The Book of Daniel contains prophecies for the future of the Church and the world. These prophecies include the events of the first and second parts of the tribulation, as well as some events from the intervening period. The first and lesser tribulation will begin in the two-year period of time, A.D. 2009/2010, and will end in late A.D. 2039 or early A.D. 2040. The second and greater tribulation can be said to include the sufferings of the Church during (and even just prior to) the reign of the Antichrist, as well as the punishments of God called the Seven Bowls of God's Wrath (as found in the Book of Revelation). The Book of Daniel describes some of the events of each tribulation, and gives many details about the Antichrist and his reign. In fact, much of what we know about the Antichrist, and many of the comments of the Church fathers and saints about the Antichrist, is based on interpretations of various passages from Daniel.

The version of the Bible used for this commentary is the Catholic Public Domain Version (CPDV), translated from the Latin Vulgate using the Douay-Rheims version as a guide. Translating the Latin into English for the CPDV provided me with additional insights into the meaning of the text. My previous commentary on the Book of Daniel is found in my first book, The Bible and the Future of the World.

{2:27} And Daniel, facing the king, answered and said, “The secret that the king seeks, the wise men, the seers, and the soothsayers are unable to reveal to the king.
{2:28} But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, who has revealed to you, king Nebuchadnezzar, what will happen in the latter times. Your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed, are such as these.
{2:29} You, O king, began to think, while in your blanket, about what will be hereafter. And he who reveals secrets showed you what will happen.
{2:30} To me, likewise, this mystery is revealed, not according to the wisdom that is in me more than in other living things, but so that the interpretation might be made manifest to the king, and so that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
{2:31} You, O king, saw, and behold, something like a great statue. This statue, which was great and high, stood exalted above you, and you considered how terrible it was.
{2:32} The head of this statue was of the finest gold, but the breast and the arms were of silver, and further on, the belly and the thighs were of brass;
{2:33} but the shins were of iron, a certain part of the feet were of iron and another part were of clay.
{2:34} And so you looked until a stone was broken off without hands from a mountain, and it struck the statue on its feet, which were of iron and clay, and it shattered them.
{2:35} Then the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold were crushed together and diminished like the ashes of a summer courtyard, and they were quickly taken away by the wind, and no place was found for them; but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

Here is my interpretation of the dream. The four kingdoms are four very different groups of nations which will occur at four different periods of time. The first kingdom is the kingdom of the great monarch. He will reign over Europe and the Middle East and parts of Africa after the sufferings of the lesser tribulation are complete. He will reign for many years, beginning in A.D. 2040, until he willingly retires, laying down his crown in Jerusalem. His kingdom is full of faith and reason. He does not separate Church from State. His kingdom is pleasing to God and is represented by gold, because it is pure in faith, and by the head of the statue, because it is reasonable. Faith and reason are the foundation of his kingdom.

The second kingdom is actually one set of four groups of nations. The statue has one head, but two arms plus two breasts; one is followed by four. These four are created when the great monarch retires. He is not replaced by any one leader, but his kingdom is divided into four, so that now four leaders rule instead of one. This kingdom is not like the monarch's kingdom. In all four areas, it is no longer a government guided by the values and teachings of the Catholic Church. The Church's influence remains, only to some extent, and so it is only represented by silver, not by gold. And the one kingdom which once was reasonable is now replaced by four kingdoms which are led more by emotion than by reason, (emotion pulls one in every direction, in all four directions). These four kingdoms of emotion over reason are represented by the arms and breasts, not by the head, for emotion is centered in the chest. These four groups of nations attempt to keep religion and faith away from government and politics.

A man is the head of the Church; the husband is the head of the family; the kingdom of the great monarch, represented by the head, is led by a man. But the four groups of nations (which come after the kingdom of the great monarch) are less pleasing to God and less pure. Some of these have women political leaders, represented by the breasts of the statue, as well as men political leaders, represented by the arms. Two of the groups of nations have women leading or in prominent roles of political leadership, and the other two have men in the most prominent roles of political leadership.

The third part of the statue, the belly and thighs, is made of brass. This represents a later kingdom, many years after the division of the monarch's kingdom into four. This kingdom is even less faithful to God and less reasonable than the monarch's kingdom, for it is made only of brass, not gold or silver, and it is even further from the head, the source of reason, and is even away from the heart within the chest. This kingdom is governed according to the needs of the belly, the needs of the body, not the soul. It is governed also by the desires of the flesh, since the loins are included in this part of the statue. This kingdom has many sexual sins, permitted and even encouraged under the laws and customs. It is a kingdom which seeks to move beyond its borders, acquiring land and subjects, as represented by the upper legs, used to travel and to march to war. And this kingdom is openly hostile to religion.

The fourth kingdom is not like the others. It is a strange kingdom, part of iron and part of clay. In the Old Testament, clay represents human beings or human nature, because Adam was made from the dust or clay of the earth. Iron is often mentioned in the context of false gods and idols, which are said to be made of gold, silver, iron, stone, and wood. Iron can also be taken, in the context of a prophecy about a kingdom of the distant future, to represent technology. So, the fourth kingdom is one of false gods and an unwise use of technology. But, since it mixes iron and clay together, this kingdom will also mix technology with human biology in some way. This kingdom is hundreds of years in the future, in the A.D. 2400's, so it is difficult to know what the specifics will be.

The fourth kingdom is the kingdom of the ten kings and of the Antichrist. The shins are made of iron, and the feet are made of iron and clay. The shins made only of iron represent the kingdom of the ten kings, which becomes the kingdom of the Antichrist, represented by the iron mixed with clay. This kingdom also marches to war, but it does not merely conquer, it crushes and tramples over the remainder. And this kingdom is not only hostile to religion, it tries to destroy all true religion and to raise up its leader, the Antichrist, as if he were a god.

A great stone is broken off of a great mountain, without human intervention, in other words, with an act of God, smashes into the statue representing the kingdoms, and then grows to fill the whole world. The great stone is Christ. At the end of these kingdoms, at the end of the Antichrist's reign, Christ returns and he takes away all earthly kingdoms and establishes the kingdom of God on earth as in heaven. Since the whole statue is crushed to dust and is blown away by the breath of God, all earthly kingdoms are done away with by Christ. Even a golden kingdom like that of the great monarch is dust compared to the kingdom that Christ will bring. And the kingdom of God on earth is one which will fill the whole world.

{2:36} This is the dream; we will also tell its interpretation before you, O king.
{2:37} You are a king among kings, and the God of heaven has given to you a kingdom, and fortitude, and power, and glory,
{2:38} and all the places wherein the sons of men and the beasts of the field dwell. He has likewise given the flying creatures of the air into your hand, and he has placed all things under your realm. Therefore, you are the head of gold.

Daniel correctly interprets the first kingdom to refer to Nebuchadnezzar. However, his kingdom itself is but a symbol and foreshadowing of the first kingdom of the statue, the kingdom of the great monarch.

{2:39} And after you, another kingdom will rise up, inferior to you, of silver, and another third kingdom of brass, which will rule over the whole world.
{2:40} And the fourth kingdom will be like iron. Just as iron shatters and conquers all things, so will it shatter and crush all these.

The kingdom of the ten kings is described as if it were one kingdom because these ten have one and the same method and intention, to rule over the people with power and for power, regardless of faith and reason and the good of humanity. The kingdom of the ten kings rules by force, like an iron rod, shattering and conquering all things. The whole world will be ruled by ten rulers only, who will crush and destroy any who oppose them.

{2:41} Furthermore, because you saw the feet and the toes to be part of potter's clay and part of iron, the kingdom will be divided, but still, from the slip of iron it will take its origin, since you saw the iron mingled with the earthenware from clay.
{2:42} And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, part the kingdom will be strong and part will be crushed.
{2:43} Yet, because you saw the iron mingled with pottery from the earth, they will indeed be combined together with the offspring of man, but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron cannot be mixed with earthenware.
{2:44} But in the days of those kingdoms, the God of heaven will inspire a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and his kingdom will not be handed over to another people, and it will crush and will consume all these kingdoms, and this kingdom itself will stand in eternity.
{2:45} In accordance with what you saw, because the stone was torn away from the mountain without hands, and it crushed the earthenware, and the iron, and the brass, and the silver, and the gold, the great God has shown the king what will happen after this. And the dream is true, and its interpretation is faithful.”

