Just hit the reply button, and this should do the work for you. Your reply should be typed below the quotation field. It does take some getting used to, but I'm always happy to see more folks here.
Thank you. I have been on here before, but it has been awhile.
I once did hold to your position about the King of the North and the King of the South, but abandoned that. Over time, I just didn't feel comfortable with it, because Dan 11 and Dan 12 has to make sense to a reader. It seems to be largely historical up until some thing are introduced in Dan 12, the resurrection and the 3.5 year reign of Antichrist, Dan 12.7.
So now I view the entirely of Dan 11 as the history leading to the Roman Empire, when the time of Great Tribulation begins for the Jewish People, ending with the resurrection. Antiochus 4 figures prominently at the end of Dan 11.
Dan 12:1 "At that time" has to refer to something in Dan 11 to make sense to a reader. I equate Dan 11:40-45 with the 200 million cavalry of Rev 9, the 6th trumpet. When this army takes Jerusalem, the 3.5 year great trib begins. When this army takes Egypt in Dan 11:43 with plans to expand further into Africa, Libya and Ethiopia, trouble arises from the north and east. This trouble is explained in Ez 38:3 Meshech and Tubal (Turkey or Russia) + Ez 38:5 Persia (Iran), Ethiopia and Libya (Dan 11:43 retaliation from threat) + Gomer and Togarmah (Turkey). This trouble from the north and east which was coming against antichrist, somehow instead joins antichrist in the fight against Christ in Armageddon. Rev 16:12-16. Jesus warns that he is coming in Rev 16:15 and he does come during the 7th bowl. Rev 16:17-21. The resurrection occurs during the 7th bowl. God the Father is present with the Son at that time.
Compare the throne of God plus an earthquake: Rev 6:16 "him who sits on the throne," "every mountain and island was moved"
Rev 4:5 thunders and lightnings and voices signify the throne of God and are found making an earthquake in Rev 8:5, Rev 11:19, and Rev 16:18.
Compare Jesus coming with hail, the great day which is the last day, the winepress in Rev 6:16-17, Rev 11:19, Rev 14:18-20, Rev 16:21, and Rev 19:15.
I believe the presence of the Father shakes the earth, just as it did at the giving of the 10 commandments on Mt. Sinai. Any enemies of God who survive the shaking will be squashed as grapes by the hail that Jesus will bring.
The "covenant" in Dan 9 also did not make sense to me, along with a discussion of various figures in the 70 Weeks Prophecy. To be consistent I now see the "people of the ruler to come" (Dan 9.26) as the Roman Army under the Roman General. The Romans entered into an agreement at the beginning of Christ's ministry to implement God's covenant of Jewish destruction. They ended sacrifices made under the law by murdered their Messiah, and ultimately they destroyed both Jerusalem and the temple.
Seeing it this way seemed to keep the respective personages in play consistently. Otherwise, it got all confusing for me. I'm still unsure about the "covenant" thing, but I feel confident that all this was fulfilled historically at the time of Christ's earthly ministry. That's how the Church Fathers saw it, and that's how its been interpreted historically. A relative few saw it as a future fulfillment, including Irenaeus and Hippolytus.
In Dan 9:26, "the prince who is to come" is the spiritual power in Rome. It is this spiritual power that ensures the future covenant in verse 27. Through the spiritual power of Rome and the armies of Dan 11:40-45 under the spiritual "prince of Greece", the 6th trumpet armies, Jewish animal sacrifice will end and the abomination of desolation will be set up. This is the start of the great tribulation.
As for the 2 Witnesses, I see their ministry of 3.5 years as coinciding with the 3.5 years of Antichrist's Reign, mentioned in Dan 7. I believe the only biblical precedent we have for these things comes from Daniel. And he established a 3.5 year period--not a 7 year period.=
I agree completely. 2 witnesses v antichrist = 3.5 year great trib.
If you'll notice in Rev 11, there is indicated a short time following the 6th trumpet and the end of the 2 Witnesses. This may be the time period in which nations are gathered to Armageddon. Mobilizing armies across the world takes time. The Battle itself does not, but will likely be decided within a single hour.
Rev 11.14 The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.
I also agree with this. This is what I called the time of God's wrath. Although the reign of antichrist has ended and he no longer reigns over Jerusalem, he is not dead yet. At the 7th trumpet, God begins to reign. He punishes those who have been against his people through the 7 bowls of wrath. The time of God's wrath as defined in the book of Revelation is separate from and comes after the time of great tribulation.
