DanEleven504
The Abomination that Desolated 
Daniel 11:31-35
And Arms Shall Stand Up 
The Fourth World EmpireTakes the Stage

 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary

of strength Dan 11:31

 

 Up   until  this  verse,   commentators  on  Daniel 11  are  in  general
agreement. However, many expositors apply the "Arms that stand up"
to Antiochus whereas the standard historicist interpretation which we
will follow maintains that it is Rome. 

Arms are everywhere in the prophecy of Daniel used to signify military
power and they  "stand up" when they conquer or grow powerful. The
King of the North and South fell to Rome in succession: 

  • 168 B.C. Macedon
  • 65 B.C. Syria
  • 30 B.C. Egypt
From  this  point  the prophecy  refers  to  the  activies of the Roman 
Empire within  the  territory  of the old Greek Empire.  The King of the
North and South disappear from the prophetic picture.

The Roman Abomination of Desolation
Often Applied to Antiochus Epiphanes
 
And  they shall pollute  the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away
the daily [sacrifice], and  they shall place the abomination that maketh
desolate. Dan 11:31

And  when you see Jerusalem  compassed with armies, then know that
her desolation is at hand. Lk. 21:20

The  arms of  this  verse   "stand up" after  Antiochus Epiphanes.  And
referred to the  Abomination of  Desolation as future.  And it is obvious
that  the  Lord  connected   the  desolation  with  the  Roman  armies.
However, many  expositors  over  the centuries have applied this verse
and the rest of the chapter to Antioch Epiphanes.
 


The  Romans  destroyed   Jerusalem  and   burnt  the temple in 70 A.D.
Later  in  the  year 132 A.D.  Hadrian   erected   a  temple   to  Jupiter
Capitolinus  where  the temple had stood.  In 137 A.D.  the  Jews were
banished  from  Judea  on pain  of  death.  This  certainly  fullfilled  the
 prophecy.


 

The Early Church

Growth Amid Persecution

 

And  such  as  do wickedly  against  the  covenant  shall he corrupt by

flatteries: but the people  that  do know their God shall be strong, and

do [exploits].

 

And they  that understand  among  the people shall instruct many: yet

they shall fall by the sword,  and  by flame,  by captivity,  and by spoil

[many] days. Dan 11:32,33  


E.B. Elliott  writes  that those  that  did wickedly against the covenant
were generally  the  unbelieving Jews,  wheras  among   the  Christians
were those that  not only understood  themselves,  but  strong in faith
instructed and discipled many.

The  early church  was  subject  to  persecution  at  the hands  of the
pagan Roman Empire.

 

 
Contstantine's Little Help
Persecution Continues from Within the Church 
 
Now when they shall fall,  they  shall be holpen  with  a little help: but
many   shall  cleave  to  them  with flatteries.  And  some  of  them of
understanding  shall  fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them
white,   even to  the time  of  the end:  because  it is  yet  for  a time
appointed. Dan 11:34,35

After  the   severe  10  year  persecution  of  Diocletian,   the  church
received a little help from Constantine.  Paganism in the Roman Empire
was overturned and the Christianity became the state religion.

But  soon  persecution  revived again  as  the worldly church began to
suppress the faithful remnant.  But  this  was God's  plan to purge and
purify them until the time of the end.