In the book of Daniel, Daniel shared how Gabriel told him about the king of the north, and said, “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps”, and in chapter eleven and verse forty-four of his book Daniel shared how Gabriel said, “tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him” where we read,
But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him:
therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
The verse reads, “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him:” Daniel began with the words, “but tidings” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover reports, news and rumors” “out of the east” which means “from the eastern direction” “and out of the north” or “and from the northern direction” “shall trouble him” which means “will alarm, vex and disturb him, the king of the north”. Daniel shared how news from the eastern and northern areas will disturb and vex the king of the north.
The verse continues, “ therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Daniel added the words, “therefore he shall go forth” or “then, wherefore and on this account will he, the king of the north, proceed and continue” “with great fury to destroy” which means “by the use of exceeding and abundant rage, displeasure, indignation and wrath to exterminate, annihilate and devastate”, “and utterly to make away many” or “and totally and entirely destroy and obliterate a great number of people”. Daniel shared how Gabriel told him because of the news from the “east and north”, the king of the north would proceed with exceeding indignation and totally obliterate a huge amount of people.
When we consider Daniel’s words in this verse, we discover how Gabriel told him that the flattering king of the north would hear frightening news from the “eastern and northern” directions, and this would cause him to proceed with an exceeding rage to obliterate and totally annihilate a great number of people. Matthew Henry wrote, “Here is a prediction of the fall and ruin of Antiochus, as before (ch. 8:25), when he is in the height of his honor, flushed with victory, and laden with spoils, tidings out of the east and out of the north (out of the north-east) shall trouble him, v. 44. Or, He shall have intelligence, both from the eastern and northern parts, that the king of Parthia is invading his kingdom. This obliged him to drop the enterprises he had in hand, and to go against the Persians and Parthians that were revolting from him; and this vexed him, for now he thought utterly to ruin and extirpate the Jewish nation, when that expedition called him off, in which he perished. This is explained by a passage in Tacitus (though an impious one) where he commends Antiochus for his attempt to take away the superstition of the Jews, and bring in the manners of the Greeks, among them (ut teterrimam gentem in melius mutaret-to meliorate an odious nation), and laments that he was hindered from accomplishing it by the Parthian war. Now here is, The last effort of his rage against the Jews. When he finds himself perplexed and embarrassed in his affairs he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many, v. 44. The story of this we have 1 Mac. 3:27, etc., what a rage Antiochus was in when he heard of the successes of Judas Maccabaeus, and the orders he gave to Lysias to destroy Jerusalem. Then he planted the tabernacles of his palace, or tents of his court, between the seas, between the Great Sea and the Dead Sea. He set up his royal pavilion at Emmaus near Jerusalem, in token that, though he could not be present himself, yet he gave full power to his captains to prosecute the war against the Jews with the utmost rigor. He placed his tent there, as if he had taken possession of the glorious holy mountain and called it his own.” Regardless of all these efforts by the “king of the north”, God sees, God knows, and God cares. He is aware of the sins of mankind and sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of everyone. When He raised Him from the dead after three days, He made the way through belief and trust in Him to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and equipped with the wisdom of His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us trust Him with the maneuvers of the rulers in the world.
Next time Daniel shares how Gabriel says, “he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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