The book of Daniel
Daniel 11: 1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even
I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.
2 And
now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in
In this chapter we will return to prophecy. Prophecy sheds light on human
events by divine inspiration. Only God can prophesy!! Today much of chapter 11
is no longer prophecy but fulfilled prophecy, which is now fact or what we will
call history. However, not all of chapter 11 has been fulfilled, as of yet, but
it will be fulfilled.
Chapter 10, notes
how Daniel was praying and we are told that Daniel was allowed to see behind
the scenes in the ministry of prayer. The curtain was dropped and he suddenly
saw a most shattering, dazzling sight, the Lord Jesus in the fullness of his
majesty and glory, the very same One whom John describes in the opening verses
of Revelation. It is the same one who arrested Paul on the road to
The angel (in verse 1) speaks of
strengthening Darius. The same Darius who tried to deliver
Daniel from the lions den. King Darius said “The God ....he will deliver
thee”
1.
Alexander the Great (Verses 1-9)
A.
Changing Times
The angel begins to unfold, in Chapter 11, the
history of the future from Daniel's day on. Daniel is told that there will be
three more kings in
B.
Conquests
Alexander the Great would go on to conquer
the then known civilized world. He conquered parts of Asia along with
C.
Collapse
According to the prophecy, it was here he was
to be "broken." In the prime of his life and at full strength,
Alexander died when he was only thirty-two years old, and his kingdom was
divided but “not to his posterity”. The
empire was divided among his four generals, it would
be "divided towards the four winds of heaven." It is also stated that
"it would be plucked up and go to others besides these." This is the
first hint we have of the coming in of the Romans from the West. They are the
"others" who got a part of Alexander's empire when it was divided.
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. 6 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. 7 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: 8 And shall also carry captives into Egypt
their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and
of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9 So the king of the south shall come
into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land.
1.
The king of the south
The king of the south is
2.
The king of the north
The king of the north is
3.
The King of the south’s daughter
The king of the south’s daughter was Bernice.
As
4.
Branch of her roots
Bernice, now dead, had a brother who became
enraged at the treatment of his sister and her entourage. He raised an army,
marched north and out of revenge, defeated
10 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. 11 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.
2. Antiochus the Great (Verses 10-20)
A. Stirred up
Antiochus the Great became the new ruler of
Syria. He was very eager to get revenge on Egypt for the spoilage taken from
Syria. So the ruler of the North invaded the ruler of the South. Thus the South
(Egypt) was stirred up to fight the North (Syria). Egypt would win a great
victory over Syria, and send Antiochus home in defeat. Much of the
Syrian army was lost.
12 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.
B. Lifted up
The king of Egypt was lifted up in pride with
his great victory. He was so enthralled with himself that he failed to follow
through with his victory. The king should have invaded the North (Syria) and
ultimately annihilate and defeat them, but did not. Instead the king of Egypt
turned on the Jews in Palestine and “cast down many ten thousands”.
13 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. 14 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. 15
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. 16 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.
Antiochus the Great, now back home at Syria,
and realizing that Egypt has chosen not to pursue, has time to reorganize his
kingdom and it’s armies. After a brief amount of time, Syria, now regrouped,
would decide to return back to Egypt for another opportunity to seek revenge.
In the meanwhile, the king of the south
(Egypt) dies and his predecessor takes over at about the age of 7. The 7 year
old king has a minister who proclaims himself king until the youngster matures.
This minister would make many blunders and lost many battles to Syria.
As Antiochus the Great configures to
completely take over Egypt by invasion, he comes through the land of Palestine.
The Jews, knowing Egypt’s newfound hatred for the Jew, think Antiochus is a
savior and join the cause to invade and defeat Egypt. “The robbers of
thy people”, is speaking of those who forsake Jewish heritage and join in a
league with Syria, trusting man instead of God for deliverance. The Bible says
“they shall fall”, and they did. Antiochus defeats most Egyptian cities but
victory is not complete. He hears that Egypt has called upon Rome and it’s
great number of forces, and notices that
Rome is beginning, to ally with, and to help Egypt. Antiochus is afraid
of Rome and hesitates the invasion and backs up into the land of Israel. While
in Israel he blames the Jews for the difficulties stopping his victory and
kills many Jews
17 He
shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and
upright ones 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.
