THE CONFLICT CONTINUES

As the king of the south, Ptolemy V tried to gain the provinces that should have come to him as Cleopatra's dowry, but poison ended his efforts. He was succeeded by Ptolemy VI.  What about Seleucus IV?  In need of money to pay the heavy fine owed to Rome, he sent his treasurer Heliodorus to seize riches said to be stored in Jerusalem's temple.  Desiring the throne, Heliodorus murdered Seleucus IV.  However, King Eumenes of Pergamum and his brother Attalus had the slain king's brother Antiochus IV enthroned.

The new king of the north, Antiochus IV, sought to show himself mightier than God by trying eradicate Jehovah's arrangement of worship.  Defying Jehovah ah, he dedicated Jerusalem's temple to Zeus, or Jupiter.  In December 167 B.C.E., a pagan altar was erected on top of the great altar in the temple courtyard where a daily burnt offering had been made to Jehovah. Ten days later, a sacrifice to Zeus was offered to the pagan altar. This desecration led to a Jewish uprising under the Maccabees. Antiochus IV battled them for three years.  In 164 B.C.E., on the anniversary of the desecration, Judah Maccabaeus rededicated the temple to Jehovah and the festival of dedication -Hanukkah-was instituted. -John 10:22.

The Maccabees probably made a treaty with Rome in 161 B.C.E. and established a kingdom in 104 B.C.E. But the friction between them and the Syrian king of the north continued. Finally, Rome was called upon to intervene.  The Roman General Gnaeus Pompey took Jerusalem in 63 B.C.E. after a three-month siege. In 39 B.C.E., the Roman Senate appointed Herod-an Edomite- to be king of Judea.  Ending the Maccabean rule, he took Jerusalem in 37 B.C.E.

 How thrilling it is to see the first part of the prophecy of the two kings in conflict fulfilled in detail! Indeed, how exciting to peer into the history of some 500 years after the prophetic message  was delivered to Daniel and identify the rulers occupying the positions of the king of the north and the king of the south!  However, the political identities of these two kings change as the battles between them continues through the time when Jesus Christ walked the earth and down into our day.  By matching historical developments with intriguing details revealed  in this prophecy, we will be able to identify these  two contending kings. 

Next time: THE TWO KINGS CHANGE IDENTITIES: CHAPTER FOURTEEN

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999