Chapter 37: 

Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 17: - Jerusalem Closed. Ten Toed Britain Opens.

Nero's Rome and Queen Boudicca (Boadicea) of the British Isles (AD 54-68). 

This strange unyielding verse which seems to give no pointers to time, season, or place, is actually a "pivot" point upon which the structure and understanding of the remaining prophecies in Daniel's chapter 11 turns. Verse 17 is in other words a "turning point" upon which important results to come, depend. Verse 17 is a verse to re- cap upon history of the Greco/Roman world which we have been unravelling up to now. This "pivot" of the balances, which weighs between the destruction and chastisement of all "the 12 tribes of Israel" on one hand and its re-gathering in an unsuspecting world on the other.

The verse 17 shows "where" some of the elect children had gone both East and West and "where" some of the remnants of both houses of Israel mainly were driven. It sets the stage in history within the Oracles of God, for the following historical milestones from verse 18 and onwards Daniel 11:18-45. So, under the Emperor Nero the "pivot" happened in 54 to 68 AD. Let us now begin to unravel this strange verse, as we take the first few words to interpret. "HE SHALL SET HIS FACE TO ENTER WITH THE STRENGTH OF HIS WHOLE KINGDOM".

If we turn back reader to Daniel 11:15, we will remember that prophecy was still running through the years of Roman occupation in Judea and telling the Jewish story to its bitter end into verse 16.

Verse 15 begins with the then King of the North Nero, then -on to Vespasian and Titus. The latter man actually fulfilling the "casting up of the "mount" around Jerusalem". Verse 15 did not so much concern itself with Nero's ruling as King of the North, during that time in history, but the concern was what happened to the holy land (Israel) Jerusalem and the Jewish nation within Judea itself! Prophecy taking this "concern" for the Jews into verse 16 and another period of history and another emperor from the North.

So, for more words on that same subject, verse 17 now directs the eyes and intellect "back" to the times of Nero, because under his rule sweated with terror, were the remnant children of the whole nation of the 12 tribes of Israel.

The "House of Israel" is now reassembling as another nation in another land. The "House of Judah" is being torn apart as a nation, being shut out of its own land of the promise called Israel. Both nations are within the kingdom of Rome.

So, the "he" of verse 17 is the king of the North and Nero's power of ruling, who sent his Generals with the mighty legions of men here and there, east and west, they under his direction and strength. Nero's "strength" of his ruling arm was seen to the full, in those Generals and legions, the Whole Roman Kingdom stretched from Judea and Britain.

When one uses the expression to "set his face," it means to declare and make known fully by show of expression, exactly what one intends to do irrespective of other people's feelings on the subject in hand. It is a man's character hell bent towards selfish desires. Indeed, if ever there was a villain who "set his face" against the feelings of others it was Nero!

Let us have a quick look into Nero's background and let secular history fill us with the memories of his black heart.

Nero was born on the coast of Latium, the son of a cruel father, a Roman Consul named Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus. His mother was Agrippina the daughter of Germanicus Caesar, (sister of Emperor Caligula) and great granddaughter of the Emperor Augustus. In 49 AD Nero's mother Agrippina married her Uncle Claudius, who persuaded Claudius to adopt Nero and give him the sceptre over his own son Britannicus. The following year Nero was adopted changing the boy's name from Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, to Nero, Claudius, Caesar, Drusus, Germanicus.

In 53 AD Nero at the age of 16 years married Octavian daughter of Claudius and Veleria Messalina, which was a marriage to cement himself more closely with the Imperial family. After the death of Claudius in 54 AD through poison and at the age of 16 Nero became Emperor. This happened through much stealth of the Praetorian Guards declaring him Emperor instead of Britannicus's, son of Claudius. Britannicus was "taken care of" in 55 AD through poison.

The first 5 years of Nero's reign he ruled with moderation, -Roman style- but his vanity, selfishness and extreme cruelty was apparent to all around him. In 59 AD he had his treacherous mother Agrippina murdered, after a few attempts. He also divorced his young wife Octavia, for the sake of his mistress Poppaea then had her put to death. Then in fits of madness Nero almost kicked his wife Poppaea to death, but whose injuries were to kill her. He proposed marriage to Antonia, daughter of Claudius and because she refused, he had her put to death. He then married Statilia Messalina, putting her husband to death to do so.

This then is a quick look at this creature Nero's character, which fulfilled the words of Daniel, to "set his face, to fulfil his own will". This character analysis of Nero spilled over into his desires for his Kingdom of Rome, both east and west.

When Daniel says, "he shall set his face to enter with the strength of his whole Kingdom," we must now ask the question "enter" where?

