vision he saw, verses 3-4, "Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns; and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward, so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand, but he did according to his will, and became great." The explanation for all these symbols are given later on in the prophecy. The explanation for these two horns is found in verse 20, "The ram that thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia." So this ram symbolized the Medo-Persian Empire which destroyed Babylon in 539 B.C. and ruled until 331 B.C.

Notice what comes next, verse 5, "And as I was considering, behold, a he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes." Again the explanation for this symbolic goat is found later on, in verse 21, "And the rough goat is the king [kingdom] of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king." That would be Alexander the Great. These symbols were revealed to Daniel so that we might understand the time setting of this end-time prophecy. The ram--the Medo-Persian Empire--existed on the world scene until 331 B.C. until Alexander the Great (verses 6-7) came along and conquered the Persian Empire in two major battles. By 331 B.C. Persia had fallen and Alexander's empire was ruling over the entire Mediterranean, all the way to the eastern border of India. (Remember, Daniel did not live into the time of Alexander, just in case any of you may desire to see proof of the veracity of God's Word. Daniel didn't even live into the later time of the Persian Empire, just the beginning of it.)

Daniel 8:8, "The he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven." Remember that the great horn in the goat's head symbolized Alexander the Great, the first king of the Greco-Macedonian Empire. This horn was suddenly broken, verse 8, and that happened just as prophecied to Daniel in this vision. Alexander died suddenly of a fever in Babylon while trying to clear out a swampy area. He was thirty-three years of age when he died. Let's continue with the explanation, found in verse 22, "whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the kingdom, but not in his power." [We just read about these four kingdoms in Daniel 11, the article this study is linked to.] But let's now consider the time setting of this prophecy. It started with the Medo-Persian Empire and this empire lasted until 331 B.C. Then the Greco-Macedonian Empire conquered this Persian Empire in 331 B.C., with it's first king being Alexander the Great. In 323 B.C. Alexander died at the age of 33. Alexander's empire was divided amongst his four major generals, into four parts (verse 22), and none of these parts was as strong or powerful militarily as the whole kingdom had been under Alexander the Great. This brings us to 323 B.C. The rest of this prophecy cannot possibly begin before this date.

Embedded in the beginning of this prophecy is a description of an end-time empire and its leader who will attempt to conquer the world. Let's look at this leader with his empire. Verse 9, "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." Now let's try to understand this. Here's a "little horn" coming out of one of the four divisions of Alexander's empire. This little horn cannot have arisen before the division of Alexander's Empire. "Out of one of them [one of the divisions of Alexander's empire] came forth a little horn." Verse 23 tells us the time setting of this little horn, "and in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full." But who does this little horn symbolize? Let's look for a Bible explanation. The little horn symbolizes a king who shall arise "in the latter time of their kingdom (verse 23). Let's read verses 23-25. Verses 23-25, "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [margin: "people of the holy ones"]. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [margin: "prosperity"] shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." So who does this "little horn" symbolize? "A king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty.and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [the margin says "prosperity"] shall destroy many; HE SHALL ALSO STAND UP AGAINST THE PRINCE OF PRINCES; but he shall be broken without hand" (verses 23-25). There is the answer! Look at this prophecy again. The little horn symbolizes a king who shall arise "in the latter time of their kingdom" (verse 23). This man stands up against the Prince of princes--that is Jesus Christ at his 2^nd coming (or for Jews, the Messiah at his coming to save and restore Israel)! Here is a great Gentile world ruler who stands up against Jesus Christ and is supernaturally destroyed--"without hand"--not by human hand but by divine intervention (cf. Zechariah 14:1-15). The Bible interprets this "little horn" as a ruler who shall exist at the 2^nd coming of Christ. He comes on the scene when world transgression--world sin--has reached its climax (verse 23). This "little horn" is described again in Revelation 17:14. There we read that he makes war with the Lamb and the Lamb shall overcome him and his allies. This "little horn" is the same as the final "beast" personage of Revelation.

