The Kings of the South and the North Dan. Chapter 11 Vs. 1-45

 

Daniel 11: 1-45

The Kings of the South and the North

There is here a division of the chapters. The first verse of chapter 11 clearly belongs to the last verses of chapter 10. It seems to furnish the reason why Gabriel could rely on the help of Michael, and therefore may delay for a few moments his return to the scene of conflict with the Prince of Persia and the coming King of Javan. Michael will for that brief period undertake the sole responsibility of maintaining the struggle, because Gabriel has put him under a direct obligation by special assistance which he rendered to him only a little while previously in the first year of the Median Darius.

The messenger then stated that when he returned to fight against the prince of Persia cf. the prince of the Persian kingdom, Dan. 10:13, the prince of Greece would come. These princes, as stated earlier (see Dan. 11:11-14), were demons, Satan’s representatives assigned to nations to oppose godly forces. Persia and Greece were two major nations discussed in detail in Dan. 11:1-45 Persia, Dan. 11:2-4; Greece, Dan. 11:5-35.

What is the Book of truth? It was probably God’s record of truth in general, of which the Bible is one expression John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation, p. 250. The messenger was about to tell Daniel God’s plans for Israel under Persia and Greece Dan. 11:2-35 and later in the Tribulation Dan. 11:36-45 and the Millennium Dan. 12:1-4.

The messenger told Daniel he was supported by Michael in his struggle with demons cf. Dan. 10:13. Michael is your Daniel’s prince in the sense that he has a special relationship to Israel cf. Dan. 12:1, Daniel’s people. When Darius the Mede Dan. 11:1; see Dan. 6:1; cf. Dan. 9:1 began his rule over Babylon, the messenger supported Darius in some way. Or if him refers to Michael then the thought is that the messenger supported Michael in return for Michael supporting the messenger.

The Details of Israel’s History Under the Second and Third Empires

History under Persia

The angel informed Daniel that the present leadership in the Persian Empire would be succeeded by four rulers. The first was Cambyses, Cyrus’ son, who came to the throne in 530 b.c. He was followed by Pseudo-Smerdis, who reigned a short period in 522 b.c. He was succeeded by Darius I Hystaspes who ruled from 521 to 486 b.c. He in turn was succeeded by Xerxes, known in the Book of Esther as Ahasuerus, who ruled from 485 to 465 b.c. Xerxes was the most powerful, influential, and wealthy of the four. During his reign he fought wars against Greece.

Now, therefore, Gabriel, though in haste, will announce to Daniel the truth.

The announcement occupies five sections.

FIRST SECTION

Events from the rise of Alexander the Great B.C. 336 to the death of Seleucus Nicator B.C. 280. There are to be three kings of Persia after Cyrus who is then reigning, of whom the third is to be the richest; and when he is waxed strong through his riches, he shall stir up the all against the realm of Javan.

There were of course many more than four kings of Persia: viz.-

Cyrus-536

Cambyses-529

Pseudo-Smerdis-522

Darius Hystaspis-521

Xerxes I-485

Artaxerxes I (Longimanus)-464

Xerxes II-425

Sogdianus-425

Darius Nothus-424

Artaxerxes II (Mnemon)-405

Artaxerxes III-359

Darius Codomannus-336

But probably Daniel had no historic sources to which to refer, and only four Persian kings are prominent in Scripture Cyrus, Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes. Darius Codomannus is indeed mentioned in Neh. 12:22, but might have easily been overlooked, and even confounded with another Darius in uncritical and unhistorical times. The rich fourth king who stirs up all against the realm of Grecia might be meant for Artaxerxes I, but more probably refers to Xerxes Achashverosh, or Ahaseurus, and his immense and ostentatious invasion of Greece B.C. 480. His enormous wealth is dwelt upon by Herodotus.

Dan. 11:3 B.C. 336-323. Then shall rise a mighty king Alexander the Great. and shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will.

"Fortunam solus omnium mortalium in potestate habuit," says his historian, Quintus Curtius.

History under Greece

The rise of Alexander

The mighty king was Alexander whose rise had been foreshadowed by (a) the bronze belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar’s image Dan. 2:32, 2:39, (b) the winged leopard Dan. 7:6, and (c) the prominent horn of the goat Dan. 8:5-8. Between 334 and 330 b.c. Alexander conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and the land of the Medo-Persian Empire. His conquests extended as far as India. Dan. 8:20-21 before Alexander’s death at the age of 32 in 323 b.c. from malaria with complications from alcoholism.

