Daniel 11:2-12:13
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[READING - 1 John 2:18]
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] Daniel is concerned about God’s people. Some of them have returned to the Promised Land to rebuild Jerusalem, but the work has stopped. The work stoppage started Daniel praying. When the answer to his prayer finally arrived, Daniel learned there were spiritual forces of evil working against God’s people. Now Daniel will be shown things to come for God’s people.
What Daniel is shown spans from Daniel’s place in history to the end of history.
[CIT] In Daniel 11:2-12:13, Daniel is shown wars and rumors of wars, nation rising against nation, kingdom against kingdom; and then Daniel is shown the end.
[INTER] How are God’s people to live in an age of conflicts? How are God’s people to live as we approach the time of the end?
[PROP] As we’ll see, we can live assured of God’s protection, committed to righteousness, understanding the days, enduring to the end.
[TS] We’ll look at the rest of Daniel in three PARTS…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
PART #1: Many antichrists will appear (Dan. 11:2-35)
PART #1: Many antichrists will appear (Dan. 11:2-35)
“And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. “But as soon as he has arisen, 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 his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them. “Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. “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 to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times. “But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. “Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years. “Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land. “His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress. “The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former. “When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail. “For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment. “Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down. “Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. “But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. “He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; 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. “Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. “So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more. “Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle. “In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. “The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. “After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. “In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. “He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. “Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain. “As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. “Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land. “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. “For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. “Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. “By smooth words he will turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant, but the people who know their God will display strength and take action. “Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. “Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. “Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.
[EXP] The three more kings in Persia, then a fourth after Cyrus were…
…Cambyses…
…Smerdis…
…Darius 1 Hystaspes…
…and Xerxes or Ahasuerus as he is called in the book of Esther.
Persian kings after Xerxes are perhaps not mentioned because Persian power began to fade when Xerxes failed to win his battle against the Greeks in 481-479 B.C.
The mighty king in v. 3 is Alexander the Great.
After he died in 323 B.C. his kingdom was divided up among four of his generals none of who were his descendents.
Verse 4 describes the division as according to the four points of the compass, which leads us to v. 5.
The king of the South who will grow strong is Ptolemy I Soter of Egypt who ruled from about 323-285 B.C.
From this point forward in Daniel 11, the kings of the South refers to the Ptolemies who ruled from Egypt, and the kings of the North refers to Seleucids who ruled from Syria.
Ptolemy I Soter was one of Alexander the Great’s generals as was Seleucus I Nicator.
Seleucus I Nicator was given Babylon to rule when Alexander died, but he was soon run out of Babylon by another of Alexander’s generals, Antigonus I Monophthalmus.
Seleucus fled to Egypt to serve Ptolemy I Soter as one of his princes as v. 5 says, but Antigonus of Babylon was soon defeated, and Seleucus returned to Babylon to reclaim his former rule.
Soon Seleucus was more powerful than Ptolemy I Soter, whom he used to serve, taking over Babylon, Syria, and Media.
There was constant conflict between the kings of the south (the Ptolemies) and the kings of the north (the Seleucids) but about 250 B.C. Ptolemy II Philadelphus tried to make peace with Antiochus II Theos by sending his daughter Bernice to marry him. This is the daughter of the king of the South who would come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful agreement in v. 6.
But as you can see there she would not retain her position of power. Antiochus II planned to divorce his first wife, Laodice, and deny her sons the right to the throne, so he could marry Berenice and have a child.
In response Laodice had Antiochus II and Berenice poisoned.
In that same year, the one who sired Berenice, her father, Ptolemy II Philadelphus, would also die in Egypt.
When Ptolemy II died, he was succeeded by a branch from her roots, Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes who ruled from 246-221 B.C.
In retaliation for the death of his sister, he came against the army and entered the fortress of the king of the North (v. 7).
As v. 8 says he took Syria’s gods and precious vessels of silver and gold back to Egypt, but then refrained from attacking the king of the North.
The king of the North, Seleucus II Callinicus, would however attempt to enter Egypt but quickly retreat as v. 9 says.
After Seleucus II Callinicus died, his sons, Seleucus III Ceraunus and Antiochus III the Great, continued to mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces to attack the king of the South (v. 10).
Seleucus III was murdered after a short reign but his brother, Antiochus III, kept on coming up to the very fortress of the king of the South.
This fortress was in Raphia, which was southwest of Gaza.
The king of the South, Ptolemy IV Philopater, was enraged and went forth to fight with the king of the North whose great multitude was given into Ptolemy IV’s hand (v. 11).
The victory encouraged Ptolemy IV, but the encouragement wouldn’t last long. As v. 12 says, “…he will not prevail.”
