Thriving Spiritually When Leadership is Diabolical
Thriving Spiritually in a World of Opposition • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Text: Daniel 11:2–35
Introduction
In 1975, Pol Pot came to power in Cambodia. In just four years, his regime killed an estimated two million people—nearly one-fourth of the population.
He emptied the cities. Banned religion. Shut down schools. Executed intellectuals. And anyone caught with a Bible—or even praying—was tortured or killed.
Families were torn apart. Children were brainwashed to report their own parents. Faith communities were crushed.
One survivor said: “You didn’t just fear dying—you feared living. Because every moment was ruled by someone who hated everything you loved.”
Can you imagine trying to hold onto faith in a world like that? A world where the darkness doesn’t just feel close—it feels like it’s winning?
Ben Kiernan, The Pol Pot Regime: Race, Power, and Genocide in Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge, 1975–79, 2nd ed. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 459–465.
That’s the emotional weight Daniel felt when he saw the vision recorded in chapter 11. A vision of rulers so cruel, so godless, and so relentless, that he was sick for days (Dan. 8:27; 10:8).
But this wasn’t chaos—it was prophecy. God was pulling back the curtain to show Daniel what was coming. Evil would rise. Persecution would come. But through it all, God would remain faithful. And so would His people.
Daniel is given a vision so detailed, so precise, that secular critics claim it must have been written after the events took place. But we know it wasn’t. God showed Daniel what was to come: ...political turmoil, tyrannical rulers, and terrifying persecution. And in the midst of it all—God’s sovereign hand remains unshaken.
Main Idea: God’s People Will Be Faithful Because He is Faithful
Even when the most corrupt leaders rise to power, God’s faithfulness remains our anchor.
How do we thrive spiritually when leaders are evil and the world is in chaos?
This is not random chaos. This is revealed history. And it shows us that no matter how diabolical leadership becomes—God remains faithful, and His people remain faithful to Him.
1. God’s Faithfulness in the Rise and Fall of Nations (vv. 2–20)
Daniel is shown a panorama of history: four Persian kings (including Xerxes), the rise of Alexander the Great, and the fierce power struggle between the Seleucids and Ptolemies. Kingdoms rise, alliances form, betrayals occur—but none of this takes God by surprise.
Daniel 11:2–35 – The Near Fulfillment: Persia, Greece, and Antiochus Epiphanes
2 “And now I will show you the truth. Behold, three more kings shall arise in Persia, and a fourth shall be far richer than all of them. And when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece.
Persian Kings (v. 2)
Cyrus (already reigning in Daniel 10:1)
Three more kings:
Cambyses (530–522 BC)
Pseudo-Smerdis (522 BC)
Darius I Hystaspes (522–486 BC)
The fourth king: Xerxes I (486–465 BC, aka Ahasuerus in Esther)
His failed invasion of Greece (481–479 BC) began Persia’s decline.
Rise and Division of Greece (vv. 3–4)
3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and do as he wills. 4 And as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the authority with which he ruled, for his kingdom shall be plucked up and go to others besides these.
v. 3 – "A mighty king": Alexander the Great (cf. 8:5).
Persia eventually fell to Alexander the Great in 331 BC.
v. 4 – After his death (323 BC), four generals (not his sons) divide his empire:
Alexander’s empire didn’t pass to his sons because they were murdered in the aftermath of his death. Just as Daniel prophesied, “not to his posterity.” His four generals—Seleucus, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, and Cassander—divided the empire, weakening it and leaving Israel caught in the middle of geopolitical tug-of-war (BKC, MSB).
Wars Between Egypt and Syria (vv. 5–20)
Focus shifts to the King of the South (Ptolemies in Egypt) and King of the North (Seleucids in Syria)—both in relation to Palestine.
Let me give you a simple way to picture what’s happening here: two superpowers—Egypt (South) and Syria (North)—wrestling for control, and Israel is stuck in the middle.
v. 5–6 – A political marriage:
5 “Then the king of the south shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority. 6 After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.
Berenice (daughter of Ptolemy II) marries Antiochus II (Syria).
Antiochus divorces his first wife, but she murders Berenice, her child, and Antiochus, then installs her own son Seleucus II.
v. 7–9 – Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III, retaliates and conquers Syria.
7 “And from a branch from her roots one shall arise in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall deal with them and shall prevail. 8 He shall also carry off to Egypt their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold, and for some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north. 9 Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.
v. 10–12 – Sons of Seleucus (Antiochus III “the Great”) continue war:
10 “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. 11 Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. 12 And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail.
Ptolemy IV (Egypt) defeats Antiochus III temporarily.
v. 13–16 – Antiochus III regroups and eventually controls Palestine (the “Glorious Land”).
13 For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies. 14 “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. 15 Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. 16 But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand.
v. 17 – Antiochus gives his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V hoping to manipulate Egypt—but she sides with her husband.
17 He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage.
v. 18–19 – Antiochus tries to conquer Greece but is defeated by Rome (Lucius Scipio). He dies while attempting to loot a temple.
