Study Desk

So he will turn to the strong cities of his own land. But he will lose his step and fall, and will not be seen again.

"Then one will become king in his place, who will send a man through his great nation to make the people pay taxes. Yet within a short time that king will be killed, but not in anger or in battle.

A very sinful person will rise to power in his place. He will not be given the honor of being king, but he will come in a time of peace and take over the nation using smooth sounding words and false ways.

In a time of peace he will go into the richest parts of the land, and do what his fathers and his fathers' fathers never did. He will divide the things taken in war and things of worth among them, and make plans against strong cities, but only for a time.

He will gather all his strength against the king of the South with a large army. So the king of the South will gather together a very large and powerful army for war, but he will not win the battle. Secret plans will be made against him.

The hearts of both kings will be sinful. They will lie to each other at the same table. But nothing will come of it, for the end will still come at the chosen time.

Then the king of the North will return to his land with many things of much worth. But his heart will be set against the holy agreement. He will work against it and then return to his own land.

"At the chosen time he will return to the South, but this time it will not be as it was before.

He will speak well of those who sin against the agreement. But the people who know their God will show their strength and stand against him.

Those people who are wise will make many understand. But for many days they will be killed by the sword or by fire, or be taken to prison or robbed.

Some of the wise people will be hurt, but this is so they will be made pure through punishment until the time of the end. For the end will still come at the chosen time.

He will also come into the Beautiful Land and many countries will be taken. But Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be saved from his power.

But news from the East and from the North will trouble him, and he will go with much anger to kill and destroy many people.

"At that time the great angel Michael, who watches over your people, will rise up. And there will be a time of trouble, the worst since there was a nation. But at that time, every one whose name is written in the Book will be taken out of the trouble.

Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth will wake up. Some will have life that lasts forever, but others will have shame and will suffer much forever.

But as for you, Daniel, keep these words hidden and lock up the Book until the end of time. Many will travel here and there and knowledge will be more and more."

I heard, but I did not understand. So I said, "My lord, how will it all end?"

Many will be made pure and made white and tried, but the sinners will be very sinful. None of the sinful will understand, but those who are wise will understand.

But go your way until the end. Then you will have rest, and will rise again to take your place at the end of time."

But I will have loving-pity on the people of Judah. I, the Lord their God, will save them. But I will not save them by bow, sword, war, horses, or horsemen."