STUNNING HEADS-UP

Two years have passed since king Cyrus II of Persia proclaimed under God’s command that the temple must be rebuilt in Jerusalem – yes, a Gentile king proclaims this! (Ezra 1:1)                                        

A small percentage of Jews, mostly poorer folk, have gone back to Jerusalem but as for that replacement temple, it’s going to have to wait 15 years, while everyone gets comfortable. (Ezra 4 & Haggai 1:4)            

No wonder old Daniel mourns and fasts for 3 weeks! (Dan 10)  

Suddenly... a divine appearing so magnificent it sends him crashing on his face!                 

Like the previous vision (ch9) the decision was made to reveal more to ‘greatly beloved’ Daniel but this was delayed by spiritual battles. He now gets a stunning heads-up on the Persian & Greek Empires during the next 350+ years...so accurate that critics claim it was written after the fact. However Daniel assures us this is the truth: where and when it happened, even with witnesses. He learns more about that ‘little horn’ in the vision of Dan 8:9-14,  Antiochus Epiphanes IV (nicknamed ‘Epimanes’ or madman) in ch11:21-35, until suddenly there’s a break...

“...even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.” (10:35)

We know Antiochus ‘Epiphanes’ (‘God Manifest’) defiled the temple, but not for all 2300 days (8:14) there’s more to come – someone else!              Now old Daniel gets more clues on that obscure Desolator in the last future 70^th Week...

• A king who magnifies himself above every god
  
• Speaks marvellous things AGAINST the God of gods
• Prospers until the indignation is accomplished
• He WILL get his just desserts – it’s already determined
• He will not regard the God of his fathers (a Jew!)
• He will not be interested in the desire of women. Gay?
• He will honour ‘the god of forces’, a strange god
• His military forces will rule ‘the many’ - Israel
• He will divide up the Land for gain
• He will clash with the king of the north (Russia?) and the king of the south (Egypt), even get to control Egypt , Libya and Ethiopia
• After devastating ‘many’ he will come to his end – helpless.

This hardly sounds like some Catholic pope.

More like a profane, blasphemous, militant, gay, greedy apostate messiah - possible from Syria/Iraq?

NEXT UP... What about that Abomination of Desolation?