7 -21
This is the last of the five major prophecy passages in the book of Daniel and is the longest prophecy in the Bible. It is a single prophecy running from Daniel 10:14 to the end of chapter 12 but with Daniel’s vision recorded between 11:2 and 12:4. After the vision Daniel has some questions about it which are answered in 12:5-13. As with the passage concerning the “seventy sevens” this prophecy was written in Hebrew and so is particularly relevant to God’s people rather than to the secular powers. Although the book of Daniel was written at some time before 539 B.C. the fulfilment of these five major prophecies mainly concerns what is future from our time. So, after setting the time of his receiving the vision as in the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel is then told how the dynasty proceeds. Nevertheless, there is great disagreement among interpreters as to how the passage from Daniel 11:21 should be understood with some interpreting the “despised person” of verse 21 as:
Antiochus IV Epiphanes right through to verse 45 and so leaving no mention of a future Antichrist.
Tiberius Caesar up to verse 24 and then propose that the “king of the North” changes to many different individuals and empires through history up to the future end-times.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes through to verse 30 and then verses 31-45 as a reference to the Antichrist.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes as a near fulfilment and Antichrist as a far fulfilment from verse 21 through verse 45.
The Antichrist only from verse 21 through verse 45.
As with the empires and events of Daniel 8:1-8 the ancient events here can be no more than a partial fulfilment in this near/far scenario so that the various kings of verses 1-20 are only types of the future kings and events and that again Antiochus IV Epiphanes can be no more than a type of the Antichrist.
Daniel 11:2-4 state that: “three more kings will arise for Persia… Then a fourth…will arouse the whole empire against Greece” This is proposed as referring to three kings in ancient Persia with a fourth Persian king mobilized against ancient Greece and who was defeated by Alexander the Great. This scenario includes the statement that Alexander’s “kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky” (vs.4) and applied to the split kingdom as being under his four generals.
Although, in history, there are seven more individuals who rule Medo-Persia after Darius the Mede, only four of them are relevant to events concerning Israel and are within the period of the “seventy sevens,” so they are not the kings of the historical sequence in Persia’s history. Daniel 11:2 informs us that, “three more kings will arise for Persia…Then a fourth…will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.” Sir Robert Anderson understands these monarchs to have been:
Darius II Nothus (Neh. 12:2) 423-404. B.C.E
Artaxerxes II Mnemon 404-359.
Artaxerxes III Ochus 359-338
Darius III Codomannus 336-331.
Verses 3 and 4 then state that: “a powerful king will arise...his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky…the authority he exercised will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.” This mighty king was Alexander the Great who came to power in Greece in 336 B.C. and began his invasion of Persia in 334, but later died in 323 after which his kingdom was split into many parts until four families became dominant and so producing four leading generals. These were:
Cassander who controlled Macedonia/Greece
Lysimachus who controlled Asia Minor/Thrace
Seleucus 1 Nicator who controlled Asian Turkey/Syria/Mesopotamia
Ptolemy Lagus who controlled Egypt/Palestine
In time two areas of the kingdom became dominant so that there was a dynasty of Seleucid kings ruling over the area of Asian Turkey, Syria, and Iraq; and a dynasty of Ptolemaic kings ruling over Egypt and Palestine. This has led many interpreters to propose that these dynasties were the complete fulfilment of Daniel 11:5-21.
NEW INFORMATION IN DANIEL 11
Some 23 details in the Daniel 11 vision concerning “the King of the North” and Antichrist have similarities with the ram/goat vision of Daniel 8. However, there is notable information that is completely new in Daniel 11 and which concerns the several wars between the “King of the North” and “the King of the South” as well as the various arranged marriages between them. All of this is described in Daniel 11:5-20 and are not mentioned in Daniel 8 or any earlier prophecy in Daniel. Certainly, these battles resemble the historic battles and issues between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires, but only up to a point. So, the history does not entirely fulfil the prophecies.
Although the passage from 11:5 to 11:35 or 11:45 is often interpreted as concerning the history of the Seleucid Greek Empire including Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the significant persecutor of the Jews, this cannot be limited to this history because, unlike Daniel’s description of “the King of the North,” Antiochus did not exalt himself above every god or “reject the god of his fathers,” or worship “a god unknown to his fathers.” He worshipped the Greek pantheon of gods including Zeus to whom he made an offering in the Jerusalem temple. Furthermore, Antiochus came to his end at Tabae in Persia, rather than in Palestine the appointed place for “the King of the North” to come to his end. So evidently Antiochus IV was not the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 36 to the end. Further-more, verses 36-45 better fit the concept of the future Antichrist as noted by many commentators. Indeed, in the Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary they state:
The prophecy does not at all correspond to this (historic) representation. The angel of the Lord will reveal to Daniel, not what shall happen in the third year of Cyrus to the time of Antiochus, and further to the resurrection of the dead, but according to the express declaration of Daniel 10: 14, what shall happen to his people in the Messianic future, because the prophecy relates to this time.
