Prophecy 5
& Epilogue – Wars Between
the North & South
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Wars Between
the North & South – Daniel
10:1-12:13
Beginning
Point in Time: 538 B.C.
Ending Point in Time: Second
Coming of Jesus
Summary:
This vision contains two stories. The
first story describes a series of
battles that conclude with the
destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70
and the second story describes a
battle that concludes with the
destruction of the world at the
Second Coming. Two stories are told
in this vision because there are
important parallels between them.
Using
repetition and enlargement, the
second story amplifies the appearing
of the horn described in Daniel 8.
Remember the horn in Daniel
8 appears out of nowhere. We
will discover in Prophecies 8 and 11
that Lucifer will be released from
the Abyss (spirit realm). He will
physically appear and establish a
worldwide kingdom on Earth. To do
this, he must destroy the religions
and governments of the world. Jesus
will permit the devil to do this for
a minimum of two reasons. First,
Jesus wants the universe to witness
the nature of government that any
sinner would establish if given the
opportunity and absolute power to
acomplish it. Second, Jesus enables
the devil to destroy the religions
and governments of Earth so that
religious heritage and patriotism
will not hinder any person from
accepting salvation. In other words,
when Satan is allowed to abolish
patriotism and religious heritage, he
will eliminate the two cherished
refuges of all mankind. Suddenly,
each person will find himself in a
very difficult “no-man’s
land.” Each wicked person will
have to rethink the basis for his
rebellion against the gospel of
Christ. Whom will he now worship and
obey – the visible despot who
gloriously masquerades as God or the
unseen Creator of Heaven and Earth
that dwells in Heaven?
Introduction:
The last vision in the book of Daniel
is important to two groups of
Christians. The first group lived
around A.D. 70 and the second group
will live at the time of the end.
This vision contains two stories
because both groups of Christians
face the same dilemma, that is, both
groups are caught in the middle;
trapped between hostile forces.
During the
final days of Christ’s ministry
on Earth, Jesus directed His
followers to the first part of this
vision because it foretold the
upcoming destruction of Jerusalem.[1] Vespesian
set siege to Jerusalem in A.D. 66 and
the siege was temporarily lifted in
A.D. 68 when Nero committed suicide.
Vespesian returned to Rome and became
the next Caesar. Later,
Vespasian’s son, Titus, resumed
the siege of Jerusalem. It has been
said that no Christians remained in
Jerusalem when Titus resumed the
siege in April, A.D. 70. If this is
true, it would be the result of early
Christians understanding the first
segment of this prophecy because once
the siege was set, no one escaped.
Titus and his army totally destroyed
the city and the temple in September.
The second
part of this vision begins with Daniel 11:36. The King of
the North is Lucifer. He will
physically appear during the fifth
trumpet and will be successful until
the time of wrath (the Great
Tribulation) is completed.[2] Lucifer
will conquer the world and destroy
everyone who stands in his way. God
has given this information to the
final generation because He does not
want His people to give up or lose
faith in Him. During the Great
Tribulation, God will permit the
forces of evil to kill most of His
saints. This is not as horrible as it
may sound because God will give His
people the grace and strength to die
a martyr’s death when grace is
needed. Even more, sleeping in Christ
while the remainder of the Great
Tribulation plays out will be a
merciful release from suffering and
deprivation.
When Lucifer
physically appears, he will
masquerade as Almighty God, demand an
end to religious and political
diversity, and order that a one world
theocracy be established. He will
demand, “There cannot be any
religious or political diversity when
God lives among men!” Many
people on Earth will resist the
devil’s attempt to establish his
theocracy because they do not want to
obey him. The devil and his forces
(represented in the second portion of
this prophecy as the King of the
North) will destroy the opposition[3] (represented
in this prophecy as the King of the
South). God’s saints will be
trapped in the middle of this war
because, like the opposition, they
will refuse to worship the devil, but
for different reasons.
Even though
the first portion of this vision has
been fulfilled, it is good to study
it and understand it. The first story
reveals a salient fact: God
overrules. He manages the nations of
the world. He sets up kings and takes
them down when their cup of sin is
filled. As you follow the back and
forth wars described in the first
segment of this prophecy, remember
that Israel was trapped in the middle
of what must have seemed like endless
fighting.
The
Sequence:
Daniel 10:1
In
the third year of Cyrus king of
Persia a thing was revealed unto
Daniel, whose name was called
Belteshazzar; and the thing was true,
but the time appointed was long: and
he understood the thing, and had
understanding of the vision.{1} When
Babylon fell to the Medes and
Persians, the Medes took control of
the province of Babylon. Even though
I was about 85 years of age, King
Darius appointed me to serve in his
court as an advisor. Like myself, the
king was an elderly man and he died
shortly after God rescued me from the
lion’s den. After he died, the
province of Babylon was given over to
Cyrus, king of Persia. During
Cyrus’ third year as king over
Babylon, I received another vision. I
knew the message was true because it
came from God, but even so, it made
me sick. I was shown a great war that
seemed to have no end. Two great
opponents struggled for supremacy and
power, but there was no apparent
winner.
