Daniel Ch 11 in a bit more detail

Following on from last weeks (24/02) look at Chapter 11, today we delved a little deeper into some of the themes and tried to draw out some lessons. As the main focus last week was looking at the shorter term fulfilment (the Greek empire etc.), this week we probed the NT.

v27

Daniel 11v27:
"The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time."

Compare this to Acts 17v29-31:
"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill. 30In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

Ah ha! We have a bit of a link here - the appointed time spoken about in Daniel seems to have a future fulfilment through Jesus when the world will be judged with justice.


v31+32

Daniel 11v31+32:
"His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. 32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him."

The phrase 'abomination that causes desolation' cropped up a bit earlier in Daniel 9v27, and it also appears in the NT during the Olivet prophesy (Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21).

Mark 13v14:
"When you see 'the abomination that causes desolation' standing where it does not belong—let the reader understand—then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains."

Jesus here obviously knows his OT (supreme emphasis on 'obviously'), and is quoting from Daniel to warn his disciples. The time spoken of here is AD70 when Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans and the Jews were scattered. Those who knew their OT or listened to Jesus ('let the reader understand') were saved by fleeing to the mountains when this time of trouble came.

Does this also have a future prophesy?

As usual, time beat us to delve further, but we finished by remembering one of the key themes during our studies in Daniel:

God is in control

Daniel (not the Prophet)