Introduction
This prophecy of Daniel provides precise predictions of the future
events that actually took place, the liberal "scholars" are amazed and
skeptical. The accuracy of Daniel makes them believe someone much
later than Daniel authored these scriptures.
Chapters 10-12 are all one vision. Up to this time the chapter divisions represent separate prophecies. These last three chapters are one in reality one great vision.
The chapter divisions sometimes confuses this issue.
The background of this vision is found in chapter 10. We are told that Daniel was allowed to see behind the scenes of history as he was in prayer.
Daniel is drained of energy because of the vision and falls on his face to the ground.
An angel is sent to help him and to give him a detailed vision of the events of human history to occur..
The angel begins to unfold the prophecy in Chapter 11. This will deal with the future from Daniel's day on concerning Israel.
In these verses we have the immediate future from Daniel's day on, covering approximately ninety-five years.
We begin with the angel "telling the truth", or what God has determined will happen. The authorship of God is irrevocably "inscribed in the writing of truth".
Dan. 11:1-4 And as for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede,
I stood up to confirm and strengthen
him. And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand
up yet three kings in
Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and when he is
waxed strong through
his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. And a mighty
king shall stand up,
that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And
when he shall stand up,
his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds
of heaven, but not
to his posterity, nor according to his dominion wherewith he ruled; for
his kingdom shall be
plucked up, even for others besides these.
Daniel predicts, three more kings are going to rise to power in Persia.
Cyrus was already on the throne of power at this time and is now ruling.
This prophecy concerns his successors and those who will rule after his reign is over.
There are three historical Kings which will come to rule after Cyrus, just as Daniel foretold.
The first king is Cambyses he ruled from 530-522 B.C.
Cambyses was the son of Cyrus.
He was overthrown by a usurper who pretended to be his son, Smerdis.
Smerdis the second ruler is called Pseudo-Smerdis. He took the throne by deception in 522-521 B.C.
Darius Hystaspes is the third to ascend to the throne he will reigned from 521-486 B.C.
In summary, this prophecy was given during the reign of Cyrus the Great.
The three kings that followed him were: Cambyses, Smerdis and Darius I.
The fourth king, known for his wealth and power was Xerxes (known also
as Ahasueras, the husband of
Esther).
Remember the fourth king did follow.
This did not mean that he would be the last of the kings of Persia, but this meant he was the fourth King from Daniel's day.
The fourth King would be very distinguished and especially noteworthy.
Xerxes the Great, king of Persia, was extremely wealthy.
Xerxes became strong through great his riches, his ambitions stirred up the kingdom of Greece.
The raids the Persians made were against the Greeks under Xerxes.
The tensions from Persia inflamed Greece and created an immediate response to the call of Alexander the Great for war against the Persians.
Xerxes was the 4th King, he had become very wealthy. " Gained far more riches than all of them".
The king called Xerxes served from 486-465 B.C.
This is the Ahaseurus of the book of Esther. Xerxes was the wealthiest ruler of all the Persians.
The ambitions of Xerxes was based on power and wealth. "As soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece".
Historians know that Xerxes raised an army of 2½ million soldiers to make his invasions.
The soldiers did not win any gain for Persia at all.
It is this fourth king Xerxes, that Daniel predicts will 'sir up' the whole realm of Greece against the Persian Empire.
Xerxes was a powerful and wealthy monarch, whose father, Darius I
suffered a humiliating defeat by the Greeks in the Battle of
Marathon in 490 BC.
Ten years later Xerxes invaded Greece with an army of 200,000
men and a navy of hundreds of ships in
an attempt to avenge his father.
But his army was defeated north of Athens at Plataea and his navy was sunk at Salamis, near Corinth in 479 BC.
At this point the prophecy jumps over several lesser Persian kings and
points to Alexander the Great of Greece who finally
defeated the Persians in 332 BC. Alexander is the "mighty king" mentioned
in verse 3. But notice the next verse. Read 11:4. As
we have seen before, Alexander died at the height of his power at age
33. Where In Babylon - The very place where Daniel
prophesied his rise to power and his sudden destruction.
