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Daniel 11:1-45

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11 1 וַאֲנִי֙ בִּשְׁנַ֣ת אַחַ֔ת לְדָרְיָ֖וֶשׁ הַמָּדִ֑י עָמְדִ֛י לְמַחֲזִ֥יק וּלְמָע֖וֹז לֽוֹ ׃ 2 וְעַתָּ֕ה אֱמֶ֖ת אַגִּ֣יד לָ֑ךְ הִנֵּה ־ עוֹד֩ שְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה מְלָכִ֜ים עֹמְדִ֣ים לְפָרַ֗ס וְהָֽרְבִיעִי֙ יַעֲשִׁ֤יר עֹֽשֶׁר ־ גָּדוֹל֙ מִכֹּ֔ל וּכְחֶזְקָת֣וֹ בְעָשְׁר֔וֹ יָעִ֣יר הַכֹּ֔ל אֵ֖ת מַלְכ֥וּת יָוָֽן ׃ 3 וְעָמַ֖ד מֶ֣לֶךְ גִּבּ֑וֹר וּמָשַׁל֙ מִמְשָׁ֣ל רַ֔ב וְעָשָׂ֖ה כִּרְצוֹנֽוֹ ׃ 4 וּכְעָמְדוֹ֙ תִּשָּׁבֵ֣ר מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְתֵחָ֕ץ לְאַרְבַּ֖ע רוּח֣וֹת הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְלֹ֣א לְאַחֲרִית֗וֹ וְלֹ֤א כְמָשְׁלוֹ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר מָשָׁ֔ל כִּ֤י תִנָּתֵשׁ֙ מַלְכוּת֔וֹ וְלַאֲחֵרִ֖ים מִלְּבַד ־ אֵֽלֶּה ׃ 5 וְיֶחֱזַ֥ק מֶֽלֶךְ ־ הַנֶּ֖גֶב וּמִן ־ שָׂרָ֑יו וְיֶחֱזַ֤ק עָלָיו֙ וּמָשָׁ֔ל מִמְשָׁ֥ל רַ֖ב מֶמְשַׁלְתּֽוֹ ׃ 6 וּלְקֵ֤ץ שָׁנִים֙ יִתְחַבָּ֔רוּ וּבַ֣ת מֶֽלֶךְ ־ הַנֶּ֗גֶב תָּבוֹא֙ אֶל ־ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֔וֹן לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת מֵישָׁרִ֑ים וְלֹֽא ־ תַעְצֹ֞ר כּ֣וֹחַ הַזְּר֗וֹעַ וְלֹ֤א יַעֲמֹד֙ וּזְרֹע֔וֹ וְתִנָּתֵ֨ן הִ֤יא וּמְבִיאֶ֙יהָ֙ וְהַיֹּ֣לְדָ֔הּ וּמַחֲזִקָ֖הּ בָּעִתִּֽים ׃ 7 וְעָמַ֛ד מִנֵּ֥צֶר שָׁרָשֶׁ֖יהָ כַּנּ֑וֹ וְיָבֹ֣א אֶל ־ הַחַ֗יִל וְיָבֹא֙ בְּמָעוֹז֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֔וֹן וְעָשָׂ֥ה בָהֶ֖ם וְהֶחֱזִֽיק ׃ 8 וְגַ֣ם אֱֽלֹהֵיהֶ֡ם עִם ־ נְסִֽכֵיהֶם֩ עִם ־ כְּלֵ֨י חֶמְדָּתָ֜ם כֶּ֧סֶף וְזָהָ֛ב בַּשְּׁבִ֖י יָבִ֣א מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהוּא֙ שָׁנִ֣ים יַעֲמֹ֔ד מִמֶּ֖לֶךְ הַצָּפֽוֹן ׃ 9 וּבָ֗א בְּמַלְכוּת֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֔גֶב וְשָׁ֖ב אֶל ־ אַדְמָתֽוֹ ׃ 10 ובנו 1 יִתְגָּר֗וּ וְאָסְפוּ֙ הֲמוֹן֙ חֲיָלִ֣ים רַבִּ֔ים וּבָ֥א ב֖וֹא וְשָׁטַ֣ף וְעָבָ֑ר וְיָשֹׁ֥ב ויתגרו 2 עַד ־ מעזה 3 ׃ 11 וְיִתְמַרְמַר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֔גֶב וְיָצָ֕א וְנִלְחַ֥ם עִמּ֖וֹ עִם ־ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֑וֹן וְהֶעֱמִיד֙ הָמ֣וֹן רָ֔ב וְנִתַּ֥ן הֶהָמ֖וֹן בְּיָדֽוֹ ׃ 12 וְנִשָּׂ֥א הֶהָמ֖וֹן ירום 1 לְבָב֑וֹ וְהִפִּ֛יל 2 רִבֹּא֖וֹת וְלֹ֥א יָעֽוֹז ׃ 13 וְשָׁב֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֔וֹן וְהֶעֱמִ֣יד הָמ֔וֹן רַ֖ב מִן ־ הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וּלְקֵ֨ץ הָֽעִתִּ֤ים שָׁנִים֙ יָ֣בוֹא ב֔וֹא בְּחַ֥יִל גָּד֖וֹל וּבִרְכ֥וּשׁ רָֽב ׃ 14 וּבָעִתִּ֣ים הָהֵ֔ם רַבִּ֥ים יַֽעַמְד֖וּ עַל ־ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֑גֶב וּבְנֵ֣י ׀ פָּרִיצֵ֣י עַמְּךָ֗ יִֽנַּשְּׂא֛וּ לְהַעֲמִ֥יד חָז֖וֹן וְנִכְשָֽׁלוּ ׃ 15 וְיָבֹא֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֔וֹן וְיִשְׁפֹּךְ֙ סֽוֹלֲלָ֔ה וְלָכַ֖ד עִ֣יר מִבְצָר֑וֹת וּזְרֹע֤וֹת הַנֶּ֙גֶב֙ לֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֔דוּ וְעַם֙ מִבְחָרָ֔יו וְאֵ֥ין כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲמֹֽד ׃ 16 וְיַ֨עַשׂ הַבָּ֤א אֵלָיו֙ כִּרְצוֹנ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥ין עוֹמֵ֖ד לְפָנָ֑יו וְיַעֲמֹ֥ד בְּאֶֽרֶץ ־ הַצְּבִ֖י וְכָלָ֥ה בְיָדֽוֹ ׃ 17 וְיָשֵׂ֣ם ׀ פָּ֠נָיו לָב֞וֹא בְּתֹ֧קֶף כָּל ־ מַלְכוּת֛וֹ וִישָׁרִ֥ים עִמּ֖וֹ וְעָשָׂ֑ה וּבַ֤ת הַנָּשִׁים֙ יִתֶּן ־ ל֣וֹ לְהַשְׁחִיתָ֔הּ וְלֹ֥א תַעֲמֹ֖ד וְלֹא ־ ל֥וֹ תִהְיֶֽה ׃ 18 וישב 1 2 ׀ פָּנָ֛יו לְאִיִּ֖ים וְלָכַ֣ד רַבִּ֑ים וְהִשְׁבִּ֨ית קָצִ֤ין חֶרְפָּתוֹ֙ ל֔וֹ בִּלְתִּ֥י חֶרְפָּת֖וֹ יָשִׁ֥יב לֽוֹ ׃ 19 וְיָשֵׁ֣ב פָּנָ֔יו לְמָעוּזֵּ֖י אַרְצ֑וֹ וְנִכְשַׁ֥ל וְנָפַ֖ל וְלֹ֥א יִמָּצֵֽא ׃ 20 וְעָמַ֧ד עַל ־ כַּנּ֛וֹ מַעֲבִ֥יר נוֹגֵ֖שׂ הֶ֣דֶר מַלְכ֑וּת וּבְיָמִ֤ים אֲחָדִים֙ יִשָּׁבֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א בְאַפַּ֖יִם וְלֹ֥א בְמִלְחָמָֽה ׃ 21 וְעָמַ֤ד עַל ־ כַּנּוֹ֙ נִבְזֶ֔ה וְלֹא ־ נָתְנ֥וּ עָלָ֖יו ה֣וֹד מַלְכ֑וּת וּבָ֣א בְשַׁלְוָ֔ה וְהֶחֱזִ֥יק מַלְכ֖וּת בַּחֲלַקְלַקּֽוֹת ׃ 22 וּזְרֹע֥וֹת הַשֶּׁ֛טֶף יִשָּׁטְפ֥וּ מִלְּפָנָ֖יו וְיִשָּׁבֵ֑רוּ וְגַ֖ם נְגִ֥יד בְּרִֽית ׃ 23 וּמִן ־ הִֽתְחַבְּר֥וּת אֵלָ֖יו יַעֲשֶׂ֣ה מִרְמָ֑ה וְעָלָ֥ה וְעָצַ֖ם בִּמְעַט ־ גּֽוֹי ׃ 24 בְּשַׁלְוָ֞ה וּבְמִשְׁמַנֵּ֣י מְדִינָה֮ יָבוֹא֒ וְעָשָׂ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא ־ עָשׂ֤וּ אֲבֹתָיו֙ וַאֲב֣וֹת אֲבֹתָ֔יו בִּזָּ֧ה וְשָׁלָ֛ל וּרְכ֖וּשׁ לָהֶ֣ם יִבְז֑וֹר וְעַ֧ל מִבְצָרִ֛ים יְחַשֵּׁ֥ב מַחְשְׁבֹתָ֖יו וְעַד ־ עֵֽת ׃ 25 וְיָעֵר֩ כֹּח֨וֹ וּלְבָב֜וֹ עַל ־ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּגֶב֮ בְּחַ֣יִל גָּדוֹל֒ וּמֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֗גֶב יִתְגָּרֶה֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה בְּחַֽיִל ־ גָּד֥וֹל וְעָצ֖וּם עַד ־ מְאֹ֑ד וְלֹ֣א יַעֲמֹ֔ד כִּֽי ־ יַחְשְׁב֥וּ עָלָ֖יו מַחֲשָׁבֽוֹת ׃ 26 וְאֹכְלֵ֧י פַת ־ בָּג֛וֹ יִשְׁבְּר֖וּהוּ וְחֵיל֣וֹ יִשְׁט֑וֹף וְנָפְל֖וּ חֲלָלִ֥ים רַבִּֽים ׃ 27 וּשְׁנֵיהֶ֤ם הַמְּלָכִים֙ לְבָבָ֣ם לְמֵרָ֔ע וְעַל ־ שֻׁלְחָ֥ן אֶחָ֖ד כָּזָ֣ב יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ וְלֹ֣א תִצְלָ֔ח כִּי ־ ע֥וֹד קֵ֖ץ לַמּוֹעֵֽד ׃ 28 וְיָשֹׁ֤ב אַרְצוֹ֙ בִּרְכ֣וּשׁ גָּד֔וֹל וּלְבָב֖וֹ עַל ־ בְּרִ֣ית קֹ֑דֶשׁ וְעָשָׂ֖ה וְשָׁ֥ב לְאַרְצֽוֹ ׃ 29 לַמּוֹעֵ֥ד יָשׁ֖וּב וּבָ֣א בַנֶּ֑גֶב וְלֹֽא ־ תִהְיֶ֥ה כָרִאשֹׁנָ֖ה וְכָאַחֲרֹנָֽה ׃ 30 וּבָ֨אוּ ב֜וֹ צִיִּ֤ים כִּתִּים֙ וְנִכְאָ֔ה וְשָׁ֛ב וְזָעַ֥ם עַל ־ בְּרִֽית ־ ק֖וֹדֶשׁ וְעָשָׂ֑ה וְשָׁ֣ב וְיָבֵ֔ן עַל ־ עֹזְבֵ֖י בְּרִ֥ית קֹֽדֶשׁ ׃ 31 וּזְרֹעִ֖ים מִמֶּ֣נּוּ יַעֲמֹ֑דוּ וְחִלְּל֞וּ הַמִּקְדָּ֤שׁ הַמָּעוֹז֙ וְהֵסִ֣ירוּ הַתָּמִ֔יד וְנָתְנ֖וּ הַשִּׁקּ֥וּץ מְשׁוֹמֵֽם ׃ 32 וּמַרְשִׁיעֵ֣י בְרִ֔ית יַחֲנִ֖יף בַּחֲלַקּ֑וֹת וְעַ֛ם יֹדְעֵ֥י אֱלֹהָ֖יו יַחֲזִ֥קוּ וְעָשֽׂוּ ׃ 33 וּמַשְׂכִּ֣ילֵי עָ֔ם יָבִ֖ינוּ לָֽרַבִּ֑ים וְנִכְשְׁל֞וּ בְּחֶ֧רֶב וּבְלֶהָבָ֛ה בִּשְׁבִ֥י וּבְבִזָּ֖ה יָמִֽים ׃ 34 וּבְהִכָּ֣שְׁלָ֔ם יֵעָזְר֖וּ עֵ֣זֶר מְעָ֑ט וְנִלְו֧וּ עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם רַבִּ֖ים בַּחֲלַקְלַקּֽוֹת ׃ 35 וּמִן ־ הַמַּשְׂכִּילִ֣ים יִכָּֽשְׁל֗וּ לִצְר֥וֹף בָּהֶ֛ם וּלְבָרֵ֥ר וְלַלְבֵּ֖ן עַד ־ עֵ֣ת קֵ֑ץ כִּי ־ ע֖וֹד לַמּוֹעֵֽד ׃ 36 וְעָשָׂ֨ה כִרְצוֹנ֜וֹ הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וְיִתְרוֹמֵ֤ם וְיִתְגַּדֵּל֙ עַל ־ כָּל ־ אֵ֔ל וְעַל֙ אֵ֣ל אֵלִ֔ים יְדַבֵּ֖ר נִפְלָא֑וֹת וְהִצְלִ֙יחַ֙ עַד ־ כָּ֣לָה זַ֔עַם כִּ֥י נֶחֱרָצָ֖ה נֶעֱשָֽׂתָה ׃ 37 וְעַל ־ אֱלֹהֵ֤י אֲבֹתָיו֙ לֹ֣א יָבִ֔ין וְעַל ־ חֶמְדַּ֥ת נָשִׁ֛ים וְעַֽל ־ כָּל ־ אֱל֖וֹהַּ לֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין כִּ֥י עַל ־ כֹּ֖ל יִתְגַּדָּֽל ׃ 38 וְלֶאֱלֹ֙הַּ֙ מָֽעֻזִּ֔ים עַל ־ כַּנּ֖וֹ יְכַבֵּ֑ד וְלֶאֱל֜וֹהַּ אֲשֶׁ֧ר לֹא ־ יְדָעֻ֣הוּ אֲבֹתָ֗יו יְכַבֵּ֛ד בְּזָהָ֥ב וּבְכֶ֛סֶף וּבְאֶ֥בֶן יְקָרָ֖ה וּבַחֲמֻדֽוֹת ׃ 39 וְעָשָׂ֞ה לְמִבְצְרֵ֤י מָֽעֻזִּים֙ עִם ־ אֱל֣וֹהַּ נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר הכיר 1 יַרְבֶּ֣ה כָב֑וֹד וְהִמְשִׁילָם֙ בָּֽרַבִּ֔ים וַאֲדָמָ֖ה יְחַלֵּ֥ק בִּמְחִֽיר ׃ 40 וּבְעֵ֣ת קֵ֗ץ יִתְנַגַּ֤ח עִמּוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הַנֶּ֔גֶב וְיִשְׂתָּעֵ֨ר עָלָ֜יו מֶ֣לֶךְ הַצָּפ֗וֹן בְּרֶ֙כֶב֙ וּבְפָ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וּבָאֳנִיּ֖וֹת רַבּ֑וֹת וּבָ֥א בַאֲרָצ֖וֹת וְשָׁטַ֥ף וְעָבָֽר ׃ 41 וּבָא֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ הַצְּבִ֔י וְרַבּ֖וֹת יִכָּשֵׁ֑לוּ וְאֵ֙לֶּה֙ יִמָּלְט֣וּ מִיָּד֔וֹ אֱד֣וֹם וּמוֹאָ֔ב וְרֵאשִׁ֖ית בְּנֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹן ׃ 42 וְיִשְׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ בַּאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א תִהְיֶ֖ה לִפְלֵיטָֽה ׃ 43 וּמָשַׁ֗ל בְּמִכְמַנֵּי֙ הַזָּהָ֣ב וְהַכֶּ֔סֶף וּבְכֹ֖ל חֲמֻד֣וֹת מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֻבִ֥ים וְכֻשִׁ֖ים בְּמִצְעָדָֽיו ׃ 44 וּשְׁמֻע֣וֹת יְבַהֲלֻ֔הוּ מִמִּזְרָ֖ח וּמִצָּפ֑וֹן וְיָצָא֙ בְּחֵמָ֣א גְדֹלָ֔ה לְהַשְׁמִ֥יד וּֽלְהַחֲרִ֖ים רַבִּֽים ׃ 45 וְיִטַּע֙ אָהֳלֶ֣י אַפַּדְנ֔וֹ בֵּ֥ין יַמִּ֖ים לְהַר ־ צְבִי ־ קֹ֑דֶשׁ וּבָא֙ עַד ־ קִצּ֔וֹ וְאֵ֥ין עוֹזֵ֖ר לֽוֹ ׃

Daniel 11:1-45

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The Kings of the South and the North 11 1 “And as for me, u in the first year of u Darius the Mede, I stood up to confirm and strengthen him. 2 “And now I will show you v the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. 3 Then w a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and x do as he wills. 4 And as soon as he has arisen, y his kingdom shall be broken and divided y toward the z four winds of heaven, but a not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these. 5 “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he b and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. 6 After some years c they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported 1 her in those times. 7 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the d fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. 8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious e vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. 9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land. 10 “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming f and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his d fortress. 11 Then the king of the south, g moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. h And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. 12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. 13 For the king of the north shall again i raise a multitude, greater than the first. And j after some years 1 he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies. 14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but k they shall fail. 15 Then the king of the north shall come and l throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall m do as he wills, and n none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in o the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He shall p set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, 1 but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. 