As we continue reading in Scripture, we get a sense of the evilness of this king.
The desecration of the temple in Jerusalem by Antiochus IV Epiphanes aligns him with this text.
But then the text becomes blurry. Most scholars agree that up to verse 36 we are reading of Antiochus IV. But then in verse 40 we read, “At the time of the end…” and then it continues with more description of events.
Yet the events of Daniel 11:40–45 cannot be identified the way verses 1-35 have been. Why? Because they have not yet happened.
Clearly, as Daniel was seeing this vision, he could not have known when any of the events we’ve discussed would take place. However, as time has passed, we are able to identify some of them.
Which makes us ask, “When will the rest happen?”
As we study a biblical text, as we dig in, it is natural to want to get to the end—to solve the puzzle. Here we have to press the pause button.
If we do not, we end up treating chapter 11 merely as a list of predictions to be checked against subsequent historical events.
But that is not the purpose of Scripture. Recall Daniel has been searching for what is going to happen to his people. God is telling him.
Consider Luke 21:1-9. Jesus is in the Temple and people are talking about its grandeur. He notes that there will come a day when the Temple is no longer standing.
When we read him talking about the fall of Jerusalem, he cautions his disciples. He warns them against being taken in by many who would confuse it and other events with the end time. “The end will not be at once” (Luke 21:9.)
Jesus is giving them a model of the end time.
So too is Daniel. “The narrative uses the time of Antiochus as a prototype of the time of the end, when a fierce king will arise that shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god (Daniel 11:36). There will be a time of unparalleled trouble for Daniel’s people, Israel, followed by deliverance and the resurrection of both the just and the unjust. At that point Daniel is told to seal the book until the time of the end (12:4).” Lennox
What is the point for us today?
When the text (or life) gets blurry, know true north.
I have written before about Daniel’s perspective. As followers of Christ, we share Daniel’s point-of-view. We do not see history going round-and-round in circles. No, time is heading towards the return of Jesus. To arrive at this destination means going through a great tribulation on earth. Yet we also know that in spiritual realm, a great battle will be waged. Daniel is seeing it.
The point is that as followers of Jesus, as God’s people, we will suffer before we are finally delivered.
Rather than be discouraged, remember that Jesus has won the ultimate battle. He has the victory, cf. 1 Corinthians 15:50-58.
Rather than be discouraged, let’s hold onto True North and be motivated to let more people to know about Jesus.
When you think of the battle that must take place, are you discouraged or motivated?