Dan. 11:4 (.C. 323. But when he is at the apparent zenith of his strength his kingdom shall be broken, and shall not descend to any of his posterity, but B.C. 323-301 shall be for others, and shall ultimately after the Battle of Ipsus, B.C. 301 be divided towards the four winds of heaven, into the kingdoms of Cassander ( and Macedonia, Ptolemy Egypt, Coele-Syria, and Palestine, Lysimachus Asia Minor, and Seleucus Upper Asia.

A few years after Alexander’s death, his kingdom was divided among his four generals cf. Dan. 8:22: Seleucus over Syria and Mesopotamia, Ptolemy over Egypt, Lysimacus over Thrace and portions of Asia Minor, and Cassander over Macedonia and Greece. This division was anticipated through the four heads of the leopard Dan. 7:6 and the four prominent horns on the goat Dan. 8:8. Alexander founded no dynasty of rulers; since he had no heirs, his kingdom was divided and the empire was marked by division and weakness.

Dan. 11:5 Of these four kingdoms and their kings the vision is only concerned with two the kings of the South i.e., the Lagidae, or Egyptian Ptolemies, who sprang from Ptolemy Lagos, and the kings of the North i.e., the Antiochian Seleucidae. They alone are singled out because the Holy Land became a sphere of contentions between these rival dynasties. B.C. 306. The King of the South Ptolemy Soter, son of Lagos shall be strong, and shall ultimately assume the title of Ptolemy I, King of Egypt. But one of his princes or generals Seleucus Nicator shall be stronger and, asserting his independence, shall establish a great dominion over Northern Syria and Babylonia.

The conflict between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids

The Ptolemies who ruled over Egypt, were called the kings of the South. The Seleucids, ruling over Syria, north of Israel, were called the kings of the North. This section Dan. 11:5-20 gives many details of the continuous conflict between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids during which the land of Israel was invaded first by one power and then by the other.

See table, The Ptolemies and the Seleucids in Daniel 11:5-35.

The Ptolemies and the Seleucids in Daniel 11:5-35
Ptolemies Kings of the South, Egypt			Seleucids Kings of the North, Syria
Daniel	Dan. 11:5	Ptolemy I Soter 323-285 b.c.	Daniel		Dan. 11:5		Seleucus I Nicator 312-281 b.c. Antiochus I Soter† 281-262
	Dan. 11:6	Ptolemy II Philadelphus 285-246			Dan. 11:6		Antiochus II Theos 262-246
	Dan. 11:7-8	Ptolemy III Euergetes 246-221			Dan. 11:7-9		Seleucus II Callinicus 227-223
	Dan. 11:11-12, Dan. 11:14-15	Ptolemy IV Philopator 221-204			Dan. 11:10-11, Dan. 11:13, Dan. 11:15-19		Antiochus III the Great 223-187
	Dan. 11:17	Ptolemy V Epiphanes 204-181
					Dan. 11:20		Seleucus IV Philopator 187-176
	Dan. 11:25	Ptolemy VI Philometer 181-145			Dan. 11:21-32		Antiochus IV Epiphanes 175-163
*The years designate the rulers’ reigns.
† Not referred to in Dan. 11:5-35

The strong king of the South was Ptolemy I Soter, a general who served under Alexander. He was given authority over Egypt in 323 b.c. and proclaimed king of Egypt in 304. The commander referred to in Dan. 11:5 was Seleucus I Nicator, also a general under Alexander, who was given authority to rule in Babylon in 321. But in 316 when Babylon came under attack by Antigonus, another general, Seleucus sought help from Ptolemy I Soter in Egypt. After Antigonus’ defeat in 312, Seleucus returned to Babylon greatly strengthened. He ruled over Babylonia, Media, and Syria, and assumed the title of king in 305. Thus Seleucus I Nicator’s rule was over far more territory than Ptolemy I Soter’s.

