Daniel 11

By John Thiel, Daniel 11 Series, Study 6, mp3

Throughout the studies so far we have come to appreciate the activities of Michael our Prince.

Daniel 11:22 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.

This is the description of Tiberius Caesar coming to his end. He was such a corrupt emperor, and in his efforts to sustain himself he was overpowered by his enemies, and he was finally stifled with a pillow in A.D. 37. In the year A.D. 31 Jesus was crucified.

Daniel 11:28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart [shall be] against the holy covenant; and he shall do [exploits], and return to his own land.

In this scripture we have come right past Augustus and Tiberius, and on towards Vespasian and Titus, his general, who did great exploits and destroyed the city of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. This is what was written in Daniel 9:26.

Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself:

He was broken like the emperor Tiberius.

Daniel 9:26 …and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

In A.D. 70 the city was conquered by the Romans. Jerusalem and the government of Israel were decimated, desolated.

Daniel 9:27 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,

This was the death of Jesus Christ, the sacrifice of the Lamb of God,

Daniel 9:27 …and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. 

Here is a record that Jesus, who was crucified and sacrificed as a lamb, would ultimately desolate. Let us pause to appreciate this statement and the statement of Daniel 11. Jesus Christ was actually sacrificed, and from that sacrifice He would turn and desolate. Let us connect the sacrifice of Jesus with the desolations. Here is Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane:

Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt]. 40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Jesus is going through the trauma of His pending crucifixion. In Luke 22 we notice something very interesting. Remember, this is Michael the Archangel, and Gabriel who is helping Him. Here is Jesus going through His sacrifice in the garden of Gethsemane and ready to expire, but it was not yet time for Him to die; He had to be on the cross. So what happened in this scene?

Luke 22:41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, 42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

What a beautiful picture. Here we have Jesus affecting the world by His sacrifice. The Prince of the covenant is making His overtures of love to reach the hearts of all who would believe. And as He is going through His terrible agony, who comes to strengthen Him? Who comes to work with Him as he had come in the past to work with this angel when he was himself working with the kings of Persia and all the other kings? It is none other but Gabriel, coming to strengthen Jesus Christ. Profound. This is what was written in Daniel 10:21.

Daniel 10:21 But I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: and [there is] none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 

Gabriel and Jesus Christ were working together. And Gabriel now comes to strengthen Jesus. What a beautiful picture. Why is this scene so important in our understanding of the sacrifice and its connection with the desolations? Because it says in Daniel 9:27 that He would desolate, even until the consummation.

Isaiah 63:1 Who [is] this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this [that is] glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Wherefore [art thou] red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? 3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me:

That is what Jesus was crying in Gethsemane, Peter, why couldn’t you be with Me? He was alone.

Isaiah 63:3 …for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance [is] in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. 5 And I looked, and [there was] none to help; and I wondered that [there was] none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. 6 And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.

Here you can see the connection of Jesus that wonderful Prince who came down to sacrifice Himself, and who, in consequence of that sacrifice, moves on thereafter to the desolations that are to follow. Jesus would tread the wine press of the wrath of God just as He had been conducting the political affairs of the world – one empire destroying the other empire. Now He says, We are coming to the last of the drama, and I am going to tread them down in My anger. Revelation gives another picture of this. The child that was born at the time of Daniel 11:20 is here brought to the forefront:

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Whom did she bring forth?

Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and [to] his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred [and] threescore days.

1260 days equaling in prophecy 1260 years. This child that was born to Mary was going to rule the world with a rod of iron. As we read in Isaiah, it is the year of His redeemed and the day of His wrath. He will splatter His garments with blood as much as His garments had been covered with sweat-drops of blood at the time of Gethsemane. Jesus’ sacrifice having been offered this then launches Him forward to dealing with, and ruling, the nations with the rod of iron while His church (the woman) flees into the wilderness. Although God used Rome to deal with the Jews, what did Rome do?

Rome Did Wickedly

Daniel 11:28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart [shall be] against the holy covenant; and he shall do [exploits], and return to his own land.

He came and desolated Jerusalem. His heart was against the holy covenant. Accordingly, he also had to be dealt with. Pagan Rome had to be desolated. Watch Jesus at work as we continue through Daniel 11. He had to deal first with Rome, the desolator of Jerusalem.

Daniel 11:29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30 For the ships of Chittim 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. 31 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. 32 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].

