Chapter 9’s events bring us closer to the time frame we left in Chapter 6; Daniel identifies this episode takes place just as the Persians are assuming power over Babylon. In other words, this is happening at the same time as the events in Chapter 6 (probably shortly before the episode with the Lion’s den).
Here, Daniel is pleading with God because he’s confused and looking for answers. Daniel has been studying the scriptures himself and has been reading from the book of Jeremiah the prophet that Israel’s exile would last 70 years. (See Jeremiah 25:11-12 and 29:10). Daniel realizes that the 70 years is over, or about to be over, and fervently asks God to fulfill Jeremiah’s prophecy so that the “desolation of the city that bears your name” can be restored, and for God to fulfill his promise soon. (v. 18). But the angel Gabriel again appears to Daniel to tell him that Israel’s sin and rebellion continued even in the exile, so that the oppression of the exile will last 7 time longer than Jeremiah predicted (meaning 490 years!). Daniel is deeply disturbed by this news, and experiences one last vision.
Chapters 10-12 gives us an extended narrative encompassing Daniel’s final vision, which stretches unbroken over the last three chapters of the book. Because of the devastating news he received from Gabriel in Chapter 9, Daniel has gone into a protracted period of depression and mourning. He had been fasting for three weeks when another angel comes to explain things to him.
The angel first explains that he was delayed in getting through to Daniel because “the Prince of the Persian Kingdom (apparently a demon exercising influence and control over the geographic region of Persia) resisted me for 21 days.” (v. 10:13). With the help of the archangel Michael, this angel was able to break through to bring his message to Daniel.
In Chapter 11, God shows Daniel is the same sequence of coming kingdoms as the prior visions. First Persia, then Alexander the Great, then a series of squabbles by a group of lesser kings, leading to a powerful King identified as the “King of the North” who will invade Jerusalem, violate the temple by setting up idols, and will “exalt himself above them all,” including God (11:35). In Chapter 11:45, this King suddenly “comes to his end, and no one will help him.”
There have been countless arguments about what Daniel’s final vision is really talking about. Many biblical scholars and historical experts see the King of the North as being another explanation of the devastation of Antiochus Epiphanes of Syria, as he indiscriminately slaughtered thousands of Jews and set up idols in the temple. Others see it as a prophecy relating to the eventual coming of the Roman Empire, with its execution of the Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and the complete destruction of the temple in 70 AD. Still others see this as something that will be fulfilled at some future time, connected to the second coming of Christ. Indeed, the dispensationalists of today believe it refers to the anti-Christ specifically identified in the letters of John, referred to as the “lawless one” in 2 Thessalonians 2, and as the “false messiah” by Jesus in Matthew 24 and Mark 13, and who seems to be described in Revelation 13 as “the beast,” and Revelation 17 as the “Whore of Babylon.”
The problem is, no matter how closely you look at all the symbolism presented in Chapters 10-12, or how someone might analyze the mysterious numerical Daniel speaks of (the “70 sevens” discussed in Daniel 9:20-27 have been connected to so many different concepts, it makes my head spin), the application to any one historical scenario is never a perfect match. But one thing to consider is the possibility that each of these interpretations has merit, depending on a person’s point of view and place in history.
The book of Daniel’s purpose is to offer hope to all of the future generations of the people of God. It was available for interpretation at the time of Antiochus Epiphanes to offer hope to the Jews of the Maccabean period, and it has continued to offer this same hope over the centuries.
The Lord Jesus himself referenced these visions from the book of Daniel, referring to a future event that would be the embodiment of “abomination that causes desolation” spoken of in Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 (see Matthew 24:15 and Luke 21:20) to confront the oppressive practices of the Pharisees and Sadducees. John the apostle, writing in the book of Revelation, could use Daniel’s imagery and apply it to the Roman Empire of his time, and, because so much of Revelation is meant to apply to a future time yet to be fulfilled, to all future oppressive regimes.
The entirety of the book of Daniel brings forth a universal message for any person reading the book at any time in history – past, present, or future. First, the undeniable truth of the stories involving the Kings of Daniels time is that the human race, and any government mankind may create (whether an autocracy or a republic) is doomed by the sinful nature of man to sink to the level of a violent beast (like the fate of Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 5). Mankind will always tend towards glorifying its own power, redefining right and wrong, and refusing to acknowledge God as the true king.
But there is also hope for redemption – the promise that God will confront whatever violent beasts are ruling the world and rescue the people of the world by bringing the reality of his kingdom into our reality. The objective of the book of Daniel is to speak a message of hope that will inspire God’s people to faithfully believe in God’s promises, embrace Jesus, and come to change their own worldview to see the both the present situation from God’s perspective.
