Daniel 11:34-45 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Daniel 11:34-45, but we’ll include Daniel 11:33 in our discussion as well. Let’s go!
Daniel 11:33-35 (NIV)
33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.
34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them.
35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.
On verses 33-35: According to scholars, “those who are wise” are those Jews that helped and encouraged the Jewish people during the time when Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria was severely persecuting the Jews and killing tens of thousands of them in the process.
Daniel 11:36-45 (NIV)
36 “The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.
37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.
39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.
41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.
42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.
43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.
44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.
45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
On verses 36-45: Up until verse 35, Daniel 11 is prophesying about events that would happen in the next few hundred years after Daniel wrote down these words (from the time of King Cyrus of Persia to the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria). As history would show, these events would happen just as Daniel predicted.
As for verses 36 to 45, some scholars think that they are still referring to the time of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. However, the counterargument to this is that the events described in verses 36 to 45 do not seem to match Antiochus IV’s life. Many scholars believe that starting in verse 36 Daniel’s prophecy is talking about the end times and that the king being described in verses 36-45 is not Antiochus but the Antichrist. To borrow the language of Daniel 9, many scholars believe that Daniel 11:1-35 deal with events that happened during the first “69 sevens”, while Daniel 11:36-45 deal with events that will happen in the “seventieth seven”, the end times.
Who is the Antichrist? The Antichrist is described as an end times tyrant who will cause more destruction to humanity than anyone before him. According to scholars who believe verses 36-45 are talking about the Antichrist, the Antichrist will exalt himself as being greater than God (v36-37), show no regard for “the one desired by women” (which may be a reference to Jesus) (v37), espouse a new god that his predecessors did not worship (v38), and make very rich those who acknowledge him (v39). As the new “king of the North”, Antichrist would do battle with the king of the South (whose identity is uncertain), invade Palestine “the Beautiful Land” (v41), conquer many nations (v41-42), take over gold and silver depositories (v43), annihilate many people (v44), and attempt to live in the most enviable position (v45) but will come to his own end (v45).
What can we learn from this?
First, not even the most powerful, notorious tyrant can stand up against God. Tyrants’ reigns will end while Jesus will reign forever.
Second, we too must be careful not to exalt ourselves above God. We can start to exalt ourselves above God when:
– we treat our salvation as a license to do whatever way we want regardless of what God’s Word says;
– we take a self-centered approach to God and faith (i.e. where we make it all about our own happiness, comfort, and desire to be blessed, and less about following Jesus, glorifying His name and serving His mission in the world).
Father, may I never put anything above You, including myself. May You be the only one I worship and live for. Thank You Jesus for being the only king who will reign forever. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