18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, 1 he q shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the r fortresses of his own land, but he shall s stumble and fall, t and shall not be found. 20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an u exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle. 21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. v He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom w by flatteries. 22 Armies shall be x utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. 23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. 24 y Without warning he shall come into z the richest parts 1 of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against a the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. 26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be b swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for c the end is yet to be at the time appointed. 28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land. 29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30 For ships of d Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and e be enraged and e take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him shall appear and f profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And g they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. 32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 h And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, i purified, and j made white, until k the time of the end, k for it still awaits the appointed time. 36 “And the king shall l do as he wills. m He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, n and shall speak astonishing things against o the God of gods. p He shall prosper q till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for m he shall magnify himself above all. 38 He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor r with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and s shall divide the land for a price. 1 40 t “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack 1 him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him u like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and v shall overflow and pass through. 41 He shall come into w the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: x Edom and x Moab and the main part of the x Ammonites. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the y Libyans and the z Cushites shall follow in his train. 44 But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. 45 And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.

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Sermon notes

Daniel sees a final vision of proud kings, turmoil, and suffering in times to come Introduction Recap - v1 - the angel was withheld but strengthened Darius. Then comes the vision, 'show you the truth' 1. The kings of the North and the South will keep fighting, and God's people and land will be caught in the middle (v2-20). North and South [Map of Seleucid and Ptolemy kingdoms] v2-20; from Daniel's time until Antiochus the Great [about 530 to 175 BC, 355 years] Recap chapter 8; Seleucids/Syria/North and Ptolemies/Egypt/South. Why does this not feel more familiar, if it's such a big deal? Refer people to a short written summary for more details. 2. A 'contemptible' king will worm his way into power, and use his power for terrible things (v21-35). v21-35 the rule of contemptible (or 'despicable'/despised) Antiochus IV 'Epiphanes' [175 to 163 BC, 12 years] Recap chapter 8 Why so long on him in particular? He was particularly bad. And a particular type. Abomination of desolation. Mountain range again. The pattern; describe his rise and success (21-24); conflict and oppression (25-31) and suffering and steadfastness (32-35). Ends with the time of the end, appointed time. A clear line here in v35 3. This terrible pattern will repeat...until the resurrection, v36-45. The pattern is repeated in 36-39, 40-45, and 12.1-3. So who is the 'king'? Seems that previous section has concluded. And the description here doesn't match Antiochus IV. But the pattern stays the same. And, linguistically, comes to an end at the time of the resurrection of all people (12.1-3; at that time). So what is happening here is the classic mountain range. Antiochus IV being focused in on as the pattern and shape and type of the antichrist. cf 2 Thessalonians 2.4. Or, like chapter 7 gave the little horn, chapter 8 gave a clear worked example. Biblical prophecy always has historical context and situated-ness. But, always has future application of some kind too (even if just a principle). cf Mark 13. Abomination of desolation another 'motif', like 'little horn' or 'beast'. How should we respond to all this? God's glory. Holds all history, even the tyrant on a leash with appointed times. Bringing them to a sudden pathetic end. [Lenin; Hitler; Stalin] FCF. Forgetting that there is a God in heaven who rules overall. Either then we exalt ourselves and become unaccountable tyrants. Or we become fearful cowards who bow to ungodly rule. Person of Jesus. He shows the rule of God. The time is fulfilled, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Not a rule of coercion and manipulation and terror. But one of straightforwardness and peace, where the poor in spirit are made rich. Work of Jesus. Suffers the fierce fury of the human agents of the kingdom of darkness; suffers at the hand of the little-horn-like-ness of Pilate and the rulers. Utterly destroyed. He becomes the abomination of desolation again. In order that his people might be made secure. His resurrection gives absolutely certain hope of our glorious resurrection at that appointed time. Response in Christ. I can endure to the end since Jesus holds my life and has gone before. I can bear all things since I know that he will make all things new, and will comfort those who mourn, and will fill those who are empty, and will give fruit and riches to the barren and poor. I hold power and authority and influence lightly and with diligent gentleness, since I know that all power and rule belongs to Jesus.

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