Another personality takes his place in history. .Then, "a mighty king will arise", this is a clear reference to Alexander the Great who is described in great detail in these passages.
Alexander the Great, as as young man became first king of Macedonia and then king of Greece. Alexander led the Grecian armies against the Persian empire. With great speed and power Alexander overthrew the might of Persia.
The young commander would conquer the known civilized world. His empire stretched from Europe to India.
Alexander died returning from the battlefields at the age of 33 in Babylon. His death took place in 323 B.C.
According to the prophecy, he was to be "broken."
Alexander's kingdom was divided but not to his posterity, or descendants or children.
He had an unborn son carried by Roxanna at the time of his death. The son was born, but never fully inherited the kingdom of his father, Alexander The Great.
The kingdom was divided among four generals. The prophecy was fulfilled just as Daniel wrote.
Antigonus of Asia Minor tried to seize all the empire, but was killed at the battle of Ipsus by the four generals who possessed the kingdom.
1. Seleucus Nicator, a general of Egypt's Ptolemy Lagus took
the eastern part of the king to which
went into Syria, Babylon,
Susiana, Armenis, Media, parts of Cappadocia, Cilicia. His territory
ranged from Hellespont to the
Indies.
2. Cassander took the government of Macedonia, Thessaly and Eastern Greece.
3. Lysimachus ruled part of Thrace, Asia Minor and the Northern Cappadocia region.
4. Ptolemy Lagus possessed and controlled Egypt.
Daniel also wrote that this kingdom, "it would be plucked up, and go to others besides these."
This is the introduction of the coming of the Roman Empire from the West. Rome would later control the former Grecian Empire.
The Romans are, the "others" who got a portion of the Grecian empire
when it was divided.
DANIEL 11:5-20 THE GREAT STRUGGLE
This part of history is fascinating to trace the events through.
Dan. 11:5 And the king of the south shall be strong, and
one of his princes; and he shall
be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion.
The angel recites the course of two Empires, one to the south and one to the north of Israel.
Israel dwelled between the two, and became a battlefield for the armies as they moved back and forth in war.
Jerusalem was captured by both sides from time to time through the conflict and was sacked and ravaged a number of times.
A description is, ground like wheat between two millstones.
The account of these kingdoms is given to us because of Israel's involvement.
Initially, Egypt had control of Israel for the entire third century
BC. But eventually, they lost Israel to Syrian control. This is
explained in Daniel 11:15-16 where the "glorious land'' refers to Israel.
Read Daniel 11:15-16. With the Syrians firmly in
control, the stage was set for the arrival of Antiochus IV Epiphanes.
The king of the south is Egypt under Ptolemy, who was one of the generals of Alexander, and his successor Ptolemy Soter and others Ptolemies.
The king of the north is Syria. That domain was under the rule of the Seleucids, Selecus Nicator, prince of Alexander as he is called.
Seleucus was a general under Alexander. The two kingdoms, Egypt and
Syria, fought back and forth over the
course of about 130 years.
The characters of history can be seen in the passages of Daniel. The kings identified in these scriptures are as follows:
Dan. 11:5 The "king of the South" is identified as Ptolemy Philadelphus dated, 285 – 247 B.C.
Dan. 11:5 The "king of the North", the Seleucid king Antiochus II, or "Theos", dated 261-246 B.C.
Dan. 11:6 The "daughter of the king of the South" is named
Bernice, she was a daughter of Philadephus
she married Antiochus Theos of Syria, who put away his wife, Laodice.
Ptolemy Philadelphus died 2 years later and Antiochis restored Laodice,
and put
Bernice away. Antiochus was later poisoned by Laodice. Bernice
fled with her children
to Daphne and was killed..
Dan. 11:6-9 And at the end of years they shall join themselves
together; and the daughter
of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an
agreement:
but she shall not retain the strength of her arm; neither shall he stand,
nor his arm;
but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat
her, and he
that strengthened her in those times. But out of a shoot from her
roots shall one
stand up in his place, who shall come unto the army, and shall enter into
the fortress
of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.
