Sunday Sermons
Daniel 11
Chapter 11:1-20
11:1 “I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him”: In the previous chapter we found that Michael the archangel and an angelic messenger stood together against the evil that surrounded the Persian kingdom. “So God’s people have powerful opponents but they have powerful allies!” (McGuiggan p. 170). The person talking in Daniel 11:1 appears to still be the angelic messenger who had come to Daniel (11:10), and the person he is encouraging is either Darius or Michael.
11:2 “I will tell you the truth”: Of all the viewpoints and perspectives in the world, the Bible is the book that contains the truth(John 17:17). The section that follows in Daniel 11 can be challenging, but what we need to realize is that God is unfolding precise details about the future to Daniel. It is a section of Scripture that can increase our faith, that the Bible is indeed an inspired book (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and is given by the God who can indeed see the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). “Three more kings are going to arise in Persia”: In addition to Cyrus, the kings that would follow would include Cambyses, Darius I and Hystaspis. “Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them”: This would be the king mentioned in the book of Esther, Xerxes (Esther 1:3-4). “He will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece”: Under Xerxes the Persians attempted to conquer Greece in 480 B.C., but were soundly defeated at Salamis. From secular sources Xerxes is reported to have been very rich, indulgent, and to act habitually like a spoiled child, this is also the picture that we have of him in the Scriptures.
11:3 “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases”: From the time of the failed attempt to conquer Greece the Persian Empire began to wane, and Alexander the Great finally overwhelmed it.
11:4 “His kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to the authority which he wielded”: When Alexander died in 323 B.C. after conquering most of the known world, he left no heir. A son was born to his wife Roxana, after his death, but both mother and son were murdered. Alexander had many able generals, but there was not one that arose as his logical successor. As the prophecy states, his empire was divided up into four sections, among four of his generals, yet their rule will lack his success and power. “It is nothing short of supernatural and miraculous to observe how the actual history of this period, and this part of the world, and these people confirms in minute detail the prophecies here made by Daniel some 300 years before it transpired! The minuteness and detail of this eleventh chapter, and its actual fulfillment to the letter is the one major factor motivating the destructive critics of the Bible to place the book of Daniel as late as the 2nd century B.C. For if the book of Daniel was written near 600-500 B.C. his prediction of these details of history which can only have happened to the Ptolemies and Seleucids is proof-positive of supernatural revelation” (Butler p. 410).
Ptolemies and Seleucids
11:5 “Then the king of the South”: One of Alexander’s generals was Ptolemy TOL en mih) who received the territory of Egypt and southern Syria. The king of Egypt, Ptolemy shall be strong, and so will one of his generals, Seleucus (sih LOO kuhs) Nicator. “Who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion”: Three of Alexander’s generals had formed an alliance against Antigonus in 315 B.C. and defeated him in battle, but during this battle, Ptolemy had sat on the sidelines and had allowed Seleucus to do his fighting for him. As a result, the other generals decided that Seleucus should be sovereign over Syria and Palestine. As a matter of historical fact, the dominion of the family of Seleucus (the Seleucids) did actually exceed that of the Ptolemies. It reached from Phrygia in the west to the Indus River in the east.
11:6 “After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North”: Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II, shall marry the Seleucid king, Antiochus II, this marriage was done for political purposes and took place around 252 B.C. “But she will not retain her position of power”: Two years after this marriage was arranged, Ptolemy II was dead, and Antiochus divorced her and will return to a former wife. The former wife, Laodice, fearing lest her husband might again turn to Berenice, had him poisoned and encouraged her son to murder Berenice and her infant child.
11:7 “But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place”: In 245 B.C., Ptolemy III arises, who is the brother of Berenice. “And he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North”: The brother of Berenice attacks the Seleucid king, Seleucus II, son of Laodice, resulting in the Laodicean war, is very successful, gains a number of brilliant victories in northern Syria, completely subjugated it, and executes the murderess Laodice. 11:8 Ptolemy III returns home with plunder, and lives the rest of his reign in peace.
11:9 About 240 B.C. Seleucus II, succeeded in regaining lost territories as far south as Damascus, then proceeded to march against Ptolemy and was soundly defeated. No further attacks were made on Syria during the reign of Ptolemy III.
11:10 The “sons” are the sons of Seleucus III (226-223 B.C.), who died in battle in Asia Minor. History records that Antiochus III (son of Seleucus) attempted an invasion of Palestine in the summer of 221 B.C. He attempted another invasion in 219 B.C., and by 217 B.C. he had conquered all of Palestine and had reached the Egyptian frontier town of Raphia.
11:11 An Egyptian army under the personal command of Ptolemy met the Syrians south of Raphia, with an army of 70,000 infantry, 5000 cavalry and 73 war elephants, and defeated them. “Then the later will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former”: The Syrians lost in battle 10,000 infantry, 300 cavalry, 5 elephants and 4,000 lost as prisoners.
