The famous prophecies given in Daniel Chapter 11 has been a topic of interest among Bible scholars for a long time. There has also been a lot of controversies regarding the last verses. Some scholars proposed that the passage is about some historical events, and some proposed that it is a prophecy about the End Times.
I personally am more inclined to believe that this passage is about the End Times which I will explain in the following. For readers who are interested to find out how the first part is fulfilled in history, please see our post "Daniel Prophecies Fulfilled in History".
First, let us take a look at these verses:
At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. Daniel 11:40-45
1. Daniel 11:40-45 Prophesies about the End Times
As mentioned, I am more inclined to believe that this passage is about the End Times, and the "king from the North" is the anti-Christ.
First, Daniel 11:40 starts with "At the time of the end", indicating that the following verses are about the End Times. Also, right after this passage is the following verses:
At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise ..... Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake. Daniel 12:1-2
These verses are clearly talking about resurrection, which will only happen when Jesus returns in the Last Days.
2. Anti-Christ is from the North
As indicated in Daniel 11:40, a king from the South will initiate a battle against this king from the North, and the king of the North will then "storm out against him" and "invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood". Doesn't this sound like what has been prophesied about the anti-Christ, whose ultimate goal is to conquer the whole world?
Even though some scholars have speculated that the anti-Christ will come from the Middle East, if Daniel 11:40-45 actually refers to the End Times, these verses clearly indicate that the anti-Christ will be someone from the North.
3. End Time War in Israel
Daniel 11:41 said that "He will also invade the Beautiful Land", which we know is Israel. This should remind us of another prophecy in Ezekiel 38:14-16, which talks about a war happening in Israel in the last days.
In that day, when My people Israel are living without fear of danger, will you (Gog) not be moved against them? And you will come from your place in the inmost parts of the north, you and a great number of peoples with you, all of them on horseback, a great force and a strong army: And you will come up against My people Israel, like a cloud covering the land; and it will come about, in the last days ... Ezekiel 38:14-16
This further confirms that anti-Christ will be from the North. It has been prophesied that the anti-Christ will make a peace treaty in the beginning of the "last 7 years", which explains why Israel will be "living without fear of danger" at that time. However, the anti-Christ will not keep his promise, but he will invade Israel instead.
He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven’ (years). In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. Daniel 9:27
Ezekiel 38:15 also mentions that "there will be a great number of peoples" coming with him. We can therefore expect that the army of the anti-Christ will be composed of many different countries or nations.
Compare this with another prophecy given in Revelation 17:12 about the ten horns of the beast which says, “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast."
4. Reports from the East and the North
Daniel 11:44 mentions that "reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many." From the current world situations, I tend to believe that these major opposition forces against him from the east and the north would be China and Russia.
Daniel 11:42-43 mentions that he will take control over the south, which includes Egypt, Libyans and Nubians (Ethiopians); but NOT the north and east. Even though the ultimate goal of the anti-Christ is to put the whole world under his control, the current world events seem to suggest that China and Russia will be the major oppositions against this globalisation regime.
Daniel 11:41 also mentions that "Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand." With the recent truce between Iran and Saudi Arabia brokered by China, it is also possible that China will join force with these Middle Eastern countries to become a major opposition power against the "one world regime" of the anti-Christ.
5. The Plan to Establish a One World Government will Fail
Daniel 11:45 tells us that "he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him."
The above verse shows that even though the anti-Christ will try to invade other countries by force and build his palace in the holy land, his end will come (suddenly), and no one will help him.
This interpretation is further supported by the prophetic dream of king Nebuchadnezzar that the last empire will be like the feet with ten toes made from iron and clay which do not mix. As we can already see, most nations are divided both within themselves and against one another. This makes keeping all countries under one government an almost impossible task.
Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the (last) kingdom shall be divided ..... As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay ..... And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people. It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2:41-44
Similarities Between Verses 40-45 in Two Different Chapters
In fact, I have found much similarities between the same verses 40-45 in two different Chapters in the Book of Daniel - Chapter 2 and Chapter 11. I have therefore included both passages below for easy reference of our readers.
Daniel 2:40-45
And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Inasmuch as you saw that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. Daniel 2:40-45
Daniel 11:40-45
At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. Daniel 11:40-45