One thing that frustrates me about having to manage a biblical prophecy blog, is the fact that often I get comments that require a substantial amount of time to provide a response.  Someone may write a one-sentence reply to an article, but it often takes hours to reply with enough detail.

The other day I got a short response to my article “The Nation of the Antichrist part 4“.  At first blush it sounded like he had a point, but as I researched I realized that his ideas are pretty much in error.  Since that article is somewhat buried in the archives, I thought it would be good to share the whole conversation with all of my readers, not to insult or ridicule him, but to show how easy it is to get off-track;

“Daniel 11:21 is NOT end times, only 36-45 are end times, everything before then is the Hellenistic Era.

Edom is Rome, I’m going to write a whole stud on that.”

My response: Hi Jared,

Regarding Daniel 11:21, I believe you are wrong, it is End Times. The Antichrist will obtain the kingdom by flattery, and deceit. You can bet your life on that.

Some prophecies have dual fulfilments, and Scripture often skips between different eras in the same chapter. While these kingdoms mentioned here appear to be the four kingdoms formed when Greece broke up, I think it could also refer to some of the 10 nations of Revelation 17, while they are jockeying for position in the end times.

Notice verse 11 of Daniel 11; “And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.”

I think the phrase “end of years” is an End Times reference. Just because something similar happened during the Hellenist era, it does not necessarily follow that that is the only time this event will occur. While the “king of the north” was taken to be Syria, and the “king of the south” was Egypt, it is likely that the final “king of the north” will be the leader of the Eurasian union, and the “king of the south” will be the leader of the African union.

Satan would like you to believe that this was all fulfilled in the life of Antiochus, and there is nothing to watch for in these End Times.  “Nothing to see here, folks.  Move along.”!

Just as the pig Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered on the altar in Jerusalem was an abomination of desolation, there will be another in the End Times. Jesus said so in Matt. 24:15

As they say “history repeats itself”.

Edom is the nation founded by Jacob’s brother, Esau. They did not move to Rome. I am well aware that some Rabbis refer to Rome as Edom, but they are wrong. Edom is much closer than Rome, in fact they are right across the Jordan river. They always were. (except for a short time in captivity, but they did return)

The only reason some would want to identify Rome as Edom, is because there are so many End Times prophecies against Edom, but none against Rome. This is an example of reading your own ideas into Scripture. If it says Rome it means Rome, but if it says Edom, it means Edom. Babylon is Babylon, and Israel is Israel. Spiritualizing Scripture this way is very dangerous.

When you start spiritualizing things like this you can make the bible say almost anything. My advice is “don’t do it”. You will lead people astray!

Dan