Daniel 11 - Israel, the Church and "Thy People"
< Back to Michael the Prince1. Literal Israel after 34 AD:
Israel symbolizes the church in prophecy WHEN it is part of a symbolic vision. Daniel 11 is not a symbolic vision, but is a literal interpretation.
Because the responsibility for spreading the gospel was taken from the Jewish nation and given to the church after 34 AD (see Daniel 9), some conclude that we must interpret references to Israel/Jerusalem to symbolize the church if it occurs in the part of Daniel 11 that occurs after 34 AD (11:22-45). Yes, Israel does indeed symbolize the church, IF the prophecy is a vision given in symbolic language (such as in Rev. 7) (or when used metaphorically - see Rom. 2:29, Gal. 3:29). Daniel 11 is not given in symbolic language, but rather is a literal interpretation of a symbolic vision (see more on Literal vs. Symbolic). Thus, Israel, Jerusalem, Egypt, Edom, and other references are interpreted literally as the areas were understood to be in Bible times.
2. Precedent in Daniel 9:
Daniel 9 establishes a precedent that the Jewish nation and Jerusalem can be understood literally after 34 AD.
In Daniel 9, the Jewish nation plays a role in prophecy even after 34 AD. In verse 26, the Romans "shall destroy the city and the sanctuary", which occurred in 70 AD, many years after the cross. Given this precedent in Daniel 9, we can apply it to Daniel 11 and safely refer to literal Jews or literal Jerusalem after the cross. Using precedents is one of the ways the Bible interprets itself.
3. "Thy People" Consistency:
There should be a consistent interpretation of "thy people" throughout Daniel's prophecies. It is literal in Daniel 9, and thus would be literal in Daniel 11-12.
In Dan. 9:24 it refers to "thy people", which refers to the Jews because the angel is talking to Daniel and the Jews are "Daniel's people". "Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city" (Dan. 9:24). Then in Dan. 10:14, as the angel talks to Daniel again, he refers to "thy people" again. "Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days" (Dan. 10:14). We can take both of these usages and be consistent with them. And we must, if we are going to let the bible interpret itself.
4. The Angel's Purpose:
The angel's purpose was to give Daniel, and us, comfort regarding what would happen to the Jews and all who follow Jesus at the end of time.
"Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days" (Dan. 10:14). The angel said he would describe what would happen to Daniel's people ("thy people"), the jewish nation, during the latter days, or the time of the end (1798 to the Second Coming). Even though the Jews were no longer God's chosen organization, they didn't disappear. They could still have a role in prophecy just like any other nation. Daniel must have been comforted to know, that Jews who follow Jesus, along with all those written in the Book of Life (Rev. 21:27) will be delivered: "at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book" (Dan. 12:1).
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