After about 15 years, Antiochus III pressed on with a great army and much equipment (v. 13). Ptolemy IV had just died and Antiochus III hoped to take advantage of Ptolemy V’s inexperience.
These were unstable times for the Ptolemies; even some from among (Daniel’s) own people would rebel against the Ptolemies, preferring Seleucid rule, but the rebellion would not work (v. 14).
General Scopas of the Egyptian army put down the rebellion and punished those Jews who led it.
The king of the North, Antiochus III, defeated the Egyptian General Scopas at the battle of Panium (which in the NT is Caesarea Philippi) in 198 B.C. The king of the North (i.e., the Seleucids) then ruled over Phoenicia, just north of the Promised Land, and over the Promised Land itself until the Roman’s took control of it in 63 B.C. (vv. 15-16).
As v. 17 prophesies, Antiochus III would then come to Egypt with a peace offering, even offering his daughter to Ptolemy V in marriage in hopes that his grandchildren would one day rule Egypt.
Antiochus III’s plans didn’t work because his daughter, Cleopatra (not the famous one), was loyal to her husband, Ptolemy V.
Antiochus III then turned to the coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea (v. 18). Although initially successful, he was defeated by Roman and Greek troops.
He was made to sign a peace treaty 188 B.C.
He had to surrender territory, surrender much of his military force, and surrender 20 hostages, one of whom was his son Anitochus IV Ephiphanes.
He was also forced to pay a tribute to Rome.
When he returned home, he stumbled and fell and was found no more; he was killed by an angry mob while trying to rob the temple of Zeus to pay the tribute to Rome.
Antiochus III the Great’s son, Seleucus IV Philopater, then ruled as king of the North from 187-175 B.C.
He sent an oppressor (a tax-collector named Heliodorus) through the Jewel of his kingdom (which is probably a reference to Jerusalem and its temple) to collect the money necessary to pay the Roman tribute.
He even thought about plundering the temple in Jersualem, but though better of it after being warned against it in a dream (cf. 2 Macc. 3:7-40).
Seleucus IV died not in anger nor in battle, but by being poisoned by his own tax collector, Heliodorus.
In his place a despicable person arose, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who reigned from 175-164 B.C.
Antiochus took the name Epiphanes, which means ‘manifest,’ because he thought of himself as ‘God manifest.’
Others called him Antiochus Epimanes, which means ‘madman.’
Antiochus was not the rightful heir to the throne of the Seleucid kingdom as v. 21 says, but because Seleucus IV’s son, Demetrius, was imprisoned in Rome, Antiochus took the throne by intrigue or flatteries, paying off the right people to secure power.
The kings of the South wouldn’t be able to stand before Antiochus IV; even the prince of the covenant would fall to him (v. 22).
This is likely a reference to Onias III, Israel’s high priest, who was murdered by his own brother at the request of Antiochus IV in 171 B.C.
Verse 23 says that after an alliance is made with him Antiochus will practice deception.
When two kings of the South were vying for power, Antiochus saw it as an opportunity to increase the extent of his rule into Egypt.
Eventually he gained power with a small force of people, conquering the Egyptian city of Memphis and all the rest of Egypt to Alexandria.
In a time of tranquility (v. 24), which means at a time unexpected, Antiochus plundered the richest parts of Egypt and divided the riches among his supporters and soldiers, but this would only last so long.
Verses 25-27 seem to step back to Antiochus’ first battle with Egypt, explaining in more detail how the king of the South, Ptolemy VI Philometer, was defeated.
Schemes were devised against Ptolemy VI (v. 25), which means he was poorly advised or perhaps even betrayed by his own people as v. 26 alludes to.
He then became Antiochus’ captive where the two men spoke lies to one another as politicians do.
Antiochus agreed to help Ptolemy VI gain control of Egypt again by wrestling it from the hands of Ptolemy VI’s brother, Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II.
The plan didn’t really work. Ptolemy VI was installed as an Egyptian ruler in Memphis, but his brother still ruled in Alexandria.
Eventually both of these brothers would unite to rule over all of Egypt, which frustrated Antiochus.
It was apparently then that Antiochus attacked Egypt by surprise as v. 24 says, plundering its richest cities, taken home with him much plunder as v. 28 says.
But as he was head home in 169 B.C., Antiochus found an insurrection going on in the Promised Land. He set his heart against the holy covenant; he killed eighty thousand men, women, and children, and he plundered the temple.
Incensed by the brutality of Antiochus, the Jews began a full-on revolt, called the Maccabean Rebellion.
Verse 29 says that Antiochus would invade Egypt for a third time, at God’s appointed time, with much less success.
Ships of Kittim, i.e., Roman ships, would come against him. Too afraid to take on the Romans, Antiochus would back down and take out his frustration on the holy covenant.
