Daniel 11:35

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. AND SOME OF THEM OF UNDERSTANDING SHALL FALL, TO TRY THEM - the design of affliction. Image from metals tried with fire. So Hezekiah: "In the business of the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the land, God left him to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart." AND TO PURGE. Even in the elect there are dregs which need to be purged out (). Hence, they are allowed to fall for a time, not finally (; ). Image from wheat purged or cleared of its chaf...

The angel pursues the same sentiment as before shewing us how the children of God, in their eagerness to defend the cause of piety, should be subject to many grievous persecutions. _Some of the learned shall fall; _meaning, that calamity shall not be for a single moment only; for those who earnestly desired to defend the true worship of God should perish by the sword, and by fire, and by other methods of destruction, and their successors, too, should suffer the same calamities. The phrase, _the learned should fall, _implies the perishing of the very flower of the Church. There will always be much refuse among a people, and the greater part of it flies off and revolts when their religion requires of them the sacrifice of their life. A few remain, here called intelligent, who, as we stated yesterday, are not wise after the flesh. Making provision for the flesh, implies taking care of thems...

31-45 The remainder of this prophecy is very difficult, and commentators differ much respecting it. From Antiochus the account seems to pass to antichrist. Reference seems to be made to the Roman empire, the fourth monarchy, in its pagan, early Christian, and papal states. The end of the Lord's anger against his people approaches, as well as the end of his patience towards his enemies. If we would escape the ruin of the infidel, the idolater, the superstitious and cruel persecutor, as well as that of the profane, let us make the oracles of God our standard of truth and of duty, the foundation of our hope, and the light of our paths through this dark world, to the glorious inheritance above....

Verse 35. _AND SOME OF THEM OF UNDERSTANDING_] Disputes on certain points of religion soon agitated the Christian Church; and now, having no outward persecution, they began to persecute each other. And many excellent men, men of understanding, fell victims because they would not embrace erroneous doctrines, when professed by the state. But this was permitted,- _TO TRY THEM, AND TO PURGE, AND TO MAKE_ them _white_] To bring all to the pure profession, possession, and practice of Christianity. _TO THE TIME OF THE END_] To the time that God shall cause pure and undefiled religion every where to prevail. But when is the time appointed for this?...

AND SOME OF THEM UNDERSTANDING SHALL FALL - Some of those who have a correct understanding of religion, and who have joined the army from pure motives. The idea seems to be that on some occasion they would meet with a temporary defeat, in order that the sincerity of the others might be tested, or that it might be seen who adhered to the cause from principle, and who from selfish purposes. If they should not always be successful; if they should be temporarily defeated; if some of the most eminent among them should fall among the slain; and if the cause should at any time look dark, this would serve to try the sin cerity of the remainder of the army, and would be likely to “thin it off” of those who had joined it only from mercenary motives. TO TRY THEM - Margin, “or, by them.” So the Hebrew - בהם _bâhem_. The meaning perhaps is, that it would be “by” them, as it were, t

EXPOSITION DANIEL 11:1 THE KINGS OF THE NORTH AND THE KINGS OF THE SOUTH. DANIEL 11:1 ALSO I IN THE FIRST YEAR OF DARIUS THE MEDE, EVEN I, STOOD TO CONFIRM AND TO STRENGTHEN HIM. The versions show signs of great disturbance having happened here. The rendering of the LXX. is, "In the first year of Cyrus the king, he told me to be strong and to play the man." Theodotion's rendering is yet briefer, "And I, in the first year of Cyrus, stood in strength and might." The Peshitta rendering, "In the first year of Darius the Mede (he)

AND SOME OF THEM OF UNDERSTANDING SHALL FALL,.... Not into sin, or from the religion they profess; and the doctrines they have an understanding of, and have instructed others in; but into distresses and calamities for their steadfast adherence to the word, worship, and ordinances of God: TO TRY THEM, AND PURGE AND MAKE THEM WHITE; to try their faith, patience, and other graces, and whether they would hold fast their profession, and persevere in the good ways of God; and to purge and separate them from others, that were like chaff, hypocrites, that so they might be manifest, both the one and the other; and these good men appear to be sincere and upright: moreover, the best of men have their dross, and chaff, and spots, to be removed from them; and this is one way of doing it, even by afflictions: the allusion, in the first word, is to the melting, purifying, and refining of metals, gold...

THE TIME OF THE END Here the prophetic foreview, having traced the history of the two parts of Alexander's empire which had to do with Palestine and the Jews, namely, Syria and Egypt, to the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, and having described his career, overleaps the centuries to "the time of the end," when he of whom Antiochus Epiphanes was a type, the "little horn" of (Daniel 7:8) the "Beast out of the sea" of (Revelation 13:4) shall appear (cf) ( See Scofield) - (Daniel 7:8). Prophecy does not concern itself with history as such, but only with history as it affects Israel and the Holy Land. Antiochus Epiphanes was insignificant as compared with historical personages whom the Bible does not mention, but

CHAPTER 11 THE WARS OF THE PTOLEMIES AND SELEUCIDAE PREDICTED THE COMING EVENTS OF THE END _ 1. The wars of the Ptolemies and Seleucidae (Daniel 11:1)_ 2. The time of the end and the man of sin (Daniel 11:36) Daniel 11:1. Here we have history pre-written and the greater part of this chapter (Daniel 11:2) is fulfilled historically. So accurate are these predictions and their subsequent fulfillment that the enemies of “the Scripture of truth” have declared that it could never have been written by Daniel several hundred years before these persons came into existence and fought their battles. The pagan Porphyry in t

DANIEL 11:35. SOME OF THEM: _i.e._ some of the leaders would suffer martyrdom, but the effect would be to refine and purify the rest of the people....