The kingdom of the Antichrist is divided in the sense that there will always be those who oppose him and his rule. Even though, in general, the Antichrist will rule over the whole world, specifically, there will always be areas of his kingdom where his unwilling subjects reject him and even rebel against him.

The kingdom of the Antichrist operates in a different way than the kingdom of the ten kings and all previous kingdoms. The difference is represented by mixing iron and clay. This refers to technology in some way integrated with human biology. The mark of the beast and its number, 666 or 616, is mentioned in the Book of Revelation. People are marked on the hand or forehead and cannot buy or sell without this mark. The mark, as many have speculated, is some type of technology imbedded in the human body, like iron mixed with clay. But, since this will occur hundreds of years in the future (A.D. 2400's), we cannot be certain what type of technology.

The iron mixed with the clay also means that the Antichrist attempts to mix the worship of false gods (the iron) with human nature (the clay). That which is merely human, the Antichrist, presents himself as a false god, as if he were made of gold or silver or brass or iron or stone or wood, as the false idols of ancient times.

{4:1} I, Nebuchadnezzar, was content in my house and prospering in my palace.
{4:2} I saw a dream that terrified me, and my thoughts on my bed and the visions in my head disturbed me.
{4:3} And so a decree was established by me, that all of the wise men of Babylon should be brought in before me, and that they should reveal to me the answer to the dream.
{4:4} Then the seers, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers entered, and I explained about the dream in their presence, but they did not reveal its answer to me.
{4:5} And then their colleague came in before me, Daniel, (whose name is Belteshazzar according to the name of my god,) who has the spirit of the holy gods within his very self, and I told the dream directly to him.
{4:6} Belteshazzar, leader of the seers, since I know that you have in you the spirit of the holy gods, and that no mystery is unreachable to you, explain to me the visions of my dreams, which I saw, and the solution to them.
{4:7} This was the vision of my head on my bed. I looked, and behold, a tree in the middle of the earth, and its height was exceedingly great.
{4:8} The tree was great and strong, and its height reached up to heaven. It could be seen all the way to the ends of the entire earth.
{4:9} Its leaves were very beautiful, and its fruit was very abundant, and in it was food for the whole world. Under it, animals and beasts were dwelling, and in its branches, the birds of the sky were sheltered, and from it, all flesh was fed.
{4:10} I saw in the vision of my head upon my blanket, and behold, a watcher and a holy one descended from heaven.
{4:11} He cried out loudly, and he said this: “Cut down the tree and prune its branches; shake off its leaves and scatter its fruits; let flee the beasts, which are under it, and the birds from its branches.
{4:12} Nevertheless, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be bound with a band of iron and brass among the plants, which are close by, and let it be touched by the dew of heaven, and let its place be with the wild animals among the plants of the earth.
{4:13} Let his heart be changed from being human, and let the heart of a wild animal be given to him, and let seven periods of time pass over him.
{4:14} This is the decree from the judgment of the watchers, and the decision and proclamation of the holy ones, until the living shall know that the Supreme One is ruler in the kingdom of men, and that he will give it to whomever he wills, and he will appoint the lowest man over it.”
{4:15} I, king Nebuchadnezzar, saw this dream. And so you, Belteshazzar, must quickly explain to me the interpretation because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to declare the meaning of it to me. But you are able because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
{4:16} Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, began silently to think within himself for about one hour, and his thoughts troubled him. But the king responded, saying, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream and its interpretation disturb you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, the dream is for those who hate you, and its interpretation may be for your enemies.
{4:17} The tree that you saw was lofty and strong; its height reached toward heaven, and it could be seen throughout the whole world.
{4:18} And its branches were very beautiful, and its fruit very abundant, and in it was food for all. Under it, dwelt the beasts of the field, and in its branches, the birds of the air stayed.
{4:19} It is you, O king, who has been greatly esteemed, and you have grown strong. And you have increased your power, and it reaches towards heaven, and your rule is to the ends of the whole earth.
{4:20} Yet the king also saw a watcher and a holy one descend from heaven and say: 'Cut down the tree and scatter it; however, leave the stump of its roots in the earth, and let it be bound with iron and brass, among the surrounding plants, and let it be sprinkled with the dew of heaven, and let his feeding be with the wild beasts, until seven periods of time pass over him.'
{4:21} This is the interpretation of the judgment of the Most High, which has reached my lord, the king.
{4:22} They will expel you from among men, and your dwelling will be with the beasts and the wild animals, and you will eat hay like an ox, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Likewise, seven periods of time will pass over you, until you know that the Supreme One rules over the kingdom of men, and he gives it to whomever he wills.
{4:23} But, since he commanded that the stump of its roots, that is, of the tree, should be left behind, your kingdom will be left for you, after you have realized that power is from divinity.
{4:24} Because of this, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you. And redeem your sins with alms, and your iniquities with mercy towards the poor. Perhaps he will forgive your offenses.”

The seven periods of time is the same seventy weeks of years spoken of later in the Book of Daniel. The tree which has grown great and has filled the whole world is the human race. The human race undergoes many severe trials, both from their own mistakes and from God. The governments of the world will be reduce from ones that think and reason like a man, to ones that act as if they were irrational wild animals. The human race will be reduced from a great tree that fills and controls the whole world, to a mere stump of a tree surrounded by weeds and wild animals, drenched with the dew of heaven, until humanity realizes that One Supreme God rules over heaven and earth.

[Daniel 5]
{5:1} Belshazzar, the king, made a great feast for a thousand of his nobles, and each one of them drank according to his age.
{5:2} And so, when they were drunk, he instructed that the vessels of gold and silver should be brought, which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had carried away from the temple, which was in Jerusalem, so that the king, and his nobles, and his wives, and the concubines, might drink from them.
{5:3} Then the gold and silver vessels were presented, which he had carried away from the temple and which had been in Jerusalem, and the king, and his nobles, wives, and concubines, drank from them.
{5:4} They drank wine, and they praised their gods of gold, and silver, brass, iron, and wood and stone.
{5:5} In the same hour, there appeared fingers, as of the hand of a man, writing on the surface of the wall, opposite the candlestick, in the king's palace. And the king observed the part of the hand that wrote.
{5:6} Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts disturbed him, and he lost his self-control, and his knees knocked against one other.

{5:24} Therefore, he has sent the part of the hand which has written this, which has been inscribed.
{5:25} But this is the writing that has been decreed: MANE, THECEL, PHARES.
{5:26} And this is the interpretation of the words. MANE: God has numbered your kingdom and has finished it.
{5:27} THECEL: you have been weighed on the scales and found lacking.
{5:28} PHARES: your kingdom has been divided and has been given to the Medes and the Persians.

This prophecy applies to the countries of Europe in the present time. The years of their arrogance and their rejection of God have been numbered and the number is nearly complete. They have been weighed on the scales and found lacking. God will divide their kingdom and will give it to the Medes (Iraq) and the Persians (Iran). Europe will be conquered and occupied by the Arab nations led by Iran and Iraq. They will conquer Europe and parts of Africa in the 2010's, after a small war among the Arab nations.

[Daniel 7]
{7:1} In the first year of Belshazzar, king of Babylon, Daniel saw a dream and a vision in his head on his bed. And, writing down the dream, he understood it in a concise manner, and so, summarizing it tersely, he said:
{7:2} I saw in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of the heavens fought upon the great sea.
{7:3} And four great beasts, different from one another, ascended from the sea.

The four great beasts are four kingdoms, which arise during different time periods. The sea is a metaphor for the great sea of peoples and nations and languages on earth. These four kingdoms arise from the peoples of the world. The four winds are the four directions, and a metaphorical way to say that the whole earth is involved in these events. Kingdoms are groups of nations; they are referred to as beasts because they often behave like wild animals, not like children of God, nor even like men of reason.

{7:4} The first was like a lioness and had the wings of an eagle. I watched as its wings were plucked off, and it was raised from the earth and stood on its feet like a man, and the heart of a man was given to it.

