Daniel 11:13-27
Wars Until the End ~ Part
2
Pray
Intro
√ Wars until the end
You’ll remember that we said in our last study that the prophecy of Daniel chapter 11 is one of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible!
It is most specific prophecy in scripture, describing historical events from the 6th Century B.C….
…up to the present day, and to the end of human history, in more detail that any other prophecy!
The emphasis of the prophecy deals with the descendants of two of Alexander's generals who would war over, through and for…
…the land of Daniel’s people, the Jews.
Ap.
One of the truths that Daniel 11 drives home is that God’s
prophetic plan for the entire world revolves
around the events in
That is, when
…you know that you’re living in days spoken of by God through His holy prophets.
That hasn’t always been true because there were almost 2,000
years of human history without a nation named “
Ex. The wisdom of Man
“The Jewish Cemetery at
How strange it seems! These Hebrews in their graves,
close by the street of this fair seaport town…
…And thus forever with reverted look,
The mystic volume of the world they read,
Spelling it backward, like a Hebrew book,
Till life became a Legend of the Dead.
But ah! what once has been shall be no more!
The groaning earth in travail and in pain
Brings forth its races, but does not restore,
And the dead nations never rise again.
But, what Longfellow and his contemporaries esteemed as dead…
…God promised would live again!
Signaling that once again we’re living in prophetic times!
North and South (vs. 5-45)
√ North and South
We left off with the account of Ptolemy IV taking revenge
for the murder of his sister by invading the
Because of that loss Antiochus was forced to give back
dominion over the
Ah, but the wars aren’t over!
The Angel provides us more details of the wars that will be
waged between the descendants of Alexander’s generals, Ptolemy (Southern
Kingdom) and Seleucus (
…for control of the
We’ll go slowly through this section as there is so much detail given!
The North stages a comeback (vs. 13-16)
Dan. 11:13 For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
Dan. 11:14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall.
Dan. 11:15 So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist.
Dan. 11:16 But he
who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall
stand against him. He shall stand in the
√ The North stages a comeback!
The quick overview is that the Angel tells Daniel that the victory of the king of the South won’t last…
…but that the king of the North will return to fight again, and this time will be victorious.
6) The King of the North (vs. 13)
Dan. 11:13 For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment.
We’re told that the King of the North will…
Muster a greater army than the first one he had and attack the king of the South.
This was fulfilled when Antiochus
III invaded
7) Many shall rise up (vs. 14)
Dan. 11:14 “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall.
This is fascinating because the prophecy tells us that the king of the North won’t act alone, rather, he will have the help of allies!
Allies
Historically fulfilled when Antiochus III (also called
“great”) made a secret treaty with Philip
of Macedonia (not Alexander’s father), against Ptolemy V, and wrested
Some Jews will help
The Angel also tells Daniel that some of the Jews living in the
This was because the Jewish people resented the rule of Ptolemy and thought that Antiochus would grant them freedom in exchange for their help.
But, notice at the end of vs. 14 we’re told that the Jews would fall, that is, they would not prosper under Antiochus as they had hoped.
8) Take the city by siege (vs. 15)
Dan. 11:15 So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist.
In 203-198 B.C., Antiochus
placed a siege upon the city of
As predicted the city was not able to withstand the siege and was taken by Antiochus.
With
9) Northern king will rule with an iron fist (vs. 16)
Dan. 11:16 But he
who comes against him shall do according
to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the
The Jews initially welcomed Antiochus III as a liberator
from Egyptian rule, but soon discovered that their decision to support him was
unwise as he turned his anger and destruction upon Judea, “the
10) Another wedding for peace! (vs. 17)
Dan. 11:17 “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 to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him.
Give his daughter
Get the picture! The Angel tells us that the king of the North is going to try and gain control over the Southern Kingdom, not by military conquest…
…but by giving his daughter to the king of the South!
Manipulating both his daughter and her future husband!
Nice dad!
This was literally fulfilled when Antiochus III gave his
daughter Cleopatra in marriage
to Ptolemy V of
He did this hoping to gain permanent influence and
eventually control in
But, the plan did not succeed because Cleopatra wasn't faithful to her husband ~ just like God predicted!!
“…but she shall not stand with him, or be for him.”
So, the two kingdoms remained divided and Antiochus turned his attention and military efforts to other areas.
11) An unhappy end for the King of the North (vs. 18-19)
Dan. 11:18 After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him.