Skip the word sacrifice because it is a supplied word. At the time appointed? Remember we had seen in our previous study that 31 B.C. was the beginning of the Roman Empire’s full control [when Augustus finally conquered Egypt]. At the time appointed the Roman Empire would shift his power from Rome to Constantinople, and that was the beginning of the demise of the Roman Empire. In verse 29 is the beginning of the time when the desolator of Jerusalem would be dealt with by the One who rules this world with the rod of iron. A.D. 330 was the time appointed in which the seat of the Empire of Rome was shifted to Constantinople. Who was responsible for the demise of the Roman Empire?

The Barbaric Tribes

Daniel 11:30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant:

Chittim was the name applied to the island of Cyprus, and the barbaric tribes had come down from Cyprus to the north of Africa. The Vandals had settled there and developed a naval base [Carthage], and their ships were being used to attack the Western Roman Empire. As this was taking place, he, Rome, would return and have indignation against the holy covenant. It just so happen that the Vandals and these other barbaric tribes were actually so-called Christians [Arians], and they came to fight against the Roman Empire to attack pagan Rome, but not only that, they were also connected with an interest in the papacy which was slowly beginning to develop. This was the naval war under Genseric that was launched from the south. We can read it also in Revelation. This is here talking about the same era:

Revelation 8:8 And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea: and the third part of the sea became blood; 9 And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed.

This is the naval onslaught upon the Western Roman Empire by Genseric the Vandal warlord. What is interesting is that, as all these barbaric wars were taking place, it says of Justinian, who was the emperor in Constantinople, that he would have indignation against the holy covenant.

Daniel 11:30 …so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

What is this talking about? Justinian was dealing with the Arian Vandals, the enemies of the Catholic faith that was developing there. Justinian connived with the pope to exterminate these Arian tribes. He would have indignation against the holy covenant and he would have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. It was the papal religion that was twisting and forsaking the holy covenant, bringing in a complete new system of Christianity, and Justinian was assisting this.

The Abomination that Maketh Desolate

As this religious activity was taking its course, together with the political attack upon the Roman Empire, this is what then happened:

Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength – the sanctuary of strength in the Roman Empire was Rome. What we are seeing here is the desolations that took place under the attacks of the Vandals, the Goths, the Heruli, and the other barbaric tribes. As the war goes on to desecrate the city of Rome, they shall take away the daily, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. They would take away the daily. What is this daily?

Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain [saint] which spake, How long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily, and the transgression making desolate, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?

In this scripture I ignored the italics and used the marginal reading. How long is all this desolation going to go on for? First of all the desolation took place under pagan Rome, which desolated the Jews, and even the early Christians. How long is this going to go on for? Then there would be another desolating power, the desolating power of the transgression, or as we have just read it in Daniel 11, the abomination that maketh desolate. One was taken away so that the other could be put in place. This is what we read in Daniel 11:31, They “shall take away the daily, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

How long would these desolators that were desolating God’s people, the Jews and the Christians, continue their work?

Psalms 74:3 Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations; [even] all [that] the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.

The perpetual desolations – the daily. The word perpetual is exactly the same as daily.

Psalms 74:4 Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations; they set up their ensigns [for] signs. 5 [A man] was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees. 6 But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers. 7 They have cast fire into thy sanctuary,

Isn’t that what they did? They cast fire into the sanctuary.

Psalms 74:7 …they have defiled [by casting down] the dwelling place of thy name to the ground. 8 They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burned up all the synagogues of God in the land. 9 We see not our signs: [there is] no more any prophet: neither [is there] among us any that knoweth how long.

This is the description of perpetual desolations, which the word daily comes from – perpetual, continuous. This is the description of the daily. And the daily was taken away to put in place the abomination making desolate. This is the removal of paganism and the introduction of the perversion of the covenant, which is the papacy. While they were desolating Rome the barbaric tribes were actually being used to uplift the papacy in the place of the pagan Roman Empire. It was not until A.D. 508 that the last vestige of paganism was removed from the Empire of Rome. Clovis, the French king, was the final one to submit himself to the papal power. And they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate – they shall place the papacy.

Daniel 8:11 Yea, he magnified [himself] even to the prince of the host, and by him [margin: from him] the daily was taken away,

We know that the pagan Roman Empire was instrumental in crucifying Christ.

Daniel 8:11 …and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.

