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 the establishment of the little horn from the taking away of the ‘daily’ to the setting up of the abomination of desolation.
- In the midst of time the prince of the covenant also affirms the time of the vision and the length of time which is not literal days but a day representing a year.
- The destruction and cleansing of the temple is important to our understanding
- 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. Therefore to really have the Holy Spirit guiding us we must obey the commandments and be committed to a balance gospel that recognizes grace, faith and that faith being a faith that works by love and purifies the soul.
- Day of judgement- blessed is he who comes to that day and the opening of the book of Daniel for the wise shall understand
- 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
- Beware of double application of prophecies that leave the reader in confusion having not thoroughly established the ‘first application.’
- This is like a train a
- 1. how the daily desolation was formed that is Rome. 2. How the abomination of desolation was set up and 3. the events surrounding the day of judgement and probation’s close in the latter day. Which stops? This is indicated by the time line.
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 as such here in Daniel 11 and the preceding chapters) and works with flatteries, that desires not women fits well the work of the Papacy. Did we not say they he shall change times and laws, magnifying himself above God. Yes the power of atheism from the bottomless pit also magnified himself but I would suggest this is not introduced in Daniel but in Revelation 11 and is identified with its own time period.
When it comes as we are to Daniel 11 there are many ideas and thoughts but are they consistent with time lines and the flow of thought in the book of Daniel? 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}