Eleventh Chapter of Daniel

 

Part 27

 

Darius the Mede

 

 

The Median Empire

 

Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, --  Dan 11:1 (KJV)

 

 

even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.  --  Dan 11:1 (KJV)

 

And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; --  Dan 11:2 (KJV)

 

 

1. Cambyses (530-522 B.C.)

 

2. Psuedo (or False) Smerdis or Bardiya (522 B.C.)

 

3. Darius I Hystaspes (522-486 B.C.)    (Ezra 5-6)

 

 

 

and the fourth shall be far richer than they all:  --  Dan 11:2 (KJV)

 

 

 

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.  --  Ezra 4:6 (KJV)

 

 

 

 

Bear was told to Devour much flesh

 

And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.  --  Dan 7:5 (KJV)

 

 

 

Map of Median-Persian Empire (539 - 331 B.C.)

 

 

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)  --  Est 1:1 (KJV)

 

 

and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.  --  Dan 11:2 (KJV)

 

 

 

The Ram represented the Median-Persian Empire

 

I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.  --  Dan 8:4 (KJV)

 

Xerxes (Ahasuerus) was the husband of Queen Esther.

 

He spent 4 years preparing for war against Greece, stockpiling supplies, manpower, etc.

 

His army of 300,000+ that went against Greece consisted of contigents from 40 nations.  (480 B.C.)

 

 

The Goat represented the Greecian Empire

 

And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.  --  Dan 8:5 (KJV)

 

 

 

 

Alexander the Great

 

And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.  --  Dan 11:3 (KJV)

 

 

Alexander the Great wars against Persia

 

And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power.  --  Dan 8:6 (KJV)

 

And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns:  --  Dan 8:7 (KJV)

 

 

and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand.  --  Dan 8:7 (KJV)

 

 

Alexander came to his throne around 336 B.C.

35,000 soldiers and $75,000

 

V.S.

 

Persian King had an anual revenue of $11 million

Millions in the treasury

hundreds of thousands of soldiers including 50,000 Greek soldiers

 

 

In 13 short years Alexander completely conquered the entire Persian kingdom

 

 

Map of Greecian Empire (331 - 168 B.C.)

 

 

 

Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.  --  Dan 8:8 (KJV)

 

And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.  --  Dan 11:4 (KJV)

 

 

Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.  --  Dan 8:22 (KJV)

 

 

Gassander      took Macedonia and the Western part

Lysimachus    took Thrace and the Northern part

 

 

 

 

Ptolemy          took Egypt and the Southern part

Seleucus          took Syria and the Eastern part

 

 

Who is the King of the South ?

 

 

 

And the king of the south shall be strong,  --  Dan 11:5 (KJV)

 

 

Ptolemy I Soter (323-280 B.C.)   -  Exceedingly strong and wealthy

 

 

 

Who is the King of the North ?

 

 

 

 

and one of his  princes (northern part of the Greecian empire); and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.  --  Dan 11:5 (KJV)

 

 

 

 

Seleucus I Nicator (312-281 B.C.)   -  Increased the Eastern Kingdom

 

 

 

And in the end of years they shall join themselves together (or make and alliance); --  Dan 11:6 (KJV)

 

 

King of the North      Antiochus II Theos (261-246 B.C.)

     formed an alliance with  (married Bernice and divorced Laodiceia (or Laodice))

King of the South      Ptolemy II Philadelphus (285-246 B.C.)

 

 

for the king's daughter (Bernice) of the south (Ptolemy II Philadelphus) shall come to the king of the north (Antiochus II Theos) to make an agreement: (or make and alliance) --  Dan 11:6 (KJV)

 

Although Antiochus divorced his first wife Laodice and married Bernice, he didn't love Bernice but the marriage was a political move on his part.  Bernice and Antiochus had a son together who was now destined to become the next king of Syria.  After the death of Bernice's father (Ptolemy), Antiochus divorced Bernice and remarried Laodice.  Laodice then being bitter of the way Antiochus had divorced her for political purposes and being afraid for her own life and the future of her own son, took measures to have her husband Antiochus, his ex-wife Bernice,  and Bernice's son murdered so that he could not later usurp the throne of her son.

