Absolutely Trust Worthy

A Quick Look Back

I got mixed up in the BC year count down. Chapter 10 is written after chapter 5 but only by a year, not before by a year.

When i initially read chapter 10 and a few trusty commentaries, First they failed to look past the chapter for more insight into the message of the heavenly host.

A few other commentaries pointed out what i missed and was staring me in the face. and that is Chapter 11 is the message from the heavenly host. actually chapter 11 and part or all of 12.

You will see as we begin reading

Daniel 11:1 NASB95

1 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.

This first vs, if you have been reading along with me through Daniel, looks like every other introduction to a chapter that Daniel writes. But it is not, This is a continuation of chapter 10. This is actually what the Heavenly Host is saying to Daniel.

The HH is explaining who is he fighting for and directing in supernatural ways. Our HH is saying he was there to help Darius Lead and protect the country. Which would mean that Satan was trying to over throw Darius.

Daniel 11:2 NASB95

2 “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.

It is Generally agreed that the four kings mentioned here are the four immediate successors of Cyrus. This prophesy was given while Cyrus II was in his 3rd year as king of Persia. (536 BC) So if we follow this understanding the four kings would be:

The Book of Daniel The Kings of Medo-Persia (Verses 1, 2)

Cambyses (529–522 B. C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (522–521 B. C.), Darius I Hystaspes (521–486 B. C.), and Xerxes I (486–465 B. C.)

Xerxes was the fourth king mentioned who was rich and powerful. Xerxes is the same Xerxes at the center of the Blockbuster hit 300. He was known as god-king.

Xerxes formed a sizable army and waged war against Greece in 480 BC, and although his attempt failed, Greece did not forget about the unjustified attack for a long time

As we move through scripture im going to try to identify the kings with their names to try shed light on the context.

Daniel 11:3–4 NASB95

3 “And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 “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.

Greece maintained a hatred for Persians for several generations following Xerxes attempt. Greece’ day came when Alexander the Great led his people to establish a world empire, Alexander was previously emphasized as the leopard in his vision of the 4 beasts.

AG’s rain was ended swiftly as we pointed out back in chapter 8 when the “Great Horn” was broken in 323 BC. The division to the 4 points was revealed when AG’s empire was divided up to the 4 generals

Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus

AG’s sons, Alexander and Hercules were both murdered so the kingdom did not fall to the rule of his posterity.

Daniel 11:5 NASB95

5 “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.

Ptolemy I was the ruler of the south. Ptolemy and Seleucus worked together to recover Babylon from Antigonus. Seleucus was an admiral under Ptolemy. Seleucus Grew to be mighty as he ruled parts of Syria, Babylon, and Egypt. this was the beginning of the Seleucid dynasty. Eventually the Seleucids’s fame and power were greater than the Ptolemies.

Proving the completion of this vs as recorded in History.

Daniel 11:6 NASB95

6 “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.

The first part of this vs, after some years, usually is stated as a number of years later. This usually refers to at the end of years. The politics of the time resulted in intermarriage between the two societies. Ptolemy II pressured Antiochus II (the Seleucid king) to divorce his wife and marry Ptolemy II’s daughter Berenice.

This did not have the desired effect that PtolemyII was looking for, 2 years after the wedding, 252 bc, Ptolemy II died and Antiochus II divorced Berenice and remarried his former wife, Laodice. The prophecy of this vs was fulfilled when Antiochus II wife Laodice poisoned him and murdered Berenice. Laodice Had Berenice’s servants and supporters murdered as well.

Daniel 11:7 NASB95

7 “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.

Berenice’s Brother Ptolemy III is the descendant of her line spoken about in vs 7. Ptolemy III fought against Seleucus II, the king of the North, and succeeded in getting revenge for Benenice’s death.

Daniel 11:8 NASB95

8 “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.

During his victory in Syria, he carried many of the treasures of Syria back to Egypt with him.

the word Egypt that the HH used in verse 8. is very important necessary for reliable evidence for our interpretation of this Vs as it gives us a cornerstone to solidify the events, to also disprove any coincidence theories.

Conclusions and Thoughts to Take Away

The bible is trust worthy. Biblical Prophecy is 100% accurate. If you were to just read through this chapter, you might get caught up in the words. but if you sit down and study them and look for the details, you will see that this in not just a bunch of words. This prophecy is true. this bible is True. and you can have confidence in it.