Dan. 11:6 B.C. 250. The vision then passes over the reign of Antiochus II Soter, and proceeds to say that at the end of years i.e., some half century later, B.C. 250 the kings of the North and South should form a matrimonial alliance. The daughter of the King of the South the Egyptian Princess Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, should come to the King of the North Antiochus Theos to make an agreement. This agreement marg., equitable conditions was that Antiochus Theos should divorce his wife and half-sister Laodice, and disinherit her children, and bequeath the throne to any future child of Berenice, who would thus unite the empires of the Ptolemies and the Seleucidae. Berenice took with her so vast a dowry that she was called the dowry-bringer. Antiochus himself accompanied her as far as Pelusium B.C. 247. But the compact ended in nothing but calamity. For, two years after, Ptolemy II died, leaving an infant child by Berenice. But Berenice did not retain the strength of her arm , since the military force which accompanied her proved powerless for her protection; nor did Ptolemy II abide, nor any support which he could render. On the contrary, there was overwhelming disaster. Berenice’s escort, her father, her husband, all perished, and she herself and her infant child were murdered by her rival Laodice B.C. 246, in the sanctuary of Daphne, whither she had fled for refuge.

Ptolemy I Soter died in 285 b.c. and Ptolemy II Philadelphus, Ptolemy’s son, ruled in Egypt 285-246. Meanwhile Seleucus was murdered in 281 and his son Antiochus I Soter ruled till 262. Then Seleucus’ grandson Antiochus II Theos ruled in Syria 262-246. Ptolemy II and Antiochus II were bitter enemies but finally after some years they entered into an alliance in about 250. This alliance was sealed by the marriage of Ptolemy II’s daughter Berenice to Antiochus II. This marriage, however, did not last, for Laodice, whom Antiochus had divorced in order to marry Berenice, had Berenice killed she was handed over. Laodice then poisoned Antiochus II and made her son, Seleucus II Callinicus, king 246-227.

Dan. 11:7 B.C. 285-247. But the murder of Berenice shall be well avenged. For out of a shoot from her roots stood up one in his office, even her brother Ptolemy III Euergetes, who, unlike the effeminate Ptolemy II, did not entrust his wars to his generals, but came himself to his armies. He shall completely conquer the King of the North Seleucus II, Kallinikos, son of Antiochus Theos and Laodice, shall seize his fortress Seleucia, the port of Antioch.

Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes 246-221, succeeded his father and set out to avenge the death of his sister Berenice. He was victorious over the Syrian army the king of the North, put Laodice to death, and returned to Egypt with many spoils.

Dan. 11:8 B.C. 247. In this campaign Ptolemy Euergetes, who earned the title of Benefactor by this vigorous invasion, shall not only win immense booty four thousand talents of gold and many jewels, and forty thousand talents of silver but shall also carry back with him to Egypt the two thousand five hundred molten images, and idolatrous vessels, which, two hundred and eighty years before B.C. 527, Cambyses had carried away from Egypt. After this success he will, for some years, refrain from attacking the Seleucid kings.

Dan. 11:9 B.C. 240. Seleucus Kallinikos makes an attempt to avenge the shame and loss of the invasion of Syria by invading Egypt, but he returns to his own land totally foiled and defeated, for his fleet was destroyed by a storm.

After this humiliating defeat, Seleucus II Callinicus the king of the North sought to invade Egypt but was unsuccessful. After his death by a fall from his horse he was succeeded by his son, Seleucus II Soter 227-223 b.c., who was killed by conspirators while on a military campaign in Asia Minor. Seleucus III’s brother, Antiochus III the Great, became the ruler in 223 at 18 years of age and reigned for 36 years till 187.

The two sons Seleucus III and Antiochus III had sought to restore Syria’s lost prestige by military conquest, the older son by invading Asia Minor and the younger son by attacking Egypt. Egypt had controlled all the territory north to the borders of Syria which included the land of Israel. Antiochus III succeeded in driving the Egyptians back to the southern borders of Israel in his campaign in 219-217.

The king of the South here was Ptolemy IV Philopator 221-204 b.c.. He was the one driven back by Antiochus III the Great cf. see Dan. 11:10. Ptolemy IV came to meet Antiochus III at the southern borders of Israel. Ptolemy IV was initially successful in delaying the invasion of Antiochus Ptolemy slaughtered many thousands. But after a brief interruption Antiochus returned with another army much larger and turned back the king of the South.

Syria was not Egypt’s only enemy, for Philip V of Macedonia joined with Antiochus III against Egypt. Many Jews your own people, i.e., Daniel’s people, the Jews; cf. your people in Dan. 9:24; 10:14 also joined Antiochus against Egypt. Perhaps the Jews hoped to gain independence from both Egypt and Syria by joining the conflict, but their hopes were not realized.