 

 

but she (Bernice) shall not retain the power of the arm (political power); neither shall he (son of Bernice) stand, nor his arm (political power): but she (Bernice) shall be given up (Antiochus divorced Bernice), and they that brought her (Those attendants or servants who came with Bernice from Egypt), and he that begat her (Ptolemy the father of Bernice), and he that strengthened her (Antiochus who married her) in these times.  --  Dan 11:6 (KJV)

 

 

But out of a branch of her  (Bernice) roots (Ptolemy the father of Bernice) shall one (Ptolemy III Euergetes, the brother of Bernice) stand up in his (Ptolemy the father of Bernice) estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north (Seleucus Callinicus) , and shall deal against them, and shall prevail:  --  Dan 11:7 (KJV)

 

And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he (Ptolemy III Euergetes, the brother of Bernice) shall continue more years (5 years to be exact) than the king of the north (Seleucus Callinicus).  --  Dan 11:8 (KJV)

 

 

Most scholars say that the scripture should more accurately read:

he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north for some years

 

 

So the king of the south (Ptolemy III Euergetes, the brother of Bernice)  shall come into his kingdom (Seleucus Callinicus), and shall return into his own land (Egypt).  --  Dan 11:9 (KJV)

 

Most scholars say that the scripture should more accurately read:

Then the latter (Seleucus II Callinicus) shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return into his own land.

 

In the year 242 Seleucus II Callinicus attempted to avenge himself for Egypt's deep penetration of his ancestral lands, but his army was vanquished and his navy blown away.  He returned to Antioch badly bloodied and empty-handed.

 

 

But his  (Seleucus II Callinicus) sons  (Seleucus III and Antiochus III the Great) shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his  (Ptolemy Philopator) fortress.  --  Dan 11:10 (KJV)

 

 

Antiochus III The Great was able to mount several campaigns against Egypt, and largely because of the indolence of the Egyptian ruler, Ptolemy Philopator (221-203 B.C.), he restored to Syria the territory as far south as Gaza.

 

 

And the king of the south (Ptolemy Philopator) shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north (Antiochus III The Great): and he (Antiochus III The Great) shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his (Ptolemy Philopator) hand.  --  Dan 11:11 (KJV)

 

The forces committed to the battle on each side were almost equal.  70,000 foot soldiers and 5,000 calvary on both sides.  Antiochus lost 10,000 soldiers because of death and 4,000 soldiers were taken prisoner.  Ptolemy's losses were significant but much less.

 

Both sides employed the use of elephants.  The Egyptians used 73 herded from Somolia and the Syrians used 102 from India.

 

 

The battle (217 B.C.) resulted in a complete victory for Egypt and Antiochus lost his entire army and was almost captured as he fled into the desert.

 

 

And when he (Ptolemy Philopator) hath taken away the multitude, his (Ptolemy Philopator) heart shall be lifted up; and he (Ptolemy Philopator) shall cast down many ten thousands: but he (Ptolemy Philopator) shall not be strengthened by it.  --  Dan 11:12 (KJV)

 

 

For the king of the north (Antiochus III The Great)  shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.  --  Dan 11:13 (KJV)

 

 

The timing of this new battle was strategic as the new king of Egypt was Ptolemy V Epiphanes (only 6 years old). 

 

 

And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south (Ptolemy V Epiphanes): --  Dan 11:14 (KJV)

 

 

 

There had been great civil unrest and rioting in Egypt along the Nile in the days of this new king.  This is verified by the archeaological finding of the inscriptions upon the famous Rosetta Stone now housed at the British Museum.

 

Remember:  The Spade Always Confirms The Bible

 

There was also the alliance between Philip, King of Macedon and Antiochus III The Great.  The pact was that they should attack the youn King of the South and divide his kingdom between the two of them.

 

 

also the robbers ( #yrIP' ) (destroyers) of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.  --  Dan 11:14 (KJV)

 

Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. ( #yrIP' ) --  Psa 17:4 (KJV)

 

 

And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south (Ptolemy V Epiphanes): also the destroyers ( #yrIP' ) (robbers) of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.  --  Dan 11:14 (KJV)

 

6530 #yrIP' {per-eets'}   robber , destroyer , ravenous ;  violent one, breaker ,  murderer, 

 

 

There were many of the Jews who also sought the favor of Antiochus.   These were referred to as destroyers or robbers because they set themselves against the Jews who would remain true and faithful to God.  

 

To establish the vision probably refers to the persecutions and afflictions that will be visited upon the Jews by Antiochus Epiphanes.