Remember reader, that we are first and foremost following the "waymarks" set up for the 12 tribes of Israel and their journeys through history.

The word "enter" in verse 17 signifies to move or pass into a place in any manner whatever, thus to pierce or penetrate and advance into, etc; That manner of Roman penetration under Nero, indeed advanced into lands from one end of the large Roman Kingdom to the other, which was all under that umbrella of Roman "strength". Judea in the east and Britain in the Northwest, each place the furthest point of "whole" kingdom captured by those Romans.

The word "strength" means pertaining to anything that is with a muscular force or energy, it is a toughness or tenacity, with an amount of numbers as we find in an army. The "strength" of this man Emperor Nero were his marching legions and among his Commanders here and there were Vespasian and Titus, whose story we have read of in verse 16. Both these soldiers fighting in Britain and Judea, each fulfilling the point to point of the extent of Rome's "whole Kingdom".

The Roman dragon's body seen in Daniel 7:7,8, and Revelation 12:3,4 covered the shape of that "whole Kingdom" with its "horns" in Britain and its tail sweeping down through Judea turning into Egypt and North Africa.

While Vespasian and Titus, under Nero, were "entering" Judea and Jerusalem with the strength of a massive army. The Roman legions had been "entering" into Britain with great strength, pushing greedily ever onward. In 61 AD that Roman "Kingdom" Empire, from Britain to Judea was in turmoil, because in Britain Queen Boadicea of the Iceni Tribe was in open revolt against Nero's legions.

In 62 AD the Romans were also fighting the Parthians in Armenia, which was unsuccessful and costly. In Italy the people were against Emperor Nero and the Senate. In 64 AD two-thirds of Rome was on fire and burned completely. In 65 AD a conspiracy was organised against Nero to remove him from the throne, but it was discovered, thereby many prominent Romans were the victims of Nero's fury of vengeance. It was not until 68 AD that all Rome had, had enough of his tyranny with many legions rising against him. Whereupon, Nero fled from Rome and the Senate declared him public enemy, forcing him to commit suicide. -(Some say with the aid of another person).

This then is the "picture" which Daniel's words are telling us about the "strength of Nero's whole Kingdom," and where Rome "entered" into other lands, which housed the remnants of the tribes of Israel. That "whole kingdom" of the Romans were also overseeing another secret unseen history, taking place within that kingdom, which was pertaining and fulfilling the secret oracles of God! Which oracles governed God's people always, according to the ways and words of God being fulfilled unaware by man!

The next few words of Daniel 11:17 are "AND UPRIGHT ONES WITH HIM; THUS SHALL HE DO". When we speak of something as being "upright" it means:- something that is straight, erect, direct, honest, perfectly just, possessing a rightness and integrity. Which we read of in verse 15.

We are reminded once more in verse 17 of those children of God, who were chosen by God during these terrible times of Nero's ruling.

The great "upright ones" of those times being Paul, Peter, Barnabas, Mark, Luke, James, Titus, John, etc; Many more "upright" people were baptised as Christians amongst the nations and lands, to which these men travelled and taught during these troublesome times.

Nero "set his face" against all these people that were under his control in that Roman Kingdom. Saint Paul spoke to Nero face to face and was unable to move this self-centred man. Paul teaching of a King of Kings greater than any Caesar that Rome could offer. On Nero's mind at that time however, was the subjugation of all the troublesome Jews in Judea and in Rome itself. The "strength" of that Roman kingdom was to deal with them all eventually!

"The uprights ones" were taken and fell or were imprisoned wherever it pleased Nero.

In the West, the various tribes of people in Grecian lands heard the great message of God's "upright" righteous people. Converts of the Galatians (Celtic peoples) grew in strength, the Thessalonians, Philippi, those of Cyprus, Antioch, Athens, Corinth, etc; All of which the New Testament of the Bible explains to us today.

Indeed, Nero's "strength entered" into this "calling" of peoples and smashed them to pieces in fury. Nero's legions "entered" into Judea, especially Jerusalem, with strength, starving them of material and spiritual things. Nero's strength of legions" entered also into its acquired lands of the Brittanic Isles, the limit of its Kingdom and "thus he did" according to his mischievous ways.

The last lines of Daniel 11:17 says:- "AND HE SHALL GIVE HIM THE DAUGHTER OF WOMEN, CORRUPTING HER; BUT SHE SHALL NOT STAND ON HIS SIDE, NEITHER BE FOR HIM". These few lines, of the other half of this verse 17, now takes us into the realms of the Brittanic Isles.

