Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're
taking this journey together to read the Bible
in a year. Today, we not only conclude the book
of Daniel with chapters 11 and 12, but we also
conclude the entire Old Testament. And tomorrow,
by the grace of God, we'll begin the New Testament.
The book of Daniel, chapter 11. Also, in the
first year of Darius the Mede, I... even I, stood
up to confirm and strengthen him. And now I will
tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings
will arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far
richer than them all. By his strength, through
his riches, he shall stir up all against the
realm of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise,
who shall rule with great dominion, and do according
to his will. and when he has arisen his kingdom
shall be broken up and divided toward the four
winds of heaven but not among his posterity nor
according to his dominion with which he ruled
for his kingdom shall be uprooted even for others
besides these also the king of the south shall
become strong as well as one of his princes and
he shall gain power over him and have dominion
his dominion shall be a great dominion and at
the end of some years they shall join forces.
For the daughter of the king of the south shall
go to the king of the north to make an agreement.
But she shall not retain the power of her authority,
and neither he nor his authority shall stand.
But she shall be given up with those who brought
her, and with him who begot her. and with him
who strengthened her in those times. But from
a branch of her roots one shall arise in his
place, who shall come with an army, enter the
fortress of the king of the north, and deal with
them and prevail. And he shall also carry their
gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and
their precious articles of silver and gold, and
he shall continue more years than the king of
the north. Also the king of the north shall come
to the kingdom of the king of the south, but
shall return to his own land. However, his sons
shall stir up strife and assemble a multitude
of great forces, and one shall certainly come
and overwhelm and pass through. Then he shall
return to his fortress and stir up strife. And
the king of the south shall be moved with rage,
and go out and fight with him, with the king
of the north, who shall muster a great multitude.
But the multitude shall be given into the hand
of his enemy. When he has taken away the multitude,
his heart will be lifted up, and he will cast
down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail.
For the king of the north will return and muster
a multitude greater than the former, and shall
certainly come at the end of some years with
a great army and much equipment. Now in those
times many shall rise up against the king of
the south. Violent men of your people shall exalt
themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but
they shall fall. So the king of the north shall
come and build a siege mound and take a fortified
city, and the forces of the south shall not withstand
him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength
to resist. But he who comes against him shall
do according to his own will, and no one shall
stand against him. He shall stand in the glorious
land with destruction. He shall also set his
face to enter with the strength of his whole
kingdom and upright ones with him. Thus shall
he do. And he shall give him the daughter of
women to destroy it, but she shall not stand
with him or be for him. After this he shall turn
his face to the coastlands and shall take many,
but a ruler shall bring the reproach against
them. And with the reproach removed, he shall
turn back on him. Then he shall turn his face
toward the fortress of his own land, but he shall
stumble and fall and not be found. There shall
arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the
glorious kingdom, but within a few days he shall
be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.
And in his place shall arise a vile person to
whom they will not give the honor of royalty
but he shall come in peaceably and seize the
kingdom by intrigue with the force of a flood
they shall be swept away from before him and
be broken and also the prince of the covenant
and after the league is made with him he shall
act deceitfully for he shall come up and become
strong with a small number of people he shall
enter peaceably even into the richest places
of the province. And he shall do what his fathers
have not done, nor his forefathers. He shall
disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches.
And he shall devise his plans against the strongholds,
but only for a time. he shall stir up his power
and his courage against the king of the south
with a great army and the king of the south shall
be stirred up to battle with a very great and
mighty army but he shall not stand for they shall
devise plans against him yes those who eat of
the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him
his army shall be swept away and many shall fall
down slain both these kings hearts shall be bent
on evil and they shall speak lies at the same
table. But it shall not prosper, for the end
will still be at the appointed time. While returning
to his land with great riches, his heart shall
be moved against the holy covenant, so he shall
do damage and return to his own land. At the
appointed time he shall return and go toward
the south, but it shall not be like the former
or the latter, for ships from Cyprus shall come
against him. Therefore he shall be grieved and
return in rage against the holy covenant and
do damage. So he shall return and show regard
for those who forsake the holy covenant, and
forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall
defile the sanctuary fortress. Then they shall
take away the daily sacrifices and place there
the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly
against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery.
But the people who know their God shall be strong
and carry out great exploits. And those of the
people who understand shall instruct many. Yet
for many days they shall fall by sword and flame,
by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall,
they shall be aided with a little help, but many
shall join with them by intrigue. And some of
those of understanding shall fall to refine them.
Purify them and make them white until the time
of the end, because it is still for the appointed
time. Then the king shall do according to his
own will. He shall exalt and magnify himself
above every god, shall speak blasphemies against
the god of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath
has been accomplished, for what has been determined
shall be done. He shall regard neither the god
of his fathers nor the desire of women. nor regard
any god, for he shall exalt himself above them
all. But in their place he shall honor a god
of fortresses, and a god which his fathers did
not know he shall honor with gold and silver,
with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus
he shall act against the strongest fortresses
with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge
and advance its glory. and he shall cause them
to rule over many and divide the land for gain.
At the time of the end, the king of the south
shall attack him, and the king of the north shall
come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots,
horsemen, and with many ships, and he shall enter
the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.
He shall also enter the glorious land, and many
countries shall be overthrown, but those shall
escape from his hand. Edom. Moab, and the prominent
people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand
against the countries, and the land of Egypt
shall not escape. He shall have power over the
treasures of gold and silver, and over all the
precious things of Egypt. Also the Libyans and
Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. But news
from the east and the north shall trouble him.
Therefore he shall go out with great fury to
destroy and annihilate many. And he shall plant
the tents of his palace between the seas and
the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come
to his end, and no one will help him. Chapter
12 At that time Michael shall stand up, the great
prince who stands watch over the sons of your
people. And there shall be a time of trouble,
such as never was since there was a nation, even
to that time. And at that time your people shall
be delivered, everyone who is found written in
the book. And many of those who sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Those who are wise shall shine, like the brightness
of the firmament, and those who turn many to
righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.
But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the
book until the time of the end. Many shall run
to and fro, and knowledge shall increase. Then
I, Daniel, looked, and there stood two others,
one on this river bank and the other on that
river bank. And one said to the man clothed in
linen, who was above the waters of the river,
How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders
be? Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who
was above the waters of the river, when he held
up his right hand and his left hand to heaven,
and swore by him who lives forever, that it shall
be for a time, times, and half a time. And when
the power of the holy people has been completely
shattered, all these things shall be finished.
Although I heard, I did not understand. Then
I said, My lord, what shall be the end of these
things? And he said, Go your way, Daniel, for
the words are closed up and sealed till the time
of the end. Many shall be purified, made white
and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly,
and none of the wicked shall understand, but
the wise shall understand. And from the time
that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the
abomination of desolation is set up, there shall
be 1 ,290 days. Blessed is he who waits and comes
to the 1 ,335 days. But you go your way till
the end, for you shall rest and will arise to
your inheritance at the end of the days. I hope
you enjoyed today's reading as much as I did
and I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow
to continue on our journey. God bless you and
have a great day.