11:12 “His heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail”: Ptolemy IV will be elated by this success, however, he was too much of a playboy to utilize this success to the fullest. He resumed his life of luxury and dissolution and died in 203 B.C. without building up or strengthening his imperial fortifications.
11:13 While Ptolemy IV was living it up, Antiochus was making plans to attack, and this time with a larger force than before. The statement here in some translations, “at the end times”, does not refer to some supposed Antichrist coming at the end of the world, but simply describes the years intervening between Antiochus’ defeat in verse 12 and his victory in verse 13. The NASV renders this statement, “after an interval of some years”.
11:14 “The violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down”: At this time many warlike Jews allied themselves with Antiochus III, and thus helped him to victory, but this will be their undoing. The “vision” under consideration appears to be the vision in 9:25, that is, the troubling times that will come upon Israel in the years before the Messiah comes. “Many will rise against the king of the South”: Philip of Macedon and by some rebel forces or malcontents in Egypt joined Antiochus.
11:15 Near the sources of the Jordan, Scopas the Egyptian general, fled to the city of Sidon where Antiochus besieged him by land and sea. In the spring of 198 B.C. Scopas was forced to surrender, leaving all of Syria and Palestine in the hands of Antiochus.
11:16 The “glorious land” refers to Palestine, and Antiochus on this occasion will be unstoppable. The phrase “with destruction in his hand” might be interpreted to mean, “Having reached the height of victory, he falls under the dominion of pride and haughtiness by which he hastens on his ruin and overthrow” (Keil). Antiochus did not devastate the land at this time, but rather the destruction might be a corrupting influence upon God’s people.
11:17 “Bringing with him a proposal of peace”: “God not only knows historical events before they happen but also the schemes of men before they are even thought” (Butler p. 419). Antiochus did treat the Jews in an equitable way, he released Jerusalem from taxes for three years and he also sent a large sum of money for the service of the Temple, but all this was done to strengthen his hold on the people and establish a strong home front in Palestine. “He will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side”: In 198 B.C., in a treaty with Ptolemy V (204-181 B.C.), who was then only seven years old, Antiochus III betrothed his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy. The marriage was not consummated until five years later, and Antiochus had hoped by this marriage to gain advantage over the king of Egypt by trusting that his daughter would be her father’s ally rather than her husband’s. But, as history records, Cleopatra constantly sided with her husband over against her father; fulfilling the above words, “she will not take a stand for him or be on his side”.
11:18 “Then he will turn his face to the coastlands”: When Hannibal was defeated by the Romans at Zama (202 B.C.), bringing an end to the Punic War, he fled eastward and took refuge in the court of Antiochus III. Interested in stirring up trouble for Rome, Hannibal encouraged Antiochus to invade Greece. “But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover he will repay him for his scorn”: The Romans under the brilliant Cornelius Scipio defeated Antiochus (190 B.C.). He had to pay an enormous indemnity (15,000 talents or more), and surrender his war elephants and his navy. His younger son, later to rule as Antiochus IV (Epiphanes), was taken to Rome as hostage for repayment of the indemnity.
11:19 In 187 B.C., in order to replenish his exhausted treasury, he will march against the revolting Armenians and attempt to plunder their temple, but both he and his soldiers were slain by the Elamites. 11:20 The next rule was Seleucus IV (187-175 B.C.). He will send Heliodorus his prime minister, throughout his kingdom to raise money. Soon after the money-raising expedition Seleucus IV will be slain by Heliodorus as a political expedient.
“It very nearly overwhelms the finite mind of man to realize that Daniel is being told 200 years of history before it happens. Details such as partitioning of kingdoms, wars, victories and defeats, treaties, marriages, deaths, taxations, all before the people are born and the battles are fought, all predicted centuries in advance! The Bible is the Word of God! And this word reveals that God not only knows history before it happens, but He is also active in and directs history to serve His glorious purpose to redeem all from iniquity and purify for Himself a people of His own who are zealous for good works. His immediate purpose was to reveal to Daniel, and subsequently to the Jews, all that they must endure as a purifying process preparing them for their presentation of the Messiah” (Butler p. 420).
Chapter 11:21-45
11:21 “And in his place a despicable person will arise”: This is no other than the notorious Antiochus (IV) Epiphanes, who will reign from 175-164 B.C. The name “Epiphanes”, which Antiochus gave himself means “illustrious one”, the Jews called him “Epimanes”, which means “mad-man”. The Syrian kingdom was not given to Antiochus by right of succession; rather, he took it, from the expected heir. “And seize the kingdom by intrigue”: History records this man as being a master of intrigue and flattery. “His manner of taking the kingdom was catching people unawares in times when they thought things were safe and secure and by intrigue and deceit” (Butler p. 423).