 

 

So the king of the north (Antiochus III The Great)  shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south (Ptolemy V Epiphanes) shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand.  --  Dan 11:15 (KJV)

 

But he that cometh against him  (Antiochus III The Great)  shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he  (Antiochus III The Great)  shall stand in the glorious land  (Palestine), which by his  (Antiochus III The Great) hand shall be consumed.  --  Dan 11:16 (KJV)

 

Prior to his entering into the glorious land, the land was under the control of Ptolemy V Epiphanes.  Antiochus III The Great had to first conquer Palestine that he might get to Egypt.

 

He (Antiochus III The Great) shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women (Cleopatra), corrupting her (he intended on his daughter assisting his own evil plan): but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him (Cleopatra remained faithful to her husband).  --  Dan 11:17 (KJV)

 

After this shall he (Antiochus III The Great) turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: (he subdued much of the islands around the Mediterranean)  --  Dan 11:18 (KJV)

 

The reason Antiochus went against the islands in the Mediterranean is that he was attempting to position himself that he might defeat Rome who had know become allied with Egypt.

 

but a prince (Scipio Asiaticus - 190 B.C. defeated Antiochus at Magnesia) for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease (the reproach refers to Antiochus' evil intentions against Rome); without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him.  --  Dan 11:18 (KJV)

 

Rome demanded that Antiochus relinquish Europe as well as that part of Asia which was adjacent on the European side of the Taurus and continue to pay a sum of 2550 talents down and 1000 talents annually over the next twelve years

 

 

Then he (Antiochus III The Great) shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.  --  Dan 11:19 (KJV)

 

Antiochus returned to his own kingdom where he attempted to raise the tribute money demanded by Rome.   To accomplish this he tried to plunder the Temple of Bel in Elymais, but when he did that the people rose up and slew him.

 

 

Then shall stand up in his (Antiochus III The Great)  estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he (Seleucus Philopater)  shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.  --  Dan 11:20 (KJV)

 

Seleucus Philopater reigned for about 12 years from 187 to 175 B.C.  Because he had been hard pressed to get together the tribute money demanded by Rome he sent his treasurer, Heliodorus, to Jerusalem (The glory of the kingdom) to confiscate the treasures within the Jewish Temple.  Shortly after he was mysteriously posioned.

 

 

 

And in his (Seleucus Philopater) estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he (Antiochus Epiphanes 175-164 B.C.) shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.  --  Dan 11:21 (KJV)

 

Antiochus Epiphanes who ruled Syria from 175-164 B.C. was the son of Antiochus The Great.  He has been described as a man who was given up to the most degraded and unnatural passions, was unscrupulous, cruel, and of a savage nature.  The honor of the Kingdom was not given him because he was not the rightful heir to his brothers throne, but rather the son of  Seleucus Philopater, his nephew.

 

He was aided by the Eumenes the king of Pergamum along with his brother Attalus.  With their help his enemies were easilly swept away and the Jewish High Priest Onias III was deposed.

 

And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant (Jewish High Priest Onias III) .  --  Dan 11:22 (KJV)

 

And after the league made with him (Eumenes the king of Pergamum and his brother Attalus) he shall work deceitfully (he sought recognition with the Romans) : for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.  --  Dan 11:23 (KJV)

 

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches (he gave extravagant gifts to the people to get them to like him): yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds (the strongholds of Egypt that is:  He later took Pelusium, Naucratis, and Memphis but failed to take Alexandria), even for a time.  --  Dan 11:24 (KJV)

 

 

And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south (Ptolemy Philometer 181-145 B.C.) with a great army; and the king of the south (Ptolemy Philometer) shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he (Ptolemy Philometer) shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him.  --  Dan 11:25 (KJV)

 

Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.  --  Dan 11:26 (KJV)

 

The brother of Ptolemy Philometer whose name was Physcon was proclaimed king in his stead.  Antiochus Epiphanes pretended to be at peace with taking Ptolemy Philometer part but then turned against him suddenly in an attempt to take over Alexandria.

 

 

And both these kings' (Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolemy Philometer)  hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed.  --  Dan 11:27 (KJV)

 

Philometer being suspicious of Antiochus and scheming for himself made overtures to Physcon on the basis of a joint sovereignty and was recieved by him in Alexandria.  Both brothers joined together against Antiochus which prevented him from taking over Alexandria.

