DANIEL 11 The Vision Continued: The Final Countdown of Gentile History

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1 DANIEL 11 The Vision Continued: The Final Countdown of Gentile History The prophecies in the other dreams and visions in the book of Daniel come together in this chapter. The very importance of this chapter lies in the fact that Satan had tried to hinder the answer to Daniel s prayer in chapter 10. Why? Because the nature of these prophecies concern Persia, Greece, Syria and Egypt four nations that were to have an important impact on Israel and the Jews. This chapter fills in some details related to the Seventy Weeks (of years) prophecy given at the end of chapter 9. In this chapter the information that the prince of Persia had tried to prevent the angel from coming and revealing to Daniel is finally communicated to him. The comprehension of these prophecies would become more clear as they became historic fact {refer to Daniel 12:9, 10}. This vision is primarily comprised of prophecies concerning (a) Persia, (b) Greece, (c) the king of the north (Syria), (d) the king of the south (Egypt) and (e) final kingdom of anti-christ. The historical record has already confirmed most of the prophecies given in this vision [(a) (d)]. The future military campaigns of the anti-christ are especially detailed (e). Another important feature of this chapter is that it bridges prophetically the Old and New Testament period known as the Inter-testament Period from about 400 BC to 1 AD. During this time the Jews suffered at the hands of both Syria and Egypt as they warred with one another and the land of Israel was caught in the middle. It was a time of great distress and suffering for Daniel s people and the Holy City, Jerusalem. Table 11-1 summarizes the prophecies related to the kingdoms described in this vision and relates them back to previous dreams and visions. Note that Babylon is not represented since that kingdom was already conquered by the Medo-Persian Empire at this time and was past history. Table Cross-Correlation of the Vision in Chapter 11 with Other Visions in the Book of Daniel. Kingdom/Nation Persia Greece Syria & Egypt Roman Nebuchadnezzar s Dream {Daniel 2:31-45} Chest of Silver [Daniel 2:32] Stomach & Hips of Bronze [Daniel 2:32] Feet & 10 Toes of Iron + Clay [Daniel 2:33] Daniel s Dream {Daniel 7:1-18} Bear w/3 Ribs in Mouth [Daniel 7:5] Leopard w/ 4 Heads [Daniel 7:6] 2 Heads of Leopard [Daniel 7:6] Little Horn of the 10- Horned Terrible Beast w/iron Teeth & Bronze Claws [Daniel 7:7, 8] Daniel s Vision {Daniel 8:1-27} Ram w/2 Non-Uniform Horns [Daniel 8:3, 4] Goat w/ 1 Horn [Daniel 8:5, 6] 2 of 4 Notable Horns [Daniel 8:8, 22] Stern-faced King w/fierce Appearance [Daniel 8:23-25] The prophecy in this chapter is so detailed and has been fulfilled so accurately it has caused the skeptic and liberal scholar to deny that it was written before it happened. These individuals insist that this prophecy was written after the fact after it was already history. This is ironic since God and the angels know that is not true and the fact that the prophecy is so detailed was intended to bear proof that God s Word could be trusted. It was part of the reason Satan did not want this information revealed. For example, the prophecy in the book of Daniel was used to show Alexander the Great his place in history while it was happening and he believed. Even the skeptic cannot deny the prophecy s accuracy so he must deny the timing of when it was written. But for those who believe in the God of miracles, these prophecies are not impossible but demonstrate God s awesome power and sovereignty in the history of the world. 1

