Visions and Prophecies of Daniel Expounded, Prophecy 5 · Part 2 · Section 15
Sect. 15. A Repetition of the wars of Antichriſt. v. 40.
BY reaſon of the deſcription of Antichriſt, repeated from Verſe 36. his wars here ſeem alſo to be repeated: And for this cauſe alſo, that by a certain order and methodicall courſe, the Prophet might deſcend to the deſcribing of his utter deſtruction.
Verſe 40. But in the time of the end, the King of the South ſhall puſh at him] The time of the end in the larger ſenſe is with Daniel that time when Antichriſt began to aſcend to a notable increaſe of his power and Kingdom, as from the times of Charles the Great, and more fully from the times of Hildebrand, as it is expreſſely ſaid, Chap. 8.17. Yet in a ſtricter ſenſe, the time of the end is that time wherein the yeers of Antichriſt are finiſhed, Chap. 11.35.45. The King of the South by an Enallage of the number, ſignifieth the Mahometan Kings and Princes, whether of the Saraſins or Turks. The Saraſins firſt fought with Antichriſt from the yeer 840, and by little and little, other cauſes alſo together adjoyned, inflicted on him his deadly plagues, whereof mention is made, Ap. 13.3. Machiah. Flor. Hiſt. That plague or deadly wound was by little and little healed, the Saraſins being caſt out of Italy and Sicily, and more yet by that expedition into Africk againſt them in the yeer 1087. Sigon. and laſtly more perfectly by that great expedition againſt the Turks and Saraſins in the Eaſt, about the yeer 1097. The wound was alſo healed, in the overthrow of all other enemies, through the ſucceſſefull atchievements of Otho the Great and his followers. Now by thoſe expeditions, and eſpecially by the laſt againſt the Turks and Saraſins in the Eaſt, the King of the North, that is, Antichriſt, ruſhed againſt the Mahometans like a whirlewind, with Charets and Horſes, and with great fleets or with many ſhips, and overflowed flowed and paſſed thorow. At length he came into the Holy-land (as they call) or into Judea, called the pleaſant land, many Countries falling under him. He came into the Holyland, at the laſt term of his inundation: Seeing that he touched not the land of Edom, nor the land of Moab, neither the beginning of the children of Ammon, that is, not ſo much as the firſt or outmoſt borders of them. Wherefore theſe, and not the other Countries adjoyned, did Antichriſt ſubdue. Or happily the land of the children of Ammon is called foreign the beginning, in relation to the land of Moab and the land of Edom: Becauſe among thoſe three Countries, the land of Ammon did lye next unto the North, as a beginning of the Countries, firſt obvious to the Latines coming from the North. So that although the land of Ammon as a beginning of the other Countries, did firſt lie open unto Antichriſt, yet it is affirmed that it ſhould eſcape out of his hands: The Holy-land only ſubdued and taken out of the hands of the Infidels, which was the main thing intended in this expedition:
Furthermore it is added, that Antichriſt ſhould not only ſubdue the Countries, but alſo ſhould ſtretch forth his hand upon them, and pillage them and carry away the ſpoyls of them, Verſe 42, 43. and ſo indeed he did in the foreſaid expedition. And in this reſpect, as alſo in reſpect of overthrow and ſlaughter the land of Egypt did not eſcape, Verſe 42. For in the laſt proceedings of this firſt expedition, to wit, at Aſcalon, he had power over the treaſures of gold and ſilver, and over all the pleaſant things of the Egyptians, and of the Lybians and Ethiopians alſe, which are wont to be joyned with the Egyptians in wars, 2 Chro. 12.2, 3. Ezek. 30.5. Ier. 40.9. I conceive, that firſt and great expedition of Antichriſt here only to be deſcribed, which was ended or accompliſhed in the foreſaid victory over the Egyptians. In that laſt victory (ſaith Paulus Aemylius) more then a hundred thouſand of the Egyptians, and of other Nations either ſubject to them or confederate with them, ſuch as the Lybians and Ethiopians are wont to be, as hath been ſaid, are reported to have been ſlain. So great prey was taken there as was not taken before, though all the battles in this war that went before were put together. So (ſaith he) the Turkiſh war being ended, the Egyptians being ſlain, a yoke being put upon the Eaſt, the Nobles returned home full of glory and riches. So before to the ſame effect, Verſe 26.28.
Verſe 44. But tidings ſhall trouble him from the Eaſt] when afterward the Turks and Saraſins were looſed, having recovered themſelves. So Verſe 26.
and from the North.] By reaſon of the inſurrection of the Waldenſes and Albingenſes, Verſe 30. Hence Antichriſt grieved and troubled, went forth with great wrath to deſtroy many, to wit, of the Waldenſes, Verſe 24, 30. Chap. 8.24, 25.
Verſe. 45. And he ſhall plant the Tabernacles of his palace between the ſeas in the glorious and holy mountain.] Not between two ſeas, but ſeas: becauſe in the Countries bordering on the Mediterranean and Ocean ſeas, where the Church was ſeated, ſignified by the glorious and holy mountain, he erected his Kingdom, oppreſſing the Waldenſes, Verſe 31, 32. But ſhortly he ſhall come to his end, the yeers 1260 being expired.
CHAP. 12.
VErſe 1. And at that time ſhall Michael ſtand up] That is, Chriſt, Apoc. 12.7.
and it ſhall be a time of trouble] the time of the ſixth ſeal, ſeventh trumpet, ſeventh vyall, Apoc. 16.18.
and at that time thy people ſhall be delivered.] For now ſhall be the Kingdom of Saints, wherein they ſhall dwell in ſafety, their enemies rooted out in the ſpace of 45 yeers, Verſe 12. and the elect remnant of them converted, Joel 2.32.
Verſe 2. Many.] That is, all, Rom. 5. or becauſe then many ſhall riſe to life, and many to ſhame. Thus the generall reſurrection is compounded with the laſt plague on Antichriſt, Verſe. 12, 13. Apoc. 11.18.