A few interpreters have proposed that Tiberius, who was Caesar from A.D. 14 to A.D. 26, is the “despised person” of verse 21-24. However, it was not the case with Tiberius that, “royal honors will not be given to him” nor that “he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue” as is the case for the “despised person” of verse 21. Furthermore, the idea that the Roman Praetorian Guard was the “small nation” (verse 23) is stretching language too far. The Praetorian Guard was no more than a “small army”—it was certainly not a nation. There is no great leap forward of about 250 years in verse 25 and no change to a different person i.e., Emperor Aurelian (In the 270s A.D. he captured Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra). As we shall see in a moment if Tiberius was the “despised person” he would have to exist right down to the end-times because Daniel 11 concerns a single person from verse 21 to the end. So evidently Tiberius Caesar was not the subject of Daniel’s prophecy in verses 21-24.
These interpreters often break down the details of Daniel 11 into many “Kings of the North” and “Kings of the South” (see Appendix F) in their attempt to force history into the Daniel text. However, a close examination of the text reveals a very different picture as follows:
THERE ARE ONLY THREE KINGS OF THE NORTH IN TOTAL
In following the antecedents of ‘he’, ‘him’, and ‘his’ in the vision it is evident that the passage does not speak of six or more kings of the North as in the Historicist/Preterist interpretation. The first “king of the North” is from verses 6-19; the second is in verse 20. So evidently the Seleucid dynasty was not specifically the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 5 to verse 20. Note that the third and last [the Antichrist] is spoken of in verses 21 to 45.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO KINGS OF THE SOUTH INVOLVED
Again, in following these antecedents in the vision it is evident that Daniel 11:5-20 does not speak of five or more kings of the South but only of two—the first “king of the South” is detailed in verses 5 and 6; the second is from verse 7 to the end of chapter 11. So evidently the Ptolemaic dynasty was not specifically the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 5 to the end.
ONLY ONE “KING OF THE NORTH” FROM VERSE 21 TO THE END
Again, in following the antecedents of ‘he’, ‘him’, and ‘his’ in the vision of the “despised person,” noted in verse 21, we find that it concerns the same person—the Antichrist—right through to verse 45 where he is shown to come to his end. Therefore, there is no break at either verse 31 or verse 36 as if introducing a new person as proposed by some interpreters. Indeed, “the King of the North” is the Antichrist as mentioned in the Apostle John’s description and he is “the man of lawlessness” in Paul’s description in 2 Thessalonians 2 as shown in later chapters of this book.
The earlier mentioned historic events certainly seem to fore- shadow a final future fulfilment of Daniel 11. Also, because many aspects concerning of this Daniel 11 vision concerning “the King of the North” and Antichrist run parallel to the ram/goat vision of Daniel 8 it can be seen that the same future Middle-Eastern nations are involved here, namely, a Turkish confederacy including Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
In Daniel 11:31 Daniel spoke of the “the sacrilegious object that causes desolation” some 600 years before Jesus included it (Matt. 24:15) in his great Olivet prophecy and connecting it with his return (Matt. 24:30). So, Jesus viewed it as coming into existence future from his time. Now Jesus’ comment was some 300 years after Antiochus IV Epiphanes existed and so showing that he was not the prime subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 21 to the end.
FULFILLED IN “THE LATTER DAYS” – “THE TIME OF THE END”
There are a number of statements from chapters 10 and 11 of Daniel that show that the end-times are being described. The angel tells Daniel that his purpose was, “…to give you [Daniel] an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days for the vision pertains to the days yet future” (10:14) and that, “the two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time” (11:27). So, “at the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him” (11:40). So, in this case the term “the latter days” refers to events that will occur just prior to the coming of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the prophecy must be significantly about the end-times.
THE VISION ENCOMPASSES THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of God’s people occurs near to the time when this last King of the North comes to his end because the angel tells Daniel, “Now at that time … Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to shame and eternal contempt” (Dan. 12:1, 2). This means that the last King of the North must exist in the end-times, rather than in the times of the Seleucid Empire.