Now we have seen the time setting for the "little horn", it's leading up to and includes the time period when the 2^nd coming of Jesus Christ takes place. That time is sometime in the future. But since we're living in a time when mankind could annihilate all life from off the planet, it has to be getting close to that time. So let's see what has to occur before this "little horn" steps onto the scene in what will be a blitzkrieg war that will sweep the Middle East and the world. We should pay really close attention to this prophecy, because it will disclose an event that must occur within the Israeli nation before this "little horn" will step onto the world scene. As we have seen, this part of the prophecy in Daniel from verse 23 is for the end time. We find this "little horn" and what he does is described in verses 9-14, and the explanation for the vision given in verses 9-14 is given in verses 23-25. We know that it is for the end time just before and leading up to Jesus Christ's 2^nd coming. So let's read verses 9-14 now in light of that understanding. Verses 9-14, "And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. And 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. And then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days [Hebrew: "evening-morning" or evenings and mornings.]; and then shall the sanctuary be cleansed [margin: "justified"]."

So let's consider and think about what major event must occur first, before this man commanding such military might and religious power Blitzkrieg's across the Middle East and the world. We know that the temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D., and we know that no sacrifices have occurred since then, up until now. So this event isn't talking about any temple of the past, say in Antiochus Ephiphanes IV's time, the time of Herod or any time since 70 A.D. This temple sanctuary being talked about in Daniel 8:9-14 and the evening-morning sacrifices that go with it is something that is yet to be set up, some time in the very near future. We all know that certain groups in the nation of Israel are trying to set up a temple and start the evening and morning sacrifices--the temple utensils have already been made, they've bred the red heifer, they've identified Levites within the Jewish race, and they've attempted several times to lay the cornerstone to the new temple they want to create. With a knowledge of the Arab people in the Middle East and the Palestinians living in and around Israel, what do you think their reaction would be to the Israeli's setting up a temple and starting sacrifices? If you say, the Arab nations would be united as one against Israel, give yourself an A+ and move to the head of the class. Israel, facing such a united Arab threat on her borders would more than likely arm her nukes in self-defense. To avoid a nuclear holocaust in the Middle East (the radioactive clouds of which could blow into Europe), this "little horn" will step onto the world scene. This is only pure common sense to anyone who has been reading and keeping up with current events. The temporary stabilization in the Middle East bought by the heroic actions of the U.S. military in Iraq will evaporate when the Israeli's build that temple and start sacrifices (and it doesn't have to be a temple building, it could be a Mosaic tabernacle, fitting the exact specifications given in Exodus for the tabernacle). Also the Jews have not been legally able to levy tithes of all the Orthodox Jews around the world in a unified manner, due to the fact that the Levites under a Levitical priesthood were the only ones who could legally levy tithes of the Jews. Since 70A.D. that priesthood has not existed. When a temple structure is set up, with a Levitical priesthood, tithes will flow from Jews around the world into Jerusalem--amounting to massive amounts of money steadily flowing into Jerusalem and this temple treasury. Money buys political influence, and in this case, the Israeli political scene will shift toward the Ultra-Orthodox right. Such a shift would inflame the Arab world and unite the Arab nations as one against Israel. At the point where nuclear holocaust would be days, even hours away, this "little horn" will step on the scene (Matthew 24 talks of this as well--when you see armies surrounding Jerusalem). Now lets' look at what this "little horn" does.

