Daniel 11:1-9
Verse 1 is properly connected chapter 10:21; it throws interesting light on the behavior of Darius the Mede in chapter 6, explaining that king’s regard for Daniel, and his deep concern over the prophet’s being committed to the den of lions. Darius was now dead, and Cyrus reigned alone over the Mede-Persian empire.
The four kings of verse 2 are named in Scripture; Ezra 4:5-7 gives Ahasuerus (Camhyses), Artaxerxes (Pseudo-Smeis) and Darius (Davius Hystaspes); the book of Esther deals with another called Ahasuerus (Xerxes), the fourth king after Cyrus. “Ahasuerus” is believed to have been a title, like “Pharaoh” in. Egypt. There were nine kings of Persia after Xerxes, but the object in the Scriptures is never the mere recording of history; the four named had each a part in connection with God’s earthly people, and that is why they are mentioned. Nor was it the course of the later kings, but that of Xerxes in conquering Greece, that prompted the revengeful invasion of Persia’s dominions by Alexander the Great 143 years after Xerxes’ death.
Alexander, the “mighty king” of verse 3, the “he goat” of chapter 8:5-8, and the “great horn” of chapter 8:21, was 20 years of age when he began his career of rapid conquest. By the time he was 26 he had overthrown the rule of Persia and established the Grecian empire. He and his soldiers penetrated as far as the eastern tributary of the river Indus. The city of Alexandria, in Egypt, where the Septuagint (LXX) translation of the Old Testament into Greek was made after Alexander’s death, was founded by him.
As the prophecies in chapter 8 and verse 5 foretold, Alexander’s death at the age of 32 left the empire without a head; out of the rival schemes for power on the part of his principal men a breaking-up occurred, four presently dividing the bulk of the empire among themselves. With but two of these is Scripture concerned, because the others did not interfere with the Jews or their land in any way general Selencus became the first king of the north (Syria), and Ptolemy, another of his generals, was the first king of the south (Egypt). Seleucus was more powerful than Ptolemy (verse 5 has been rendered “ ... .but another shall be stronger than he and have dominion.”)
Verse 6: In fulfilment of this passage, Ptolemy II gave his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus II, the third “king of the north”. The two countries had been at war and this was a condition of peace, but the former wife, of Antiochus killed him and brought about the, death of Berenice and her son. The second Ptolemy was now dead, the third, Berenice’s brother (verse 7: “out of a branch of her roots”), avenged his sister’s death by attacking Syria and carrying off into Egypt their gods, their princes and their precious vessels. The third Ptolemy outlived the third and fourth kings of the north (verse 8); but war continued between the two countries for the northern king invaded the realm of the king of the south, and returned to his own land (verse 9, N.T.).
Why is any account of these kings given in the Word of God? Because Israel, and Israel’s land—God’s land—were concerned. In these contests between the kings of the north and the south; that land was ravaged and the Jews suffered severely. What we have been reading in verses 2-9 covers a period of three hundred years, from. B.C. 529 to B.C. 222.
Men without faith have ever scoffed at the Word of God; they deny its inspiration, and because of its accurate foretelling of events which have since become history, they assert that the chapter before us and other passages were written after the events transpired, “Daniel the prophet” is quite sufficiently accredited by the Lord, as in Matthew 24:15.
Daniel 11:10-27
It was pointed out that verse 9 refers to an invasion of Egypt’s dominions by Syria; the best reading is “And (the same) shall come into the realm of the king of the south, but shall return into his own land.” Verse 10 describes the unsuccessful efforts of the fifth and sixth kings of the north to subdue the fourth king of the south; their defeat filled the latter with pride (verse 12).
The fourth Ptolemy died after recovering the land of Israel from the king of the north, and his successor was a child of. The sixth king of the north, Antiochus the Great, thereupon, with the aid of the king of Macedonia, proceeded to take possession of all he could of the dominions of Egypt. Many of the Jews, the “robbers”, or violent ones among them, sided with Antiochus, who seemed irresistible; Rome, now becoming a power to be reckoned with, was, however, appealed to by Egypt, and Antiochus was told to leave that country alone. However, he had seized the land of Israel, the “glorious land”, or the land of beauty (verse 16). An army from Egypt regained it, but Antiochus again got possession.
