ISIS was able to rise up, because the United States has withdrawn most of its military forces from Iraq. Daniel warns that they will return.

For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped (Dan 11:13).
The world was shocked when ISIS took control of Mosul, the largest city in western Iraq. President Obama formed a coalition of nations to attack ISIS. The United States only sent a small number of troops. Instead, it joined together with the SDF (rebel forces) in Syria and Shia militias in Iraq to fight against ISIS. By supporting and training local forces, they were able to raise up an army, that was much greater than the ISIS forces.

Daniel says that the army attacked with “much substance” or “much material”. This is a reference to military equipment. The United States did not contribute many troops to the battle against ISIS, but supplied a massive amount of weapons, including guns and missiles. This policy began under President Obama and continued under President Trump.

The United States provided strong air support for all the local forces attacking ISIS. They were not capable of defeating the defenders of Raqqa, so the US destroyed the city with a massive bombardment from the air. The same happened to a lesser extent in Mosul. ISIS was defeated, but any civilians were killed in these air attacks. These air attacks are described in Dan 11:15a.

Then the king of the North will come in, and poured out mounds of soil, and will capture fortified cities.
Most modern translations say “build up siege ramps”, but the verb is “poured out”. The US airforce poured out on Raqqa and Mosul, turning old buildings into mounds of earth. Many people died under them. Daniel explained that ISIS would be defeated. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand (Dan 11:15b). Even battle-hardened ISIS troops were powerless against these ferocious assaults. They escaped and fled into the desert.

Several other rebellions will occur at the same time.

And in those times, there shall many stand up against the king of the south (Dan 11:14a).
Libya, Syria, Egypt, Yemen are places where rebellions occurred during this season.

These rebellions will fail

The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand (Dan 11:15b).
The resistance in West Asia will fade away.

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