Prelude to Daniel 11 and 12

  • It is important to use the time periods of chapter 12 to help establish the words of the angel or the explanation given in Chapter 11
  • Our guide post is also the image given at the very first in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream
  • Understand Rome is the abomination of desolation but has two phases, the little horn is established after the taking away of the ‘daily.’ This is also given by several time periods found in Daniel.
  • The prince of the covenant being cut off- Christ, also affirms the length and time of the vision; the length of time therefore is not literal days but a day representing a year.
  • The destruction and cleansing of the temple is important to our understanding and the restoration of truth. ‘The Word’ being Christ makes us clean through His words of truth. The restoration of the truth and cleansing of the sanctuary come together, go hand in hand and have a particular place in history, that is the 2300 years coincided with the unraveling of the prophecies of Daniel- the little book was unsealed, the prophecies meaning were discovered at a time of religious liberty in US.  This occurred at the same period of the Papacy receiving a deadly wound. 
  • Who would constitute God’s people? Well you say that’s easy- we’ll consider this they keep all the commandments of God, the 4th being a distinguishing mark and have love for the brethren. They will make an end of sin and reconciliation for iniquity (Daniel 9). Therefore to really have the Holy Spirit guiding us we must obey the commandments and be committed to a balanced gospel that recognizes grace, faith and that faith being a faith that works by love and purifies the soul. The contrast is made between the little horn otherwise known as the abomination of desolation or the King of the North and God’s people. The little horn thinks to change times and law- that is God’s law and is a persecuting power. God’s people keep God’s law and are distinguished by time and are persecuted for so doing what God has commanded. Following each conflict with the King of the South Rome (there are three periods referred to in Daniel 11) the King of the North overcomes the king of the South, establishing itself and persecution follows.  
  • Day of judgement- blessed is he who comes to that day and the opening of the book of Daniel for the wise shall understand. All candidates for heaven are judged before they can enter heaven. The little horn is judged also because it takes the name of Christ. 
  • Do not study chapters 11 & 12 separately, and consider the interpretation in light of the figures and timeline already given in preceding chapters of Daniel.
  • Daniel is not a full running commentary on history but has pinpointed certain major events that establish truth and error and major events that affect the people of God. 
  • Beware of double application of prophecies (using times and events more than once) that leaves the reader in confusion having not thoroughly established the ‘first application.’
  • This is like a train and the indicator says it only makes certain stops. Here are the main stops given by the indicator:
  • 1. how train in stormthe abomination of desolation was formed that is pagan Rome. 2. How the abomination of desolation becomes church & state power 3. the events surrounding the day of judgement and probation’s close in the latter day.  Where does the train stop? This is indicated by the time lines given in Daniel 8,9,12.

The conclusion of Daniel should be seen in expansion of that which has preceded and in this wise the king of the North being Turkey or Islam as has been suggested by many, does not fit that which shall continue to dominate till Christ comes but the little horn a power that was nothing like that preceded before, (as described in Daniel 11 and the preceding chapters) works with flatteries, desires not women, fits well the work of the Papacy. Daniel says he shall think to change times and laws Daniel 7:25, magnifying himself above God. The power of atheism from the bottomless pit I would suggest is not introduced in Daniel but in  Revelation 11 and is identified with its own time period. 

When we come to Daniel 11 there are many ideas and thoughts but are they consistent with the time lines and the flow of thought in the book of Daniel?  The king of the north being Turkey or Islam has been a popular idea, however Rome is the great subject in the last half of the book of Daniel, as Babylon is the great subject in the first half of the book. {May 29, 1900 ATJ, ARSH 338.9}