Daniel Chapter 11
The Prophet Daniel - Chapter 11-BETWEEN THE TESTAMENTS: THE NON-SILENT YEARS
- Daniel deported, as a teenager
- Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream
- The Fiery Furnace
- Nebuchadnezzar's Pride Aramaic
- The Fall of Babylon
- Daniel in the Lions Den
- The Four Beasts
- The Ram and the He Goat
- The Seventy Weeks Messianic Prophecy
- The Dark Side/Spiritual Battle
- The “400 Non-Silent Years”foretold in detail
- The End of All Things
- Verses 1-8 are Alexander the Great
- Verses 1-2 recap the Persian Empire
- Verses 3-4 Recap the Greek Empire
- Verses 3-4 Recap the Greek Empire
- Verses 9-14 are Antiochus Epiphanes
- Verses 20-22 are the Interpretation of verses 1-7
- Verses 23-25 are a Shadow of the anti-Christ
- Verses 5-36 the strife between Seleucid and Ptolemaic Empires, Israel between them
- Verses 36-39 are about the Powerful King exercising his own sellf-will-it fits the character and behavior of both Antiochus Epiphanes and the anti-Christ
- Verses 40-45 are about Armageddon
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
- This is the angel, speaking here
- He is strengthening Darius the Mede, not Daniel (Chapter 10 end)
- He is merely speaking TO Daniel
| Prophecy Given B.C. 534 | Fulfillment |
|---|---|
| And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all
against the realm of Grecia. (Verse 2.) |
See Ezra iv. 5-24. The three kings were : Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes and Darius. Known in history as Cambyses, Pseudo Smerdis and Darius Hystaspis (not Darius the Mede) . The fourth one was Xerxes, who, as history tells us was immensely rich. The invasion of Greece took place in 480 B. C. |
| And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.
(Verse 3.) |
The successors of Xerxes are not mentioned. The mighty king in this verse is the notable horn seen by Daniel on the he-goat in chapter viii, Alexander the Great. 335 B. C |
| And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. (Verse 4.) 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. (Verse 5.) |
His kingdom was plucked up for others besides those of his own family. Arideus, his brother, was made king in Macedonia; Olympias, Alexander's mother, killed him, and poisoned Alexander's two sons, Hercules and Alexander. Thus was his family rooted out by its own hands. See what decaying perishing things worldly pomp and possessions are, and the powers by which they are got. Never was the vanity of the world and its greatest things shown more evidently than in the story of Alexander. All is vanity and vexation of spirit.
Asia and Greece are not followed but Syria and Egypt become prominent, because the King of the North from Syria, and the King of the South, Egypt, were to come in touch with the Jews. The holy land became involved with both. The King of the South was Ptolemy Lagus. One of his princes was Seleucus Nicator. He established a great dominion, which extended to the Indus. |
| And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of the 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 these times. (Verse 6.) |
Here is another gap. This verse takes us to 250 B. C. The two who make an alliance are the Kings of the North (Syrian division of the Grecian Empire) and of the South (Egypt) . This alliance was effected by the marriage of the daughter of the King of the South, the Egyptian Princess Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy H., to Antiochus Theos, the King of the North. The agreement was that Antiochus had to divorce his wife and make any child of Bernice his heir in the kingdom. The agreement ended in calamity. When Ptolemy died Antiochus Theos in 247 called back his former wife. Bernice and her young son were poisoned and the first wife's son, Callinicus, was put on the throne as Seleucus II. |
| But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail.
(Verse 7.) |
The one out of her roots (Bernice, who had been murdered) was her own brother, Ptolemy Euergetes, who avenged her death. He conquered Syria. He dealt against Seleucus II, King of the North and slew the wife of Antiochus Theos, who had Berenice poisoned. He seized the fortress, the port of Antioch. |
| And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. (Verse 8.) |
Ptolemy Euergetes did exactly as predicted. He returned with 4000 talents of gold and 40,000 talents of silver and 2500 idols and idolatrous vessels. Many of these Cambyses had taken to Persia. |
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So the King of the South shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. (Verse 9.) (Literal translation) : " and the same (King of the North) shall come into the realm of the King of the South, but shall return into his own land." |
In 240 B. C. Seleucus Callinicus the King of the North invaded Egypt. He had to return defeated. His fleet perished in a storm. 500,000 reduced to 10,000. |
| But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through : then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress.