EARLY CHRISTIAN INTERPRETATION OF DANIEL 11
Almost sixteen hundred years ago Jerome stated that: “Those of our persuasion believe all these things are spoken prophetically of Antichrist who is to arise in the end time.” Also, Chrysostom and Theodoret took the same view. Today the majority of scholars take at least verses 36 to 12:3 as being applicable to the Antichrist. However, it is clear that Antichrist is the “despicable person” in and from verse 21 right to the end of Daniel 11, even though Antiochus IV may have been a type of the Antichrist verses.
The following events in Daniel 11:21 forward appear to occur during the first half of the 70th ‘seven.’ i.e., up to the middle of the ‘seven.’
“In his place a despised person will arise [first appearance of Antichrist]; royal honors will not be given to him [by the ten-king confederacy], but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.” 22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they [three horns—7:8] will be shattered, as well as the covenant prince. 23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation. 24 During a time of peace, he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.
25 “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South [first campaign]. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. 26 Those who eat his provisions will destroy him [The king of the South]; his army will be swept away [in verses 40-42], and many will fall slain. 27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table [outwardly collaborating] but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North [for the first time Antichrist is a king] will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant [of Israel]; he will take action, then return to his own land. 29 “At the appointed time he will come again to the South [second campaign], but this time will not be like the first. 30 Ships of Kittim [Western navies] will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant [apostates].”
Here we see Antichrist’s two military campaigns against “the king of the South.” His further wars involve Israel and finally the kings gathered at Armageddon.
21
The Kings of the North Including
the Final Antichrist
VISION 5 - Daniel 10:14 to 11:40
The Kings of the North Including
the Final Antichrist
VISION 5 - Daniel 10:14 to 11:40
This is the last of the five major prophecy passages in the book of Daniel and is the longest prophecy in the Bible. It is a single prophecy running from Daniel 10:14 to the end of chapter 12 but with Daniel’s vision recorded between 11:2 and 12:4. After the vision Daniel has some questions about it which are answered in 12:5-13. As with the passage concerning the “seventy sevens” this prophecy was written in Hebrew and so is particularly relevant to God’s people rather than to the secular powers. Although the book of Daniel was written at some time before 539 B.C. the fulfilment of these five major prophecies mainly concerns what is future from our time. So, after setting the time of his receiving the vision as in the first year of Darius the Mede, Daniel is then told how the dynasty proceeds. Nevertheless, there is great disagreement among interpreters as to how the passage from Daniel 11:21 should be understood with some interpreting the “despised person” of verse 21 as:
Antiochus IV Epiphanes right through to verse 45 and so leaving no mention of a future Antichrist.
Tiberius Caesar up to verse 24 and then propose that the “king of the North” changes to many different individuals and empires through history up to the future end-times.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes through to verse 30 and then verses 31-45 as a reference to the Antichrist.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes as a near fulfilment and Antichrist as a far fulfilment from verse 21 through verse 45.
The Antichrist only from verse 21 through verse 45.
As with the empires and events of Daniel 8:1-8 the ancient events here can be no more than a partial fulfilment in this near/far scenario so that the various kings of verses 1-20 are only types of the future kings and events and that again Antiochus IV Epiphanes can be no more than a type of the Antichrist.
The Near Fulfilment of the Vision
Daniel 11:2-4 state that: “three more kings will arise for Persia… Then a fourth…will arouse the whole empire against Greece” This is proposed as referring to three kings in ancient Persia with a fourth Persian king mobilized against ancient Greece and who was defeated by Alexander the Great. This scenario includes the statement that Alexander’s “kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky” (vs.4) and applied to the split kingdom as being under his four generals.
Although, in history, there are seven more individuals who rule Medo-Persia after Darius the Mede, only four of them are relevant to events concerning Israel and are within the period of the “seventy sevens,” so they are not the kings of the historical sequence in Persia’s history. Daniel 11:2 informs us that, “three more kings will arise for Persia…Then a fourth…will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.” Sir Robert Anderson understands these monarchs to have been:
Darius II Nothus (Neh. 12:2) 423-404. B.C.E
Artaxerxes II Mnemon 404-359.
Artaxerxes III Ochus 359-338
Darius III Codomannus 336-331.
