| 1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, [even] I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. | This clearly places us in the time period of the Medo-Persian empire.
| 2 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.
| This clearly places us in the time period of the Medo-Persian empire.
| 3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
| This refers to Alexander the Great.
| 4 And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
| Alexander the Great died at age 33. He did not have any hereditary successor. Rather his kingdom was divided to four generals.
| 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.
| This is referring to the Ptolemic Kingdom in Egypt. It was the strongest of the four kingdoms.
| 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.
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| 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:
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| 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.
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| 9 So the king of the south shall come into [his] kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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].
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| 13 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.
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| 14 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.
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| 15 So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither [shall there be any] strength to withstand.
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| 16 But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
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| 20 Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes [in] the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
| Caesar Agustus was the one who raised taxes that caused Joseph to go to Bethlehem.
| 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.
| Tiberius did not have the right to the throne. But he was the logical successor. So the Roman Senate tried to persuade him to head the government. He refused until the offered him more and more power. He eventually agreed and then stripped the Roman Senate of it's power.
| 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.
| The prince of the covenent is referring to Christ.
| 23 And after the league [made] with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.
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| 24 He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.
| The Roman empire expanded by means of treaties. Bordering countries were forced to make a treaty with Rome in which Rome guarenteed protection but at the price of taxes and a loss of soverignty.
| 25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.
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| 26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.
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| 27 And both these kings' hearts [shall be] to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end [shall be] at the time appointed.
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| 28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart [shall be] against the holy covenant; and he shall do [exploits], and return to his own land.
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| 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.
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| 30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.
| The "Ships of Chittim" is a saying that means "Touble's coming".
| 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.
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| 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].
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| 33 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.
| This is referring to the persecution during the Dark Ages.
| 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
| The reformers periodically received help from German kings and the like. In these situations the Catholic priesthood tried to purchase compliance.
| 35 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.
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| 36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
| Clearly a reference to the little horn power of Daniel 7 & 8. This is the Papal claim to be in the place of Christ on Earth.
| 37 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.
| The Father of the Roman Catholic Church was the Pagan Roman Empire. The Catholic Church overtly overthrew paganism.
| 38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
| The Papacy did not have it's own armies and yet it very much used the armies of other countries to do it's bidding. The god that is honored with gold and precious things is Mary who received all manner of worship and adoration.
| 39 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 Papacy divided countries into dioces for the purpose of taxation. These taxes went to the Church. Also, the Papacy determined which countries could colonize where. For example, the Pope divided South America into a Spanish and Portugese portion which now is Brazil (Portugese) and all other parts (Spanish).
| 40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.
| Now we are at the time of the end which is 1798 (the end of the 1260 years allotted to the Papacy). At this time the forces of athiesm (France) captured the Pope, broke the stranglehold that the Papacy had on Europe and nearly eradicated the Papacy. The pushing involves a long process and also included the Russian revolution and World War II in which the Papacy lost Eastern Europe to the Soviet Union. But in 1991 (like a whirlwind) the Papacy, working with Ronald Regan helped bring the Soviet Union to its knees. |
Dani 11:40 And at the time of the end
Time of the End (Dan 11:33-35; 7:25; 8:17) is the end of the 1260 days (Rev 11:3; 12:6,14). As the fall of
Babylon in 539 B.C. prepared the way for the liberation of Israel, so the fall of the papacy, modern
Babylon, in 1798, prepared the way for the rise of God's remnant Church.
push at him:
Atheism's offense since 1798--French revolution, Russian revolution 1917, WWII, Korean war, Cuba,
Vietnam (Cardinal Spellman), Nicaragua. In reality it is an ideological battle for the minds of men. "The
centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the
many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of
unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French
Revolution--all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed
France." Ed 228
and the king of the north
Anciently, Babylon (Jer 25:9,12), later Syria (Dan 11:6-14): Then Rome (Dan 11:15-29) and finally the
Papacy (Dan 11:36-39) -- Analogous to the last powers of Dan 2, 7, 8
shall come against him like
The papacy rapidly recovers and in 1929 the deadly wound is healed (Rev 13:3). In 1989 the Papacy
makes an astounding come back to power, conquering, with the aid of the United States (Rev 13:11),
Eastern Europe.
a whirlwind, with chariots, and with
horsemen, and with many ships;
Typical of ancient Babylon Jer 4:6,13,14; Isa 43:14,17
and he shall enter into the countries, and
shall overflow and pass over .
