October 11: CHAPTER 11 WRAP-UP (part 3)

And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. Daniel 11:45

The incredible details that are supplied in Daniel chapter 11 are intended to build upon and further develop the earlier prophecies. Chapter 2, featuring Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, provides an outline of the kingdoms that will directly impact God’s people until the end of earth’s history: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Daniel’s dream in chapter 7 fills in details, with more added in a subsequent dream in chapter 8; this dream began with Medo-Persia, for Daniel understood that the reign of literal Babylon was nearing its end. Daniel sees Medo-Persia become great (8:4). Then Greece becomes very great (v.8). The dream then moves directly to the little horn (v.9) which eventually grows to be the most prominent feature of the fourth kingdom, that of Rome. Though the little horn of Rome started small, it became exceedingly great.

In order to better take hold of the parallel between Daniel 11:40-45 and Revelation 13, let’s  directly compare ideas that are put forth in these prophecies:

WOUND: At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him (Daniel 11:40a). And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded (Revelation 13:3a).

RECOVERY: And the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind (Daniel 11:40b). and his deadly wound was healed (Revelation 13:3b).

WORSHIP: and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through (Daniel 11:40c). And all the world marveled (Revelation 13:3c).

UNITY: He shall have power over…Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels (Daniel 11:43). And all the world…followed the beast (Revelation 13:3c).

TIME OF TROUBLE: he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many (Daniel 11:44b). And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation (Revelation 13:7).

END: yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help (Daniel 45:b). He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity; he who kills with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints (Revelation 13:10).

Our God has revealed things to come by visions, symbols, figures, and parables. May each of us be sharpened in focus and discernment as we await those things that are still ahead…

“I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.” Revelation 3:18