Verses 3 and 4 then state that: “a powerful king will arise...his kingdom will be broken up and distributed toward the four winds of the sky…the authority he exercised will be uprooted and distributed to others besides these.” This mighty king was Alexander the Great who came to power in Greece in 336 B.C. and began his invasion of Persia in 334, but later died in 323 after which his kingdom was split into many parts until four families became dominant and so producing four leading generals. These were:
Cassander who controlled Macedonia/Greece
Lysimachus who controlled Asia Minor/Thrace
Seleucus 1 Nicator who controlled Asian Turkey/Syria/Mesopotamia
Ptolemy Lagus who controlled Egypt/Palestine
In time two areas of the kingdom became dominant so that there was a dynasty of Seleucid kings ruling over the area of Asian Turkey, Syria, and Iraq; and a dynasty of Ptolemaic kings ruling over Egypt and Palestine. This has led many interpreters to propose that these dynasties were the complete fulfilment of Daniel 11:5-21.
NEW INFORMATION IN DANIEL 11
Some 23 details in the Daniel 11 vision concerning “the King of the North” and Antichrist have similarities with the ram/goat vision of Daniel 8. However, there is notable information that is completely new in Daniel 11 and which concerns the several wars between the “King of the North” and “the King of the South” as well as the various arranged marriages between them. All of this is described in Daniel 11:5-20 and are not mentioned in Daniel 8 or any earlier prophecy in Daniel. Certainly, these battles resemble the historic battles and issues between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires, but only up to a point. So, the history does not entirely fulfil the prophecies.
Problems with the Entirely Ancient View of
the Events of Daniel 11:5-45
the Events of Daniel 11:5-45
Although the passage from 11:5 to 11:35 or 11:45 is often interpreted as concerning the history of the Seleucid Greek Empire including Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the significant persecutor of the Jews, this cannot be limited to this history because, unlike Daniel’s description of “the King of the North,” Antiochus did not exalt himself above every god or “reject the god of his fathers,” or worship “a god unknown to his fathers.” He worshipped the Greek pantheon of gods including Zeus to whom he made an offering in the Jerusalem temple. Furthermore, Antiochus came to his end at Tabae in Persia, rather than in Palestine the appointed place for “the King of the North” to come to his end. So evidently Antiochus IV was not the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 36 to the end. Further-more, verses 36-45 better fit the concept of the future Antichrist as noted by many commentators. Indeed, in the Keil and Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary they state:
The prophecy does not at all correspond to this (historic) representation. The angel of the Lord will reveal to Daniel, not what shall happen in the third year of Cyrus to the time of Antiochus, and further to the resurrection of the dead, but according to the express declaration of Daniel 10: 14, what shall happen to his people in the Messianic future, because the prophecy relates to this time.
Reasons Why Tiberius Caesar Is Not in View
in Daniel 11:5-45
in Daniel 11:5-45
A few interpreters have proposed that Tiberius, who was Caesar from A.D. 14 to A.D. 26, is the “despised person” of verse 21-24. However, it was not the case with Tiberius that, “royal honors will not be given to him” nor that “he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue” as is the case for the “despised person” of verse 21. Furthermore, the idea that the Roman Praetorian Guard was the “small nation” (verse 23) is stretching language too far. The Praetorian Guard was no more than a “small army”—it was certainly not a nation. There is no great leap forward of about 250 years in verse 25 and no change to a different person i.e., Emperor Aurelian (In the 270s A.D. he captured Zenobia, the queen of Palmyra). As we shall see in a moment if Tiberius was the “despised person” he would have to exist right down to the end-times because Daniel 11 concerns a single person from verse 21 to the end. So evidently Tiberius Caesar was not the subject of Daniel’s prophecy in verses 21-24.
Misapplications by Historicists and Preterists
These interpreters often break down the details of Daniel 11 into many “Kings of the North” and “Kings of the South” (see Appendix F) in their attempt to force history into the Daniel text. However, a close examination of the text reveals a very different picture as follows:
THERE ARE ONLY THREE KINGS OF THE NORTH IN TOTAL
In following the antecedents of ‘he’, ‘him’, and ‘his’ in the vision it is evident that the passage does not speak of six or more kings of the North as in the Historicist/Preterist interpretation. The first “king of the North” is from verses 6-19; the second is in verse 20. So evidently the Seleucid dynasty was not specifically the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 5 to verse 20. Note that the third and last [the Antichrist] is spoken of in verses 21 to 45.
THERE ARE ONLY TWO KINGS OF THE SOUTH INVOLVED
Again, in following these antecedents in the vision it is evident that Daniel 11:5-20 does not speak of five or more kings of the South but only of two—the first “king of the South” is detailed in verses 5 and 6; the second is from verse 7 to the end of chapter 11. So evidently the Ptolemaic dynasty was not specifically the subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 5 to the end.