(Verse 10.) |
The sons of Seleucus Callinicus were Seleucus III and Antiochus the Great. Seleucus (Ceraunos) III began war against Egyptian Provinces in Asia Minor. He was unsuccessful. The other son Antioch III invaded Egypt and passed through because Ptolemy Philopater did not oppose him. B. C. 219 Antiochus continued his warfare and took the fortress Gaza. |
| And the King of the South shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the King of the North: and he shall set forth a great multitude but the multitude shall be
given into his hand. (Verse 11.) |
In 217 B. C. Ptolemy aroused himself and fought Antiochus the Great with an immense army. He defeated Antiochus. The multitude was given into the hands of Ptolemy Philopater The name Ptolemy or Ptolemaeus comes from the Greek Ptolemaios, which means warlike. |
| And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. (Verse 12.) (Literal: "And the multitude shall rise up and his courage increase.") |
The people of Egypt rose up and the weakling Ptolemy became courageous. His victory is again referred to. It was won at Raphia. He might have pressed his victory. But he did not make use of it but gave himself up to a licentious life. Thus " he was not strengthened by it" |
| For the King of the North shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. (Verse 13.) |
About 14 years later 203 B. C Antiochus assembled a great army, greater than the army which was defeated at Raphia and turned against Egypt. Ptolemy Philopatcr had died and left an infant son Ptolemy Epiphancs. |
| And in those times there shall many stand up against the King of the South: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall (Verse 14.) |
Antiochus had for his ally Phillip, King of Macedon. Also in Egypt many rebels stood up. And then there were, as we read in Josephus, wicked Jews, who helped Antiochus. These "robbers of thy people" established the vision. They helped along the very things which had been predicted, as to trials for them. |
| So the King of the North shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to
withstand. (Verse 15.) |
All this was fulfilled in the severe struggles, which followed. |
| But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him : and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. (Verse 16.) |
The invasion of the glorious land by Antiochus followed. He subjected the whole land unto himself. He also was well disposed towards the Jews because they sided with Antiochus the Great against Ptolemy Epiphanes. |
| He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and an agreement shall be made with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him.
(Verse 17.) |
This brings us to the years 198-195 B. C. Antiochus aimed to get full possession of Egypt. An agreement was made. In this treaty between Antiochus and Ptolemy Epiphanes, Cleopatra, daughter of Antiochus was espoused to Ptolemy. Why is Cleopatro called " daughter of women?" Because she was very young and was under the care of her mother and grandmother. The treaty failed. |
| After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many : but a prince (literally: Captain) for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turned upon him. (Verse 18.) |
A few years later Antiochus conquered isles on the coast of Asia Minor. The captain predicted is Scipio Asiaticus. Antiochus had reproached the Romans by his acts and he was defeated. This defeat took place at Magnesia 190 B. C. |
| Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. (Verse 19.) |
Antiochus returns to his own land. He came to a miserable end trying to plunder the temple of Belus in Elymais. |
| Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom : but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.