The "reason" for this sudden turn around away from the first half of verse 17, which dealt with the East, the Jew, the remnant of Jesus's followers and the bestiality of Nero and his Kingdom. The latter words of prophecy will now take us into the West. Remembering reader, I said at the beginning of this chapter, that verse 17 is a "pivot" or the "balances" in history within Daniel's chapter 11, Verse 17 see-saws between 2 worlds of East and West and begins to take us up to verse 45 of Daniel 11 and into the remainder of Israel's history that is to come. The history of the East and its ruling power over the nation of Israel as a whole, is now closed, and we open the door to the Gentile powers of the West, over the whole nation of Israel who are sifted as grains through these lands.

Let us now unravel this rather involved statement of Daniel's. -AND HE SHALL GIVE HIM THE DAUGHTER OF WOMEN CORRUPTING HER.- We are in Nero's time zone of history, namely 54 AD to 68 AD we have now reached the other furthest point of Nero's Kingdom, fighting within the British Isles.

Nero has "set his face" to be Emperor of all he surveys, which includes "entering" and subjugating all of this troublesome Isles with its many Celtic British tribes and Picts. A terrible occurrence happened in that island at that time, which sets Nero's "strength " once more in motion.

We are speaking now of the times of the British Prasutagus who was King of the Tribe of Iceni, whose region was at Norfolk. His Queen was the famous Boadicea or Boudicca. These Isles were to become the 10 horns of the dragon's (Rome's) head. The "horns" or tribes were encroached upon by Rome who had beheld them all as separate tribes apart. Now however, they were to be dealt with one by one and set into the dragon's head, as if belonging to that head, in their respective sections of that land. Namely:-

1: Dumnonii - 2: Belgae - 3: Atrebates - 4: Cantii - 5: Trinovantes - 6: Iceni - 7: Coritani - 8: Brigantes - 9: Ordovices - 10: Silures. These divisions, though eventually conquered, lasted as Roman from AD 43 to AD 410. The "horns" lasting in this Roman condition for 400 years until it was changed into 10 Saxon Kingdoms.

I have already written in another chapter about these 10 horns, so we won't go any further in explanations here.

In AD 60 Suetonius Paulinus was Governor and Commander-in-chief in Britain for Rome. During the years 60-61 AD King Prasutagus who was King of the Iceni had died, his territory being independent and peaceful. He was one of the richest men in Britain, but he had no son to succeed him only daughters. "He" determined in his will, to leave a peaceful annexation of his land and people jointly between the Emperor Nero and his wife Boadicea and daughters. "He" knew it was inevitable that Rome should move to annexation after his death, therefore he wished to protect his family and leave it in an orderly fashion. This King Prasutagus is the "he" of which we read in these Oracles. This is what Daniel means in verse 17 when it says, "he" (Prasutagus) shall give "Him" (Nero) the daughter of women, (Boadicea and her daughters). In other words, the "will" of Prasutagus placed Boadicea and his daughters into the hands of Nero and Rome to ensure their safety, from the inevitable upheavals that follow the death of a King.

The Bible uses the terminology "DAUGHTER OF WOMEN" here in verse 17, this is to denote that Boadicea and her daughters, were "not" of the lineage out of the children of the House of Israel. -(Who had become mixed in the Celtic tribes, as they moved West into the Isles through the ages)- Usually, the daughters out of Israel are referred to as the "daughters of Judah, or Jerusalem," or "daughter of my people", or "daughter of Zion". Therefore, the "daughter of women" would mean women out of another nation and not counted from within the 12 tribes that had been scattered. Boadicea of the Iceni tribe was an ancient Briton of the Celtic race living in Norfolk England.

Now we come to the next two words "CORRUPTING HER" from the sentence of verse 17. When one is corrupted, one is broken in pieces, destroyed, seduced, bribed, it is to change from a sound position to a putrid state and to render impure by alterations or innovations.

These prophetic words sum up the errors and mistakes that Rome perpetrated upon Queen Boadicea and her daughters!

Rome found the land of the late King Prasutagus and his people peaceful and wealthy and in no time at all Rome altered that land and its tribal peoples into a "putrid state".

Although the Roman Suetonius Paulinus was Governor in Britain, the many tribes therein were far from subdued and conquered at that time. He with his legions were kept busy miles away in the country we now call Wales, fighting the Silures. The great Queen Boadicea history described as a tall, blonde, deep-voiced and a masterful woman. She was to pay a terrible price because her husband handed her over to the Romans for protection. History recalls Rome annexed that land of the Iceni and outrages began to happen to the land and its people.