ONLY ONE “KING OF THE NORTH” FROM VERSE 21 TO THE END
Again, in following the antecedents of ‘he’, ‘him’, and ‘his’ in the vision of the “despised person,” noted in verse 21, we find that it concerns the same person—the Antichrist—right through to verse 45 where he is shown to come to his end. Therefore, there is no break at either verse 31 or verse 36 as if introducing a new person as proposed by some interpreters. Indeed, “the King of the North” is the Antichrist as mentioned in the Apostle John’s description and he is “the man of lawlessness” in Paul’s description in 2 Thessalonians 2 as shown in later chapters of this book.
The Far Fulfilment of the Vision
The earlier mentioned historic events certainly seem to fore- shadow a final future fulfilment of Daniel 11. Also, because many aspects concerning of this Daniel 11 vision concerning “the King of the North” and Antichrist run parallel to the ram/goat vision of Daniel 8 it can be seen that the same future Middle-Eastern nations are involved here, namely, a Turkish confederacy including Syria, Iraq, and Iran.
In Daniel 11:31 Daniel spoke of the “the sacrilegious object that causes desolation” some 600 years before Jesus included it (Matt. 24:15) in his great Olivet prophecy and connecting it with his return (Matt. 24:30). So, Jesus viewed it as coming into existence future from his time. Now Jesus’ comment was some 300 years after Antiochus IV Epiphanes existed and so showing that he was not the prime subject of Daniel’s prophecy from verse 21 to the end.
FULFILLED IN “THE LATTER DAYS” – “THE TIME OF THE END”
There are a number of statements from chapters 10 and 11 of Daniel that show that the end-times are being described. The angel tells Daniel that his purpose was, “…to give you [Daniel] an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days for the vision pertains to the days yet future” (10:14) and that, “the two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time” (11:27). So, “at the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm against him” (11:40). So, in this case the term “the latter days” refers to events that will occur just prior to the coming of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, the prophecy must be significantly about the end-times.
THE VISION ENCOMPASSES THE RESURRECTION
The resurrection of God’s people occurs near to the time when this last King of the North comes to his end because the angel tells Daniel, “Now at that time … Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to shame and eternal contempt” (Dan. 12:1, 2). This means that the last King of the North must exist in the end-times, rather than in the times of the Seleucid Empire.
EARLY CHRISTIAN INTERPRETATION OF DANIEL 11
Almost sixteen hundred years ago Jerome stated that: “Those of our persuasion believe all these things are spoken prophetically of Antichrist who is to arise in the end time.” Also, Chrysostom and Theodoret took the same view. Today the majority of scholars take at least verses 36 to 12:3 as being applicable to the Antichrist. However, it is clear that Antichrist is the “despicable person” in and from verse 21 right to the end of Daniel 11, even though Antiochus IV may have been a type of the Antichrist verses.
The Last King of the North Is
the Final Antichrist
the Final Antichrist
The following events in Daniel 11:21 forward appear to occur during the first half of the 70th ‘seven.’ i.e., up to the middle of the ‘seven.’
“In his place a despised person will arise [first appearance of Antichrist]; royal honors will not be given to him [by the ten-king confederacy], but he will come during a time of peace and seize the kingdom by intrigue.” 22 A flood of forces will be swept away before him; they [three horns—7:8] will be shattered, as well as the covenant prince. 23 After an alliance is made with him, he will act deceitfully. He will rise to power with a small nation. 24 During a time of peace, he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and predecessors never did. He will lavish plunder, loot, and wealth on his followers, and he will make plans against fortified cities, but only for a time.
25 “With a large army he will stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South [first campaign]. The king of the South will prepare for battle with an extremely large and powerful army, but he will not succeed, because plots will be made against him. 26 Those who eat his provisions will destroy him [The king of the South]; his army will be swept away [in verses 40-42], and many will fall slain. 27 The two kings, whose hearts are bent on evil, will speak lies at the same table [outwardly collaborating] but to no avail, for still the end will come at the appointed time. 28 The king of the North [for the first time Antichrist is a king] will return to his land with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant [of Israel]; he will take action, then return to his own land. 29 “At the appointed time he will come again to the South [second campaign], but this time will not be like the first. 30 Ships of Kittim [Western navies] will come against him, and being intimidated, he will withdraw. Then he will rage against the holy covenant and take action. On his return, he will favor those who abandon the holy covenant [apostates].”
Here we see Antichrist’s two military campaigns against “the king of the South.” His further wars involve Israel and finally the kings gathered at Armageddon.
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