Daniel 10:2-3
In
those days I Daniel was mourning
three full weeks. I ate no pleasant
bread, neither came flesh nor wine in
my mouth, neither did I anoint myself
at all, till three whole weeks were
fulfilled.{2} After
watching the vision, I was depressed
for three weeks because I suspected
that my people would likely squander
the seventy weeks of grace extended
to them. I wondered about my people
because Gabriel had said that wars
and desolations were decreed upon
Jerusalem until the end of the world.[4] I did
not want to believe that my people
would violate God’s covenant
again, but I knew that my people had
a long history of rebellion. Many
times, we had refused to honor the
God of our forefathers, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. As a result, God
used King Nebuchadnezzar to drive us
out of the Beautiful Land.[5]
{3} I
petitioned the Most High God for an
understanding of this vision, hoping
that my worries were misdirected. To
show God my sincerity and desire for
understanding, I did not eat
delicious food; no meat or wine
touched my lips; and I used no
cologne until the three weeks were
over.
Discussion
Daniel 10:4-6
And
in the four and twentieth day of the
first month, as I was by the side of
the great river, which is Hiddekel;
Then I lifted up mine eyes, and
looked, and behold a certain man
clothed in linen, whose loins were
girded with fine gold of Uphaz: His
body also was like the beryl, and his
face as the appearance of lightning,
and his eyes as lamps of fire, and
his arms and his feet like in colour
to polished brass, and the voice of
his words like the voice of a
multitude.{4} On
the twenty-fourth day of Nisan, I
received a follow-up vision. In this
vision, I was standing on the bank of
the Tigris.
{5} I looked up
and saw a glorious man dressed in
brilliant linen, wearing a belt of
finest gold around his waist.
{6} His body
was as bright as the Sun shining on
polished gold, His face was brilliant
like lightning, his eyes like flaming
torches, His arms and legs like
gleaming polished bronze, and His
voice sounded like the roar of a
great multitude because it could be
heard for miles around.
Daniel
10:7-12
And
I Daniel alone saw the vision: for
the men that were with me saw not the
vision; but a great quaking fell upon
them, so that they fled to hide
themselves. Therefore I was left
alone, and saw this great vision, and
there remained no strength in me: for
my comeliness was turned in me into
corruption, and I retained no
strength. Yet heard I the voice of
his words: and when I heard the voice
of his words, then was I in a deep
sleep on my face, and my face toward
the ground.And, behold, an hand
touched me, which set me upon my
knees and upon the palms of my hands.
And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man
greatly beloved, understand the words
that I speak unto thee, and stand
upright: for unto thee am I now sent.
And when he had spoken this word unto
me, I stood trembling. Then said he
unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from
the first day that thou didst set
thine heart to understand, and to
chasten thyself before thy God, thy
words were heard, and I am come for
thy words.{7} I
was the only one who saw Him; the men
with me did not see the glorious man,
but when the vision began they were
terrified and fled for safety.
{8} I was left
alone, gazing at this glorious being,
my body had no strength and my face
turned deathly pale.
{9} Then I
heard Him speak, and as I listened, I
fell unconscious falling face first
into the dirt.
{10} An angel
touched me and helped me get up on my
hands and knees. I was trembling and
had no strength.
{11} The angel
reassured me saying, “Daniel,
you are highly esteemed; carefully
consider the words I am about to
speak to you. Stand up, for
Michael/Jesus, the brilliant man you
just saw, has sent me.” After
the angel said this, my strength
returned enough to stand up, even
though I was trembling and shaking.
{12} Then the
angel continued, “Do not be
afraid, Daniel. Since the day you
received the vision about the great
war and began humbling yourself with
fasting and prayer for understanding,
God heard your words, and He sent me
to you.
Daniel
10:13-14
But
the prince of the kingdom of Persia
withstood me one and twenty days:
but, lo, Michael, one of the chief
princes, came to help me; and I
remained there with the kings of
Persia. Now I am come to make thee
understand what shall befall thy
people in the latter days: for yet
the vision is for many days.{13} “But,
the prince of this world, the devil,
thwarted my efforts for the past
twenty-one days. Warlords from Judea
have been trying to turn the heart of
Cyrus against your people. The
squatters around Jerusalem do not
want your people to rebuild Jerusalem
or the temple. As the devil was
strongly urging Cyrus to stop the
rebuilding process, Michael/Jesus,
the Archangel, the glorious man you
saw in the sky above the river, came
to my aid.
{14} Now that
Michael has overcome Lucifer,
rebuilding will continue.[6] So
listen carefully, for I have come to
explain what will happen to your
people in the future, for this vision
reveals what will happen during and
after the seventy weeks. . . .”
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