D. Antiochus’ Daughter
Antiochus is pondering what to do and
comes up with a scheme. Antiochus decides to give the young Egyptian King his
own daughter, Cleopatra. I believe that Cleopatra was very young, thus the
expression “daughter of women” as she was taken care of by many attendants.
Antiochus is hoping that as the young king marries and matures, that Cleopatra
will betray her husband (Egypt) and look to her father, thus enabling Syria to
overtake the Egyptians. But, Cleopatra will be true to her husband and Egypt,
and her father Antiochus, is furious.
18
After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many:
but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to
cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19
Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he
shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
E. Antiochus’ Scheme
Antiochus has about 300 ships and he begins
to attack the coastlines of Greece and Asia Minor. The Romans met this attack
with reason at first. Ambassadors on both sides were sent but peace could not
be worked out. Now Rome meets the attack with much resistance.
Antiochus was defeated by Rome and had to
renounce all claim to any part of Europe or Asia Minor. His youngest son,
Antiochus Ephiphanes was carried off to Rome along with other hostages to
guarantee and ensure his fathers good conduct. Antiochus was also fined a great
sum and ordered to pay tribute to Rome yearly. As he tried to raise money from
the people of his kingdom, to pay this tribute, he was killed, as the Bible
said “he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.”
20
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.
Antiochus was succeeded by his eldest son.
This young man did not have the spirit of conquest, like his father. Yet, he
was also subject to the tribute money for Rome. As this young man tried to
raise taxes for tribute, even of the Jewish provinces, history says this man
died of poison, (probably at the hands of his tax collector who
proclaimed himself king).
21 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.
3. Antiochus Epiphanes (Verses 21-35)
A.
Contemptible
We remember from earlier study in Daniel,
that Antiochus Epiphanes is a foreshadowing or type of the antichirst. He is
the "little horn" of Chapter 8, who persecuted Israel and ultimately
set up the first "abomination of desolation" in the temple at
Jerusalem. He is called "the antichrist of the Old Testament," a most
despicable character, and yet a remarkable man in many ways. He reigned from
175 to 164 B.C.
We also know that this young man is being
held hostage in Rome because of his fathers evil reign. When his father died
and his older brother took over, the elder brother decided that he needed
Antiochus Epiphanes in Syria, thinking he could use the contacts his little
brother had made in Rome to secure a more friendly environment for his kingdom.
So the elder brother arranged to send his own son to Rome in exchange for his
little brother, Antiochus Epiphanes. While on his way home, Antiochus Epiphanes
heard his brother had been murdered and that the tax collector had proclaimed
himself king of Syria. At the same time, the king of Egypt claimed the throne
of Syria because his mother, Cleopatra was the sister of the just murdered
king. Antiochus Epiphanes thought if anyone had a right to the throne it should
be himself, after all he had been the one living in Rome as a hostage. So this
vile young man, with murder and contempt in his heart, takes the throne by
killing the tax collector, followed by promises of peace and flatteries.
22 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.
23 And after the league made with
him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong
with a small people. 24 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 fathers' 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.
Arms across the kingdom welcome in this young
man who comes in the name of peace. Quickly Antiochus Epiphanes kills and
disposes the Jewish High Priest that opposes his newfound rule and plants his
own hand-picked high priest in his stead. One that will go along with pagan and
worldly ideas.
In view of an expected upcoming war with
Rome, Antiochus Epiphanes is quick to try and sign peace treaties with other
allies and was thinking of a way to betray them and give them up to Rome as a
tribute and in exchange for his own safety for a brief period of time. In other
words he was seeking peace to buy the time he needed to reorganize and attack
Rome and take over the world for himself. His fathers had not made peace but he
would make peace if he could, even though it would be false peace.
25 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. 26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his
meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down
slain. 27 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.