The Vandals came and destroyed the sanctuary.

Daniel 8:12 And an host [the Vandals] was given [him] against the daily by reason of transgression, and it [the papacy] cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.

Indeed, the papacy was ushered in – the abomination making desolate was placed, and it practiced and prospered. It came into full swing in A.D. 538. In A.D. 496, Clovis, the king of France, finally surrendered himself, and by A.D. 538 the papacy was fully set up. What was the time period that was given in Revelation 12:6? 1260 days. That was from 538 through to 1798. Observe now the process of Jesus as He is ruling the nations with a rod of iron. He has managed to deal with the Jews, and with the pagan Romans. Now He has got the papacy. Observe Him at work with the papal desolations that had to take place.

Dealing with the Papal Desolations

Daniel 11:32 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].

Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries – this is speaking of the papacy. The papacy was corrupting the whole situation by flatteries, bestowing wealth, position, and honour upon the Christians to turn them away from their correct understanding of the papacy’s corruption of Christianity. As he (the papacy) is corrupting by flatteries, the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. This is especially talking about the Waldenses. They were training their young people to enter into the strong holds of papal beliefs and undermine them – doing exploits. The Huguenots and the Albigenses were also engaged together to try and stem the tide of papal corruption. But what is written?

Daniel 11:33 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.

This terrible stroke of a pen shows that, while the political arena is coordinated by Jesus, the sacrifice of Jesus in His church continues to take its course. They are doing exploits against the papal corruptions, but what happens? They themselves are also persecuted and attacked.

A Little Help

Daniel 11:34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

As these terrible desolations under papal Rome take their course, there comes the Reformation. The Reformation helps them, as it says, with a little help. Yet many shall cleave to them with flatteries.

Daniel 11:35 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.

The time of the end – it would start at the end of the 1260 days, which, as we identified, were from A.D. 538 to A.D. 1798. God’s people were helped a little, and there was persecution still, and people would fall, but they would be made white and tried.

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child]. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.

Here you have three and a half years. With 360 days in every year, it turns right into 1260 prophetic days, which is 1260 literal years. For that period of time the woman would be nourished and cared for in the wilderness because she was being persecuted.

Revelation 12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.

This is the description of what we just identified in Daniel 11:33-35 right through to the time of the end – 1798. They would be going through this terrible desolation under the hand of the papacy. The papacy now is actually a desolating power. This is the way it reads, the abomination making desolate. Now the desolator of papal Rome must come into action. Jesus had raised the Romans against Jerusalem. Then He had raised the barbaric tribes against pagan Rome; and now papal Rome needs to have someone to desolate her.

We are seeing Jesus, the One who rules the world with a rod of iron, doing His desolations as the desolators are trying to desolate God’s people.

Daniel 11:36 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.

The indignation needs to be accomplished. Jesus, Michael the Prince, is indignant against those who have been persecuting His people. So here comes a king: “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.” Who is this king? And what is he going to do to accomplish the indignation against the papacy? It is a king who rises here to attack even the God of all gods.

The Papacy or France?

Many people believe this king to be the papacy, but no, the papacy needs to be desolated. Here is the raising of a power which is even against the God that the papacy claims to worship. He turns himself against the God of the papacy and even against the God of the gods, which the papacy also claims to uphold. This is a very interesting situation. Let us look at the story of France. [Below is an expression of the infidel sentiments which had been sown by Voltaire, and which were then held by millions of Frenchmen.]

“The fear of God is so far from being the beginning of wisdom that it is the beginning of folly. Modesty is only the invention of refined voluptuousness. The Supreme King, the God of the Jews and the Christians, is but a phantom. Jesus Christ is an impostor.” {Ethan Smith, Key to the Revelation, p. 322}

France was working to demoralise the papacy.

“The constitutional bishop of Paris was brought forward to play the principal part in the most impudent and scandalous farce ever enacted in the face of a national representation . . . He was brought forward in full procession, to declare to the convention that the religion which he had taught so many years was, in every respect a piece of PRIESTCRAFT, which had no foundation either in history or sacred truth. He disowned, in solemn and explicit terms, the EXISTENCE OF THE DEITY, to whose worship he had been consecrated, and devoted himself in future to the homage of Liberty, Equality, Virtue and Morality. He then laid on the table his episcopal decoration, and received a fraternal embrace from the president of the convention. Several apostate priests followed the example of this prelate. . . . The world, for the FIRST time heard an assembly of men, born and educated in civilization, and assuming the right to govern one of the finest of the European nations, uplift their united voice to DENY the most solemn truth which man’s soul receives, and RENOUNCE UNANIMOUSLY THE BELIEF AND WORSHIP OF DEITY.” {Walter Scott, Life of Napoleon Bonaparte, Vol. 1, p. 173}

What was this king doing? Let us read it again:

Daniel 11:36 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.