This beast is represented by an amalgamation of very different animals because it is an alliance of very different nations. The wings of the eagle represent the United States of America as well as its air power, which dominates during warfare. The beast is a lioness, feminine, because, for a time, this group of nations, or at least one prominent nation within the group, is led by a woman. The figure of a lion represents England as well as several of the nations of Africa. These will be a part of the group of nations, led by the great monarch, allied with the U.S. and others, who end the Arab invasion of Europe and northern/central Africa, by attacking the Arab forces in World War IV.

The wings are plucked off of the beast, because, after World War IV is won, the United States leaves this alliance and no longer uses its air power on behalf of the alliance. The U.S. does not become a part of the great monarch's kingdom. After World War IV, the great monarch takes his place as ruler over a kingdom of faith and reason. The beast (the groups of nations fighting in World War IV) is raised from the earth and stands on its feet like a man, because now a kingdom is established which is reasonable (like a man instead of a beast) and which is led by a man, the great monarch, not a woman (represented by the lioness). This kingdom no longer behaves like a beast, but like a man with a mind and a heart. It is a devout Catholic Christian kingdom, but it is not perfect. This is not the kingdom of God on earth, which will only be fully established when Christ returns in the year A.D. 2437.

{7:5} And behold, another beast, like a bear, stood to one side, and there were three rows in its mouth and in its teeth, and they spoke to it in this way: “Arise, devour much flesh.”

This kingdom arises at a later time, long after the time of the great monarch. This kingdom is centered around Russia, the bear. The three rows of teeth are the three branches of the military, and the three rows in its mouth are the three branches of government. These push the group of nations led by Russia to go to war and to devour other nations.

{7:6} After this, I watched, and behold, another like a leopard, and it had wings like a bird, four upon it, and four heads were on the beast, and power was given to it.

This kingdom is even further into the future, and so is harder to give details about. Although some say that the leopard represents France, I disagree. The leopard is found in many areas of the world, but mainly in Africa, India, and Asia. I think that the leopard represents some or all of these areas, allied together to form a world power (in the distant future). The wings like a bird represent the air power of their military, which is how they maintain and extend their power. The four wings represent four aspects to their air power, either representing four nations within this kingdom, having strong air forces, or, more likely, four different types of air power (maybe something like a traditional air force, space-based weapons, sea-based air power, and continuously airborne unmanned vehicles). The four head represent four leaders of four areas within this kingdom.

{7:7} After this, I watched in the vision of the night, and behold, a fourth beast, terrible yet wondrous, and exceedingly strong; it had great iron teeth, eating yet crushing, and trampling down the remainder with his feet, but it was unlike the other beasts, which I had seen before it, and it had ten horns.

This kingdom has ten horns, representing ten kings, that is, ten leaders with great power over ten regions of the world. During this time period, by the 24th century, the world will be divided into ten regions, with each region ruled over by one supreme leader. These ten kingdoms are considered as if they were one kingdom because each king rules with one and the same intention, to dominate with power and for power.

These ten kingdoms are terrible because they are faithless, unreasonable, brutal kingdoms. Yet they are wondrous because, in this time of the distant future, there will be great wonders of science and technology and medicine. And, during the subsequent reign of the Antichrist, there will be false miracles and false signs.

The ten kingdoms, in my limited understanding, will be more or less the following:

1. The North -- Europe (northern part of great monarch's kingdom)
2. The South -- northern Africa and Middle East (southern part of great monarch's kingdom; also called “the strength” because it is the last bastion of Christianity and it includes the holy land)
3. The West -- North America (threatened and attacked by the Arab nations in World War IIII)
4. The East -- the Leopard; perhaps based in China (one of the three kingdoms conquered by the Antichrist)
5. The Meridian -- most of Africa (another one of the three kingdoms conquered by the Antichrist)
6. The Bear -- Russia and associated nations
7. India and associated nations
8. South America
9. The Islands -- Australia and nearby island nations
10. unknown (perhaps located in Asia)

{7:8} I considered the horns, and behold, another little horn rose out of the midst of them. And three of the first horns were rooted out by its presence. And behold, eyes like the eyes of a man were in this horn, and a mouth speaking unnatural things.

The little horn is the Antichrist. He is a little leader, at first. He is not the son of a king or great ruler. He is not in line to inherit power. He is not a powerful political leader who would be seen as likely to succeed to the position of ruler. He has only a little power at first. Even when he becomes the king of the North, he has limited power and must fight to increase his power within that kingdom.

The Antichrist replaces one of the ten kings, the king of the North, then he roots out three of the other ten kings. Thus, he obtains power over four of the ten kingdoms, so that the ten kingdoms are ruled by seven leaders. The eyes of the Antichrist are the eyes of a man, and the Antichrist himself is merely a man, but he speaks unnatural monstrous things, as if he were more than a man. The eyes of the horn may also represent the Antichrist's ability to see things and know things, seemingly with an unnatural ability, but no, his eyes are merely the eyes of a man. The mouth speaking unnatural things is the false prophet who assists the Antichrist. It is unnatural for a woman to act as she acts. She teaches and supports unnatural and immoral things.

{7:9} I watched until thrones were set up, and the ancient of days sat down. His garment was radiant like snow, and the hair of his head like clean wool; his throne was flames of fire, its wheels had been set on fire.
{7:10} A river of fire rushed forth from his presence. Thousands upon thousands ministered to him, and ten thousand times hundreds of thousands attended before him. The trial began, and the books were opened.
{7:11} I watched because of the voice of the great words which that horn was speaking, and I saw that the beast had been destroyed, and its body was ruined and had been handed over to be burnt with fire.

The beast represents both the kingdom of the Antichrist and the Antichrist himself. The kingdom will be destroyed and handed over to be burnt with fire. The Antichrist will also be destroyed, but not killed, and his body will be ruined, in other words, his body will be changed in accordance with the ugliness of his sins, and he will be sent alive, in body and soul, to be burnt in the fires of Hell.

{7:12} Likewise, the power of the other beasts was taken away, and a limited time of life was appointed to them, until one time and another.

The other beasts are the ten kingdoms and the leaders of the ten kingdoms. They are not immediately destroyed upon the defeat of the Antichrist. Two times are appointed for them (“until one time and another”). The first is a space of time for repentance. The second is a space of time for severe punishments from God, referred to in the Book of Revelation as the Seven Bowls of God's Wrath.

{7:13} I watched, therefore, in the vision of the night, and behold, with the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man arrived, and he approached all the way to the ancient of days, and they presented him before him.

Christ will return at the end of the Antichrist's reign.

{7:14} And he gave him power, and honor, and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and languages will serve him. His power is an eternal power, which will not be taken away, and his kingdom, one which will not be corrupted.
{7:15} My spirit was terrified. I, Daniel, was fearful at these things, and the visions of my head disturbed me.
{7:16} I approached one of the attendants and asked the truth from him about all these things. He told me the interpretation of the words, and he instructed me:
{7:17} “These four great beasts are four kingdoms, which will rise from the earth.
{7:18} Yet it is the saints of the Most High God who will receive the kingdom, and they will hold the kingdom from this generation, and forever and ever.”
{7:19} After this, I wanted to learn diligently about the fourth beast, which was very different from all, and exceedingly terrible; his teeth and claws were of iron; he devoured and crushed, and the remainder he trampled with his feet;
{7:20} and about the ten horns, which he had on his head, and about the other, which had sprung up, before which three horns fell, and about that horn which had eyes and a mouth speaking great things, and which was more powerful than the rest.
{7:21} I watched, and behold, that horn made war against the holy ones and prevailed over them,
{7:22} until the Ancient of days came and gave judgment to the holy ones of the Supreme One, and the time arrived, and the holy ones obtained the kingdom.

The horn makes war against the holy ones, meaning that the Antichrist makes war against faithful Christians. He prevails over them in the sense that he defeats them in worldly conflicts, though they continue to persevere in the faith. And, when Christ returns, he sets all things right and the faithful receive the kingdom of God on earth as well as in Heaven.

{7:23} And thus he said, “The fourth beast will be the fourth kingdom on earth, which will be greater than all the kingdoms, and will devour the whole earth, and will trample and crush it.
{7:24} Moreover, the ten horns of the same kingdom will be ten kings, and another will rise up after them, and he will be mightier than the ones before him, and he will bring down three kings.
{7:25} And he will speak words against the Supreme One, and will exhaust the holy ones of the Most High, and he will think about what it would take to change the times and the laws, and they will be given into his hand until a time, and times, and half a time.

