11:37-39
This ruler will be very different from the previous ones. All the failings and sins of the previous rulers will be magnified a hundred times over in this ruler, they will reach their natural conclusion in him. Many of the characteristics can be found in Antiochus, who history shows was an extremely proud ruler, but he is not a perfect fulfilment, and it seems much better to take this as also pointing forward. My view on these things is that there is a temporal partial fulfillment that demonstrates the validity of God’s word, but there is a general fulfillment in that it explains how evil works in the world, and there will be an ultimate fulfillment in the very last days. We see a similar pattern in Revelation.
11:40-45
The reach of this ruler will be vast. The king of the south (Egypt) will seek to oppose him, but the ruler of the North will conquer many lands. There will be various battles and dangers, and he will occupy the “Beautiful Land” (Israel). “Yet he will come to his end, and no-one will help him”. This is the fate of all rulers. It happened to Hitler, we read of similar things in Revelation. We need to accept that life will not follow a simple path, and there will be much trouble, but the Lord is God and He is in control.
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