of the north.  We have been prepared for some such terms as these by Daniel

8:8, where the fourfold division of Alexander's kingdom is said to be towards

the four winds of heaven.  In agreement with this, we find in Daniel 7:2,3:

'Four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.  And four great

beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another'.

It is impossible for us at the present time to say which of the four

successors of Daniel 7:4 -8 is the lion with eagle's wings, or which is the

bear or the leopard or the monster.  But that they speak of the future

resuscitation of these four kingdoms is a matter beyond doubt.  Taking

everything into account we learn from Scriptural prophecy to watch closely

the 'north' and the 'south' kingdoms, the north, Syria, the south, Egypt.

The wars and the policies that have been connected with these two powers in

the past but foreshadow the 'Eastern Question' of the time of the end.  The

endeavour to promote alliances by marriages such as that of Berenice,

daughter of Ptolemy II to Antiochus II; or of Cleopatra to Ptolemy V will

again be attempted but prove futile.  In this connection the structure proves

of great value, for it reveals the fact that the final antichristian king

will be proof against such allurements.  This may, at first, seem strange,

but it is in keeping with the doctrines of demons exposed in 1 Timothy 4

which will include 'forbidding to marry'.

It will be seen from the structure that the words, 'in his estate'

occur four times.  The Hebrew word ken means a base (as in 1 Kings 7:31), and

in the first three references of Daniel 11 in the LXX is translated by the

word etoimasia, 'a preparation'.  The latter is used in the New Testament of

the work of a forerunner.  Does this not seem to indicate that Satan,

ignorant of the 'times and the seasons' which the Father has kept in His own

power, is perpetually 'prepared' with his man?  Here, in Daniel 11, we have

several kings in readiness, should the end have come.  To this principle may

be ascribed the close likeness which some outstanding characters in history

have had to the prophetic picture.  Quite a number of prophetic students

believed that Napoleon was the man of sin.  More recently Mussolini has been

named.  There may be many more, but at the end, Satan will be prepared with

his man, 'in his estate'; the man and the moment will adhere.

It would appear from Daniel 11 that towards the time of the end,

arising out of either Syria or Egypt, there will be several marked

anticipations of the man of sin.  The description of the first abortive

attempt is given in Daniel 11:7 -19 where we read of war between the kings of

the north and south, and of an unsuccessful attempt to make Judaea

independent, and so to 'establish the vision'.  The words, 'the robbers of

thy people' (Dan. 11:14) may mean 'the violent ones among thy people'.  These

would be revolutionists who would league themselves with an apostate power to

gain their own ends.  They shall fail, however, for God alone is able to

restore Israel to their land.

While Babylon and Nineveh have passed away, Egypt, Greece, Syria and

Asia Minor remain to this day, and it is from among these kingdoms that the

last great oppressor shall arise.  Time would fail us in the attempt to deal

with the details of this chapter, but perhaps the following analysis may be

of help.