Why did France do this? Because she was called upon by Michael our Prince to deal a desolating blow upon the papacy. He did it very well, because, as we arrive in 1798, he actually does a very serious blow to the papacy. In France, the prelate resigned his beliefs. What was meant to happen to the papacy?

Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Here is the description of the Roman dragon, paganism, giving power to the papacy in Rome. This beast had seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads were the different forms of government that had existed in the history of Rome [viz., kingly, consular, triumvirate, decemvirate, dictatorial, imperial, and papal].

Revelation 13:3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

When was it that the papal head of Rome was wounded? 1798. Because it was under general Berthier that the pope was taken prisoner. Papal Rome was being desolated under the orchestration of Jesus Christ. He used these vile men, as He did in the past, to do His work for Him. While God used one to desolate the other, the very desolating nature of this corrupt country also had to be desolated. It happens in very quick succession now as we continue through the time of the end in 1798.

Daniel 11:37 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.

In the French revolution and in the turning of the French against God even marriage was no longer venerated. Nor did they regard any god as this atheistical revolution developed.

Daniel 11:38 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. 39 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.

This was all a description of the attack of France against the papacy, how he would work and take away all the possessions of the papacy in France. [In 1793 the worship of the Goddess of Reason was introduced. And as a result of the Revolution the titles of the nobility were abolished, and their lands were disposed of in small parcels for the benefit of the government. The land was divided for gain.]

Daniel 11:40 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.

Now all of a sudden we come back to the king of the north and the king of the south. We recall that in our past references to these two kings they were the territories of Asia Minor (north) and Egypt (south). These territories are now being brought back into focus, because we haven’t been reading about them for several verses. We were reading about pagan Rome, papal Rome, and France. But now France, who has been used to desolate the papacy, is very quickly thrown into conflict to itself become desolated. What is the history? The pope was taken captive by General Berthier on February 10, 1798. On March 5, 1798, The Directory decreed to send Bonaparte on an expedition against Egypt – the king of the south. On May 3, 1798 he set sail, and when he arrived, Egypt, the king of the south, pushed against him. “At the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him.” In September 2, 1798 the sultan of Turkey entered into a war against France. The sultan of Turkey was the king of the north. “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.”

We can see here a conflict immediately unleashed against Napoleon because, although he was desolating the papacy, he was also a terrible antagonist against the God of the universe at the same time. So the kings of the north and south come into the picture again – an exact fulfillment of prophecy in the actual events, because the sultan of Turkey enters into a war with France, like a whirlwind. The details of this are very interesting to study because he really did come down with a very strong force. We see here that the Ottoman Empire, which Turkey was the headquarters of, is identified as the king of the north doing his work against Napoleon.

The Arab States

We now enter into some detail on the king of the north, the Ottoman Empire. What did the king of the north do as he overflowed and passed over in his attack upon Napoleon?

Daniel 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many [countries] shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, [even] Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

The Arabs, the Ottoman Empire comes down and takes over in the glorious land, in the area of Palestine, Israel and Jerusalem.

Daniel 11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians [shall be] at his steps.

Napoleon came and attacked Egypt, and the army actually took hold of Egypt, but the king of the north comes down into Egypt and fights against Napoleon. There the Ottomans have some success. They managed to drive France out of Egypt. Egypt was left to rule in its own right, but they had to pay tribute to the king of the north – the Arab Ottoman Empire.

The Crimean War

Daniel 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

Here is the king of the north being attacked with terrible tidings out of the east and out of the north. Here we have the Russians in the north and the Persians in the east – once again, a direct event which prophecy pointed to. As the Ottoman Empire had been working to do some exploits against the general of France and thus to damage him, now they themselves were being damaged by the Russians and the Persians. This finally culminated in the Crimean War (1853 – 1856), in which Turkey, with the final help of England and France, was able to hold itself. Turkey was therefore supported by England and France for some time.

“The Crimean War: With the backing of Britain and France, the Turks declared war on Russia. The Turkish fleet was destroyed in the Black Sea port of Sinope, after which both Britain and France declared war on Russia and landed troops in the Crimea. Despite some bloody victories, the war dragged on and the Russians refused to come to terms. Finally Sevastopol fell. But only after Austria threatened to enter the war did Russia agree to make peace. During the Crimean War more died of disease than did on the battle field.” {Unknown source}

Here you can see the activity of Michael the Prince. He is working to desolate one power after the other ever since the time of Jesus Christ. So what do we have? The desolations of Judah, of pagan Rome, of papal Rome, of France and its powers, and of the Ottoman Empire as well. What an interesting set of events that have been foreshadowed here through these descriptions of Daniel 11. From 1840 the Ottoman Empire was also severely affected. While it was working together with the English and the French, it was no longer a powerful empire. It had received a very serious blow.

Daniel 11:45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

That part of the prophecy is not completely fulfilled yet. In 1840 there was an event that took place where the Ottoman Empire first received a blow, and from there onwards it became weaker and weaker, and needed support from others.

The Seven Trumpets

In the seven trumpets we find another description of these last devastating blows which Jesus Christ was administering behind the scenes through these interactivities of political conflict.

Revelation 9:13 And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. 16 And the number of the army of the horsemen [were] two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.

Here is a description of the period of the reign of the Ottoman Empire – the time from their beginning as an empire to the time of its end [An hour, and a day, and a month, and a year: 360 years + 30 years + 1 year + 15 days = 391 years and 15 days. Period of Ottoman supremacy: July 27, 1449 – August 11, 1840]. In this prophecy, it was traced exactly to the day of August 11, 1840 that the Ottoman Empire finally lost its full control. It was very effective in destroying the Eastern Roman Empire, until it lost that power in August 11, 1840, from which point in time the Turks were then reliant on England and France to help them. The Arab states had their power-thrust desolated as well. All along we have seen the desolator being desolated – pagan Rome, papal Rome, France, and the Arab states. But just as the declaration of Daniel 11:45 in reference to the Arab states will take place [“yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him”], so it will take place upon all the others as well. We now have an accumulation of nations who used to be empires that once controlled the world. They have all been desolated, but they are still in existence. In Daniel 9:26-27 it says that it would ultimately come to the time of the consummation, in which they would all be destroyed.

The Treading of the Winepress

Isaiah 63:3 I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [there was] none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

Jesus will come and tread the winepress of His wrath. He will destroy these nations. He will tread them down, as the treading of the winepress.

1798, 1840, 1844. Ever since 1844 something very important is happening. Daniel asked, How long will this desolation be?

Daniel 8:13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain [saint] which spake, How long [shall be] the vision [concerning] the daily [sacrifice], and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

The answer was, 2300 days. The cleansing of the sanctuary is another important study. Jesus stands as our High Priest, He stands for His people.

Daniel 7:26 But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy [it] unto the end.

As we look at that 2300 day prophecy we see that in 1844 the judgment would sit. What happens during the sitting of the judgment? All these nations will be consumed and destroyed unto the end. We have now a very important identification point to which we can connect the words of Jesus in Matthew 24. In the following scripture He is describing the line up to the very end of the world, and He makes an important point. He speaks here about the last days that God’s people need to be watching for and during which they must not to be caught by surprise.

Matthew 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

This is the Dark Ages, the period of the papal desecration, during which the papacy was desolating God’s people. After the tribulation there would be these signs; and those signs took place exactly as it is written.

Matthew 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

Jesus gives here another sweeping description of the time-of-the-end period. And notice what He says next.

Israel, the Parable of the Fig Tree

Matthew 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer [is] nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, [even] at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. 35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. … 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

This is Jesus speaking in reference to the detail of Daniel 11:45 – the king of the north, or the Arab states, having their influence upon the Middle East and upon Israel. There comes a point in history when Israel will again recover itself. It is called here the fig tree. This will be the topic of our last study. When they all come to the end according to Daniel 11:45, the king of the north shall come to his end, and none shall help him, which is still a future activity. When they all come to the end, Jesus will deal with all of these powers.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

We will come to our next study with this backdrop in our mind: that the consummation will take place, in which Jesus will do the grand finale of dealing with all those empires which had done their damage one to another; and He will even deal with the Jewish nation.

Amen.