 

Then shall he (Antiochus Epiphanes)  return into his land (Syria)  with great riches (Spoils from Egypt); and his (Antiochus Epiphanes)  heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land (Syria).  --  Dan 11:28 (KJV)

 

After hearing a false report that Antiochus had been killed, Jason, who had earlier been deprived of his High Priestly Office made an attack against Jerusalem attempting to recover his office by force.  Antiochus regarded this as an attempt of the Jews to revolt against his kingship and as a result stormed against Jerusalem slaying 40,000 jews, selling many more into slavery, and plundering the Jewish Temple, carrying off the temple treasures which were estimated at approximately 1800 talents.

 

At the time appointed he (Antiochus Epiphanes) shall return (168 B.C.), and come toward the south (Egypt); but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter.  --  Dan 11:29 (KJV)

 

Ptolemy Philometer and his brother Physcon appealed to Rome.  Being met by the Roman Popilius Laenas, it was demanded that Antiochus leave the friends of Rome unmolested and be content with his own kingdom.   Popilius drew a circle around Antiochus and demanded his answer before he stepped out of the circle.  Antiochus agreed to Rome's demands but left infuriated by the ordeal.

 

For the ships of Chittim (Rome) shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.  --  Dan 11:30 (KJV)

 

Antiochus now demanded that the people throughout his kingdom, beginning with  Jerusalem, become one people being united with one unifying religion.  The Jewish sanctuary was profaned, the offerings and sacrifices were prohibited, and an Idol altar was erected over the altar of Jehovah upon which they offered up a swine to the Greek god Zeus.  This was according to the Jewish understanding of the prophecies of Daniel, the Abomination that maketh desolate spoken by the prophet Daniel.

 

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.  --  Dan 11:31 (KJV)

 

And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.  --  Dan 12:11 (KJV)

 

 

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.  --  Dan 11:32 (KJV)

 

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.  --  Dan 11:33 (KJV)

 

Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.  --  Dan 11:34 (KJV)

 

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.  --  Dan 11:35 (KJV)

 

And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.  --  Dan 11:36 (KJV)

 

Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.  --  Dan 11:37 (KJV)

 

But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.  --  Dan 11:38 (KJV)

 

Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.  --  Dan 11:39 (KJV)

 

 

 

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.  --  Dan 11:40 (KJV)

 

This scripture cannot apply to Antiochus Epiphanes but must apply to the Antichrist who shall come.

 

 

 

 

Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.  --  Dan 8:22 (KJV)

 

And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.  --  Dan 8:23 (KJV)

 

Antiochus Epiphanes the king of Syria desecrated the Temple but was he the final fulfillment of prophecy ? (168 B.C.)

 

 

 

 

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.  --  Dan 8:24 (KJV)

 

 

And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.  --  Dan 8:25 (KJV)

 

And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days.  --  Dan 8:26 (KJV)

 

And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it.  --  Dan 8:27 (KJV)

 

 

 The next part of this prophecy is extremely significant to us as it not only refers to Antiochus Epiphanes, whom himself ruled over Syria until 164 B.C., severely persecuting the Jews, but also is a prophecy concerning the Antichrist, who shall be the eighth head of John's beast in the revelation.  We shall take note that Antiochus is a type of the Antichrist, and the very things that he does, the son of Satan shall likewise do, not to the Jew only, but his kingdom shall extend to cover the entire earth.  His power will not be limited to political and military strength, but he shall also have great supernatural powers at his command.  

 

 

 

 

                             From these there grew a wicked offshoot,

                             Antiochus Epiphanes son of King Antiochus;

                             once a hostage in Rome, he became king

                             in the 107th year of the kingdom of the Greeks.

 

                                                                   (1 Macc. 1:10 NJB)

 

 

                             On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145

                             the king built the appalling abomination

                             on top of the altar of burnt offering

 

                                                          (1 Macc. 1:54 NJB )

 

 

 This appalling abomination has been described as the altar of the Olympian Zeus erected upon the Jewish altar of burnt offering^[1] or the statue of Zeus himself set up in Jerusalem by Antiochus Epiphanes.^[2]  A third possibility is that it refers to three meteorite cult-stones (massebot), which were said to have been representative of  the God of the Jews, the Queen of Heaven, and their divine son, Dionysus.^[3]  In either case we have the sin of syncretizm; that of the sun god cult with Judaism.  The persecution of the faithful included even their young babies being tortured to death.

 

 

                             Women who had had their children circumcised

                             were put to death according to the edict

                             with their babies hung round their necks,

                             and the members of their household

                             and those who had performed the circumcision

                             were executed with them.

 

                                                          (1 Macc. 1:60-61 NJB)

 

 

 

                             The king, in a fury,

                             ordered pans and cauldrons to be heated over a fire. 