The length of time called “a time, and times, and half a time” is the last half of the Antichrist's nearly seven year reign, a time of about three and a half years. The laws which the Antichrist thinks about what it would take to change is not merely human laws, which he easily can change, nor Divine law, which he could never change (and does not consider), but the laws of physics. The times which the Antichrist thinks about what it would take to change is the course of the moon and the spin and course of the earth, which indicate the passing of the months and the days and the seasons.

{7:26} And a trial will begin, so that his power may be taken away, and be crushed, and be undone all the way to the end.
{7:27} Yet the kingdom, and the power, and the greatness of that kingdom, which is under all of heaven, shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all kings will serve and obey him.”
{7:28} And here is the end of the message. I, Daniel, was greatly disturbed by my thoughts, and my mood was changed in me, but I preserved the message in my heart.

[Daniel 8]
{8:1} In the third year of the reign of Belshazzar the king, a vision appeared to me. After that which I had seen in the beginning, I, Daniel,
{8:2} saw in my vision, that I was in the capital city of Susa, which is in the region of Elam, yet I saw in the vision that I was over the gate of Ulai.
{8:3} And I lifted up my eyes and saw, and behold, a single ram stood before the marsh, having two high horns, and one was higher than the other and growing higher still.
{8:4} After this, I saw the ram brandishing his horns against the West, and against the North, and against the Meridian, and all the beasts could not withstand him, nor be freed from his hand, and he did according to his own will, and he became great.

The single ram represents a group of Arab nations led by Media (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). The two horns are the leaders of Iraq and Iran. One of these two leaders will have more power than the other, the higher horn, and the greater of the two will grow greater still. Iran and Iraq first consolidate power among the Arab nations through war and insurrection. The Arab nations become united by means of a small, brief war (in 2009).

The ram, the Arab nations, threaten and then attack the West and the North and the Meridian (the equator). The West is the United States, the North is Europe, and the Meridian is Africa. The ram brandishes its horns against the West, meaning that the Arab nations first threaten, then attack (but do not invade or conquer) the United States. The attack against the North is an attack against Europe. The Arab nations invade and conquer Europe. The attack against the Meridian is an attack against countries near the equator (in Africa). The Arab nations attack into Africa (but are unable to conquer the entire continent). This war unfolds over many years, beginning in 2010. The war of the Arab nations against Europe, the U.S. and Africa is World War III, a long and bloody war. The European nations are not able to stop the invasion of the Arabs, nor to be freed from their hand, because it is God's will for the Arabs to conquer them as a consequence for sin and as a preparation for necessary future events. They conquer most or all of Europe, and a large part of Africa.

How far into Africa do the Arab nations attack? Since this area is referred to as the Meridian (the equator), they attack at least as far as the equator. But they are stopped before the area near the equator because the great monarch's kingdom does not include the Meridian. When the great monarch's kingdom is divided into four parts, the southern part eventually will become one of the ten kingdoms of the ten kings. It is called the South (Daniel 11) because it is the southern most part of the great monarch's kingdom. Therefore, the Arabs are unable to conquer most of the continent of Africa. They only succeed in conquering the northern portion of Africa.

{8:5} And I understood, and behold, a he-goat among she-goats came from the West above the face of the entire earth, and he did not touch the ground. Furthermore, the he-goat had a preeminent horn between his eyes.
{8:6} And he went all the way to the ram that had the horns, which I had seen standing before the gate, and he ran towards him in the force of his strength.
{8:7} And when he approached near to the ram, he was enraged against him, and he struck the ram, and broke his two horns, and the ram could not withstand him, and when he had cast him down on the ground, he trampled him, and no one was able to free the ram from his hand.

The he-goat is the great monarch, a leader of French origins who leads the attack against the Arab nations in the occupied lands and in their own nations. This attack occurs during the mid 2030's, at the beginning of World War IV. He is called a he-goat among she-goats because, unlike the Arab nations and the occupied lands, the free nations unwisely permit women to become political leaders. During this time period there are a number of prominent women political leaders. But the he-goat exceeds them all.

The he-goat also represents the group of nations that will attack the Arab forces to free the occupied nations. It is called a he-goat among she-goats because this group of nations, which should be led by men, has a number of prominent women political leaders. This group of nations includes the U.S., and the leaders of European nations in exile, and unoccupied nations in Africa, and other free nations. The preeminent horn is a prominent leader, the great monarch. He leads the attack against the Arab forces in World War IV. The attack proceeds from the United States to Europe across the whole face of the earth without touching the ground, in other words, an attack from the air. This could include missiles and various types of air vehicles.

The forces led by the great monarch are unstoppable because they pray to God, through the intercession of Mary and the Saints, and they ask for the assistance of the angels. The two leaders of the Arab forces are unable to withstand the attack; they are killed in the war. The great monarch frees the occupied lands and even conquers the Arabs in their own nations.

{8:8} But the he-goat among she-goats became exceedingly great, and when he had prospered, the great horn was shattered, and four horns were rising up beneath it by means of the four winds of heaven.

The he-goat is the great monarch and his kingdom. After World War IV, and after supernatural punishments from God, the great monarch reigns during a time of relative peace and holiness over a great kingdom, including Europe, much of the Middle East, and parts of Africa. His political power and influence is unprecedented. He presides over the rebuilding efforts after the great war. He works with the Pope of that time, the Angelic Shepherd, to rebuild society according to Catholic teaching.

When the reign of the great monarch ends, it is shattered. It does not continue to be a holy kingdom based on faith and reason. It is divided into four parts; four separate kingdoms. The four winds of heaven represent all the nations of the world, who collectively express their opinions and exert their influence so that the one kingdom of the great monarch is divided into four less holy, more secular kingdoms.

{8:9} But from one of them came forth one little horn, and it became great against the Meridian, and against the East, and against the strength.

Centuries after the end of the great monarch's reign, from out of one of the four kingdoms into which the great monarch's kingdom is divided, the Antichrist rises to power. The little horn is the Antichrist. At first, he is a leader with little power. He becomes great by overcoming the Strength, and by overcoming the Meridian (one of the ten kingdoms, the one based near the equator, in Africa) and the East (one of the ten kingdoms, located in the East, perhaps based in China). The Strength is the only one of the ten kingdoms to have retained a large number of Christians and to tolerate the Christian faith. The strength of this kingdom is found in the Christian faith. Even so, this kingdom, on the whole, is much like the others: secular, sinful, self-indulgent, violent, etc. When the Antichrist overcomes this kingdom, he eradicates the last governmental supports and protections for faithful Christians.

{8:10} And it was magnified even towards the strength of heaven, and it threw down those of the strength and of the stars, and it trampled them.
{8:11} And it was magnified, even to the leader of the strength, and it took away from him the continual sacrifice, and cast down the place of his sanctuary.
{8:12} And the advantage was given to him against the continual sacrifice, because of the sins, and truth will be struck down to the ground, and he will act, and he will prosper.

The Antichrist becomes so powerful that he thinks himself to be a god. The Antichrist pretends to be the Messiah and tries to convince people to worship him instead of God. The strength of heaven refers to the true Catholic Christian Church and those of the strength refers to faithful Christians. The Antichrist grows so powerful that he attacks the Church on earth and tries to destroy it.

The leader of the strength is the Pope. He is killed by the followers of the Antichrist. The leader of the strength is also Christ himself. The continual sacrifice is the Eucharist and the sacrifice of the Mass. The place of his sanctuary refers both to the chief Church and to the center of authority of the Catholic Church. (In today's terms, this would be St. Peter's Basilica and Vatican City.) The place of his sanctuary is also all of the churches, where Mass is celebrated, and the tabernacles, where the Eucharist is kept. The Antichrist destroys and/or desecrates these places.

{8:13} And I heard one of the holy ones speaking, and one saint said to another, (I know not to whom he was speaking,) “What is the extent of the vision, and the continual sacrifice, and the sin of the desolation, which has happened, and of the sanctuary and the strength, which will be trampled?”
{8:14} And he said to him, “From evening until morning, two thousand three hundred days, and so the sanctuary will be cleansed.”