Antiochus then sought to consolidate control over Israel from which he had expelled the Egyptians. The fortified city seems to refer to Sidon which Antiochus captured in 203 b.c. Antiochus III continued his occupation and by 199 had established himself in the Beautiful Land cf. Dan. 8:9; 11:41. Antiochus sought to bring peace between Egypt and Syria by giving his daughter to marry Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt. But this attempt to bring a peaceful alliance between the two nations did not succeed Dan. 11:17.

Antiochus III then turned his attention to Asia Minor in 197 b.c. and Greece in 192. However, Antiochus did not succeed because Cornelius Scipio a commander was dispatched from Rome to turn Antiochus back. Antiochus returned to his own country in 188 and died a year later. Antiochus III the Great had carried on the most vigorous military campaigns of any of Alexander’s successors, but his dream of reuniting Alexander’s empire under his authority was never realized.

Antiochus III’s son Seleucus IV Philopator 187-176 b.c. heavily taxed his people to pay Rome, but he was poisoned destroyed… not in… battle by his treasurer Heliodorus.

Invasion by Antiochus IV Epiphanes

These verses describe Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a son of Antiochus III the Great. This one Seleucid who ruled from 175-163 b.c. is given as much attention as all the others before him combined. He is the little horn of Dan. 8:9-12, 8:23-25. A long section Dan. 11:21-35 is devoted to him not only because of the effects of his invasion on the land of Israel, but more so because he foreshadows the little horn king of Dan. 7:8 who in a future day will desecrate and destroy the land of Israel.

Antiochus IV is introduced as a contemptible person. He took to himself the name Epiphanes which means the Illustrious One. But he was considered so untrustworthy that he was nicknamed Epimanes which means the Madman. The throne rightly belonged to Demetrius Soter, a son of Seleucus IV Philopator, but Antiochus IV Epiphanes seized the throne and had himself proclaimed king. Thus he did not come to the throne by rightful succession; he seized it through intrigue. He was accepted as ruler because he was able to turn aside an invading army, perhaps the Egyptians. He also deposed Onias III, the high priest, called here a prince of the covenant. After his military victories, Antiochus Epiphanes’ prestige and power rose with the help of a comparatively small number of people. He evidently sought to bring peace to his realm by redistributing wealth, taking from the rich and giving to his followers.

After Antiochus consolidated his kingdom, he moved against Egypt, the king of the South, in 170. Antiochus was able to move his army from his homeland to the very border of Egypt before he was met by the Egyptian army at Pelusium near the Nile Delta. In this battle the Egyptians had a large… army but were defeated and Antiochus professed friendship with Egypt. The victor and the vanquished sat at a table together as though friendship had been established, but the goal of both to establish peace was never realized for they both were deceptive.

Antiochus carried great wealth back to his homeland from his conquest. On his return he passed through the land of Israel. After his disappointment in Egypt he had hoped to take all of Egypt but failed he took out his frustrations on the Jews by desecrating the temple in Jerusalem. Evidently he opposed set his heart… against the entire Mosaic system the holy covenant. After desecrating the temple, he returned to his own country.

Two years later in 168)Antiochus moved against Egypt the South again. As he moved into Egypt, he was opposed by the Romans who had come to Egypt in ships from the western coast lands lit., ships of Kittim; cf. NIV marg., i.e., Cyprus. From the Roman senate Popillius Laenas took to Antiochus a letter forbidding him to engage in war with Egypt. When Antiochus asked for time to consider, the emissary drew a circle in the sand around Antiochus and demanded that he give his answer before he stepped out of the circle. Antiochus submitted to Rome’s demands for to resist would be to declare war on Rome. This was a humiliating defeat for Antiochus Epiphanes he will lose heart but he had no alternative but to return to his own land.

For a second time cf. Dan. 11:28 Antiochus took out his frustration on the Jews, the city of Jerusalem, and their temple. He vented his fury against the holy covenant, the entire Mosaic system cf. Dan. 11:28, favoring any renegade Jews who turned to help him cf. Dan. 11:32. He desecrated the temple and abolished the daily sacrifice. Antiochus sent his general Apollonius with 22,000 soldiers into Jerusalem on what was purported to be a peace mission. But they attacked Jerusalem on the Sabbath, killed many people, took many women and children as slaves, and plundered and burned the city.