18 Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. 19 Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.
v. 20 – Seleucus IV Philopator (Antiochus’ son):
20 “Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an exactor of tribute for the glory of the kingdom. But within a few days he shall be broken, neither in anger nor in battle.
After Antiochus III's military failures, his son Seleucus IV Philopator inherited a weakened empire—and a massive debt to Rome. To raise funds, he sent tax collectors across his kingdom, including to the “Glorious Land” (Israel), which brought distress and resentment.
The phrase “exactor of tribute” likely refers to his official treasurer Heliodorus, who was tasked with squeezing money out of the provinces—including from the temple treasury in Jerusalem (cf. 2 Maccabees 3:7–40).
Seleucus’s reign was short-lived. He didn’t die in battle or public revolt—he was mysteriously assassinated, likely by Heliodorus himself (BKC).
His sudden, quiet death sets the stage for the rise of one of the most wicked rulers in history—Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who would usher in great suffering for God’s people.
Argumentation: Proving the Point
From verse 2 to 20, this is not random history—it’s orchestrated sovereignty. Each king, each war, each alliance plays a role in God’s unfolding plan.
Proverbs reminds us:
1 The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.
Only a sovereign God could predict centuries of global history with this kind of precision.
What we hold in our hands is not just a history book—it’s the living BOOK of God.
Imagine attending a symphony where every musician is playing a different instrument, each with its own part. To the untrained ear, it might sound like chaos—horns here, violins there, drums pounding in the back. But at the center is a conductor. He sees the whole score. He knows when to bring in each section, when to build tension, and when to resolve it.
That’s what Daniel 11 shows us. It might look like world history is spiraling out of control—but God holds the baton. Every rise and fall, every war and alliance, every kingdom and king is following His sovereign score.
When national headlines shake you, remember this chapter. God is never in a panic room. His faithfulness spans generations and governments. Trust Him—Even when you don’t understand what’s happening in Washington—or around the world—God isn’t confused.
When you are afraid of the future - Recite this verse.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Will you do this? It will change your spiritual life!
Nations rise. Nations fall. But God remains faithful.
And because God is faithful over nations, He is faithful to His people.
We’ve seen God's faithfulness in world affairs—now let’s look at how that affects His people directly.
What happens when that faithfulness is tested by direct opposition?
2. God’s People Will Face Opposition (vv. 21–31)
Now the vision zooms in on a sinister leader: Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He’s described as a contemptible person who gains power deceptively and unleashes horrific persecution. He desecrates the temple, abolishes worship, and erects the abomination of desolation.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (vv. 21–35)
This Seleucid king is the most detailed figure and serves as a type of the Antichrist.
v. 21 – A "Contemptible person":
21 In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.
Antiochus IV usurps power while the rightful heir is in Roman custody.
v. 22 – Sweeps away Egypt’s armies and murders Onias III, Israel’s high priest.
22 Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant.
v. 23–24 – Uses deception and small forces to conquer Egypt and gain wealth.
23 And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people. 24 Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time.
v. 25–27 – Fights Egypt again:
25 And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. 26 Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27 And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed.
Betrayals and lies mark the conflict.
Antiochus pretends to restore Ptolemy VI, setting him up as a puppet ruler.
v. 28 – On his return through Israel, Antiochus:
28 And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.
Plunders the temple.
Kills 80,000 Jews, enslaves 40,000 more.
Stops sacrifices and desecrates worship. He installed a puppet high priest—Menelaus—further corrupting the spiritual life of Israel.
v. 29–30 – Rome blocks his third invasion of Egypt:
29 “At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30 For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant.
Antiochus turns his rage on faithful Jews and supports apostates.
v. 31 – Abomination of Desolation:
31 Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.
Antiochus’ coin
The BKC notes that on December 16, 167 BC, Antiochus erected an altar to Zeus on the Jewish altar and sacrificed a pig—a blatant desecration. He outlawed Jewish worship, festivals, Scripture reading, and circumcision. Apostate Jews supported him (v. 30b), but faithful ones resisted. MacArthur adds that this atrocity prefigures what Jesus described in Matthew 24:15—a future abomination committed by the Antichrist.
This was not merely a historical moment—it was satanically inspired. Antiochus foreshadows the future Antichrist (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). The hatred of God’s people is not new. It's ancient—and it will intensify before Christ returns. This highlights that even Satanic opposition is bounded by God’s timeline.
Picture the temple—once full of song, sacrifice, and sacred light—now echoing with the silence of abandoned worship. A pig lies on the altar. An idol of Zeus towers above the Holy Place. For faithful Jews, it was spiritual terrorism. But Daniel saw it coming. And God was still in control.
We should not be shocked when Christians are ridiculed, rights are removed, or when truth is exchanged for lies. The darkness isn’t winning—it’s just following the script. And we are not called to panic, but to endure.
Opposition is certain. Persecution is painful. But faithfulness is possible.
The God who predicted persecution also provides power to endure it.
From the rise of rulers to the rise of opposition, we see God’s sovereign hand. But how do we remain faithful when the fire intensifies?
That brings us to the faith-fueled endurance of God’s people.