The question asks the length of time of this severe persecution of the Church. The Church suffers greatly in the centuries leading up to this time, but this particular time is the greatest suffering that the Church on earth will ever experience. This time of great suffering is the Final Passion of the Church. It begins when the Antichrist, having become one of the ten kings, defeats three of the other kings. One of those three kings is the king “of the strength,” that is, king over the last region on earth where Christianity is tolerated. Once he is defeated, the Church's suffering increases significantly. The beginning of this suffering, therefore, coincides with the start of the Antichrist's reign over nearly the whole world.

This length of time is called “from evening until morning” because it is a time of darkness. In other words, this is the length of time from the beginning of a time of darkness (the Antichrist's reign) until a time of light (the Return of the true Christ). The length of time is 2300 days, that is, about 77 lunar months. (The calendar in use at that time will be the Islamic lunar calendar.) The length of 2300 days is also about 6 and 1/2 lunar calendar years.

{8:15} But it came to pass, when I, Daniel, saw the vision and sought understanding that, behold, there stood in my sight something like the appearance of a man.
{8:16} And I heard the voice of a man within Ulai, and he called out and said, “Gabriel, make this one understand the vision.”
{8:17} And he came and stood next to where I was standing, and when he approached, I fell on my face, trembling, and he said to me, “Understand, son of man, for in the time of the end the vision will be fulfilled.”
{8:18} And when he spoke to me, I fell forward onto the ground, and so he touched me and stood me upright.
{8:19} And he said to me, “I will reveal to you what the future things are in the earlier tribulation, for the time has its end.

The tribulation is divided into two parts, the first from A.D. 2009/2010 to 2039/2040, the second tribulation occurs in the A.D. 2430's. The first tribulation includes World War III, when the Arab forces invade and conquer Europe and part of Africa, and World War IV, when the allied nations free the occupied lands from the Arab forces.

{8:20} The ram, which you saw to have horns, is the king of the Medes and Persians.

Media is an ancient kingdom located where Iraq is now; Persia is an ancient kingdom located where Iran is now. The Medes and the Persians are the Iraqis and the Iranians. These two nations lead the other Arab nations in the invasion of Europe.

{8:21} Furthermore, the he-goat among she-goats is the king of the Greeks, and the great horn, which was between his eyes, is the same one, the first king.

The democratic nations are referred to as the Greeks because democracy began in Greece. The he-goat is the great monarch. He is called king of the Greeks because he is a leader among the democratic nations and because he becomes a leader or king of the country of Greece (when he frees Greece and other nations from the Arabs). The he-goat is the first leader over Greece and the other countries, after they are freed from the Arab occupation.

{8:22} And since, having been shattered, there grew four in its place, four kings will rise up from his people, but not in his strength.

After the great monarch's reign, his kingdom will be divided into four kingdoms. The strength of the great monarch is his faith in the Catholic Church. The leaders after him will not be devout Roman Catholics. In the Book of Daniel, strength often refers to faith in the Catholic Church. The leaders after the great monarch will be lesser leaders.

{8:23} And after their reign, when iniquities will be increased, there will arise a king of shameless face and understanding negotiations.
{8:24} And his advantage will be strengthened, but not by his kind of force, and other than what he will be able to trust, everything will be eradicated, and he will prosper, and he will act. And he will execute the successful and the people of the saints,
{8:25} according to his will, and treachery will be guided by his hand. And his heart will be inflated, and by the abundance of everything he will kill many, and he will rise up against the Lord of lords, and he will be knocked down without a hand.

The king of shameless face is the Antichrist; he excels at negotiations, deception, treachery, strategies, psychological manipulation, and the like. Scripture says, “his advantage will be strengthened.” Again, the word strength refers to the Catholic faith. Some unfaithful Catholics will work with the Antichrist against the Church, but not by his kind of force. Instead, they pervert the Catholic faith by inventing and promoting the abomination, a perverse imitation of the holy Eucharist. They undermine the Church by false teachings and by attempting to lead the faithful astray. For the Church on earth is the last bastion of opposition to the Antichrist.

The Antichrist destroys the successful, so that only he and his followers will be able to prosper. And he attacks and destroys the faithful of God. He uses not only the force of arms, but every kind of treachery and strategy. He is extremely manipulative and deceitful. He is extremely dangerous, even to his own allies, even to those who think they are closest to him. He even rebels against Christ, the Lord of lords; he even thinks himself to be greater than Christ. The Antichrist rises up against Christ by attempting to ascend to Heaven. But he will be knocked down, not by any human hand, but by the archangel Michael.

{9:24} Seventy weeks of years are concentrated on your people and on your holy city, so that transgression shall be finished, and sin shall reach an end, and iniquity shall be wiped away, and so that everlasting justice shall be brought in, and vision and prophecy shall be fulfilled, and the Saint of saints shall be anointed.
{9:25} Therefore, know and take heed: from the going forth of the word to build up Jerusalem again, until the Christ leader, there will be seven weeks of years, and sixty-two weeks of years; and the wide path will be built again, and the walls, in a time of anguish.
{9:26} And after sixty-two weeks of years, the Christ leader will be slain. And the people who have denied him will not be his. And the people, when their leader arrives, will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will be devastation, and, after the end of the war, the desolation will be set up.
{9:27} But he will confirm a covenant with many for one week of years; and for half of the week of years, victim and sacrifice will nearly cease; but there will be in the temple the abomination of desolation. And the desolation will continue even to the consummation and the end.”

Seventy weeks of years is 490 years (70 x 7). By the end of this period of time, the kingdom of God will be established on earth, the reign of sin will be ended (not that no one will ever sin, but that sin will no longer hold such power over the earth), and Christ (the Saint of saints) will be anointed as King of the whole world.

The seventy weeks of years begins from “the going forth of the word to build up Jerusalem again,” in other words, from the founding of the State of Israel. Therefore, 1948 is the first year of the 490 years and 2437 is the last year of the 490 years. Christ will return in the year A.D. 2437.

But, after seven weeks of years, the Christ-leader will arrive. Seven weeks of years from 1948 is 1996, but the Christ leader is not Jesus Christ himself, nor a new Pope, but the time of the arrival (conception or birth) of a Christ-like leader. And, after 62 more weeks of years, another Christ-like leader arrives, a holy Pope. After the 62 weeks of years, this Christ-like leader will be slain, so this Pope becomes a martyr. With 1948 as year one, adding seven weeks of years and 62 weeks of years brings us to the year A.D. 2430. This Pope will be elected in that year or shortly before, and he will be killed at the completion of the 62 weeks of years, probably in 2430. He will be killed by the supporters of another leader, the Antichrist. When the Antichrist arrives, his supporters will destroy the city which is the center of the Christian faith (Jerusalem or Rome or both?) and the chief sanctuary also. The destruction of these places is devastating. And, after the end of that war, which occurs about halfway through the Antichrist's reign of nearly seven years, (his reign over nearly the whole world,) the abomination of desolation will be set up.

The abomination is a false Eucharist, a perverse imitation of that most Blessed Sacrament. The abomination is not devised by the Antichrist, but by false and unfaithful Christians who have rebelled against the Church and against God. The Antichrist merely makes use of them and the abomination in order to attack the Church.

The one week of years (last of the 70 weeks of years) is the nearly seven years of the Antichrist's reign. The half of a week of years is the last half of the Antichrist's reign, the time when he attempts to completely destroy the Christian faith. The victim and sacrifice which nearly cease during this time is the Eucharist and the Mass. This time of great suffering for the Church, the time of the Church's Crucifixion, lasts until the end of the Antichrist's reign and until the Return of Christ.

