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Saturday 22 November 2014

Daniel 11:10-35 - Intrigue and purification

The leader of the kingdom of the North referred to here is Antiochus Epiphanes. He conquered much of the land and nearly wiped out Egypt. The battle referred to in v11,12 was at Raphai in 217 BC. According to Polybius Antiochus lost around 10 000 men.
The rebellion in v14 is the Macabean rebellion. Some of them sided with the invader against the Egyptians.
Eventually the king of the North would prove too powerful and would set himself up in"the beautiful land", which is Judah. The North would then make alliance with the South. However, the intrigues of men will not succeed. There would be other conquests after this, but eventual failure.
There will be further battles and conquests. As Jesus said, there will be wars and rumours of wars. We see all sorts of intrigues, plotting and scheming, and boasting. We should not be taken in, the Lord is still in control.
Eventually a king from the north would invade the temple and impose worship of a false god, the abomination that causes desolation (v31).
Many will be seduced by this, but the true people of God will resist. 
See what it says in v33. Those who know their God will instruct many, but there will also be much persecution and suffering. This would act as a purifying for the people of God,

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