Good morning,
Despite the turbulent times and complex geopolitical struggles depicted in Daniel 11, the chapter serves as a testament to the divine providence of God. In its intricacy, it underscores God’s foreknowledge and sovereignty, demonstrating that even amidst chaotic world events, His plans ultimately prevail. This encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith, even in periods of persecution and tribulation.
Daniel 11
Kings of the South and North
Navigating Through the Intricate Prophetic Timeline: An Exploration of Daniel 11
Verses 1-4: The Predicted Power Shift
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 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.3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will.4 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.
The angelic messenger outlines the future power struggles beginning with Persia, the rise of a mighty king in Greece (Alexander the Great), and the subsequent division of his empire into four parts after his death. (Bible Hub Chapter Summaries-Daniel 10)
11:2 This verse through verse 35 is an amazing summary of about two hundred years of the history of the wars between Egypt and Syria that took place during the fourth through the second centuries B.C. All of these prophecies, however, were written by Daniel in the sixth century B.C! Three kings of Persia are Cambyses, the son of Cyrus (529-521 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (521 B.C.), and Darius I (521-487 B.C.). The fourth is the most powerful of the four kings, Xerxes (485-464 B.C.), or as he is known in the Book of Esther, Ahasuerus. (The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, KJV, 1988, pg. 1291)
11:3-4 The mighty king is Alexander the Great (336-323 B.C.) and the four winds are the four prominent generals who seized control of various parts of his empire. (The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, KJV, 1988, pg. 1291)
8:8 Four notable ones (or horns) refers to the four generals who by 301 B.C. ruled Alexander’s empire (v. 22): Cassander ruled in Macedonia and most of Greece; Lysimachus ruled in various parts of thrace and parts of Asia Minor; Seleucus held most of Syria, Israel, and Mesopotamia; and Ptolemy was ruler in Egypt and parts of southern Syria. The ensuing years saw continuous power struggles in this area of the world from the successors of these generals. (The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, KJV, 1988, pg. 1285)
Verses 5-20: The Kings of the North and South
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.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.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.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.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.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.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.
These verses depict a complex, extended conflict between the Kings of the South and North (Ptolemaic and Seleucid rulers respectively), detailing various battles, alliances, betrayals, and power shifts. (Bible Hub Chapter Summaries-Daniel 10)
11:5, 6 The king of the south is the general who assumed control of Egypt, Ptolemy I (323-283 B.C.); and the king of the north is another general, Seleucus I Nicator (312-280 B.C.), who had sovereignty over Syria and Mesopotamia. The conflict between these two generals and their successors, called Ptolemies and Seleucids, is taken up in verses 5-20. (The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, KJV, 1988, pg. 1291)
Verses 21-35: The Contemptible King
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by 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 strongholds, even for a time.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 of 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.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.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.
This section introduces a contemptible king (Antiochus IV Epiphanes), who deceives, manipulates, and exerts control over the Glorious Land (Israel). His sacrilege and persecution spark a period of intense tribulation but also resistance. (Bible Hub Chapter Summaries-Daniel 10)
8:9 The little horn came out of the four horns. Most agree that this little horn can only refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid ruler over Syria and Israel (175-163 B.C.), and for a short time over Egypt. In 167 B.C. Antiochus outlawed the Jewish religion, burned Jerusalem, killed multitudes of Jews, and forbade circumcision and other Jewish observances. On December 16, 167 B.C., he offered a sow on the altar outside the temple, the ultimate sacrilege to a Jew. This began the period of the Maccabean revolt. After three years of fighting, the Jews were able to restore temple worship in late 164 B.C. This rededication of the temple is still commemorated today in the eight-day Jewish holiday known as Hanukkah. (The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, KJV, 1988, pg. 1285-1286)
Verses 36-45: The Self-Exalting King
36 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 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 honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.39 Thus shall he do in the most strongholds 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.
11:35 The focus of the prophecy is changed to center on the Antichrist himself who, like Antiochus Epiphanes, will defile the temple and claim to be God. he will commit the abomination of desolation in the midst of the seventieth week of Jewish history, i.e., after the rapture of saints. The “time of the end” in Daniel never refers to the days just preceding the rapture but always to the time when Israel, under covenant with the Antichrist, takes up the sacrifices again. This is the tribulation time.The “time of the end” occurs in 8:17, and 19; 9:25, 11:35, 40, and 45, and in 12:4, 6, and 9. The three and a half years, or forty-two months, or 1,260 days of the great Tribulation are the time of the end for Israel. (The Rice Reference Bible,1981, pg.929)
11:36 Verse 36 features some details concerning the life, rule, and character of the Man of Sin, the Antichrist. Verse 45 indicates that the Antichrist will move his palace from Rome to Jerusalem where he will enter the sanctuary and claim to be God on earth. (The Rice Reference Bible,1981, pg.929)
The final verses describe a self-exalting king, who is interpreted in various ways by scholars. This king faces opposition but will meet a destined end.
Daniel 11, one of the most detailed and intricate chapters of prophetic scripture, outlines a series of future events relayed to Daniel by an angel. This chapter, rich in historical, political, and spiritual implications, delves into the rise and fall of empires, battles, and rulers, ultimately focusing on the enduring faith and resilience of those who remain true to God amidst turmoil. (Bible Hub Chapter Summaries-Daniel 10)
Themes
Prophecy and Prognostication
Kingdoms and Political Power Struggles
Spiritual Warfare
Faithfulness to God Amidst Turmoil
Divine Sovereignty
Topics
Prophetic History
Geopolitical Dynamics
Spiritual Resilience
Divine Intervention
People
Daniel
Angelic messenger
Kings of the South and North (representative of the Ptolemaic and Seleucid rulers)
A contemptible person (generally understood as Antiochus IV Epiphanes)
The prince of the covenant (interpreted as High Priest Onias III)
Locations
Persia
Greece
The Glorious Land (Israel)
Egypt
North and South Kingdoms
Tom Stearns, WASI Chaplain, 907 715-4001 chaplain@alaskaseniors.com
Leave a Reply