[Daniel 10]
{10:1} In the third year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, a message was revealed to Daniel, called Belteshazzar, and a true word, and great strength. And he understood the message, for understanding is needed in a vision.
{10:2} In those days, I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks of days.
{10:3} I ate no desirable bread, and neither meat, nor wine, entered my mouth, neither was I anointed with ointment, until the three weeks of days were completed.
{10:4} But on the twenty-fourth day of the first month, I was next to the great river, which is the Tigris.
{10:5} And I lifted up my eyes, and I saw, and behold, one man clothed in linen, and his waist was wrapped with the finest gold,
{10:6} and his body was like the golden stone, and his face had the appearance of lightning, and his eyes that of a burning lamp, and his arms and all that is downward all the way to the feet had the appearance of glowing brass, and his speaking voice was like the voice of a multitude.
{10:7} But I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, for the men who were with me did not see it, but an exceedingly great terror rushed over them, and they fled into hiding.
{10:8} And I, having been left alone, saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me, moreover, my appearance was altered, and I languished, not having any strength.
{10:9} And I heard the voice of his words, and when I heard, I lay down in confusion on my face, and my face was close to the ground.
{10:10} And behold, a hand touched me, and raised me onto my knees and the knuckles of my hands.
{10:11} And he said to me, “Daniel, man of longing, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand yourself upright, for I am now sent to you.” And when he had said these words to me, I stood trembling.
{10:12} And he said to me, “Do not be afraid, Daniel, because from the first day that you set your heart to understand, by afflicting yourself in the sight of your God, your words have been heeded, and I have arrived because of your words.
{10:13} But the leader of the kingdom of the Persians resisted me for twenty-one days, and behold, Michael, one of the primary leaders, came to help me, and I remained there next to the king of the Persians.
{10:14} But I have come to teach you what will happen to your people in the latter days, because the vision is for a long time from now.”
{10:15} And while he was speaking words to me in this way, I cast my face down to the ground and was silent.
{10:16} And behold, something in the likeness of a son of man touched my lips. Then, opening my mouth, I spoke and said to him who stood before me, “My lord, at the sight of you, my limbs became weak and no strength has remained in me.
{10:17} And so, how can the servant of my lord speak with my lord? For no strength remains in me; and even my breathing is hindered.”
{10:18} Therefore, he who looked like a man, touched me again and strengthened me.
{10:19} And he said, “Fear not, O man of longing. May peace be with you. Take courage and be strong.” And when he spoke to me, I recovered, and I said, “Speak, my lord, for you have strengthened me.”
{10:20} And he said, “Do you not know why I have come to you? And next I will return, to fight against the leader of the Persians. When I was leaving, there appeared the leader of the Greeks arriving.
{10:21} But, in truth, I announce to you what is expressed in the scripture of truth. And no one is my helper in all these things, except Michael your leader.

This angel, Gabriel, came from a struggle against the leader of the kingdom of the Persians. And just as he was leaving that struggle to go and speak with Daniel, the leader of the Greeks was arriving. In other words, he left during the time when the great monarch first makes his appearance, and during the time when the leader of the Persians (the leader of Iran) is causing harm or about to cause harm. This means that the angel came from the future (the 21st century). Therefore, Angels can travel across Time.

What Gabriel announces is also expressed in the Scripture of Truth (the Bible), not only in the book of Daniel, but also in the Book of Revelation and in other places. Michael is the archangel Michael, who strikes down the Antichrist at the appointed time.

[Daniel 11]
{11:1} “And so, from the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood firm, so that he might be reinforced and strengthened.
{11:2} And now I will announce to you the truth. Behold, up to a certain point, three kings will stand in Persia, and the fourth will be exceedingly enriched in power above them all. And when he has grown strong by his resources, he will stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.

The fourth king of Persia is the leader who, during the early 21st century, stirs up the other Arab nations against the democratic nations, especially the United States and Europe. Greece is the birthplace of democracy, so Greece represents democratic nations. Persia is an ancient kingdom located where Iran is now. Persia represents Iran. Soon, a leader of Iran will stir up the other Arab nations against the western democratic nations. He will increase in power and influence, growing strong by his resources, prior to stirring up trouble against the West.

Iran will ally with Iraq. Then they will start a small war among the Arab nations. Extremist Arab leaders will fight against more moderate leaders, and the extremist leaders will win. This war takes place in 2009. It is a very brief war consisting of some fighting between Arab nations and some insurrections and revolutions within Arab nations. The end result is that Iran and Iraq, more so Iran, end up in control of the Arab nations. Unfortunately, current efforts to establish democracy in Iraq do not succeed.

After this brief war, the Arab nations, led by Iran and Iraq, invade and conquer Europe and northern Africa. This invasion and conquering of Europe is World War III, a long, devastating, and very deadly war.

{11:3} But there will rise up a strong king, and he will rule with great power, and he will do what he pleases.
{11:4} And when he has been firmly established, his kingdom will be shattered and will be divided towards the four winds of the heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to his power with which he ruled. For his kingdom will be torn to pieces, even for the outsiders who have been expelled from these.

The strong king is the great monarch, who frees the occupied lands from the Arab forces in World War IV. His strength is from his faith in the Catholic Church. He established and rules over a vast area, including Europe, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and northern Africa. When his rule finally ends, his kingdom is divided into four parts. These four kingdoms are not ruled by the great monarch's children or relatives, nor to anyone who is like him in faithfulness to God. For his kingdom, once divided, will even be ruled by some who have been expelled from the True Faith, that is, the Catholic Church. Some of those who have left the Church or who have been excommunicated will end up having positions of political power in these divided kingdoms.

{11:5} And the king of the South will be reinforced, yet one of his leaders will prevail over him, and he will rule with riches, for great is his domain.
{11:6} And after the end of years, they will form a federation, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to make friendship, but she will not obtain the strength of arms, neither will her offspring stand firm, and she will be handed over, along with those who brought her, her young men, and those who comforted her in these times.

These two verses cover a substantial period of time. The South is the southern part of the great monarch's former kingdom. The South is now a kingdom of its own. The South includes the Middle East and the holy land of Israel and northern Africa. After a long time, some kind of federation or alliance is formed. The daughter of the king of the South might be his actual daughter, or it may be a woman who has a daughter-like relationship with him. The North is the northern part of the great monarch's former kingdom; the North is now a kingdom of its own. The North includes most or all of Europe. The attempt by the daughter of the South to make peace is unsuccessful.

{11:7} And a transplant from the germination of her roots will stand up, and he will come with an army, and will enter into the province of the king of the North, and he will abuse them, and will hold it fast.

The phrase “transplant from the germination of her roots” is unusual; it probably indicates the use of some type of medical technology in the procreation of this child or of a descendant of hers. This man arrives with an army, perhaps somewhat in revenge for the way she was treated; that is why is abuses them and does not merely conquer them. He succeeds in holding the lands that he captures.

{11:8} And, in addition, he will carry away captive into Egypt their gods, and their graven images, and likewise their precious vessels of gold and silver. He will prevail against the king of the North.
{11:9} And the king of the South will enter into the kingdom, and will return to his own land.
{11:10} But his sons will be challenged, and they will assemble a multitude of very many forces. And he will arrive rushing and overflowing. And he will return, and he will be enraged, and he will join the battle in his redness.
{11:11} And the king of the South, having being challenged, will go forth and will fight against the king of the North, and he will prepare an exceedingly great multitude, and a multitude will be given into his hand.
{11:12} And he will seize a multitude, and his heart will be exalted, and he will cast down many thousands, but he will not prevail.

War between the North and the South continues over the course of a long time, through many generations. Sometimes the North is the aggressor and sometimes the South is the aggressor. But either way, in the end, neither succeeds in capturing and holding the other's kingdom for any significant length of time.

{11:13} For the king of the North will change strategy and will prepare a multitude much greater than before, and at the end of times and years, he will rush forward with a great army and exceedingly great resources.
{11:14} And in those times, many will rise up against the king of the South. And likewise the sons of the deceivers among your people will extol themselves, so as to fulfill the vision, and they will collapse.
{11:15} And the king of the North will arrive and will transport siege works, and he will seize the most fortified cities. And the arms of the South will not withstand him, and his elect will rise up to resist, but the strength will not.

The king of the North uses a different strategy to attack the South, and he arrives with a very great army and great military resources. Many will rebel against the king of the South from within his own kingdom. The “sons of the deceivers among your people” are unfaithful Christians. The expression “sons of the deceivers” does not literally mean the offspring of deceitful people; rather, it means those who are themselves deceivers. The expression “son of...” is metaphorical and is derived from the idea that a father teaches his son. So, if a man is a deceiver, he is a son of deception or a son of deceivers. These unfaithful Christians use this war and the revolt against the king of the South to exalt themselves, but they fail and they collapse.