And also their
gods, with their molten images, and with their goodly vessels of silver
and of gold,
shall he carry captive into Egypt; and he shall refrain some years from
the king of the
north. And he shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but he
shall return into
his own land.
Dan. 11:7 was, "one of the descendants of her line", he
was the brother of Bernice, he was called
Ptolemy III "Eurgetes", his time was 246-222 B.C.
Dan. 11:8 Seleucus Callinicus was a "king of the
North", his time was from 247-226 B.C.
This ruler defeated and conquered most of Syria. He reigned 4 years longer
than
his predecessors.
Dan. 11:10 "His sons" refers to Seleucus III
and Antiochus III,"the Great," sons of Seleucus Callinicus
are mentioned in this passage. Seleucus III died at the age of 15,
Antiochus III, "the great"
pressed the wars and battles. The time is now 224-187 B.C.
Dan.11:11 The "king of the South", is now Ptolemy Philopater
of Egypt is battling with the "king of
the North, of Dan. 11:11. Antiochus and Ptolemy Philopater fight
until defeats Antiochus
in the Battle at Rapna in 21 B.C. The people did not accept
defeat and soon war rages again.
Dan. 11:13-11:17 "the daughter of women" is introduced
now. This woman is none other than Cleopatra
Cleopatra was given to the king of the South, who was Ptolemy Epiphanes,
the son of
Ptolemy Philopater. Cleopatra did not stand with her father's designs.
Dan.11:18-19 This is the,"commander". Roman Lucius
Scipio. The brother of Lucius, was
Scipio Africanus who fought against the famous Hannabal. In 190 B.C.
Lucius
defeated Antiochus so greatly in the Battle of Magnesia that he was forced
to give
his son Antichus Epiphanes, as a hostage to pay Roman tribute. Antiochus
III,
was killed plundering the temple of Elymais.
Dan. 11:20 Seleucus Philopater of 187-176 B.C. was the
"one who will arise". History
records how he sought to tax the temple of Israel to pay Roman tribute.
He reinged only 11 years. He was not killed in battle, but was poisoned
by Holiodorus a tax collector.
Dan.11:21 "a despicable person" will come on the stage of human
history he is Antiochus Epiphanes
from 175-164 B.C.
God's concern is for Israel, and he gives us a detailed account which history confirms. History records the fulfillment of every single prophecy of Daniel.
ANTICOCHUS EPIPHANES REVEALED
We now read of the evil tyrant Antiochus Ephinanes. His deeds are legendary as cruel and evil.
Antiochus Epiphanes, is foretold before in the book of Daniel.
Antiochus IV called the, "little horn" of Chapter 8, who persecuted Israel and was guilty of the "abomination of desolation" in the temple at Jerusalem.
He is a terror to Israel and wicked person. Antiochus Epiphanes reigned from 175 to 164 B.C.
Antiochus Epiphanes was the contemptible man that we read of in this text of Daniel.
Dan. 11:21 And in his place shall stand up a contemptible person,
to whom they had
not given the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in time of security,
and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
The persecuting Antiochus IV, tried to convert the Jews to paganism.
Antiochus Epiphanes was ambitious and refused to honor the treaties of peace signed by Ptolemy Lagus and Antiochus the great in 302 B.C. The disputed territory was Coelo-Syria and Palestine.
Antiochus' father was known as Antiochus the Great. He was a powerful
Greek ruler of Syria and Israel which he conquered in
198 BC. But he was later defeated by the Roman army at the Battle of
Magnesia in 190 BC, and lost much of his empire,
including Greece and Asia Minor.
After his death, his son Antiochus IV seized the throne of Syria at Antioch (which was named for his father) and launched a successful campaign against Egypt and Israel. In 10 BC he plundered the Temple, murdered the high priest and shut down the sacrifices for the next six years (see Daniel 8:14).
Two years later, in 168 BC, Antiochus IV was defeated near Alexandria,
Egypt, by the Roman army. In frustration and
humiliation, he marched back through Israel on his way to Syria, and
in rage slaughtered 80,000 Jews, banned the Torah
scrolls, abolished all Jewish religious services, forbade circumcision
and forced the people to eat swine.
