Daniel 11 Daniel's Vision of the Kings

1 11 And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.)

2 The Kings of the South and the North
“Now then, I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

3 Then a mighty king will appear, who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.

4 After he has appeared, his empire will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven. It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to others.

5 “The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power.

6 After some years, they will become allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her power, and he and his power will not last. In those days she will be handed over, together with her royal escort and her father and the one who supported her.

7 “One from her family line will arise to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be victorious.

8 He will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some years he will leave the king of the North alone.

9 Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own country.

10 His sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far as his fortress.

11 “Then the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will be defeated.

12 When the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not remain triumphant.

13 For the king of the North will muster another army, larger than the first; and after several years, he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.

14 “In those times many will rise against the king of the South. The violent men among your own people will rebel in fulfillment of the vision, but without success.

15 Then the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to stand.

16 The invader will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him. He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have the power to destroy it.

17 He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him.

18 Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back upon him.

19 After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.

20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

21 “He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.

22 Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.

23 After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power.

24 When the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.

25 “With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him.

26 Those who eat from the king’s provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle.

27 The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed time.

28 The king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.

29 “At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before.

30 Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.

31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.

32 With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.

33 “Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.

34 When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them.

35 Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

36 The King Who Exalts Himself
“The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.

37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.

38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts.

39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.

41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand.

42 He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.

43 He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission.

44 But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.

45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

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Analysis of Daniel Chapter 11

Chapter 11 of the Book of Daniel largely details a vision received by Daniel, one involving a long-drawn-out prophecy covering the future of Persia, Greece, and eventually, apocalyptic events. The chapter is replete with intricate prophecies, many of which are understood to have been fulfilled by historical events. This analysis aims to delve deep into these verses, providing a clearer understanding of the prophetic language and its fulfillment.

Verse-by-Verse Analysis

Verses 1-4: The Persian Empire and Alexander the Great

The chapter begins with a focus on the future of the Persian Empire. Verse 1 explicitly identifies the speaker as an angelic being who has been supporting and defending the Medo-Persian kings. Verse 2 outlines that three more Persian kings will arise, followed by a fourth king richer and more powerful, stirring up conflict against Greece. Historically, this is consistent with the reigns of Cambyses, Bardiya, Darius I, and Xerxes I. Xerxes is widely recognized for his immense wealth and military campaigns against Greece.

Verses 3-4 proceed to describe a mighty king who would arise and break the power of Persia, widely interpreted as Alexander the Great. His kingdom, however, would not last long after his death, as his empire was divided among his four generals (the Diadochi). These verses highlight the fragmentation and subsequent power struggles that marked the Hellenistic period following Alexander’s demise.

Verses 5-20: The Kings of the North and South

These verses detail the conflict between the Ptolemaic Kingdom in the south and the Seleucid Kingdom in the north. Verse 5 introduces the king of the South, understood historically as Ptolemy I Soter, one of Alexander’s generals who took control of Egypt. The king of the North is identified as one of Alexander’s other generals, Seleucus I Nicator, who controlled a vast region including Syria.

The subsequent verses narrate a series of alliances, betrayals, and battles between these two dynasties. For example, verse 6 speaks of an attempted alliance through marriage, typically understood as the marriage between Antiochus II (Seleucid) and Berenice (Ptolemaic). However, this alliance ultimately failed, leading to further strife. Historically, this was a period filled with political intrigue and shifting powers between these two realms.

Verses 7-9 describe the rise of a new leader from Berenice’s lineage, who wages war against the king of the North. Historically, this corresponds to Ptolemy III Euergetes’ campaign avenging his sister’s death. Verses 10-20 continue detailing further military campaigns, captures, and power struggles, eventually leading to the rise of a contemptible person (Antiochus IV Epiphanes) who would become a significant figure in the latter part of this chapter.

Verses 21-35: Antiochus IV Epiphanes

This section focuses on the reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a significant antagonist in Jewish history. Verses 21-24 describe him as a vile person who comes to power through deceit and cunning, not through traditional royal succession. Antiochus’ reign was marked by aggressive Hellenization policies and severe persecution of the Jewish people.

Verses 25-28 detail his military campaigns, particularly against Egypt (the king of the South), and his eventual return to his own land with great riches. Importantly, verses 29-30 indicate a shift in his fortunes with his second Egyptian campaign failing due to Roman intervention. This historical event is corroborated by Roman diplomatic missions that forced Antiochus to withdraw from Egypt.

Verses 31-35 provide a vivid description of Antiochus’ atrocities, particularly the desecration of the Jewish temple, referred to as the “abomination that causes desolation.” This included setting up an altar to Zeus in the Jewish temple and prohibiting Jewish practices. The resistance movement led by the Maccabees is also alluded to in these verses, as they rose in revolt against Antiochus’ harsh decrees.

Verses 36-45: The Antichrist Figure and End Times

The final portion of the chapter shifts from historical fulfillment to eschatological prophecy. Verses 36-39 describe a king who exalts himself above all gods and speaks blasphemies. This figure is often interpreted as a typology of the Antichrist, a future ruler who embodies ultimate rebellion against God.

Verses 40-45 focus on the end-time conflicts involving this king. It describes a series of wars, alliances, and shifts in power culminating in the king’s ultimate demise. These verses are seen as a composite of near-term fulfillment during the Hellenistic period and future apocalyptic events preceding the end of the world.

Theological and Prophetic Implications

Chapter 11 is pivotal for understanding the interplay between prophecy and history in the Bible. It provides a detailed, accurate outline of historical events up to a certain point, and then transitions to apocalyptic prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled. This duality illustrates the multi-layered nature of biblical prophecy, serving both as historical record and future-looking revelation.

The precision in the prophetic details concerning the Persian Empire, the rise and fall of Alexander the Great, the succession wars among his generals, and the tyrannical reign of Antiochus IV Epiphanes enhance our appreciation of God’s omniscience and sovereignty over history. Furthermore, the swift transition to end-times prophecies towards the chapter’s end signals the continuous unfolding of God’s plan for humanity, culminating in the ultimate defeat of evil and establishment of His Kingdom.

Faith and Perseverance

One of the main takeaways from this chapter is the call for faith and perseverance amidst persecution. The Jews suffering under Antiochus’ brutal policies needed to remember God’s promises and hold firm in their faith. Similarly, the future tribulations highlighted towards the chapter’s end serve as a reminder for believers to remain steadfast, knowing that God’s ultimate victory is assured.

Conclusion

Daniel Chapter 11 is a remarkable piece of biblical literature that seamlessly interweaves historical events with divine prophecy. The level of detail provided in the prophecies is not only astounding but also serves as an affirmation of the Bible’s divine inspiration. This chapter calls on believers to develop a deeper understanding of God’s sovereignty over human history and to find strength and hope in His ultimate plans for redemption and justice.

Understanding the Key Messages in Daniel 11: Insights and Explanation

In Daniel 11, the angel Gabriel reveals to Daniel a detailed prophecy about the future kings and kingdoms that will rise and fall. The vision includes the rise of powerful Persian and Greek rulers, as well as conflicts between the kings of the North and the South. Ultimately, God's ultimate plan for His people will prevail.

Notes

This chapter contains a highly detailed prophecy that includes historical events that took place after Daniel's time. It is important to approach this chapter with caution and consult reputable commentaries for deeper understanding.