The king of the North arrives with some new type of military technology allowing him to effectively lay siege to well-defended cities of the South. The military technology of the South is insufficient and so the South cannot prevail. The elect of the South rise up against the invasion by the North, but the strength (the Christian Church and its faithful members) does not rebel, neither initially against the king of the South, nor later against the invading and occupying Northern forces.

{11:16} And when he arrives, he will do just as he pleases, and there will be none who stand against his face. And he will stand in the illustrious land, and it will be consumed by his hand.
{11:17} And he will set his face to strive to hold his entire kingdom, and he will make fair conditions with him. And he will give him a daughter among women, so as to overthrow it. But she will not stand, neither will she be for him.

This king of the North conquers the South and defeats all adversaries; he even conquers “the illustrious land,” that is, the holy land of Israel. He will then try to find a way to retain both the North and the South as part of one kingdom.

{11:18} And he will turn his face towards the islands, and he will seize many. And he will cause the leader of his reproach to cease, and his reproach will be turned around for him.

The islands could refer to those island nations in the area around Australia. Or, it could refer metaphorically to “island nations,” that is, to nations which are not allied into a larger group of nations and which, in standing alone, are more easily seized. He succeeds in capturing lands and in deposing a leader who had been an adversary to him.

{11:19} And he will turn his face to the empire of his own land, and he will strike, and will overthrow, but he will not succeed.

Finally, this king of the North must return to his own land, to put down some type of rebellion. He overthrows the leaders of this rebellion, but he ultimately does not succeed in ruling again in his own land. His reign ends.

{11:20} And there will stand up in his place one who is most worthless and unworthy of kingly honor. And in a short time, he will be worn out, but not in fury, nor in battle.

The next king of the North is very unworthy of any leadership role. He is soon removed from power, probably by his own death, but not by being assassinated, nor by losing in warfare. He perhaps dies of old age or disease.

{11:21} And there will stand up in his place the despicable one, and he will not be assigned the honor of a king. And he will arrive in secret, and he will obtain the kingdom by deceitfulness.

This next king of the North is the Antichrist, the despicable one, the lawless one (2 Thess 2:3), who rules over the kingdom of the North, but not by being appointed king. He arrives in secret from another place; he is born and raised in the Middle East (according to St. Zenobius, he is born in Corazin, raised in Bethsaida, and begins to reign in Caparnaum; Lk 10:13-15). Since the Middle East is the South (formerly the southern part of the great monarch's kingdom) and continually at war with the North (Europe), the Antichrist arrives secretly and must obtain the kingdom by deceitfulness. He is not originally from the North and so cannot truly be king of that land, nor can he be validly chosen to rule over it.

{11:22} And the arms of the fighting will be assaulted before his face and will be shattered, and, in addition, the leader of the federation.
{11:23} And, after making friends, he will trick him, and he will go up and will overcome with a small people.
{11:24} And he will enter into rich and resourceful cities, and he will do what his fathers never did, nor his fathers' fathers. He will scatter their spoils, and their prey, and their riches, and will form a plan against the most steadfast, and this until a time.

The Antichrist is remarkably successful in warfare because he has the help of devils. He overcomes weapons and armies which it would seem he should be unable to overcome. His opponents and their weapons are shattered before him, and so are the leaders. He is practiced at deception and deceitful stratagems. Some say that he will use youths as soldiers in battle. He pretends to ally with a leader, then deceives him and uses a small people to defeat him. The small people could be a discontented minority group, or it could refer to the Jewish people.

The Antichrist uses new and unusual strategies. He crushes his enemies into pieces and then tramples even the residue. He takes the spoils of his battles and scatters them in order to win favor among those he conquers. Thus, unlike previous kings of the North, he is able to hold the kingdoms he conquers.

He forms a plan against the most steadfast, that is, against the strongest of the ten kingdoms, especially the kingdom which is the last bastion of Christianity, “the strength,” which is the kingdom of the South, as well as against the Meridian and the East.

{11:25} And his strength and his heart will be enraged against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South will be provoked into going to war by having many allies and exceedingly good circumstances, and yet these will not stand, for they will form plans against him.
{11:26} And those who eat bread with him will crush him, and his army will be suppressed, and very many will die, having been executed.

The South is the Middle East, the last place on earth where Christianity still is tolerated and has some significant influence. The Antichrist rules over one of the ten kingdoms, the North, and he attacks and conquers the South, the kingdom of Christianity first. He does this because he is evil and he perceives the homeland of good Christians as his natural enemy. Also, because the North and the South have been at war for generations, he can most easily lead the people of his kingdom against them in war. And he attacks the South because, through the experience of many generations of warfare, the South has become one of the most well-equipped and well-armed of the ten kingdoms.

The king of the South is not foolish or rash; he sees that this enemy is dangerous. But he has many allies and finds the circumstances to be very favorable to him, so he goes to war with the Antichrist. But the deceitfulness of the Antichrist reaches even to those who eat bread with the king of the South. This may well be a reference to the Eucharist and the holy Mass, such that the king of the South is betrayed even by some of those Christians who attend Mass and receive the Eucharist with him, his most trusted friends and advisors.

Thus, the Antichrist overcomes the king of the South, and is able to suppress the South's army without having to completely defeat them in battle. Then, once he takes control of the South, the Antichrist mercilessly executes those he has captured.

{11:27} And the heart of two kings will be similar, to do harm, and they will speak lies at one table, but they will not succeed, because as yet the end is for another time.

These two kings are the kings of two of the ten kingdoms of the world, the kingdom of the East and the kingdom of the Meridian (Africa, except for northern Africa, which is a part of the South kingdom). They try to outfox the Antichrist by pretending to be friendly and to make an alliance, but they will not succeed because God intends a different timing and circumstance for the end of the Antichrist's reign.

{11:28} And he will return to his land with many resources. And his heart will be against the holy testament, and he will act, and he will return to his own land.

The Antichrist returns to his own land, after defeating and taking control of the two other kingdoms. Now he controls four of the ten kingdoms of the world (North, South, East, Meridian). His resources are vast. The other six kings of the world realize they cannot oppose him now. The North and the South were two of the best armed kingdoms of the ten (because of the constant wars between them). Now that the Antichrist has added the kingdoms of the Meridian (most of Africa) and the East (perhaps China et al.), he cannot be defeated by human efforts, not even if all six of the remaining kingdoms were to attack him.

The Antichrist then sets his heart against Christianity, which is most prevalent in the kingdom of the South. The faithful Christians have always been against him for they have recalled and understood the many ancient prophecies about the Antichrist. They know who he is and that he is evil. He realizes that they are the only ones who can stand steadfastly against him because they have faith and understanding. The Antichrist tries to suppress the Christian faith and to lead Christians away from the truth.

{11:29} At the appointed time, he will return, and he will approach the South, but the latter time will not be like the former.
{11:30} And the Greek warships and the Romans will come upon him, and he will be pierced, and will retreat, and will have scorn against the testament of the sanctuary, and he will act. And he will return and will consult their adversaries, who have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary.

Later, about halfway through the Antichrist's reign of nearly seven years, the Antichrist brings an army against the South (to destroy the Christians). But warships and soldiers from another place in the world, not from the South, intercept him. Greece was the birthplace of democracy, so Greek warships are ships from an area or a people who still practice democracy, to some degree. And the Romans are devout Roman Catholics who join with the Greeks to prevent the Antichrist from bringing an army to destroy the Christians of the South and of the holy land. They know the Antichrist's plan in advance through the prophecies of God and thus are able to anticipate his actions and intercept him.

These attack the Antichrist's fleet and are able to pierce through his armor and his defenses. The Antichrist fears and realizes he cannot win. He retreats in disgrace and humiliation, and his anger against the Christian faith is thereby increased. He decides to use a different approach to destroy the Faith of Christians. He returns to the North and consults with the adversaries of devout Catholic Christians, that is, with those who are unfaithful Catholics, who rebel against Church teaching, who embrace mortal sins while pretending to be Christians. These have forsaken the covenant of the sanctuary.