In seeking to exterminate Judaism and to Hellenize the Jews, he forbade the Jews to follow their religious practices including their festivals and circumcision, and commanded that copies of the Law be burned. Then he set up the abomination that causes desolation. In this culminating act he erected on December 16, 167 b.c. an altar to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering outside the temple, and had a pig offered on the altar. The Jews were compelled to offer a pig on the 25th of each month to celebrate Antiochus Epiphanes’ birthday. Antiochus promised apostate Jews those who… violated the covenant; cf. Dan. 11:30 great reward if they would set aside the God of Israel and worship Zeus, the god of Greece. Many in Israel were persuaded by his promises flattery and worshiped the false god. However, a small remnant remained faithful to God, refusing to engage in those abominable practices. Antiochus IV died insane in Persia in 163 b.c. cf. see Antiochus in Dan. 8:23-25.

The Jews who refused to submit to Antiochus’ false religious system were persecuted and martyred for their faith. The word fall Dan. 11:33-34, literally stumble kāšal, refers to severe suffering on the part of many and death for others. This has in view the rise of the Maccabean revolt. Mattathias, a priest, was the father of five sons. One of them, Judas, became well known for refurbishing and restoring the temple in late 164 b.c. He was called Judas Maccabeus, the Hammerer. In 166, Mattathias refused to submit to this false religious system. He and his sons fled from Jerusalem to the mountains and began the Maccabean revolt. At first only a few Jews joined them. But as their movement became popular, many joined them, some out of sincere motives and some from false motives. The suffering that the faithful endured served to refine and purify them. This time of persecution was of short duration. It had previously been revealed to Daniel that the temple would be desecrated for 1,150 days Dan. 8:14; see Dan. 8:23-25. Here Daniel was assured that this persecution would run its course and then be lifted, for its end will still come at the appointed time.

The Prophetic History of the 70th Seven

The king described

All the events described thus far in Dan. 11:1-45 are past. The intricate details of the conflicts between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies were fulfilled literally, exactly as Daniel had predicted. So detailed are the facts that skeptics have denied that the book was written by Daniel in the sixth century b.c. They conclude that the book must have been written during the time of the Maccabees 168-134 b.c. after the events took place. However, the God who knows the end from the beginning, was able to reveal details of forthcoming history to Daniel.

In Dan. 11:36-45 a leader is described who is introduced simply as the king. Some suggest that this is Antiochus IV Epiphanes and that the verses describe additional incursions of his into Israel. However, the details given in these verses were not fulfilled by Antiochus. True, Antiochus was a foreshadowing of a king who will come cf. see Dan. 8:25. But the two are not the same. One is past and the other is future. The coming king the little horn of Dan. 7:8 and the ruler of Dan. 9:26 will be the final ruler in the last days. His rise to prominence by satanic power is described in Rev. 13:1-8 where he is called a beast. According to John Rev. 17:12-13, he will gain authority not by military conquest but by the consent of the 10 kings who will submit to him. Starting with Dan. 11:36 the prophecy moves from the near to the far. The events recorded in Dan. 11:36-45 will occur during the final seven years of the 70 sevens Dan. 9:24.

This coming king will be independent of any authority apart from himself he will do as he pleases. Midway during his seven-year reign he will exercise the political power given him by the 10 kings who will have elected him Rev. 17:12-13. He will also take to himself absolute power in the religious realm, magnifying himself above all gods and defying and speaking blasphemously against the God of gods. He opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, and even sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God 2Thes. 2:4. He will speak against the Most High Dan7:25. The world will be persuaded to worship him as god by the miracles the false prophet will perform in his name Rev. 13:11-15. He will succeed in spreading his influence around the world, both politically and religiously Rev. 13:7-8.

The duration of this king’s rule has been determined by God. He will be successful as the world ruler during the time of wrath, the three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation, but at the end of that period the judgment determined by God will be meted out to him cf. Dan. 7:11, 7:26; 9:27; Rev. 19:19-20).

Because of the reference to the gods or God, 'ĕlōhı̂m of his fathers, some have concluded that this ruler will be a Jew, since the Old Testament frequently uses the phrase the God of your fathers to refer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob e.g., Exo. 3:15. However, since this individual will be the final ruler in the last days world, the little horn of the fourth beast Dan. 7:8, 7:24, he must be a Gentile. His showing no regard for the gods of his fathers means that in order to gain absolute power in the religious realm, this king will have no respect for his religious heritage. He will set aside all organized religion nor will he regard any god and will set himself up exalt himself as the sole object of worship. Instead of depending on gods, he will depend on his own power received from Satan, Rev. 13:2 and by that power he will demand worship of himself.

