Chapter 10 introduces
Daniel's final and lengthiest vision, spanning three full chapters (Daniel 10,
11 & 12). The future, end-time fulfillment of Daniel's vision is announced
right in the passage itself:
Daniel 10:14 says, "Now I am come to explain to you what will happen
to your people [Israel] in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to
come." The King James reads, "what shall befall thy people in the latter days."
Daniel and his companions
were standing on the bank of the Tigris River around 535 B.C. The prophet had
been fasting for three weeks (vs.
1-4), and then he saw the Man clothed in linen, whose majestic
appearance caused Daniel to faint in fear. Chapter 10 then addresses the
collision between good and evil angels; encounters that will no doubt become
more prevalent during the last days. When righteous angels, under the guidance
of Michael, the Prince of the Host, move in the affairs of men and travel
throughout the earth, they encounter resistance from the demonic forces.
Sometimes only the Prince and Priest, the Man in linen, can demand compliance
and push on through the trouble spot.
The forty-five verses that
comprise chapter 11 portray the ongoing struggle between the kings of the north
and the south. Commentators have applied most of chapter 11 to historical
events, jumping from century to century across the span of time to find possible
fulfillments. The king of the north has been assigned to various powers--Syria,
Turkey, Russia and Europe, to name a few. However, after many years of
consideration, this study will offer you a modern-day explanation of the
vision. In the author's opinion, the entire chapter portrays events involving
two adjoining nations--Egypt, the king of the south and Israel, the king of the
north.
With this interpretation in
mind, chapter 11 would be revealing several end-time clashes between Egypt and
Israel and their leaders. The chapter implies there will be an internal power
struggle in Egypt, and a turnover of leadership. If final events begin soon in
our day, the current reigning president--Hosny Mubarak, may be succeeded by
Egypt's long-standing military commander, Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi,
or a similar personality (11:5). What follows is a series of clashes between
Egypt and Israel.
Daniel 11 also notes a
turnover of power in Israel--at least three Israeli leaders rule during the
appointed time of the end. Possibly starting with the reigning Israeli Prime
Minister at the hour the prophecy begins, followed by a short-term Prime
Minister--a raiser of taxes (v. 20), and finally by a contemptible outsider from
Rome--the Jewish Papal Antichrist himself---he will become the king of the north
(whose reign begins at verse 21). He will take control of Israel through
intrigue and will gain the final foothold over Israel and Egypt with his vast
European and international military forces. Nonetheless, his rule will be
short-lived as well. Near the end of his evil empire just before the Day of the
Lord comes, "the man of lawlessness [will be] revealed, the man doomed to
destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is
called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple [in
Jerusalem], proclaiming himself to be God," (2
Thessalonians 2:2-3). Daniel relays it this way; he will "plant his royal
tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain [Jerusalem]. Yet he will
come to his end, and no one will help him," (Daniel
11:45).
Michael, Daniel's Prince
1. What are the
main features of the Man clothed in linen (vs.
5-6)?
2. How closely
does this compare with the description of Jesus in Revelation 1:13-16?
Daniel was the only one to
see the vision, while his companions were overwhelmed and fled. He grew weak in
fear and dropped to the ground (vs.
7-9). The prophet John's response was similar when he encountered
Christ (Revelation
1:17). Both prophets were touched by a heavenly hand and
reassured.
4. Daniel was
God's chosen servant (10:11-13).
Gabriel, the messenger, told Daniel he was there to give him understanding.
Although Gabriel was sent from the first day of Daniel's fast, why was he
delayed from reaching the prophet (v.
13)?
The evil prince of Persia
stopped Gabriel from seeing Daniel.
The evil angels are assigned
territories and nations, and Gabriel encountered a powerful foe. However,
Michael the leader of the heavenly forces (Revelation
12:7) took
control of the situation and guaranteed Gabriel's successful and safe passage.
Again, Daniel is struck by
the overpowering encounter with Gabriel and he bowed in reverence with face to
the ground. The one who looked like a man, touched Daniel and gave him strength
to continue. Gabriel tells the prophet he is come to help him understand the
great conflict that will involve his people (Israel) at the end of time (10:14-21).
When his visit with Daniel was finished, Gabriel says he will also have to deal
with an evil prince yet to come.
6. Michael,
"your [Daniel's] prince" will continue to help Gabriel. Why would Michael be
called "Daniel's prince"?
Michael
is simply another name for Christ, Daniel's Savior and Lord, who was "with God,"
and "was God. He was with God in the beginning," (John
1:1-2).
Fourth Persian King
Daniel
11:1-3 begins a
detailed explanation of final events starting with the conflict between the
fourth leader of Persia (Iran) and the western forces. This is a shortened
version of events earlier told Daniel in chapter
8:1-8 between the Ram (Islam) with two horns (Iraq and Iran) and the
western powers. The details of these verses would help Daniel and future
students to get their bearings as to the timing of the vision in relationship to
the previous three. Once this Gulf War begins, and Iran is defeated, the
primary leader of the western Coalition of nations—America--will be broken (as
portrayed in
Daniel 7:4 and
8:8) and will be divided into four major regions of power--"parceled
out toward the four winds of heaven" (11:4)
as indicated also in
Daniel 7:2-3.
The prophecy notes that in
the "latter days" (10:14)
there will emerge in Persia (Iran) "three kings" (or, rulers-- 11:2).
However, the "fourth" ruler will stir up the Iranians against the "realm of
Grecia". The same confrontation is spoken of in Daniel 8:21
and this vision identifies the powerful Goat and the "horn" as the first king
(first in standing; the most powerful) as making war with a Ram (Islam) with two
horns (Iraq and Iran). The translators identified the Goat as “Greece” which in
Hebrew is “Yawan” (“Javan”). Javan was one of the sons of Japheth (Genesis
10:2), and at the writing of Daniel Javan implied not so much a specific nation
but powers from the west. Since the vision concerns the time of the end, it
would be reasonable to identify the Goat as a coalition of western powers and
the prominent horn as the first king in power--the United States.
Persia, a country that
changed its name to Iran in 1935, was ruled for centuries by shahs--a
title of kingship for the monarch of Iran. However, political revolution began
to mount in this region so that by April 1, 1979, the Islamic Republic
was established in Iran. A Constitution of the Islamic Republic was approved by
national referendum in December 1979. For the first time Iran had elected
leadership--a clear transition from the monarchy of the past--which would usher
in the conditions for this prediction to become a reality. One key leader in
the development of the Islamic Republic is the wealthy Hashemi Rafsanjani, who
eventually became the fourth and most influential presidential leader of Iran.
Daniel wrote, "Now then,
I tell you the truth: Three more kings [leaders] will appear in Persia [Iran], and then a
fourth [Rafsanjani], who will be far richer than all the others [before him].
When he has gained power by his wealth [as opposed to a monarchial position of
power], he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece ["Yavan"; the
West]."
The following four leaders
have emerged just as the prophecy foretold.
First Four Iranian
Presidents
The Presidents
since the establishment of the Islamic Republic are as follows:
