Series: Are We Nearing the End of Time? A study of Daniel’s prophecies regarding many wars

Series: Are We Nearing the End of Time? “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NKJV)

Seventy Weeks “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty- two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times…” Daniel 9:24–27 (NKJV)

Seventy Weeks “…And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” Daniel 9:24–27 (NKJV)

Seventy Weeks “Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city…” Daniel 9:24 (NKJV) “In the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.” Daniel 9:2 (NKJV)

Seventy Weeks 457 BC 70 Sevens 490 Years 33 AD Artaxerxes [Ezra 7:7-27] made a decree to rebuild the temple in about 457 BC. In Neh. 2:1-8 he expanded the decree to encompass rebuilding the city, with its walls and streets.

Seventy Weeks Jerusalem rebuilt Israel’s sins dealt with Messiah killed Sacrifices cease Covenant confirmed Jerusalem destroyed Great desolation 408 BC Christ’s Death After 26 AD, 30 AD 30 AD AD After 26 AD, 70 AD

Seventy Weeks 457 BC 408 BC 7 Sevens 49 Years 26 AD 33 AD 62 Sevens 434 Years 1 Seven 7 Years 70 Sevens 490 Years 70 AD

The Great Wars “And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time…” Daniel 11:21–35 (NKJV)

The Great Wars “…He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. 28 While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land. 29 At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter…” Daniel 11:21–35 (NKJV)

The Great Wars “…For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. 32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits…” Daniel 11:21–35 (NKJV)

The Great Wars “…And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.” Daniel 11:21–35 (NKJV)

The Great Wars The next king was Antiochus IV Epiphanes He was a vile person He excelled his forebears, even Antiochus III The Great He killed the high priest, Onias III After making a truce with the Ptolemies, Antiochus became strong by trickery The Syrian people became powerful Ptolemy Philometor ascended to the throne, Antiochus sent Apollonius to Egypt supposedly to spy out the strength of the new ruler Antiochus gathered his forces against Egypt for a major invasion

The Great Wars This first invasion was a great success for Antiochus The Egyptians made Ptolemy Physcon their king Antiochus persuaded Ptolemy Philometor to aid him in an invasion of Egypt under the pretext of helping him retake the throne from Ptolemy Physcon They planned this together, but each thought to advance their own cause Antiochus Epiphanes took several key cities After this series of battles, he returned to his homeland by way of Judah On this return from Egypt, Antiochus slaughtered many Jews and took many into slavery

The Great Wars The high priest, made the temple treasure available to Antiochus, so he went into the temple and took its treasures Antiochus planned a second invasion of Egypt This effort ended in the humiliation of Antiochus Epiphanes Antiochus had gotten as far as Alexandria and was near to subduing his rival The Roman senate sent representatives by sea to warn Antiochus Epiphanes to leave Egypt in peace or face a war with the Romans The Roman leader drew a circle around Antiochus in the sand and demanded an answer before Antiochus could leave the circle

The Great Wars Antiochus agreed to the Roman demands and left Egypt in humiliation. Antiochus returned to Judah and took his frustrations out on the Jews He made league with Hellenists Jews and sought to obliterate the Hebrew culture and keep the Jews under his thumb On the Sabbath he attacked orthodox Jews Soon after this he stopped the daily temple sacrifice and set up a statue of Jupiter in the temple They sacrificed a pig on the alter and compelled Jews to participate in pagan rituals to honor a pagan deity

The Great Wars “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. 37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain…” Daniel 11:36–45 (NKJV)

The Great Wars “…At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape…” Daniel 11:36–45 (NKJV)

The Great Wars “…He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. 44 But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.” Daniel 11:36–45 (NKJV)

The Great Wars Antiochus Epiphanes was arrogant, opposing God, and exalted himself above pagan gods This section has an overview of earlier campaigns executed by Antiochus Epiphanes Antiochus enjoyed victory in Egypt and in Canaan [glorious land] His advances into Egypt were so far that Ethiopia and Libya were at his doorstep News of the burgeoning Roman Empire to his north and his war with Parthians to his east troubled him He died of a terrible disease

Series: Are We Nearing the End of Time? “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8

Series: Are We Nearing the End of Time? A study of Daniel’s prophecies regarding many wars