Dan. 11:19 Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
The coastlands
After the disappointing effort to take the Southern Kingdom through the marriage of his daughter we’re told that the king of the North will turn his efforts towards the coastlands…
…until he is stopped by one formerly under reproach, until he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.
The NKJV reads a bit awkward here.
The NLT reads easier…
Dan. 11:18 After this, he will turn his attention to the coastal cities and conquer many. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and will cause him to retreat in shame.
This was fulfilled when Antiochus III turned his attention
towards the areas of Asia Minor and
He was encouraged by Hannibal, the famous general from
But a Roman General, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, defeated
Antiochus in
He returned home and took shelter in the city of
Stumble, fall, & not be found
After two defeats at the hand of the Romans, Antiochus III, so-called “great”, had a not so great ending.
Needing money badly to pay tribute to
…he resorted to pillaging a Babylonian temple, the
Remember, Daniel is being told all of this somewhere around 538 B.C. ~ 351 years before it happens!
12) The brief reign of the next king of the North (vs. 20)
Dan. 11:20 “There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.
There shall arise in his place
After the death of the Antiochus the Great we’re told that his successor will raise taxes and come to an early grave.
This was fulfilled in the brief reign of Seleucus IV, the oldest son of Antiochus III.
He placed a heavy tax on his dominion (including the
glorious kingdom, the Holy Land) to pay tribute to
He sent his ambassador Heliodorus to pillage the
…who refused to carry out the orders after he had an angelic vision of warning (ref. Macabees)!
Within a few days he shall be destroyed
The Angel also reveals that this king will not last long, but that his death would not be in anger or battle (as was his dad’s).
Rather, history tells us that Seleucus IV was assassinated in cold blood…
…probably by his brother Antiochus IV who wanted the throne!
And you thought American politics was corrupt! J
The worst of the bunch! (vs. 21-35)
√ The worst of the bunch
The next section, verses 21-35, detail the main events in the life of the worst king (historically) who would rule over Daniel’s people and land.
His name was Antiochus IV, though he called himself Antiochus Epiphanies (“illustrious one”), but whom God calls…
“a vile person” ~ vs. 21
He is also known in the Bible as…
“the little horn” ~ Dan. 8:9-12 & 23-25
He is a type of the
future Antichrist as revealed through his persecution of the Jewish
people, his desecration of the
God gives us more information on him than all the previous kings combined! Probably because he foreshadows the other “little horn” (ref. Dan. 7:8) the Antichrist.
13) The vile person comes to power (vs. 21-22)
Dan. 11:21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
Dan. 11:22 With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant.
The angel told Daniel that after the brief reign of the former king of the North, the next king would be a vile person. He would not be recognized as royalty, but would take power by intrigue.
Antiochus IV did not come to the throne legitimately, in part because it was strongly suspected that he murdered his older brother, the previous king.
The other potential heir (the son of Seleucus IV ~ Demetrius
Soter) was imprisoned in
He shall come in peaceably
Apart from the murder of his older brother, Antiochus IV didn't use terror to gain power. Instead, he used flattery, smooth promises and intrigue (secret scheming & plotting).
One commentator (Clarke) writes…
"He flattered Eumenes, king of Pergamus, and Attalus his brother, and got their assistance. He flattered the Romans, and sent ambassadors to court their favor, and pay them the arrears of the tribute. He flattered the Syrians, and gained their concurrence."
The point is that Antiochus came to power just as God said he would…
…with a sharp tongue, not a sharp sword!
He shall remove all opposition
Vs. 22 tells us that his enemies will be swept away, including the…
“prince of the covenant”
…the title of the high priest in
Historically that was Onias III, a priest in the line of Zadok, whom Antiochus removed from power.
Once again a foreshadowing of the future Antichrist who will remove all religious opposition that he might consolidate his power.
14) His 1st attack on the king of the South (vs. 23-27)
Dan. 11:23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people.
Dan. 11:24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.
Dan. 11:25 “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 devise plans against him.
Dan. 11:26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain.
Dan. 11:27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.
He shall act deceitfully
The angel tells Daniel that the Antiochus will then try to defeat the king of the South with trickery.
This was fulfilled when Antiochus Epiphanes marched his army
to the very border of
Antiochus won the battle and captured Ptolemy, but was
concerned that he might draw
But, neither man was sincere ~ they were both trying to deceive the other while eating at the same table!
Antiochus wanted to gain rule over
…Ptolemy was already planning to rebel as soon as Antiochus
went home (with
The end result as God predicted was that their “dinner deception” didn’t end with the dessert they desired!