“The daughter of women” (verse 17) was Antiochus’ daughter Cleopatra, whom he moved the young king of Egypt to marry, hoping that she would serve his own ends but she proved to be loyal to her husband. Then Antiochus seized many islands of Greece, an act which aroused Rome, and Lucius Scipio, the “prince” of verse 18, was sent against him with an army decisive blow, so that he to relinquish much of his territory and pay a large sum to the victors, Mule robbing, a temple in order to get gold fur the Roman demands, he was killed. Seleucus IV is the next northern king whose chief occupation was raising the money to pay the debt to Rome; he was poisoned one of his sons (verses 19-20).
Verse 21 begins the inspired account of a very wicked man, Antiochus Epiphanes, the eighth king of the north. He was a “vile person,” not the heir to the throne, but obtained it by flattery, Opposition to him was unsuccessful; a league was made with him, but after it he worked deceitfully, becoming strong with a small people. His power and wealth increasing, he squandered much, while continuing to plan the capture of the fortified places (of Syria which held out against the usurper of the throne, we may suppose).
Having established himself in the ride of Syria, Antiochus Epiphanes, like his predecessors began to war against Egypt, and the latter met him with a yet greater army, but there, was treachery in the Egyptian court, and the army was dissolved. A treaty of peace was made between the two kings, but both of them were deceitful; they “spoke lies at one table”, and lasting peace was at obtained. Such is the manner of men shell God is not acknowledged.
God had not forgotten his earthly people, though not a prophet of whom we have knowledge was raised up after Malachi’s and Nehemiah’s inspired records were closed, two hundred years before the time we have now reached. The Jews had already suffered much under the contentions of the kings of the north and the south, it far greater sorrows were shortly to be theirs. Malachi had brought the most solemn charges against them wit had returned from Babylonian captivity. but as a body there was no repentance; when the Word of God is rejected, He will not long delay His judgments, as we shall see.
Daniel 11:28-35
Verse 28: The king of the north whose exploits we ban to read in verse 21, Antiochus Epiphanes, returned, as here foretold, from his war with the king of the south greatly enriched. His heart was “against the holy covenant”, against the Jews who lived in the land God promised to Abraham and gave to their fathers. A poor and feeble people, they had learned in the sorrows of the captivity that the one true God who kept His covenant with them was more worthy of their confidence than the hosts of idols they had worshiped; not since the seventy years spent in Babylon have the Jews been idolaters.
The name of “Epiphanes” taken by Antiochus, means “illustrious”, but he was the opposite,—a degraded, morally abominable man, given a place in the prophetic Scriptures because of his cruelty to the Jews, and that he foreshadowed future enemies, including the king of the north, who will come up against them in the coming day of trial.
Verses 29-32: Antiochus was not long at rest in Syria; his ambition and his former success in humiliating Egypt, led him forth again with his armies, but now “the ships of Chittim”—Rome’s navy and soldiers—came against him, as in verse 18, an earlier check was put by the Roman legions upon his predecessor. The Roman consul came to Antiochus and forbade his going further with his plans of conquest, and even drew a circle round him when he delayed giving his promise, insisting on a reply before the king stepped over the line.
Humiliated and filled with rage, Antiochus returned to Syria, and found in the defenseless Jews, a people upon whom he could vent his wrath, for a time at least, without hindrance. First, he got advantage over them by flattery and deceit, making friends with the apostate Jews; later he resorted to violence. He was determined to stamp out the worship of the true God, and to substitute heathen worship, especially that of Jupiter Olympus. Because they stood in the way of his success, Antiochus treated the Jewish leaders with great cruelty, degrading them (see chapter 8:9-14). He enforced idolatry in the temple itself, stopping-the daily sacrifices under the law. of Moses, and setting up an image even in the holy of holies, —the “Abomination of him that desolates”, as the expression in verse 31 may be rendered. All the Jews who resisted Antiochus were put to death.
