Daniel 11
v.1
And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)
The occassion for the spiritual warfare was the restoration of the believing remnant of Israel to the Holy Land and their survival there as a commonwealth of the faithful, living in obedience to the Scriptures. Knowing that such a development could lead to the ultimate appearance of the Messiah, Satan and his hosts were determined to thwart the renewal of Israel and the deliverance of her people from destruction. The supreme effort to exterminate them altogether was to take place some fifty-five years later, in the reign of Ashasuerus (Xerxes), when Haman secured his consent to obliterate the entire Jewish race (see the book of Esther). The conflict between Michael and the “prince of Persia” (10:13) may have had some bearing on the event, and Michael’s victory may have paved the way for Queen Esther to thwart this genocide. The second major effort of Satan was to take place under Antiochus Epiphanes, who sought to obliterate the Jewish faith by forbidding its practice on pain of death. The momentous events of 167-164 B.C. may well have been profoundly affected by this supernatural warfare between heaven and hell.
v.31
“His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.
v.32
Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.