3. God’s Faithfulness Empowers His People to Persevere (vv. 32–35)
v. 32–34 – Two groups of Jews respond:
32 He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 33 And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder. 34 When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery,
Verse 32 says, “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” In the face of persecution, some will compromise—but others will remain bold and faithful.
Some compromised. Verse 32 says that Antiochus “seduced with flattery those who violated the covenant.” These were apostate Jews—those who traded faithfulness for comfort. He offered them protection, privilege, and peace—if they would abandon the Law of Moses, forsake the covenant, and conform to Greek culture. And many did. They were seduced by comfort and corrupted by compromise.
But not all bowed.
Verse 32 continues: “But the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” These were the faithful ones—referred to historically as the Hasideans, a pious group who loved God's Word, resisted compromise, and were willing to suffer for the truth.
Among them was a priest named Mattathias, who refused to sacrifice to a false god. When a fellow Jew stepped forward to comply, Mattathias struck him down and declared: “Whoever is for the Lord, follow me!” (cf. 1 Macc. 2:27). That act ignited the Maccabean Revolt in 166 BC.
His son, Judas Maccabeus—whose name means “the Hammer”—emerged as the military leader of the resistance. Against all odds, Judas and his ragtag army pushed back the Seleucid forces. In 164 BC, they recaptured Jerusalem, purified the desecrated temple, and restored worship to Yahweh.
These “wise ones” (v. 33) didn’t just survive—they discipled others. They taught the Scriptures. They withstood the sword, the flame, captivity, and plunder. And through it all, they demonstrated what it means to know God—and to stand firm because of Him.
v. 35 – God uses this persecution to refine His people.
35 and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.
This wasn’t wasted pain. God allowed His faithful ones to endure persecution—not because He had abandoned them, but because He was refining them. Like gold in a furnace, their suffering was the fire that burned away impurities and revealed genuine faith. These were not flawless people—but they were faithful people. And God was using the fire of affliction to make them shine brighter.
The words “refined, purified, and made white” picture a progressive work of sanctification—God using suffering to deepen holiness, increase dependence, and prepare His people for what was to come.
Then the verse says, “…until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.”
This is a turning point in the prophecy. Up to this point, everything has been historically fulfilled. But this phrase signals a shift toward eschatology. It stretches the vision beyond Antiochus to a future figure—the Antichrist—whose rise in verses 36–45 mirrors Antiochus in terrifying ways.
In other words, God is not just refining that generation—He’s preparing all generations. The persecution under Antiochus is a preview of a greater tribulation still to come. And the endurance of the faithful then points us to the perseverance required in the last days.
These verses are a call to spiritual grit. Not through willpower, but through knowing God. Those who truly know Him won’t fold under pressure—they’ll rise in obedience and disciple others.
Imagine being a Jew under Antiochus’ rule. Your Scriptures are banned. Your Sabbath is outlawed. Your altar now bears the name of Zeus. Your neighbors have bowed. And yet—you refuse. Now fast forward to today. In Iran, a woman is baptized in a bathtub. In China, a pastor preaches underground. The faithful haven’t vanished—they’ve just gone deeper.
You don’t need to know everything about prophecy to stand strong in persecution. But you do need to know the God of prophecy. The people who "know their God" will stand firm (v. 32). Knowledge of God's character produces courage in God's people.
Stand for Christ in everyday conversations, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Say grace at a restaurant.
Refuse gossip at work.
Speak up with gentleness when truth is under attack.
Stand up when everyone is bowing down!
God’s faithfulness doesn’t eliminate the fire—it enables you to endure it.
In every generation, God raises faithful people who thrive spiritually under diabolical leadership.
“This persecution would run its course and then be lifted, for its end will still come at the appointed time.” — BKC
No tyrant will rule longer than God permits. No persecution will last a second past God’s timetable. Your suffering has a stopwatch in God’s hands.
Conclusion
You don’t need to control world events—you need to know the One who does. Your job isn’t to predict every prophetic detail—it’s to remain faithful to your King, no matter who’s on the earthly throne.
Richard Wurmbrand, who endured 14 years in Communist prisons, once said, “God will only allow what we can handle, and what He allows, He will use.”
That’s exactly the message of Daniel 11: God didn’t just predict persecution—He prepared His people through it.
Imagine being part of a people like Israel—hunted, hated, and harassed—yet never destroyed. From Pharaoh to Antiochus, from Hitler to the Antichrist, Satan has tried to crush God’s chosen people. The church has followed that same road—facing persecution, marginalization, and opposition across centuries and cultures.
But imagine us—ABC—thriving in the midst of pressure.
Not blending in.
Not backing down.
Not bowing to the fear of man.
Imagine a church so rooted in the character of God, so anchored in His promises, so surrendered to His purposes—that no persecution can shake it, no ruler can silence it, and no deception can derail it.
Why? Because we don’t serve just any king. We serve the King of kings.
And so today, as His people, let’s recommit:
To know our God deeply.
To stand for truth boldly.
To pray like Daniel—fervently, faithfully, and fearlessly.
To endure whatever may come—not in our own strength, but in His.
Let’s ask God to make us that kind of people… for His glory, and for the good of the generations who will follow.
