Daniel 11 and the Medieval Divided Kingdoms

Download or read book Daniel 11 and the Medieval Divided Kingdoms written by Perry F. Louden and published by TEACH Services, Inc.. This book was released on with total page 134 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “In his detailed study of Daniel 11, the author seeks to extend the thematic parallelism between Daniel 2, 7, 8 and 9 to Daniel 10–12. Drawing on well-established Adventist principles of interpretation and insights on Daniel 11 from the Spirit of Prophecy, the author proposes that Daniel 11 follows the well-established sequence of historical powers outlined in Daniel 2, 7 & 8. He argues that the common Adventist interpretation in which the narrative moves forward in time to the crucifixion in v. 22, only to then move back in time to the Maccabean alliance is without exegetical basis nor interpretive precedent within Daniel. “The author then provides a new interpretation of Daniel 11.23–29, arguing that this particular passage with its confrontation between the Kings of the North and the South represents the conflicts between the two competing and persecuting unions of church and state that followed imperial Rome, i.e. Papal Rome and Byzantium. This transition from imperial to papal Rome, and to a persecuting union of church and state in Daniel 11.23–29 mirrors the same sequencing of powers found in Daniel 2, 7 & 8. The author then moves to a commonly-held Adventist interpretation (particularly from the time of Louis Were onwards) for vv. 36–39, arguing that these verses represent the full flowering of papal arrogance and supremacy prior to the ending of the 1,260 year prophecy. Particularly insightful is how the author sequences verses 23–39 against the flow of chapters in The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan by Ellen G. White. “The author arrives at v. 40, interpreting (as do many Adventist interpreters) the time of the end as beginning at the end of the 1,260 year prophecy, i.e. in AD 1798, but the author does not provide a detailed analysis of the conflict between the Kings of the North or the South in vv. 40–45. While the identity of the KON is clear (papal Rome, backed by the military might of the West in general and the USA in particular), the identity of the KOS remains more obscure, although the author does indicate provisional backing for the atheism interpretation held commonly among Adventists since the writings of Louis Were and Dr. Hans LaRondelle. Detailed appendices provide helpful interpretive information to guide the reader in further study. “Throughout the book, the author seeks to follow well-established Adventist principles of interpretation (which he helpfully outlines early on) and a brief but detailed analysis of the commentary found in the Spirit of Prophecy. He builds his case on the well-established portrayal of a persecuting union of church and state that would arise after pagan Rome in Daniel 2, 7 & 8. This approach lends credibility to the conclusions relating to the identities of the KON and the KOS in 11.23–39. Further work is required however to identify how and if the KOS in vv.40–45 is also a persecuting union of church of state, or a secular equivalent, if the well-established patterns found earlier in Daniel are to be continued throughout Daniel 11. This book is a welcome and insightful addition to the ongoing prayerful reflection on this critical portion of eschatological prophecy within the wider SDA community.” —Dr. Conrad Vine, President, Adventist Frontier Missions, Inc.