The northern king will send his army to do terrible things to the temple in Jerusalem. They will stop the people from offering the daily sacrifice. F129 Then they will do something really terrible. They will set up that terrible thing that causes destruction.
"'The northern king will use lies and smooth talking to trick the Jews that quit following the holy agreement. Those Jews will sin even worse. But the Jews that know God and obey him will be strong. They will fight back!
"'Those wise teachers will help the other people understand what is happening. But even those wise people {will have to suffer persecution.} Some of those wise people will be killed with swords. Some of them will be burned, or taken prisoner. Some of them will have their homes and things taken away.
Some of the wise people will stumble {and make mistakes}. But the persecution must come. Why? So that they can be made stronger, purer, and without faults until the time of the end. Then, at the right time, that time of the end will come.'"