I was planning to talk about this recent news and how I see prophecy being fulfilled in the Middle East today by writing to you in my monthly Legacy Letter. But I decided that I need to send you a blog posting because things are happening so fast it is difficult to keep up.
God gave the Prophet Daniel special insight into (from Daniel’s perspective) the far distant future. That prophesied future is upon us today. If we understand the way that prophecy works, we can see what is happening behind the scenes in the news reports we watch on TV and read in our newspapers and magazines. A recent news flash reports that the United States plans to, now officially, send arms to the Syrian rebels and send military instructors to train them to succeed in overthrowing Bashar Assad(1).
Why should that matter to us? What should we care about what goes on in a distant Muslim country where many hate the United States and if possible, would wipe Israel off the face of the Earth? Well, you had better watch developments in Syria very carefully because prophecy is unfolding before our very eyes!
I have said for a long time that I believe that Syria would be a “cookie cutter” repeat of Libya. The U.S. will now openly arm and finance rebels to overthrow Assad. Libya is a mess. Radical Islamists killed the American Ambassador; three other Americans, and burned a so-called consulate. Black Al Qaeda flags were hoisted all over Bengazi. We still do not know who is running the show in Libya. Next door, Egypt is firmly in the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood whom the United States is financing with billions of dollars in aid as well as jets and tanks(2). The U.S. is also now sending a battalion of the 1st Cavalry Division as part of a multi-national force(3) ostensibly for “peacekeeping” purposes to police the border between Egypt and Israel. This unit has just completed riot control training because Egypt is bracing for riots against Mohammed Morsi, the new and now unpopular Muslim Brotherhood President.
The Islamic Jihadis that fought against Khadafy in Libya have now moved on into Syria and are fighting Assad. U.S. politicians are pushing the American Congress and European allies to declare a “No-fly Zone”. American soldiers and missiles are already based in Jordan. Turkey, a NATO member and, at least on the surface, an ally of the U.S. and Europe has the CIA and U.S. military instructors teaching Syrian opposition forces at secret bases just over the border. Déjà vu? Yes, I would say so.
So, why is it necessary to have American and European involvement in a civil war to overthrow Assad in Syria? The answer is contained in prophecy, given to one of The Eternal God’s Prophets thousands of years ago and recorded so that you and I can read it and understand.
We must keep in mind that God uses what Bible students call “dual fulfillment” to prepare us for what is to come. The first prophetic fulfillment is a dress rehearsal for the actual fulfillment at the End of the Age.
Let’s look at Daniel’s prophecy that is talking about Syria. But first let’s set the stage.
Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and the vast Persian Empire, but died young at Babylon in 323 B.C. with no heir. The empire was divided between his four generals(4). General Seleuchus took Syria and Babylon. General Ptolemy became Pharaoh of Egypt. The Holy Land remained in the middle between these two new empires. The other two generals took Greece and Asia Minor.
Alexander fighting the Persian king Darius III. Alexander Mosaic, Naples. (Author: Ruthven)
Both the first and latter fulfillments of the prophecies of Daniel concerning Syria are contained in Daniel 11. These two separate fulfillments each involve the desecration of the Sanctuary of the Temple in Jerusalem. In Daniel 11:29, we find the beginning of the first fulfillment of the desecration.
In 175 B.C., Antíochus IV Epiphanes (meaning “God with us”) came to the throne of the Seleucid Empire. He had grown up as a political hostage in Rome because the Seleucid Empire was under Roman control. After taking the throne, Antiochus began a series of wars with Egypt, the traditional enemy of Syria.
Coin struck during Antiochus Epiphanes’ reign. He believed he was the earthly incarnation of Jupiter Olympus, King of the gods and had himself depicted as Jupiter on his throne holding Nike (Victory). Notice obverse (L.) (Figure courtesy: Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com
In Daniel 11:29-39, Daniel tells us –in advance- what took place in one particularly disastrous war.
Antiochus Epiphanes went with a strong army to attack Egypt. But as he was pressing toward Alexandria, he was met by a Roman envoy (backed by Roman naval power) and “encouraged” to leave Egypt. Incensed at being thwarted in his plan of conquest, he returned north. Looking for an excuse to vent his anger and frustration, he sent his army to Jerusalem to sack the Temple and take out his spite on the Jews.
Antiochus and his men murdered thousands of Jewish men, women and children(6), and moved to wipe out the worship of Yahweh God. He forbade circumcision; the observance of the Sabbath and Holy Days, and halted all sacrifices to God. He made possession of the Torah punishable by death. He replaced the worship of the true God in the Temple with the worship of idols IN THE TEMPLE! He erected an idol of Jupiter Olympus (probably with the likeness of himself) on top of the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Holy Place, and commanded the priests to offer sacrifice of swine and other unclean animals on the Altar. He polluted the Sanctuary with pig’s blood and commanded his soldiers to engage in homosexual acts openly in the Temple Precinct. Some of the leaders of the Jews abandoned the Covenant and joined in the worship of idols and adopted Greek dress and customs.