Antiochus Epiphanes began his military conquests against Egypt with a small force of men.
Dan. 11:22-28 And the overwhelming forces shall be overwhelmed
from before him,
and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after
the
league made with him he shall work deceitfully; for he shall come up, and
shall become strong, with a small people. In time of security shall
he come
even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which
his
fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among
them
prey, and spoil, and substance: yea, he shall devise his devices against
the
strongholds, even for a time. And he shall stir up his power
and his courage
against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south
shall
war in battle with an exceeding great and mighty army; but he shall not
stand;
for they shall devise devices against him. Yea, they that eat of
his dainties shall
destroy him, and his army shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain.
And
as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they
shall speak
lies at one table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at
the time
appointed. Then shall he return into his land with great substance;
and his heart
shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do his pleasure, and return
to his
own land.
Antiochus Epiphanes had been released by the Romans and replaced as a hostage by Demetrius the son of Seleucus Philopater. Demetrius was the rightful heir to the throne.
Antiochus Epiphanes came to power and gained influence with flattery. He launched an attack against Egypt, which he won.
Antiochus Ephinanes, made his second invasion against Egypt but this time he met with resistance.
Antiochus Epiphanes, was called Epiphanes which means ," the Magnificent One".
The Jews and his Egyptian enemies called him Antiochus Epimanes, "the Madman".
He led his army arrogantly into Egypt, this time the Egyptians called and received help from the Romans.
Antiochus Epihanes seemed to have things going his way until the Romans stepped in the Roman general Popilius, led a legion against Antiochus.
Roman sent general Popilius, to face down the cowardly bully Antiochus. The Romans arrived in what Daniel called, the "ships of Kittim."
Dan. 11:29-30 At the time appointed he shall return, and
come into the south; but it shall
not be in the latter time as it was in the former. For ships of Kittim
shall come
against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and shall return, and have
indignation
against the holy covenant, and shall do his pleasure: he shall even return,
and
have regard unto them that forsake the holy covenant.
Antiochus was asked to consider terms, Popilius drew a circle around him with his sword and told him to decide before he left the drawn circle.
Antiochus agreed to keep the peace, he returned to Jerusalem ,and took out his anger on the Jews.
General Popilius forced Antiochus to return to his own land, remain peaceful, and honor the authority of Rome.
Antiochus secured and entrenched his power more thoroughly.
Antiochus waged political war with Ptolemy Physcon but holding the rightful heir Ptolemy Philometer, this caused discontentment in Egypt.
Ptolemy Philometer was a pawn for Antiochus IV. Soon Antiochus IV plundered Memphis of her wealth and placed Ptolemy Philometer in control of lower Egypt.
Ptolemy Philometer finally conspired with his brother Ptolemy Physcom and sought Roman assistance in dealing with Antiochus IV. The ships of Rome came and broke the position of Antiochus IV.
Dan.11:31 And forces shall stand on his part, and they
shall profane the sanctuary, even the
fortress, and shall take away the continual burnt-offering, and they shall
set up the
abomination that maketh desolate.
In humiliation Antiochus placed puppet rulers in Israel among the Jews to support his position.
The expression, "his heart will be set against the holy covenant", declares the persecution to come by his hand against the Jews.
Antiochus Ephinanes allowed his commander Apollonius to plunder and pollute Jerusalem.
Atheneaus, entered the temple, and erected a pagan altar in dedication and honor to Jupiter.
Jewish offerings were stopped and, he sacrificed an unclean, a pig upon the altar.
The "mad man", forced that the temple to be dedicated to Jupiter.
The desecration of the temple caused some of the Jews to forsake God and turn to paganism.
This is "the abomination that makes desolate."
Another abomination of desolation was yet to come.
Matt. 24:15 When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation,
which was spoken
of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place let him that
readeth
understand.
The second abomination was under Titus of Rome. in 70 A.D. he destroyed Jerusalem and razed the temple to the ground.