Antiochus desecrated the sanctuary, did away with the regular sacrifice, and set up the abomination of desolation (v. 31)—an idol of Zeus set up in the temple.
Many Jews would turn away to side with Antiochus (v. 32a), but others would remain faithful (v. 32b), but those who remained faithful would fall by sword and by flame and by captivity and by plunder for many days (v. 33).
Verse 34 says that those who fall during the Maccabean Rebellion would receive a little help.
The Romans helped the Maccabees rebel against Antiochus and after the successful revolt many Jews who sided with Antiochus tried to join themselves to the rebels hypocritically.
Some of those who have insight (i.e., some of the faithful) will fall in order to refine, purge, and make pure God’s people until the end time, because the end time is still to come at the appointed time (v. 35).
From the time of Daniel to the time of Antiochus and the Maccabees, which is the time between the Old and New Testaments, God would be purifying His people through the things they suffered.
[APP] No matter what we suffer as God’s people, God is using it to purify and refine us.
[TS]…
PART #2: Antichrist is coming (Dan. 11:36-45)
PART #2: Antichrist is coming (Dan. 11:36-45)
“Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. “But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures. “He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price. “At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. “He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. “Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. “But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. “But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. “He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
[EXP]
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 11
11:36–45 At this point, the predictions shift away from Antiochus IV and focus on the end of days. The king mentioned in this section is the future antichrist, already identified as the “little” horn (7:8, 20, 24–25) and “the coming ruler” (9:26).
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 11
The NT has been taken as referring to him in various ways (“the man of lawlessness,” 2 Thess. 2:3–12; “antichrist,” 1 John 2:18; “the beast,” Revelation 11–20).
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 11
11:37–38 Antiochus IV viewed himself as a god, as his nickname “Epiphanes” (“[god] manifest”) and coinage made clear (see note on 8:25). But it is doubtful that he fulfilled the prophecy, he shall magnify himself above all. He abandoned the gods of his fathers, including Apollo, and showed no regard for the one beloved by women, probably the god Adonis or Dionysius. Instead, he worshiped Zeus, a god who embodied military strength, but all these gods were still in the Greek pantheon and thus there is some question as to whether Antiochus IV abandoned “the gods of his fathers.” Instead this person will worship the god of fortresses (i.e., of military power and might) and will spend lavishly (gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts) to support this strength.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 11
11:40–44 During the great tribulation, the antichrist will be attacked in a pincer movement from both the north and the south. Yet he will be successful, sweeping through like a flood. He will also invade Israel, the beautiful land, ignoring some nations that are in alliance with him but conquering others, including Egypt, Libya, and Sudan (the Cushites).
The ESV Study Bible Chapter 11
11:44–45 One striking difference between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Antichrist lies in the events surrounding the king’s death, which do not fit what is known of the death of Antiochus IV. He met his end during a relatively minor campaign against Persia in 164 B.C., not between the sea and Jerusalem after a grand and successful assault on Egypt.
CSB Study Bible: Notes Chapter 11
11:45 The antichrist will establish his military capital in Israel, pitching his royal tents between the Mediterranean Sea and the city of Jerusalem, situated on the beautiful holy mountain. There the nations of the earth will gather (Zch 14:2) at Mount Megiddo to begin the campaign of Armageddon (Rv 16:13–16). At that time, when the nation of Israel calls on the Messiah Jesus, he will return (Mt 23:37–39) to deliver them, and the antichrist will meet his end with no one to help him.
[APP] The Antichrist is terrifying figure, one who will severely persecute the people of God, but Jesus will return to defeat him and Jerusalem will say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mt. 23:39).
[TS]…
PART #3: How then shall we live? (Dan. 12:1-13)
PART #3: How then shall we live? (Dan. 12:1-13)
“Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and knowledge will increase.” Then I, Daniel, looked and behold, two others were standing, one on this bank of the river and the other on that bank of the river. And one said to the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, “How long will it be until the end of these wonders?” I heard the man dressed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, as he raised his right hand and his left toward heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time; and as soon as they finish shattering the power of the holy people, all these events will be completed. As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
[EXP] In light of antichrists who have come and the Antichrist who is coming, how shall we live?
We can live assured of God’s protection (12:1-2).
Michael, the archangel
The Lamb’s book of life
Resurrection to eternal life
We should live committed to righteousness (12:3).
insight = faithful
We should live understanding the days (12:4).
Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
We should live enduring to the end.
Daniel still has questions, and the answers are vague, but notice v. 13 again…
“But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”
[APP]
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
Many antichrist have come and perhaps many more will come.
But Antichrist is coming.
In these last days, we go to the end, enter into rest, and one day rise again to receive our allotted portion at the end of the age—our resurrection bodies and life forevermore with our Savior, Jesus.
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
[PRAYER]