Antiochus Epiphanes, while buying time,
looked to reinforce his power by extending his kingdom into Egypt and
gaining it’s treasuries and resources. Antiochus Epiphanes came to Egypt in the
name of peace and behind the scenes sowed discord in the government to assure
himself an easy victory. Egypt would be betrayed from the inside.
Antiochus Epiphanes sat down at a table with
his nephew (king of Egypt) to promise to help establish the Egyptian king. The
nephew, a crafty one himself, pretended to go along with this and sought
occasion to outwit his uncle (Syria). The text says that both kings “shall
speak lies”. Antiochus Epiphanes did win
many victories in Egypt but would be forced to return back to Syria without
completely winning his conquest and betrayal of Egypt, yet he did obtain great
riches while there.
28
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.
History would record that while on his way
back home to Syria, a rumor that Antiochus Epiphanes had died was widely
celebrated by the Jews. The Syrian King now furious over the Jews hatred for
him, sought to teach the Jews a lesson. Antiochus would murder many of the
Jews, try to stop the sacrifice in the temple, forbid any to practice Jewish
religious customs and traditions and order tribute be paid to Syria.
Thus
Antiochus returns back to Syria to wait for Egypt to fall from the inside.
29 At
the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not
be as the former, or as the latter.
30 For the ships of Chittim 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. 31 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. 32
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. 33 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. 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be
holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35 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.
Antiochus Epiphanes begins to hear that Egypt
has weakened from the inside, the spies he planted in Egyptian Authority
appearing to be paying off. The Syrian King heads south for Egypt. As he nears
Egypt he notices the “ships of Chittim”, the Romans were going to help Egypt.
The Romans ordered Antiochus Epiphanes to evacuate the land of the friends of
the Roman People (Egypt). So Antiochus asked for time to consider these terms,
but the Roman authority drew a circle around him with his sword and told him to
decide before he stepped out of that circle. So Antiochus, outnumbered and outwitted agreed to keep
peace and was humbled to bow to a greater authority.
Antiochus Epiphanes heads back for home
(Syria) and travels again through the land of the Jews. Surely we must notice
that the Jewish land lies between the warring nations of north and south and is
constantly caught in the middle as a battleground. Antiochus Epiphanes wanted to take out his
frustrations and rebuild his ego and the Jews were just the ones to pick on, he
thought. He attacked the Jews, killing many, forcing his religion and views
upon the people of God. He renamed the temple of God (changed it to the temple
of Zeus Olympus), put an idol in the temple of God, desecrated the temple of
God by killing an unclean animal (a pig) and sprinkling swine blood and broth
over the sacred things of God.
There were 3 classes of the Jews; some
followed Antiochus Epiphanes completely as they admired him, some went along
with him only to keep peace, but God still has a remnant that will stand for
God and Right. A priest named Mattathias and his sons fought against
Antiochus Epiphanes and his regime. Little by little the resurgent Jews began
to win. Then Mattathias was killed. His son Judas Maccabeus rose up as leader
and under his leadership, by the help of God, pushed Antiochus Epiphanes out,
recovered the city, rededicated the temple and rejoiced in God, who gave them
the victory. Defeated by the Jews, Antiochus Epiphanes heads home, humbled and
crushed. He would die in the near future of depression, grief and of worms.
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. 37
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. 38 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.
4. Antichrist (Verses 36-45)
Remember
my friend, all of this chapter was prophecy to Daniel. To us, the previous 35
verses are now history. The same God that fulfilled the 135 prophecies of
verses 1-35 will one day fulfill the remainder of this chapter. I believe the
balance of this chapter deals with the “man of sin”, the antichrist.
So between verses 35 and 36 we find a lapse
of time. Remember there is a lapse of time between the 69th and 70th
week of Daniels vision. The antichrist
cannot come into power until the church is raptured into glory. Once the
rapture takes place the man of sin will be revealed.
Antiochus
Epiphanes was a contemptible person, but the antichrist will far exceed his
wickedness.
A.
Blasphemies
II Thessalonians 2 states this man is the
“man of sin” and “the son of perdition”.
