Daniel 11: 40-45
Gabriel is still talking with Daniel. He has given him the whole history of the nations who affect Israel, from Daniel's time all the way to the end of Time itself (from 9: 24 to the end of the book).
He has described Antiochus Epiphanes and how he would desecrate the temple, then he went on to describe the antichrist who would fulfill the type Antiochus provided.
Now he will describe the political situation "at the end of time."
(40) "At the end of time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships;
This looks like both the Northern and the Southern coalitions or federations of nations will both come against this antichrist.
and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.
This sounds like how Alexander the Great conquered so much territory in a short time.
(41) "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.
The "Beautiful Land" is Israel, and those who live in present-day Jordan will be spared for some reason.
(42) "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.
(43) "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt;
Egypt will finally be defeated, and this antichrist will even confiscate all the reserves of silver and gold and precious things locked up in their vaults.
and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.
And the Libyans and Sudanese, Egypt's loyal allies, will be convinced to follow at his heels like puppy dogs.
(44) "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many.
His victory will be short-lived as trouble in the Middle East has him in a fury rushing to crush his opponents in Palestine.
(45) "He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain;
There he will camp luxuriously in the vicinity of Megiddo between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean, within easy striking distance of Jerusalem itself, the "Holy Mountain" being Moriah, the Temple Mount.
yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
The end of this antichrist will come with King Jesus arriving on His white horse, to wage the Battle of Armegeddon.
There is one more chapter in the book of Daniel, describing other aspects of the Last Days, the last three and a half years.
O my Father, I can imagine how overwhelmed Daniel must have been, to be given all this detailed history over hundreds of years in the future of his homeland and the nations surrounding it. Even now, when we have the history to look back on, it's not an easy task to put it all together.
And what is still future is still mysterious, as only You know how it all will look when it is worked out. We have so much more in the way of weapons of war than they had then, and all the communications technology, and all the medical and financial and educational advances today that would not even be imaginable back when Daniel lived. And even when John lived.
And should the Lord tarry, who knows what further advances You would allow us to discover, that we would not recognize, either. How can something unknown be described except by referring to what is known? And it would never be the same. Every description is inaccurate in that way.
O Father, I know that the time when our King will return is very soon. When Jesus showed John His Revelation, John had to resort to describing everything he saw as "like" something he knew.
Father, prepare us for what is coming. Grow us up into maturity, that the body of Christ will reach the full stature of the Son of God. Send us out, Father, to all the world, that everyone in all the nations and islands and cities and villages and countrysides will be able to hear how much You love us all, and sent Your own Son to be our Sacrifice to cleanse us and make us fit to live with You.
My Father, strengthen us and teach us how to love one another as You have loved us, that the world will know that Jesus did come, and that He came for them, too.
And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is our Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, the Lord God Almighty, sovereign King over all Creation; to the everlasting glory of Almighty God the Father, for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