"And it [the little horn] waxed great, even to the host of heaven, and it cast down some of the host of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host [this could be referring to the new high priest who will be in this newly set up temple in Jerusalem] AND BY HIM THE DAILY SACRIFICE WAS TAKEN AWAY, AND THE PLACE OF HIS SANCTUARY WAS CAST DOWN. And the host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression"--the margin reads "the host was given over for the transgression against the daily sacrifice"--"and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practiced and prospered" (Daniel 8:10-12). Notice the Bible explanation in verse 24: "And his power shall be mighty." That's the explanation of the first part of verse 10: "It waxed great." To continue: "But not by his own power." This king will not accomplish his great deeds by his own strength. Revelation 17:17 reveals why. Ten lesser kings give their military power and strength "unto the beast." [Log onto http://www.UNITYINCHRIST.COM/prophecies/2ndcoming_4.htm for a better look at this "beast" person and this end-time empire and where these ten kings come from, what part of the world.] This little horn "shall destroy wonderfully"-shall have marvelous, frightening military powers" and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people" (verse 24). That could be referring to Israel, but it may also be referring to the United States of America. We have been a "holy people". If I have learned anything, it is this. In the war we just recently fought to free the Iraqi people, over a million born-again Christians in America--many on the Presidential Prayer Team--were praying for a favorable outcome of the war, and for a minimal loss of innocent Iraqi people and coalition lives. Many of the U.S. soldiers were praying before going into battle, before they crossed over into Iraqi territory. We were a holy Christian people bringing peace into a troubled land, temporary peace. We have never fought in other countries in order to take over their land and keep it for ourselves. Yes, we've made mistakes in policy. So this "holy people" could be us, Americans, and our British cousins. Don't be surprised to find out that it may be so. To continue, here is a persecuting power which destroys God's people--the children of Israel, and yes, maybe us as well--[we'd never let a united Europe step in and conquer the nation of Israel and the whole Middle East, they'd have to dispatch us as well, or else we'd dispatch them]. And this persecuting power persecutes the true church as well (Daniel 8:10, 24). Verse 25 continues to explain verse 11, and so on.

Some have tried to explain this prophecy before God's time to reveal it, and as a result all kinds of various non-Biblical interpretations have been dreamed up and promoted. Some have said that the 2300 days represented 2300 years--the day for a year prophetic principle--while others, agreeing with this "day for a year" principle have said this was 2300 "years" started being timed in 457 B.C. and ended in 1844, but history coupled to this very prophecy disprove that one as well, since Jesus never returned in 1844 (how absurd, but many believed it). (So some denominations have to wipe the egg off their faces. We all make mistakes, wipe it off and keep going spiritually.) Some have said that God's throne is to be trampled down for 2300 years--which is doubly absurd. We see in Revelation 12 that each time Satan tries to go up to God's throne to throw God off, he's cast down, immediately. No contest there. Heavenly warfare there, yes, but no contest as to who wins.

But notice further, the little horn takes away the daily sacrifice. The sanctuary on earth was not trodden underfoot--was not cast down--in the days of Christ and the apostles either, when Herod's temple was still standing. So this prophecy is definitely for the future, our future.

Notice in Daniel 8:26: "And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true." The vision of "2300 days" is actually called in the Scripture "THE VISION OF THE EVENING AND THE MORNING." Why? Turn in your Bibles to verse 14 of chapter 8. In most Bibles you will find a marginal note for the word "days." This note reveals that the original Hebrew of the word "days" is "evening morning." This prophecy is not referring to 24-hour days but to evenings and mornings--the evening and morning sacrifice! Notice in verse 11 that the little horn takes away the daily sacrifice. The daily sacrifice was offered in the evening and the morning. See Leviticus 6:9,12. So verse 14 is a mistranslation in the text of the King James Version, though it is correct in the margin. The Revised Standard Version more correctly reads, "for two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings." In other words, some time in "our" near future, here is a prophecy that two thousand three hundred evening and morning sacrifices would cease to be offered--in a temple or Mosaic tabernacle that is yet to be constructed. Since the daily sacrifice was offered twice a day, this prophecy is actually speaking of one thousand one hundred fifty (1150) days. In 1150 days there would be exactly two thousand three hundred sacrifices offered at evening and morning. At the end of this 1150-day period the sanctuary is to be "cleansed" or "justified." This prophecy is yet to be fulfilled. This amazing prophecy is about to be fulfilled in our day. A great crisis is yet to occur in Palestine. After 19 centuries a part of the tribe of Judah, the Jews, has come back to Palestine. In the Israeli war of independence in 1948 they gained possession of the new part of Jerusalem. In another Arab-Israeli war in 1967 they gained the whole of Jerusalem, but there is a huge Israeli-Palestinian problem which persists to this day, trying to divide Israel and Jerusalem. The whole of the land of Palestine is divided and an armed camp. And although a period of relative peace may come over the whole of the Middle East as a direct result of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's evil reign of terror in Iraq, making Iraq a peaceful Arab nation and somewhat balancing out the Middle East, politically neutralizing hostile opposing forces, this can change overnight with the building of a temple or tabernacle in Jerusalem and with the starting of the evening and morning sacrifices.