Revelation 13 declares him to be the “ beast out of the sea”. The
antichrist will be the leader of the revived Roman Empire, probably the
European Union. He will be supported by a religious leader known as the false
prophet. In Revelation it is prophesied that the antichrist will die and then
be raised again, deceiving the nations and people of this earth. The antichrist
will speak great things against God. His god will be satan and he will be
indwelt by satan. Revelation 13 states that the dragon gives him his power. He
will try to get the world to worship him, who is of, and is the....devil.
The antichrist is self-willed, (II
Thes 2:4) and wants to be exalted above all else. He is Rebellion. He will have
the world to totally reject Jesus Christ and blaspheme the name of God.
39
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.
40 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.
41 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. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the
countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 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. 44 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. 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.
1.
Dividing the Land (Verse 39)
It appears the antichrist is the one who will
finally settle the quarrel of Jew and Arab over ownership of the land of
Israel. Someone must come ultimately to settle this great difficulty, because
it is now dividing the Middle East, and much of the world. Until the problem is
settled there can be no hope for any kind of peace in the Middle East. But
there is coming a man who will succeed for a while in bringing peace to this
area, and this is the man who is before us now.
2.
Desolation
The antichrist will be superior to all world
powers. He has come in the name of peace and the world has submitted to his
ruler-ship. No man will be allowed to buy or sell without the mark of the beast
Rev 13:16-18. The antichrist will kill all who oppose him. It looks as though
the world is at peace, but after 3 ½ years the antichrist will place an image
in the temple of God, which the Bible calls “the abomination of desolation”.
The Jews, knowing this is the Temple of God, will realize the antichrist is not
the messiah but an imposter. The antichrist will take Jerusalem by force and
the earth will be forced to recognize him.
3.
Day of Armageddon (Verse 40-45)
What a remarkable account! Here we have traced
the final conflict, which is called, in the book of Revelation, the campaign of
Armageddon. You have heard about Armageddon, and here is the record of a great
part of it. We learn that it begins with an attack on the antichrist from the
king of the south, Egypt. Then the king of the north, Syria (some believe this
could be Russia) will attack the antichrist. Maybe their ancient enmity is
restored, nevertheless, Israel once again becomes a convenient battlefield for
them. Maybe this attack occurs because antichrist had made a covenant with the
Jews allowing them to have Jewish worship in the temple, and this angers the
Egyptians and the Syrians (Arab nations). Anyway the scripture teaches us that
those nations will attack, they shall rush upon like a whirlwind, with chariots
and horseman, and with many ships. But antichrist is strong and overcomes this
battle. Now, Egypt and Syria, bitter longtime enemies of Israel, have met their
retribution.
We are told next that he enters into the
glorious land. Antichrist takes over Jerusalem but Edom, Moab and Ammon
(modern-day Jordan) escape his hand.
Then the antichrist conquers Egypt and North
Africa. The antichrist will have the vast resources of the Middle East at his
disposal, the oil wells and the treasuries of Pharoahs. But while he is in North Africa he hears
troubling tidings from the east and the north (maybe this would be from the
direction of the Orient with its millions and maybe Russia with it’s power).
Surely this great number of men gathering to fight is the final battle of
Armageddon (Rev 16: 12-16).
Because of this threat, he quickly arouses
his forces and goes forth "with great fury to destroy many." He comes
back into the land of Israel, pitches his tent between the seas (the
Mediterranean sea and maybe the Jordan), and the glorious holy mountain
(Jerusalem), and "yet he shall come to his end and none shall help
him." We have that end described for us in the book of Revelation chapter
19. The seven year Tribulation clock has run out, the heavens open and the Lord
Jesus appears. The Lord descends with the armies of heaven, and the sword of
his mouth will flash forth and the Battle of Armageddon to defeat the armies is
over in a moment. The armies of the world have been quickly defeated and the
beast and the false prophet are taken and cast into the lake of fire.
Daniel 11 is a difficult chapter, but it is
one that prophesies what the New Testament tells us, that the antichrist and
his cohorts shall be brought to an end at the appearing of Jesus Christ in
power and great glory. As we have seen all through Daniel, the kingdoms of the
world shall be defeated and become the kingdom of our Lord, and He shall reign
for ever and ever.