Continuing with my comments:
Dan 11:22–24 — Arms overflow; prince of the covenant broken; he works deceitfully; becomes strong with a small people.
Text: Overthrow, covenant leader struck, deceptive growth from small base.
Conclusion: Antiochus’ rise and his attack on the Jewish leadership.
As I mentioned earlier, Antiochus IV Epiphanes is long dead. Daniel 11:20 and onwards is about the Fourth Kingdom:
| Daniel 11:24 - He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. |
He shall enter peaceably
This is a continuation of the previous verse describing King Herod, who secured power and maintained the favor of Rome (Marc Antony and Octavian/Augustus) through political maneuvering and allegiance rather than immediate, brute military conquest.
...even upon the fattest places of the province...:
He took control of the prosperous region of Judea, bringing relative economic stability and utilizing its wealth for massive building projects.
...and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers...:
Unlike prior native Judean rulers, Herod heavily funded grand Hellenistic projects (theaters, aqueducts, and fortresses like Masada and the Herodium).
...he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches...:
King Herod used his vast wealth and power to lavish gifts on his followers, foreign dignitaries, and Roman patrons to secure their loyalty and cement his political influence.
...and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.:
Herod’s reign was marked by extreme paranoia; he fortified strategic strongholds (such as the Antonia Fortress in Jerusalem) to protect himself against his own subjects, external threats, and political rivals for the entirety of his reign. The phrase 'even for a time' is about the often referenced 'appointed time', specifically the 1260, 1290, 1335 and 2300 days prophecy that is about to begin.
I am going to skip ahead to this:
Label: v.29–31 — Abomination, profaning the sanctuary Dan 11:29–31 — He returns; indignation; forces profane the sanctuary; take away daily sacrifice; set up abomination.
Text: Direct attack on the temple, removal of sacrifice, abomination in the holy place.
Conclusion: Antiochus’ desecration of the temple (near‑term), but language also anticipates later “abomination” language (Dan 12; Matt 24).
The 'time appointed' and 'time of the end' is all about Jesus and the end of the Old Testament. This is so important!!!
| Daniel 11:29 - At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. |
At the time appointed...:
The Time Appointed is the Battle of Actium between Octavian, Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII. This is just before the Battle of Alexandria. The Time Appointed is also an allusion to Daniel's 1260, 1290, 1335 and 2300 days prophecies which are about to be fulfilled.
...he shall return and come toward the south…:
Octavian returns to Egypt with a fleet of Roman ships referred to as the 'Ships of Chittim'.
…but it shall not be as the former...:
This is no longer a battle between the northern Hellenistic Seleucid Dynasty and the southern Ptolemy Dynasty. The old Seleucid Kings of the North have been replaced by Roman figures, permanently ending the Seleucid century-long rule. Thus it shall not be as the former.
…or as the latter…:
After the Battles of Actium and Alexandria are won by the final King of the North, Octavian, the Roman Empire becomes the ultimate victor. The King of the North vs. King of the South battles that dominated Daniel chapter eleven are officially over. The Roman Empire becomes the Little Horn of Daniel 8 and the Sixth Head of the Beast.
| Daniel 11:30 - For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. |
For the ships of Chittim…:
The ships of Chittim were the Roman vessels that belonged to Augustus. This is the famous Battle of Actium between Augustus, Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII.
…shall come against him…:
In a literal sense, the ships of Chittim go against Mark Antony, however in a larger sense they go against King Herod who had formed an alliance with Mark Antony.
…therefore he shall be grieved…:
When Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII lost the Battle of Actium, King Herod was grieved that he would soon lose his crown.
…and return…:
King Herod returned to Octavian to switch allegiance, promising that he would be just as loyal and dependable of an ally to Octavian. Herod's plan was successful. Herod remained 'King of the Jews'.
…and have indignation against the holy covenant...:
The word 'indignation' is an incredible reference to Daniel 8:19:
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. The 'Time Appointed' and the 'End' are again referring to the two battles of Actium and Alexandria which began the Roman Empire/Little Horn/Sixth Head of the Beast. The 'indignation' is a prophecy fulfilled by King Herod during his Massacre of the Innocents mentioned in Matthew 2:16-18:
Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
...so shall he do; he shall even return,...:
King Herod is the 'King of Fierce Countenance' mentioned in Daniel 8:23:
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. As seen in previous verses, King Herod's gamble on Mark Antony didn't pay off and now he must return to Octavian and convince him that he will be loyal.
...and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.:
Those that forsake the Holy Covenant i.e., forsake the Abrahamic Covenant mentioned in Luke 1:72, are those that reject the coming Messiah,
Jesus Christ. King Herod is famous for having intelligence with corrupted leaders in both Rome and Judea.
| Daniel 11:31 - And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. |
And arms shall stand on his part…:
Arms (Roman Empire) shall stand on his (King Herod's) part.
…and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength…:
King Herod’s expansion of the Temple (c. 20 BCE – 64 CE) was viewed as blasphemous and illegitimate by certain Jewish groups, despite its incredible beauty and scale. While many appreciated the magnificent upgrade, critics viewed the project as a sacrilegious act perpetrated by a tyrant rather than a pious act of a legitimate king.
…and shall take away the daily sacrifice…:
The Little Horn of Daniel 8, aka the Sixth Head of the Beast, aka the Roman Empire, will permanently take away the daily sacrifice. This comes in two stages. The first stage was the Crucifixion which made the Temple sacrifices obsolete. Christ was the final offering. The second stage was when sacrifices were no longer possible due to the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.
…and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate…:
The Abomination was the Crucifixion. The desolation came later when Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed in 70 AD.
)