Eventually, a Priestly family (Maccabees) rose up against his rule; defeated the Seleucids using guerrilla tactics, retook Jerusalem, cleansed the Temple and restored the worship of the True God.
Antiochus wanted to retake Jerusalem and punish the upstarts, but an attack from the Northeast by the Parthians(7) caused him to take the majority of his army to meet the Parthian threat and send a smaller contingent to retake Jerusalem. Antiochus had some initial successes against the Parthians, but was struck with a terrible disease of the bowels(8). He died with worms eating his insides, much like King Herod(9), who also claimed he was a god. The Jewish Festival of Hanukkah commemorates the cleansing and re-dedication of the Temple after the victory over the Seleucids.
This entire course of events from the setting up of the idol of Jupiter in the Temple to the death of Antiochus Epiphanes took place over the course of approximately 3 ½ – 4 years.
Daniel prophesied that, And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Dan 12:11
This first fulfillment (I call a rehearsal) happened nearly 1200 years ago. It was about 170 years before Jesus was born.
But it is going to happen again.
Didn’t this setting up of an idol of Jupiter already happen about 200 years before Jesus spoke these words? Yes, it already happened and it will happen again! But first the stage has to be set by a war between the King of the South (Egypt and/or whoever controls Egypt) and a King of the North (Syria and/or whoever controls Syria) at the time of the End.
Dan 11:40-45
Statue of Jupiter Olympus seated on the throne of heaven (Courtesy: Sanne Smit)-
First, the King of the South {Egypt} must “push” militarily at the King of the North {Whoever is occupying Syria}. Then the King of the North retaliates by attacking Egypt and occupying Palestine, including Israel(10). Jordan(12) escapes occupation.
News from the Northeast concerns him (the King of the North), so he returns back from attacking Egypt and decides to place his headquarters in Jerusalem. This is when the incident of the latter fulfillment of the Abomination of Desolation(12) is fulfilled. This event will mark the beginning of the End Time Great Tribulation.
If we now combine the prophecy of Daniel 11:40-45 with the prophecy of 2 Thessalonians, we can form a clearer picture about what will take place in the not too distant future.
Look also at Revelation
So, this King of the North (Beast, Man of Sin, Son of Perdition) will sit in the Temple, call himself god and accept worship by most people of the world. Now this is not so far fetched. King Herod said he was a god.. Antiochus Epiphanes said he was the human incarnation of the king of the gods. Roman Emperors said they were gods and commanded incense and worship of themselves. Why not the coming King of the North – also called the Beast, Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition.
So, who is the King of the North? That is a good question. The answer is, we DO NOT yet know! Anyone we might say now is pure speculation. We must wait and watch. But we do have clues from the first fulfillment. Antiochus Epiphanes was the first fulfillment of the King of the North. He controlled the area we know as Syria today. He was a Roman client ruler. He fought the ruler of Egypt (the King of the South) over control of Palestine. He eventually occupied Palestine, including Judea (present day Israel). He took to himself Godly prerogatives. He considered himself the human incarnation of the king of heaven. He persecuted the Jews of Judea (now Israel). He wanted to erase the Jewish worship of the God of Abraham and replace it with a pagan Greek/Roman counterfeit. He was ruthless, convincing orator, cunning and arrogant. So, that is what we need to look for.
What about Syria? Besides being the territory of the Seleucid Kings of the North, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon have always been the traditional path of invasion of the Crusaders out of Europe. The target of the Crusades has always been Jerusalem. There was even a Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem that lasted for over 200 years ruled by a French dynasty.
Does history repeat itself? Yes it does. Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun(13). Because of the pattern of dual fulfillment we see in Bible prophecy, we know that it will happen again. Maybe this time, because of what 2 Thessalonians tells us, we may see a human being sitting in the Temple on some sort of throne or seat of authority, claiming he is the incarnation of the king of the gods – perhaps an incarnation of Jesus Himself! Is that too outlandish to consider? What does 2 Thessalonians say? There is also the issue of the Temple. In order to sit in the Temple, there has to be a Temple. Will a Third Temple be built in Jerusalem BEFORE the End? It looks very likely. Speculation can be very useful, but it is unreliable. The clues we get from Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 11 are reliable. We must wait and prayerfully watch.
Until next time,
1) CIA to lead effort to arm, train Syrian rebels, June 15, 2013, FoxNews.com
2) See Legacy Institute Blog Posting, March 8, 2013
3) http://www.forthoodpresscenter.com/go/doc/3439/1807255/
4) Daniel 11:4
5) Rome
6) Historical estimates are 40.000 killed and 40.000 enslaved.
7) Part of the “Lost Tribes” see works by Historian Steven M. Collins , www.stevenmcollins.com
8 ) 2 Maccabees 9:5-28
9) Acts 12:23
10) The Glorious Land
11) Edom, Moab and Ammon
12) Or Abomination that Makes Desolate.
13) Eccles 1:9