Dan.11: 32-35 And such as do wickedly against the
covenant shall he pervert by flatteries;
but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
And they
that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall
by the
sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days. Now when they
shall
fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves
unto them
with flatteries. And some of them that are wise shall fall, to refine
them, and to purify,
and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet
for the time
appointed.
The people described in this passage, will be known to historians as the Maccabees. Judas, "the hammer" and his family waged battle for Jerusalem and the temple.
The sons of the aged man named Mattathias, rebelled against the desecration of Antiochus and led an attack against the authority of the king.
The sons were successful in this revolt. The Maccabeans recaptured the temple, cleansed the Holy place, and restored Jewish sacrifice.
They still celebrate the time the temple was cleansed on December 25, 164 B.C.
Daniel described the Maccabees in his prophecy.
Dan. 11:32-35 And such as do wickedly against the
covenant shall he pervert by flatteries;
but the people that know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.
And they
that are wise among the people shall instruct many; yet they shall fall
by the
sword and by flame, by captivity and by spoil, many days. Now when they
shall
fall, they shall be helped with a little help; but many shall join themselves
unto them
with flatteries. And some of them that are wise shall fall, to refine
them, and to purify,
and to make them white, even to the time of the end; because it is yet
for the time
appointed.
This prophecy predicts the rise of a people who know God, perform his exploits, and who become strong.
These people received little help but were able to overcome their enemies.
The Maccabeans finally appealed to the Romans for help. Their request would result in the Romans taking control of Palestine.
The Maccabeans are recorded for doing great things. They were a godly people, they cleansed the temple, and restored sacrifices of the Jews.
They did mighty things in the name of God against tremendous persecution, "falling by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder, for some days."
Daniel teaches the Jews will go through intense suffering. In spite of the persecution and desecration of the temple this would not be the end of Judaism at that time.
The Jews would complete their return to Jerusalem and Palestine. They would control the temple again, then Messiah would come.
The messiah would be cut off or killed which was fulfilled in Jesus Christ death on Calvary.
Later a prince which was Titus of Rome would destroy the city and the temple. This happened in 70 A.D.
The sacrifices would cease and desolation would overwhelm them as a
flood.
Dan. 11: 36-39 And the king shall do according to his will;
and he shall exalt himself,
and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things
against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished;
for that which is determined shall be done. Neither shall he regard
the gods
of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall
magnify
himself above all. But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses;
and a god
whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with
precious
stones, and pleasant things. And he shall deal with the strongest
fortresses by the
help of a foreign god: whosoever acknowledgeth him he will increase with
glory;
and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for
a price.
The contempt of Antiochus is recorded in these passages.
Antiochus would die in defeat and lost, the Jews which remained faithful under his persecution would be rewarded.
SUMMARY OF ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES IV
Dan. 11:40-45 And at the time of the end shall the king of the
south contend with him;
and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with
chariots,
and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries,
and shall overflow and pass through. He shall enter also into the
glorious land,
and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out
of his
hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
He shall stretch
forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not
escape. But he
shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all
the precious things
of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.
But tidings out of the
east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with
great fury to destroy
and utterly to sweep away many. And he shall plant the tents of his
palace between the
sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none
shall help him.
At the end of these events Antiochus IV dies. The Jews are delivered by their protectors.
The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple will happened under Titus in 70 A.D.
The Jews who became Christians escaped to Pella and were spared by the mercy of God.
This passage of Daniel does not refer to the end of the world but to the end of Judiasm.
Antiochus would have his way for a time but then he would be taken away.
These events signal the closing of Judaism and the birth of Christianity that would last until time is no more.
God uses individuals to accomplish his plans and will. Antiochus
IV or Epiphanes served his time in heralding the end of Judaism and the
beginning of the kingdom which Daniel prophesied of in Chapter 2.
Conclusion
To become a child of God: Believe Jesus Christ is God's
son. John 8:24
Repent and turn from sins. Luke 13:3,5
Confess Christ before men, Matthew 10:32
Be baptized, immersed in water for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38
Remain faith to the lord unto death, Rev. 2:10