(Verse 20.) |
This is Seleucus Philopater b. c 187-176. He was known as a raiser of taxes. He had an evil reputation with the Jews because he was such an exactor among them. His tax-collector Heliodorus poisoned him and so he was slain " neither; in anger, nor in battle." |
| And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. (Verse 21.) |
This vile person is none other than Antiochus Epiphanes. He had no claim on royal dignities being only a younger son of Antiochus the Great. He seized royal honors by trickery and with flatteries. He is the little horn of Chapter viii. |
| And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. (Verse 22.) |
He was successful in defeating his enemies. The prince of the covenant may mean his nephew Ptolemy Philometor. He also vanquished Philometor's generals. |
| And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. (Verse 23.) |
He feigned friendship to young Ptolemy but worked deceitfully. To allay suspicion he came against Egypt with a small force but took Egypt as far as Memphis. |
| He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father's fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and
riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. (Verse 24.) |
He took possession of the fertile places in Egypt under the pretense of peace. He took Pelusium and laid siege to the fortified places Naucratis and Alexandria |
| 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 be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not
stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. (Verse 25.) |
This King of the South is Ptolemy Physcon, who was made king after Philometor had fallen into the hands of Antiochus. He had a great army but did not succeed because treason had broken out in his own camp. |
| Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down • slain. (Verse 26.) |
Additional actions of Antiochus and warfare, in which he was successful, followed. |
| And both these kings' 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. (Verse 27.) |
The two kings are Antiochus Epiphanes and his associate Philometor. They made an alliance against Ptolemy Euergetes II also called Physcon. But they spoke lies against each other and did not succeed in their plans. |
| Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.
(Verse 28.) |
In 168 B. C. he returned from his expedition and had great riches. Then he marched through Judea and did his awful deeds. A report had come to his ears that the Jewish people had reported him dead. In the first and second book of the Maccabees we read of his atrocities. Then he retired to Antioch. |
| At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. (Verse 29.) |
He made still another attempt against the south. However he had not the former success. |
| For the ships of Chittira shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with
them that forsake the holy covenant. (Verse 30.) |
The ships of Chittim are the Roman fleet. When within a few miles of Alexandria he heard that ships had arrived. He went to salute them. They delivered to him the letters of the senate, in which he was commanded, on pain of the displeasure of the Roman people, to put an end to the war against his nephews. Antiochus said, "he would go and consult his friends;" on which Popilius, one of the legates, took his staff, and instantly drew a circle round Antiochus on the sand, where he stood; and commanded him not to pass that circle, till he had given a definite answer. As a grieved and defeated man he returned and then he fell upon Judea once more to commit additional wickedness. Apostate Jews sided with him. |
| And arms shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. (Verse 31.) |
This brings us to the climax of the horrors under Antiochus Epiphanes. The previous record of it is contained in Chapter viii. He sent Apollonius with over 20,000 men to destroy Jerusalem. Multitudes were slain and women and children led away as captives. He issued a command that all people must conform to the idolatry of Greece. A wicked Grecian was sent to enforce the word of Antiochus. All sacrifices ceased and the God-given ceremonials of Judaism came to an end. The temple was polluted by the sacrifices of swine's flesh. The temple was dedicated to Jupiter Olympius. Thus the prediction was fulfilled. |
| And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand 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 holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end : because It is yet for a time appointed. (Verses 32-35) |
These verses describe the condition among the Jewish people. There were two classes. Those who do wickedly against the covenant, the apostate and those who know God, a faithful remnant. The apostates sided with the enemy and the people who know God were strong. This has reference to the noble Maccabees. There was also suffering and persecution, |
THE FUTURE LEADER
(Daniel 11:36)And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
- This is no normal powerful leader, and the same M.O. for the anti-CHrist throughout the Bible about him.
Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
- The God of his fathers: A JEW?
- A Sodomite?
- Whatever he is,
But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
- Who is the man honoring?
Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
- This is dividing Israel/Jerusalem
And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at 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 over.
- The "time of the end" is not in any way the "End of time"
- Egypt is the south?
- Syria is the north?
- Battletank in Israel called the horseman
He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.
- The area is Jordan who has a peace treaty with Israel, and needs her water
- Petra is in Jordan, in case Israel needs to escape there
- This is the refuge for the supernatural protection for Israel
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.
- Egypt will fall to the anti-Christ, and her ancient riches of gold, pyramids, etc. will be under his control
But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.
- This is the kings of the east, which number hundrds of millions of a standing man army, specifically China
And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. (Daniel 11:45)
And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.
- This is the Second Coming to Israel for the Messiah, from where He will reign
- He returns to the Mount of Olives
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
(Matthew 5:35)
Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
(Acts 1:11-12)
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.
Daniel Chapter 12