A Roman finance officer with a troop of soldiers with slaves, whose sole purpose it seemed was bent on looting Boadicea's house and kingdom and to seize whatever they could. The house was sacked and her young daughters were ravished by these destructive men and this great Queen Boadicea was whipped before all, like a dog. The various chiefs of the Iceni tribe were robbed of all their ancestral property and the Kings relatives were reduced to the status of slaves. The bestiality of this Roman behaviour was seen to the full and the Iceni tribe with their followers once peaceful and powerful now rose up to a man in hatred against these Romans. The last sentence of Daniel 11:17. "BUT SHE SHALL NOT STAND ON HIS SIDE, NEITHER BE FOR HIM".

In other words, Daniel now tells us of the reaction of Boadicea after being degraded and destroyed in such a manner. In her fury of this "corruption" she no longer sees her partnership with Nero and Rome, in a civilised manner, with these so-called noble Romans. Her husband's "will" as far as she was concerned was null and void, when "He" Prasutagus, "gave Him" Nero, of Rome, his wife and "daughters of women" in that will. Under Queen Boadicea's standard, she rallied other neighbouring Britons into a great army, which was full of outrage and cruelty against anything Roman and against those of the slaves of British stock who befriended the Romans. There were 4 legions of Roman soldiers -approx. 20,000 men- at that time, in various parts of Britain, but nowhere near Norfolk and neighbouring lands. Therefore, giving Boadicea's army under revolt free reign for mass destruction. Their first target was Camulodunum (Colchester) which had been made a centre for Roman religion and its seat of authority. 

The town was burned to ashes the people massacred without any mercy and everything lay dead and destroyed after they left. The nearest Roman Legion was the 9th, marching from Lincoln in order to aid the people of Camulodunum (Colchester). The Roman 9th legion however marched towards the advancing mass of avenging tribes led by Boadicea and by sheer numbers they were overwhelmed and killed. The standard of the golden eagle of Rome held aloft by that legion, disappearing under the weight of the dead bodies, that the frenzied tribes had slaughtered. Boadicea's army then marched on Verulamium (St. Albans) and Londinium (London), with Colchester these were the 3 most important centres of Roman life in Britain. Again, there was no mercy shown to man, women, nor child, with the fury uncontrolled by these British tribes. Time for them however was running out as Suetonius Paulinus marched with his legions from Wales towards them. This Commander controlling for Nero, approx; ten thousand seasoned soldiers, fully armed. Paulinus too had no mercy in his heart, systematically killing and making a horrible devastation wherever he went in Britain.

The Roman historian Tacitus, wrote cheerfully, that 230,000 Britons under Boadicea were engaged by Paulinus and his troops of which 80,000 were killed, against 400 Romans killed and approx.; 400 wounded.

The Iceni tribe of the kingdom of Prasutagus and the followers of Boadicea from other British Kingdoms, had butchered and slaughtered in their revenge against all things Roman. That "corruption" seen by Daniel in verse 17 was forced upon them when the Iceni Kingdom had been peaceful. It now turned full circle and the people in the Isles were back to being invaded and devastated once more. Nero sending another 5,000 men from Germany and putting to the sword and fire all those who were suspect within the British tribes. The entire British race might have been annihilated if it were not for the fact that Paulinus was recalled to Rome and a new governor sent in his place, all was quiet.

Meanwhile, Boadicea escaped Roman fury and reached her own land where she died, some say of poison by her own hand, others say by a sickness of the heart. She was given a royal funeral by her doomed countrymen, who were all to come under the marching boot of the Roman legions anyway. - So it was fulfilled in the oracles of God within Daniel's words. "SHE (Boadicea), SHALL NOT STAND ON HIS SIDE (Nero) NEITHER BE FOR HIM". (And all things Roman, as her husband Prasutagus had willed it to be so)!

Now the balances of history are weighted heavily to one side once more against the whole nation of Israel, both houses, under the Roman eagle! Now the scattering and dispersion of Israel is amongst the Gentiles in the West, whether Greek, Roman, Germanic, or Celtic. The history to follow will be unfurled step by step with important waymarks, in the rest of Daniel chapter 11.

As for Nero, his evil reign of terror continued into 68 AD, he had thought up many terrible ways of torturing and killing the "upright ones". Who, with the unpopular religious sect called Christians at that time, had been made much sport of. Nero's immoralities were a cancer going through Rome, which sapped up people, soldiers and Senate alike. Spies were everywhere, even the Roman people committed suicide rather then face torture and imprisonment.

So ended a time of terrible blood shed spilled from East to West of that "Kingdom" of the Romans and when Nero cut his own throat at the age of 30 and it is said not without assistance!

Today in the 20th century one can see the measure of this terrible tragedy and the oppression of Boadicea and the Celtic tribes, because her monument stands on the Thames Embankment in London as a testimony to "Liberty or death". A cry that was to be heard again and again in the British Isles through the centuries.