In the near future we shall literally see the next great prophesied event in Israel--"the daily sacrifice" and "the sanctuary" restored before our very eyes. Then sometime shortly afterward will come World War III and the occupation of Israel and Jerusalem. A great European Church-State union will be in control of Israel and the whole of the Middle East, and the whole western world, for that matter. It will prohibit the printing and preaching of the Truth of God. It will "cast down the truth to the ground." It will practice and prosper. It will persecute and martyr God's Holy people (cf. Revelation 6:9-11). It will be allowed to tread Jerusalem underfoot and to prohibit the daily sacrifice at the then rebuilt sanctuary for 1150 days. It will substitute its own abominable, idolatrous rites in place of the evening and morning sacrifice. Jesus referred to this same event in Matthew 24:15. "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place, (whoso readeth, let him understand;) then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains.for then shall be great tribulation." climaxing in the second coming of Jesus Christ (verses 15-21). God will suddenly intervene in human affairs. He will put an end to this wicked idolatrous system. "The sanctuary shall be cleansed."

In Revelation 11 it says that the Gentiles will trod down Jerusalem for 1260 days. It will be the time of the two witnesses who will prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem for 1260 days, then be killed, and--just immediately before the return of Jesus Christ--be raised from the dead in the sight of the people! The difference in timing between the 1150 days and the 1260 could--and this is pure speculation at this point--be the difference between when Europe and this leader come into Israel and Jerusalem brokering a "peace treaty" between the Arab nations and Israel--and then once their forces are in place in Israel and mobilized near the Middle East, 110 days later, they invade with a blitzkrieg strike throughout the Middle East. That's almost four months time, just about the time it took the United States to stage the two invasions it mounted against Iraq, in 1991 and 2003.

We are very near the fulfillment of these amazing prophecies. It is high time we woke up spiritually, drawing nigh to Jesus in heartfelt Christian growth and repentance. Right after Jesus spoke the prophecy of Matthew 24, which details some of these same events, he gave his disciples the answer to that question in Matthew 25:1-46--grow and do the work of God. This site is chock full of nourishing sermon transcripts and topical studies on prayer to help one accomplish that. It is also time to utilize this period of relative world peace, to promote the gospel of salvation worldwide, by supporting international evangelistic organizations (see http://www.UNITYINCHRIST.COM/missionstatement.htm ), the one major job Jesus commanded all Christians to do before his ascent to heaven (cf. Acts 1:6-9). Jesus prophecied that we'd accomplish that job before this prophecied World War III started (Matthew 24:14-15). But it's high time we all started to contribute toward the accomplishment of that job Jesus commanded us to do. What good are money and possessions when stacked against the coming events? What kind of saints are we, what kind of Brides Maids are we, which Jesus described in Matthew 25:1-46? Most people do not realize that brief alliance between Hitler and Mussilini was a very short resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire. Mussilini was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 1935 in a secret Vatican Concordat. That empire was a foretaste of the coming United European superstate that will come on the scene when this temple is built. We have only to look at WWII history to see how evil that empire was. It's time to take heed and wake up and do the works Jesus asked us to do. When that temple is built, it will be almost too late to do anything, the time in the hourglass will have run out.