11:22 Antiochus was successful in war against great armies like that of Ptolemy Vl (170 B.C.). This is a graphic picture when the armies of the Syrians and Ptolemies shall surge back and forth through the land of Palestine. “The prince of the covenant”: In the early days of his reign, Jerusalem was ruled by the High Priest, Onias II, a descendant of Simon the Just, a strictly orthodox Jew. The Jews who wanted to embrace Greek culture opposed Onias and backed the cause of his brother, Jason. By promising a larger tribute to Antiochus, Jason succeeded in gaining the High Priesthood, and Onias was murdered in 172 B.C. Jason, who had changed his name from the Hebrew “Joshua” to the Greek “Jason”, encouraged the Hebrews to adopt Greek ways and customs. During this period of time Hebrew ways and doctrines were looked upon as “behind the times” (Romans 12:1-2).
11:23 Through many devices of intrigue, flattery, and deception, and with a small army, Antiochus won a significant victory at Pelusium in Egypt. Many would make leagues with him but he will work deceitfully against his allies. In Egypt he pretended to support the cause of one nephew against another nephew, pretending that it was his nephew’s interests that had caused him to invade Egypt.
11:24 “He will accomplish what his fathers never did”: Lower Egypt (which is really the northern part of Egypt) was well known for its fertility and wealth. This is the region that Antiochus captured, something that his forefathers had not been able to do. “He will distribute plunder”: Antiochus lavished upon is troops a distribution of the plunder taken in conquest. “He will devise his schemes against strongholds”: Antiochus would enter one rich Egyptian city after another by deception, when the people actually thought he was bringing peace and security.
11:25-26 Antiochus was forced to return to Syria and quell a revolt in Cilicia, but then he attempted to invade Egypt again with a great army. In this expedition he came as close as ever to subduing the empire of the Ptolemies. The king of Egypt will go up against him with a large army, but he shall not stand, even his own friends (“those who eat his choice food”) undermine his success by giving poor military advice. The “king of the South”, Ptolemy IV (170 B.C.), will be defeated partly by sedition and desertion in and from his army.
11:27 “As for both kings”: Antiochus called a truce and met with Ptolemy Philometor at the conference table. Antiochus pretended to be conducting his campaign against Egypt in order to help Ptolemy regain total control of Egypt, and Ptolemy pretended to believe him. “For the end is still to come at the appointed time”: Obviously, this does not mean the “end of the world”. “All the apparent candor and joint projects discussed will mask only evil intentions. Neither of these kings will ultimately benefit anything since their end is appointed by God; both kingdoms will fall” (McGuiggan p. 175). Once again, there is that great lesson that powerful men and nations may scheme and plot, but God ultimately controls the timetable including the destiny of various nations (Jeremiah 18:5-10). In addition, two wicked rulers may try to work out a deceptive peace, but God can frustrate such plans.
11:28 Laden with the spoils of war, Antiochus returns to Syria, as he passes through Israel there is a burning hatred in this heart against the Jews, other documents such as 1 Maccabees 1:20-28 is a record of his plundering Palestine. “The prophecy here made by Daniel was intended to strengthen the Jews in that future time when it would appear as if evil were prospering under Antiochus; they were to understand that it was only temporary and that in the appointed time of God it would come to an end” (Butler p. 427). In like manner, various prophecies in the New Testament do encourage us to remain faithful (2 Timothy 4:2-4; 1 Timothy 4:1-4).
11:29 “At the appointed time”: That is, at the appointed time within God’s providence. This third expedition of Antiochus against Egypt was in the spring of 168 B.C. As the verse states, his efforts against Egypt did not fare well, in fact, he was humiliated. In Egypt, the two Ptolemy brothers were no longer at odds with each other, their sister Cleopatra, had succeeded in persuading them that their interests were the same, and besides, the brothers had sought the support of the Romans.
11:30 “Ships of Kittim”: Ships from Cyrus, a Roman dominion, bearing Roman envoys, came and ordered his withdrawal from Egypt. What happened is a famous historical episode that has often been retold. Antiochus, who was besieging Alexandria, was ordered by the Roman embassy to withdraw. Antiochus hesitated and sought to gain time, with his staff the head of the Roman embassy drew a circle about the king and told him that his decision must be reached before he stepped outside the circle, or else he would have to meet the Romans in war. Though vexed and agitated, he withdrew. Yet the rage he was unable to vent on Egypt was now turned against the Jews. He dispatched his general to occupy Jerusalem and in an attack on the Sabbath, he slaughtered large numbers of Jews. “Show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant”: Menelaus and his apostate Jewish followers assisted Antiochus’ forces.