The fact that he has no regard for the one desired by women suggests he repudiates the messianic hope of Israel. Perhaps many an Israelite woman had longingly wondered if she would become the mother of the coming Messiah, the nation’s Savior and King.

The Antichrist will honor a god of fortresses, that is, he will promote military strength. And because of his political and religious power he will be able to accumulate vast wealth. The god unknown to his fathers ancestors, who will give him strength, may be Satan. Though this king will come to power offering peace through a covenant with Israel cf. Dan. 9:27 he will not hesitate to use military power to expand his dominion. And he will be helped by a foreign god. Those who submit to his authority will be put in positions of power he will greatly honor them, and his ability to dispense favors distribute the land at a reduced? price will gain him a great following.

The king attacked

The events in Dan. 11:40-45 will transpire at the time of the end, that is, they will occur in the second half of the 70th seven of years. Him refers back to the king introduced in Dan. 11:36. In Dan. 11:40-45 every occurrence of he seven times, him four times, and his three times refers to this coming king. He will have entered into a covenant with the people of Israel, binding that nation as a part of his domain Dan. 9:27. Any attack, then, against the land of Israel will be an attack against him with whom Israel will be joined by covenant.

The king of the South will attack Israel. Some suggest that this will occur at the middle of the 70th seven of years; more likely it will take place toward the end of the second half of that seven-year period. Since the king of the South in Dan. 11:5-35 referred to a king of Egypt, there seems to be no reason to relate this king of the South Dan. 11:40 to some other nation. In fact Egypt is mentioned twice in Dan. 11:42-43. In this invasion Egypt will not come alone but will be joined by the Libyans and Nubians Dan. 11:43. These nations, referred to elsewhere as Put and Cush, may be nations in Africa. However, it is more likely that Put refers to Arab nations in the Sinai area and Cush to nations in the Persian Gulf region cf. Gen. 2:13.

Simultaneous with the invasion of Israel by the king of the South Egypt will be an invasion by the king of the North. Some Bible scholars equate this invasion with the one by Gog and Magog, for Gog will come from… the far north Eze. 38:15. Others say the battle of Gog and Magog will occur in the first half of the 70th seven and thus before this two-pronged invasion in Dan. 11:40. They suggest that the battle of Gog and Magog will occur when Israel is at peace Eze. 38:11, 38:14. According to that view, a difference is made between Gog who will come from the far north Eze. 38:15 and a later invasion which will be headed by the king of the North Dan. 11:40. Either way the king of the North in Dan. 11:40 is certainly not one of the Seleucid kings of the North in Dan. 11:5-35. This invasion has no correspondence to historical facts; it is yet future.

The king of the South and the king of the North will fight against the Antichrist. Israel will be occupied and many Jews will flee, seeking refuge among the Gentile nations (see Rev. 12:14-16.

When the Antichrist hears of this invasion, he will move his army from Europe into the Middle East, sweeping through many countries… like a flood Dan. 11:40. He will move quickly into the land of Israel, the Beautiful Land Dan. 11:41; cf. Dan. 11:16; 8:9). His first strike will be against Egypt Dan. 11:42-43, for Egypt and her Arab allies Libyans and Nubians, Dan. 11:43 are the ones who will initiate the invasion on Israel. On this occasion the king will not conquer the territory of Edom, Moab, and… Ammon Dan. 11:41, now included in the present kingdom of Jordan. But he will gain control over many countries.

Then the Antichrist will hear alarming reports from the east probably referring to an invasion by a massive army of 200 million soldiers from east of the Euphrates River, Rev. 9:16 and from the north perhaps another attack by the king of the North; cf. Dan. 11:40. Enraged, the Antichrist will set out to destroy… many of the invaders. Then he will occupy Israel and will pitch his royal tents between the seas, that is, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, at the beautiful holy mountain, probably Jerusalem. Posing as Christ, the Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Jerusalem, the same city from which Christ will rule the world in the Millennium Zec. 14:4, 14:17). The Antichrist will also pose as Christ by introducing a one-world government with himself as the ruler and a one world religion in which he is worshiped as god. But God will destroy the kingdom of this king he will come to his end; cf. Dan. 7:11, 7:26 at the personal appearance of Jesus Christ to this earth Rev. 19:19-20.