                             As soon as these were red hot,

                             he commanded that their spokesman should have his tongue cut out,                              

his head scalped and his extremities cut off,

                             while the other brothers and his mother looked on.

 

                                                                   (2 Macc. 7:3-5 NJB) 

 

 

 

 Now concerning Antiochus Epiphanes, he ruled as king over Syria and truly did desecrate the temple by offering a swine upon the altar.  The books of 1 Maccabees and 2 Maccabees, describe the extent of this terrible persecution against the Jews during his reign.

 

                        The king then issued a proclamation to his whole kingdom that

                        all were to become a single people, each nation renouncing its

                        particular customs.  All the gentiles conformed to the king's

                        decree, and many Israelites chose to accept his religion, sacrificing

                        to idols and profaning the Sabbath.  The king also sent edicts by

                        messenger to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, directing them

                        to adopt customs foreign to the country, banning burnt offerings,                                          

sacrifices  and libations from the sanctuary, profaning Sabbaths and                         

feats, defiling the sanctuary and everything holy, building altars,

                        shrines and temples for idols, sacrificing pigs and unclean beasts,                                         

leaving their sons uncircumcised, and prostituting themselves to all                                       

kinds of impurity and abomination, so that they should forget the Law                                 

and revoke all observance of it.  Anyone not obeying the king's

                        command was to be put to death. Writing in such terms to every part

                        of his kingdom, the king appointed inspectors for the whole people and

                        directed all towns of Judah to offer sacrifice city by city.  Many of the                                

people that is, every apostate from the Law, rallied to them and so                                        

committed evil in the country, forcing Israel into hiding in any possible                                

place of refuge.

 

                        On the fifteenth day of Chislev in the year 145 the king built the

                        appalling abomination on top of the altar of burnt offering; and the

                        altars were built in the surrounding towns of Judah and incense offered

                        at the doors of houses and in the streets. 

 

                                                                                                1 Maccabees 1: 41-54

 

 This so called appalling abomination, was believed by the Jews at that time, to be the literal fulfillment of these prophecies of Daniel.  Such abominations against God had consisted of  the altar of Baal Shamem or the Olympian Zeus, being erected on the Jewish altar of burnt offering.^[4]

 

                                    And he shall confirm the covenant with many

                                    for one week: and in the midst of the week he

                                    shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease,

                                    and for the over spreading of abominations he shall

                                    make it desolate, even until the consummation,

                                    and that determined shall be poured upon the

                                    desolate.

                                                                                                Dan 9:27 (KJV)

 

                                    And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute

                                    the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily

                                    sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that

                                    maketh desolate. 

                                                                                                Dan 11:31 (KJV)

 

 One must admit that the previous prophecies seem to have had their literal fulfillment in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, but this however could not have been the final fulfillment of these prophecies, for Jesus himself spoke of a much later date concerning the abomination of desolation.

 

                                    When ye therefore shall see the abomination of

                                    desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand

                                    in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 

 

                                                                                                Mat 24:15 (KJV)

 

 The Jewish persecution within the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, is to be taken more as an approximation or type of the eventual persecution to come.  And if such horrors and crimes against God's people were committed in that day, what is to be the extent of these horrors when the son of Satan himself takes up residence upon his earthly throne?

 

                        Any books of the Law that came to light were torn up and

                        burned.  Whenever anyone was discovered possessing a copy

                        of the covenant or practicing the Law, the king's decree

                        sentenced him to death.  Month after month they took harsh

                        action against any offenders they discovered in the towns of

                        Israel.  On the twenty fifth day of each month, sacrifice was

                        offered on the altar erected on top of the altar of burnt offering.                                           

Women who had their children circumcised were put to

                        death according to the edict with their babies hung round their

                        necks, and the members of their household and those who had                                             

performed the circumcision were executed with them.

 

                        Yet there were many in Israel who stood firm and found the

                        courage to refuse unclean food.  They choose death rather than                                            

contamination by such fare or profanation of the holy covenant,

                        and they were executed.  It was truly a dreadful retribution that

                        visited Israel.