11:31 Antiochus sought to force the Jewish people to embrace Greek culture and Greek gods. An elderly Athenian philosopher was sent to Jerusalem to supervise the enforcement of this order. He identified the God of Israel with Jupiter and ordered a bearded image of the pagan deity, to be set up upon the Temple altar. The faithful Jews referred to this as the “abomination of desolation”. Immoral rites were performed in the Temple courts, swine were sacrificed on the altar, the Jews were forbidden to circumcise, observe the Sabbath or the various feasts, and copies of the Hebrew Scriptures were destroyed.
11:32-33 “But the people who know their God will display strength and take action…yet they will fall by the sword”: Yet, God will have a faithful remnant (Romans 11:1-5). Great persecution always separates the chaff from the wheat. Faithful Jews arose who taught others the faithful way of God, but many of them shall suffer much for their faith. It is possible thatHebrews 11:32-40 may have reference to these times. Notice while the faithful hold on to God, the unfaithful become even more degenerate.
11:34-35 “They will be granted a little help”: This “little help” “probably refers to Judas Maccabeus whose efforts were valiant enough, but he was never able to put an end to all the distresses of the people” (Butler p. 433). Of course, during the same time there will be those who continue to spy for the enemy (“many will join with them in hypocrisy”). This suffering however would have a purifying effect on the faithful, as it always does (1 Peter 1:6-8). It did not take long to separate the hypocrites from the godly ones. “Until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time”: God has appointed the time when this troubles will end, that is, when Syrian domination ends with the coming of the Romans to Palestine.
11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases”: There are various speculations as to who “the king” is here. There is the premillenial view that this is some future “Antichrist”, yet: 1. Daniel has not been talking about the end of the world, but rather, things that would happen in the centuries leading up to the Messiah. 2. The Bible does not predict the emergence of a single “Antichrist”, but rather, anyone who opposes Jesus is an antichrist (1 John 2:18,22). 3. The scope of the book has consistently been to Rome and no further. McGuiggan feels that this king cannot be Antiochus because he never fought a war against Egypt after 168 B.C. (11:29,40), and he never conquered Libya and or Ethiopia (11:40-45). Others feel that this “king” represents the Roman Empire, with their Caesars, the empire that exists when God sets up His kingdom (Daniel 2:44).
11:36 “He will exalt and magnify himself above every god”: Both Antiochus and the Roman Caesars viewed themselves as divine. Antiochus proclaimed himself “God, Manifest, Victory-bearer”, and magnified himself above every god by plundering the temples at Jerusalem, Elymais, and other places. “The indignation is finished”: That is, the outpouring of God’s wrath. The king will be permitted to prosper until God is through with him as an instrument of punishment. “For that which is decreed will be done”: “Over and over again we are told that the times and the season are in the hand of God. There is much consolation there. The world is not, no matter how it looks, running in wild chaos. No trends take God by surprise; no movements come up on Him unexpectedly” (McGuiggan p. 180). 11:37 “There are numerous basic elements which move men. Family, religion, tradition, female companionship, home, etc. None of these things matter to this king in comparison to success and power” (McGuiggan p. 180). 11:38 “A god of fortresses”: “All strong fortresses and stratagems of war shall receive his adoration and worship. All who worship warfare and fortification will receive his support” (Butler p. 435). 11:39 “With the help of a foreign god”: His worship is only a political expediency. Whatever is necessary for gaining or holding on to power, he will do it. He will offer up sacrifices to the gods of anyone if it will gain his end. 11:40 “At the end time”: Not the end of the world, such a time is pictured as being one of normal conditions (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3). Rather, the end time is the period leading up to the Messiah, the time of the last empire of Daniel 2:44. Here we might have a prophecy concerning when the last of the Ptolemies move against the Romans. Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemy line, aided by Mark Antony begin the push against Rome, which will move Rome to declare war on Egypt. After a few successful land engagements against the Romans, Mark Antony is urged by Cleopatra to execute the war as a predominately naval affair. This was a grave mistake, the Romans finally overwhelmed Cleopatra at the battle of Actium in 31 B.C., and this ended the Ptolemy kingdom, the last vestige of the Greek empire. 11:41 Following the above battle, Octavian will appoint Herod as ruler over Palestine. 11:42-43 The entire country of Egypt surrendered to the Romans and came under direct Roman rule. “And Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels”: This may refer to the triumphal procession of Roman generals in which they showed off to the Senate and Roman people that they had conquered. Premillennialists try to make the Egyptians as those who oppose some future Antichrist, so much for the claim that they consistently take the Bible literally. They do the same thing in 11:40, where they tell us that this is a land battle, so we should not press the “ships” element. 11:44 The Parthians on the east and the Germanic tribes in the north were always giving the Romans trouble. 11:45 Though Rome will set its authority and rule in Palestine, this empire will also come to an end, and it will prosper until it has served God’s purpose.