Verses 32-35. “The people that do know their God,” led by the Maccabees and others, were able at last, with some help from the Romans, to drive the oppressor out of their country, the temple was cleansed and the Jewish worship was resumed. However, the trials of the Jews did not end with the departure of this wicked king, for a long period of sorrow and trouble followed with the Romans at last taking over the government of the country, as it was when the Lord Jesus was on earth.
The prophecies of chapter 11 to this point (verse 35) have been fulfilled. What follows belongs to the future, not now far distant.
Daniel 11:36-39
At verse 36 of our chapter a new person is abruptly introduced into the prophecy, — “the king”. It is not “the king of the north”, or “the king of the south”, both of whom are mentioned as his enemies in verse 40, but a king of the Jews who has not yet reigned, of whom other Scriptures tell. In Antiochus Epiphanes, and in Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar and Darius, God has shown both the character and the actions of the principal oppressors of His people in a time soon to come, for the purpose of preparing those who, at that time trusting Him, are to pass through those fearful experiences.
“The king” of verse 36 is mentioned as such in Isaiah 30:33 and 57:9. He is referred to as the “idol shepherd” in Zechariah 11:15-17. It is he of whom the Lord spoke in John 5:43: “If another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.”
2 Thess. 2:3-10 tells of him as the “man of sin”, and “that wicked”; the First Epistle of John names him “the Antichrist”, and in the Rev. (13:11-18, and chapters 16 and 19), he is the miracle-working false prophet. All of these passages, and others in the Psalms declare his wickedness.
This false king of the Jews—how he will attain the title is not disclosed by the Scriptures—will be a man of great self-will—the very opposite of Him who is the true King (John 4:34; 5:30), Whose obedience is set before believers as their pattern (1 Peter 1:2; Phil. 2:8). He will exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, hesitating not to speak with great daring against the true God, who will permit him to prosper until “the indignation” is accomplished. Isaiah 5, and many other passages have foretold the pouring out of God’s righteous indignation upon Israel, and “that that is determined shall be done”, this wicked man unconsciously serving His purposes.
Verse 37 shows that the false king is a Jew for he shall not regard the God of his fathers. “The desire of women” refers to the hope of Jewish women to be the mother of the Messiah: He will have no regard for Christ the Son of God. Yet, while he sets himself as superior to all, there will be an object or being whom he will venerate: “the god of forces”, a god, whom his fathers knew not. Is it a pagan god of war, associated with his connection with the Roman Empire yet to be revived as when the Lord was on earth? The Scriptures tell no more, and we need not speculate; it is enough that he who claims to be above all, will yet venerate a superior power which, not being divine, can only be of Satan. The king will divide the land (of Israel) among those who are in league with him (verse 39).
God will allow all this, and more, to go on in the land of His choice, It belongs to the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) during which the Jews will be gathered in great numbers in the Holy Land, and they will be confirmed in its possession by a covenant between themselves (or “the many”—the unbelieving majority), and the last head of the Roman Empire, for the period of 7 years (chapter 9:27).
Daniel 11:40-45
“At the time of the end” (verse 40) carries the reader on to a time immediately before the Lord’s appearing. The seven-year period forming the last of the seventy weeks foretold in Daniel 9:24 will be nearing its end, when the king of the south (Egypt) will attack the false king of the Jews. The king of the north (Turkey, with certain allies, as it would appear) will then invade the south with a great force moving very fast before which resistance will be difficult. He will enter into other countries, and pass over to “the glorious land” (the land of Israel), but Edom; and Moab and the chief of the children of Ammon will escape. Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia fall into his hands. Isaiah 28, and the judgment of “Ariel” (Jerusalem) in chapter 29; also Zechariah 12 and 14, should be read in connection with what is given in the book of Daniel, but many other passages may be profitably examined, as the king of the north of the last days is repeatedly referred to in Old Testament prophecies as the Assyrian”.
While the victor is far south of Israel’s land, news that troubles him will come out of the east and the north. Whatever it may be (for Scripture does not tell), it causes the king of the north to return northward with great fury (verse 44). He will proceed to Jerusalem, and there, or near there, he and his armies will come to their end. (See Isaiah 30:3). For the Lord will then have descended and delivered His earthly saints out of the hands of their enemies, and the false king will have been judged.