Taking control as in Isa 8:7,8; Dan 11:10. "Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the
waters of the river, strong and many, [even] the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up
over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go
over, he shall reach [even] to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy
land, O Immanuel." Isa 8:7,8 It is an ideological battle for the minds of men (Isa 28:15-18. GC 581) "
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and
under falsehood have we hid ourselves:" Isai 28:15
shall the king of the south
King of South, anciently Egypt (Dan 11:5,8,9,42,43), is imagery for Atheism (Ex 5:2; GC 269: Rev 11:8)
especially since Dan 11:22, 29.
push at him:
Atheism's offense since 1798--French revolution, Russian revolution 1917, WWII, Korean war, Cuba,
Vietnam (Cardinal Spellman), Nicaragua. In reality it is an ideological battle for the minds of men. "The
centralizing of wealth and power; the vast combinations for the enriching of the few at the expense of the
many; the combinations of the poorer classes for the defense of their interests and claims; the spirit of
unrest, of riot and bloodshed; the world-wide dissemination of the same teachings that led to the French
Revolution--all are tending to involve the whole world in a struggle similar to that which convulsed
France." Ed 228
and the king of the north
Anciently, Babylon (Jer 25:9,12), later Syria (Dan 11:6-14): Then Rome (Dan 11:15-29) and finally the
Papacy (Dan 11:36-39) -- Analogous to the last powers of Dan 2, 7, 8
shall come against him like
The papacy rapidly recovers and in 1929 the deadly wound is healed (Rev 13:3). In 1989 the Papacy
makes an astounding come back to power, conquering, with the aid of the United States (Rev 13:11),
Eastern Europe.
a whirlwind, with chariots, and with
horsemen, and with many ships;
Typical of ancient Babylon Jer 4:6,13,14; Isa 43:14,17
and he shall enter into the countries, and
shall overflow and pass over .
Taking control as in Isa 8:7,8; Dan 11:10. "Now therefore, behold, the Lord bringeth up upon them the
waters of the river, strong and many, [even] the king of Assyria, and all his glory: and he shall come up
over all his channels, and go over all his banks: And he shall pass through Judah; he shall overflow and go
over, he shall reach [even] to the neck; and the stretching out of his wings shall fill the breadth of thy
land, O Immanuel." Isa 8:7,8 It is an ideological battle for the minds of men (Isa 28:15-18. GC 581) "
Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the
overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and
under falsehood have we hid ourselves:" Isai 28:15
and many [countries] shall be overthrown:
RSV "And tens of thousands shall fall" this is the "Shaking Time" for the church. Nem 5:13; Job 38:13;
Heb 12:26-29; 5T 81,136: 2SM 380 EW 50, 270; "Soon everything that can be shaken will be shaken," 9T
15,16 . "None but those who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand through the
last great conflict. To every soul will come the searching test: Shall I obey God rather than men?" GC 593
but these shall escape out of his hand,
[even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of
the children of Ammon.
These were the outcast relatives of Israel who would be gathered into the fold. Isa 11:11-16; Jn 10:16;
8T 41; GC 464 "The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather [others] to
him, beside those that are gathered unto him." Isai 56:8 "In vision I saw two armies in terrible conflict.
One army was led by banners bearing the world's insignia; the other was led by the bloodstained banner of
Prince Immanuel. Standard after standard was left to trail in the dust as company after company from the
Lord's army joined the foe and tribe after tribe from the ranks of the enemy united with the
commandment-keeping people of God. An angel flying in the midst of heaven put the standard of
Immanuel into many hands, while a mighty general cried out with a loud voice: `Come into line. Let those
who are loyal to the commandments of God and the testimony of Christ now take their position. Come out
from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean, and I will receive you, and will be a
Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters. Let all who will come up to the help of the Lord,
to the help of the Lord against the mighty.'" 8T 41
of Egypt: and the Libyans and the
Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps.
This is the gathering of all the earth for the battle of Armageddon Jer 46:9,10; Rev 16:12-16 All the
oppressive powers of earth gather to stamp out the people of God. The Beast, the False Prophet, and the
Dragon.
tidings out of the east
From the east comes the Seal of God. Rev 7:2; Eze 43:2 God's people will be forever out of Satan's reach
when sealed and this troubles him.
and out of the north shall trouble him:
The true King of the North, is in the sides of the north (Isa 14:13, Psm 48:2) on the mount of the
congregation, where He has gathered His commandment keeping people from whom comes the "Loud
Cry" of Rev 18:1-6 "Come out of her, my people," Rev 18:4
therefore he shall go forth with great fury
to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." (Reve 12:12) "And the dragon was wroth with
the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God,
and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." (Reve 12:17"
in the glorious holy mountain;
Mount Zion on the sides of the north Isa 14:13; Psm 48. This is the true Armageddon, Hebrew Har
(Mount) megiddon (Place of crowds) where Satan wanted to be. God's people are sealed and remain safe
here Isa 56:6,7;30:29; Heb 12:22-24
Rev 18
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