{11:31} And arms will take his side, and they will pollute the sanctuary of the strength, and they will take away the continual sacrifice and will replace it with the abomination of desolation.
{11:32} And the impious within the testament will imitate deceitfully, but the people, knowing their God, will persevere and will act.

These traitorous Christians inform the Antichrist that the strength of the Catholic faith depends in large part upon the Mass and the Eucharist. And they devise a perverse imitation of the Eucharist and the Mass, in order to destroy Christianity from the inside. The Antichrist takes up their plan and tries to prevent the true Mass and the true Eucharist, and he supports the replacement of these with the abomination of desolation, which is a false and perverse imitation of the Eucharist and the holy Mass. For three and one half years, the faithful must endure the greatest sufferings and persecutions the Church will ever know. This time is the Crucifixion of the Church. And any who willingly accept the abomination of desolation will lose the faith and come under the power of the Antichrist and the devil. But faithful Christians will still retain the true Mass and the true Eucharist, in secret places where they worship God faithfully, while in peril for their lives.

{11:33} And the teachers among the people will teach many, but they will be ruined by the sword, and by fire, and by captivity, and by assaults for many days.
{11:34} And when they have fallen, they will be supported with a little help, but many will apply to them deceitfully.
{11:35} And some of the learned will be ruined, that they may be kindled and chosen and purified, up to the predetermined time, because there will be still another time.

What great sufferings the faithful will endure during this time! These faithful have the help of the two prophets (mentioned in the Book of Revelation) and they have some help from God. But they must always beware of false Christians, of wolves in sheep's clothing, who apply to join with them, but out of deceitful intention. The learned are very imperfect and only some of these are able to suffer in humility and faithfulness, and be perfected by the sacrifice of their lives. The predetermined time is the end of the Antichrist's reign, and the “still another time” occurs some days or months later, after a series of punishments for the wicked, when Christ Returns and established His kingdom on earth.

{11:36} And the king will act according to his will, and he will be lifted up and will be extolled against every god. And he will speak great things against the God of gods, and he will control, until the passion is completed. Once accomplished, the limit is reached with certainty.

The king is the Antichrist. He will be allowed a certain amount of time, nearly seven years. During that time, he will commit many great offenses against God. The “passion” is the Passion and Crucifixion of the Church. The Antichrist is allowed to have power for two reasons, one reason is the sins of the world, especially the sins of Catholic Christians, the other reason is to permit the Church to suffer a Passion and Crucifixion, like the Passion and Crucifixion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Once the time is completed, the Antichrist's reign reaches its limit and will end with absolute certainty.

{11:37} And he will give no thought to the God of his fathers, and he will be in the desire of women, and he will not attend to any gods, because he will rise up against all things.

The Antichrist will not worship according to the Catholic faith (according to La Salette, his father will be a Catholic Bishop and his mother a nun of Hebraic descent), the faith of his fathers, nor according to the Jewish faith, nor according to the Muslim faith. In the time leading up to the time of the ten kings, Islam will be the dominant religion worldwide, Judaism will be second, and Christianity last.

The Antichrist will be the subject of many women's desires because he has great power and has a healthy appearance. The Antichrist will commit many sins of every kind, including sexual sins and sins against religion. The Antichrist will offend in every kind of offence against God and humanity.

{11:38} But he will do homage to the god Maozim in his place, and, a god whom his fathers did not know, he will worship with gold, and silver, and precious stones, and costly things.
{11:39} And he will act to reinforce Maozim with an alien god, of whom he has become aware, and he will increase their glory, and will give them power over many, and he will distribute land for free.

The word Maozim refers to a fortress or a fortified position. In this context, it might refer to some type of new pagan-like religion related to warfare. But perhaps the phrase “god Maozim” is metaphorical, referring to some kind of activity or item which is treated as if it were a god or a religion. Similarly, some persons treat money or drugs or other things as if they were gods to be worshiped. He reinforces Maozim with another, previously unknown god (again, perhaps this is metaphorical). Maozim and the other are given glory and power and land.

{11:40} And, at the predetermined time, the king of the South will fight against him, and the king of the North will come against him like a tempest, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with a great fleet, and he will enter into the lands, and will crush and pass through.
{11:41} And he will enter into the glorious land, and many will fall. But only these will be saved from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the first part of the sons of Ammon.
{11:42} And he will cast his hand upon the lands, and the land of Egypt will not escape.
{11:43} And he will rule over the treasure chests of gold, and silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and likewise he will pass through Libya and Ethiopia.

The king of the North, here, is the Antichrist. The North (Europe) and South (Middle East) kingdoms continue to be at war, just as before the Antichrist came to power. The Antichrist again defeats the South, retaining his power over all ten of the kingdoms of the world. He even captures the holy land of Israel. Though he rules over the whole world, there are always those who try to rebel against him, so that his hold on the whole world is never complete and his kingdom is never at peace. Even some parts of the world are unable to be dominated by him. Egypt and Libya and Ethiopia are here used both literally and metaphorically. Gold and silver represent not only wealth, but resources such as technology and weaponry.

{11:44} And rumors from the East and from the North will trouble him. And he will arrive with a great multitude to destroy and to execute many.

Again, the Antichrist faces constant rebellions, even in the kingdom of the North, where his rule began. He has the military power to defeat and execute rebels, but he never succeeds in ruling over a peaceful, orderly, and obedient kingdom.

{11:45} And he will fasten his tabernacle, Apadno, between the seas, upon an illustrious and holy mountain, and he will come even to its summit, and no one will help him.”

The Antichrist wants to be worshiped as if he were a god. He even has a tabernacle or place for himself to reside and to be worshiped. The seas may, of course, refer to seas or oceans; or, it may refer to the waters above the heavens and to those below (cf. Gen 1:1-8). In the second case, the Antichrist's tabernacle would be fixed in the sky (through the use of some type of advanced technology). His ascent to the summit of the mountain may refer to his attempt to perversely imitate the Ascension of Christ. He ascends up into the sky, perhaps with the help of devils, thinking that he might even be able to conquer Heaven, or perhaps thinking to deceive the world into worshiping him. But he is struck down to earth by the archangel Michael and no one can help him, neither humans nor devils.

{12:6} And I said to the man, who was clothed in linen, who stood over the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?”
{12:7} And I heard the man, who was clothed in linen, who stood over the waters of the river, when he had lifted his right hand and his left hand up to heaven, and had sworn by He who lives forever, that it would be for a time, and times, and half a time. And when the dispersion of the hand of the holy people is completed, all these things will be completed.
{12:8} And I heard and did not understand. And I said, “My lord, what will be after these things?”
{12:9} And he said, “Go, Daniel, for the words are closed and sealed until the predetermined time.
{12:10} Many will be chosen and purified, and, as if by fire, they will be tested, and the impious will act impiously, and none of the impious will understand, yet the teachers will understand.
{12:11} And from the time when the continual sacrifice will be taken away and the abomination of desolation will be set up, there will be one thousand two hundred ninety days.
{12:12} Blessed is he who waits and reaches until one thousand three hundred thirty-five days.
{12:13} But you, go, until the predetermined time, and you will rest and will stand in your allotted place at the end of days.

The length of time called “a time, and times, and half a time” is three and one half years, the last half of the Antichrist's reign, the time of the Crucifixion of the Church. The abomination of desolation begins about the time of the Antichrist's reign as one of the ten kings, but it does not become widespread until the Antichrist gives his support to the abomination and the false Christians who had invented it. He does this after he is intercepted in battle by the Greek warships and the Romans, and after he retreats and consults the false Christians, about halfway through is reign of nearly seven years.

The 1290 days is the three and one half years, the last half of the Antichrist's reign. At the end of this time, the Antichrist attempts a false Ascension, in perverse imitation of Christ. But the Antichrist is thrown down to earth by the archangel Michael and loses all his power over the world.

The 1335 days is 45 days after the Antichrist's defeat. It is a space of time for repentance, even for those who had followed the Antichrist and worshiped him. At the end of the 45 days, Christ returns. Thereafter, there is a series of severe supernatural punishments from God on the wicked and unrepentant (called the Seven Bowls of God's Wrath). And after that, Christ established his kingdom on earth and a long time of peace and holiness follows.



by Ronald L. Conte Jr.
July 28, 2004 (revised November 18, 2004)