                                                                       

                                                                                                 1 Maccabees 1: 55-64

 

  It has been suggested by some that Antiochus Epiphanes did not truly intend on forcing the Jews to change their God, but rather to worship that same God now under a new and different name.  The dedication of the Jerusalem sanctuary to the Olympian Zeus, was not meant to introduce the Jews to the Greek god, but rather to give the Jewish god a Greek name.  To Antiochus and the other Jewish hellenizers in Jerusalem, this might have been deemed a very reasonable request, and for that reason the penalty was stiff against the rebellious.   Rebellion on the Egyptian borders was considered a very dangerous threat and could never be tolerated.  At that time it was believed by many that, whether the god be called by the name Zeus, Baal Shamin, or Yahweh was irrelevant, for the same god of gods was intended to be worshipped.  In essence Antiochus had been attempting to conform the worship in Jerusalem to that of the rest of the world.^[5]   What is remarkable here is how that Rome was able to somehow accomplish this very same goal by the introducing of  common pagan practices into Christianity.  The Jews gave their lives to prevent the joining of common pagan religious practices to the one true God.  The Roman Church, as well as many of her daughters, prides themselves in these very same false customs that the Jews gave their lives to try to prevent.   Like it or not the Church is saturated with pagan apostasy and false customs such as Easter, Christmas, Priesthood's, Relic worship, etc.

 

                        Shortly afterwards, the king sent Gerontes the Athenian to

                        force the Jews to violate their ancestral customs and live

                        no longer by the laws of God; and to profane the Temple in

                        Jerusalem and dedicate it to Olympian Zeus, and the one on

                        Mount Gerizim to Zeus, Patron of Strangers, as the inhabitants

                        of the later place had requested.   The advent of these evils

                        was painfully hard for all the people to bear.  The Temple was

                        filled with reveling and debauchery by the gentiles, who took

                        their pleasure with prostitutes and had intercourse with women

                        in the sacred precincts, introducing other indecencies besides. 

                        The altar of sacrifice was loaded with victims proscribed by the

                        law as profane.  No one might either keep the Sabbath or observe

                        the traditional feasts, or so much as admit to being a Jew.  People

                        were driven by harsh compulsion to take part in the monthly ritual

                        meal commemorating the king's birthday; and when a feast of

                        Dionysus occurred, they were forced to wear ivy wreaths and walk in

                        the Dionysiac procession.

                                                                                                            2 Maccabees 6:1-7

 

 The Ivy branch was especially distinctive to the worship of Bacchus or Dionysus.  One would surely expect to find the emblem of the ivy branch wherever a religious rite or orgy was celebrated in his name.  Usually his most faithful subjects carried the ivy leaf in their hands or wore them around their heads, but some who were truly committed, had the ivy leaf stamped or tattooed upon their bodies.^[6]  Ptolemy Philopator went so far as to brand the Jews with the ivy leaf of Dionysus upon their foreheads (3 Mac. 2:29). ^[7] Such a practice of tattooing the flesh was a clear violation of the law of Moses who wrote "you  will not tattoo yourselves, I am Yahweh" (Lev. 19:28). ^[8]  One is reminded how the beast of Revelation will cause all to receive a tattoo in their heads or hands to demonstrate their loyalty to his lordship over them.

 

                        A decree was issued at the instance of the people of Ptolemais

                        for the neighboring Greek cities, enforcing the same conduct on

                        the Jews there, obliging them to share in the sacrificial meals,

                        and ordering the execution of those who would not voluntarily

                        conform to Greek customs.  So it became clear that disaster was                                           

imminent. 

 

                        For example, two women were charged with having circumcised

                        their children.  They were paraded publicly around the town,

                        with their babies hung at their breasts, and then hurled over the

                        city wall.  Other people, who had assembled in some near-by caves

                        to keep the seventh day without attracting attention, were

                        denounced to Philip, and were then all burnt to death together,

                        since their consciences would not allow them to defend themselves,

                        out of respect for the holiness of the day.

 

                                                                                                            2 Maccabees 6:8-11    

 

                                               

 

 

   While it is true that Antiochus Epiphanes seems to be a partial fulfillment of the prophecies concerning the Antichrist, evidently he could not have been that "little horn" that was to become "exceedingly great".  This Antiochus had never truly achieved such greatness, although we must all agree that he did desecrate the temple and as such did at least in type fulfill the prophecy.  It must be noted however that the Maccabees were also able to restore temple worship, proving that Antiochus could not have been the exceedingly great one who was to come. For Persia is called great and Greece is called exceeding great.  But this little horn that was to  come forth must wax exceeding great, which is to say that he must exceed both Persia and Greece.  So we see how absurd it would be to allow such a weak interpretation or fulfillment to this prophecy of Daniel.