2 In previous chapters (e.g., 2, 7 and 8) God communicated through dreams and visions which contained some amazing and exciting images. For example (a) the marvelous colossus made of gold, silver, bronze, iron and iron mixed with clay, (b) a lion with two wings, a leopard with four heads and four wings, a bear with three ribs in its mouth and an exceedingly dreadful beast with iron teeth and bronze claws and (c) a ram with two uneven horns and the goat with one huge horn out of its forehead. However now, in this chapter, God will speak plainly, no longer using symbols of metals and animals but in distinct terms, over which there can be no sensational speculation as to their meaning. On the other hand, the prophecies in this chapter are relatively detailed and involve historical predictions from a standpoint that most believers find obscure or too much work to understand. Most people seem to like exciting prophecy that is full of sensational images and lends itself to wild speculation. At the same time, many Christians do not like to dig into the prophetical Word of God when it appears dull and unexciting at least on the surface. But for anyone who enjoys a detailed and in-depth study of prophecy or is willing to learn from it, this remarkable section of God s Word offers wonderful insight into God s foreknowledge, management and sovereignty over the affairs of men and nations. This prophecy spans many centuries and even extends to the Second Coming of the Messiah over two and a half millennia so far! So (1) before we actually begin to study the details of these prophecies of this chapter and (2) we do not lose perspective of why a Christian should be interested in studying prophecy, we need to remember some important features about prophecy: The spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ; prophecy demonstrates Christ s creative and redemptive power {Revelation 19:10; 4:11; 5:9, 12} Prophecy and its interpretation do not originate from any one individual; it originates from God through the Holy Spirit. {2 Peter 1:20, 21} The purpose of understanding prophecy is to become more like Jesus Christ in attitude and behavior. {1 John 3:1-3} Prophecy demonstrates in no uncertain way that there really is no chance event; there is a plan and purpose to life that ultimately brings glory and honor to God. WE ARE NOW FINALLY READY TO STUDY THIS CHAPTER THE LAST VISION AND PROPHECY IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 2

3 vv. 1-2 FOUR PROMINENT KINGS OF PERSIA: ONE WILL ATTACK GREECE [1 (Also in the first year of Darius the Mede, I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him). 2 And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. ] [( Also in the first year of Darius the Mede )] DARIUS THE MEDE, the son of Ahasuerus was made ruler over Babylonian Chaldean kingdom after it was conquered by the Medes & Persians [See Daniel 5:31; 9:1. Refer also to the Appendix in the Daniel chapter 6 notes.] Evidently, he is only called Darius the Mede in the book of Daniel but historically he is identified as Gobryas [Gubaru 1 ] or Cyaxares II who was made ruler of the Chaldean Kingdom when it fell in 538 BC. During his lifetime Darius the Mede reigned in conjunction with his nephew, Cyrus II (the Great), the king of Persia 2. When his uncle, Darius the Mede, died in 536 BC Cyrus the Great married his daughter (a cousin) and thus solidly united the Mede and Persian kingdoms. After this marriage, Cyrus subdued all the nations between Syria and the Red Sea, and died at the age of seventy, after a reign of thirty years [23 yrs as king of Persia and 7 yrs and king of the Chaldeans]. [(.. I, even I, stood up to confirm and strengthen him )] This verse is a somewhat confusing because of the identity of who him is. Some believe this verse is referencing back to the end of Daniel 10:21 (No one upholds me against these, except Michael your prince.), which is artificially separated from a parenthetical thought that begins there. If so, then the him is Michael the archangel indicating that this angel was mutually upholding and strengthening him as well. However, if the him refers to Darius the Mede in this verse, then it indicates that the angel now sent to Daniel was actively engaged in affirming the faith of Darius at the beginning of his reign over Babylon in 538 BC. This is the view of J. Vernon McGee. It is the interpretation I favor. If this is the case it affirms in a wonderful way the ministry that God has given to angels in the affairs of men {see Hebrews 1:7, 14} Remember that two significant events in the life of Daniel occurred in the first year of Darius: (1) Political intrigue that landed Daniel in the lion s den and ended with his miraculous rescue and the death of his accusers and their families {Daniel 6} and (2) the revelation of the amazing prophecy of Seventy Weeks (of years) determined for the Jews and Jerusalem {Daniel 9}. 1 Gubaru is possibly a translation of Darius. The same radical letters in Arabic mean king, compeller, restrainer. In Hebrew, derivations of the root mean "lord," "mistress," "queen"; in Aramaic, "mighty," "almighty." Gutium was the designation of the country North of Babylon associated with the Chaldeans and was in all possibility in the time of Cyrus a part of the province of Media. 2 The Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities XII. 13) says that Darius the Mede with his ally, Cyrus, destroyed the kingdom of Babylon. Jerome assigns three reasons why Babylon is said in the Scriptures {Daniel 5:31} to have been taken by Darius the Mede: (1) He was the older of the two; (2) the Medes were at that time more famous than the Persians and (3) the uncle (the older) ought to be preferred to the nephew. The Greek writers say that Babylon was taken by Cyrus, without mentioning Cyaxares or Darius, doubtless because it was done solely by the former s valor. 3

4 Since Daniel 10:1 tells us this vision occurred in the third year of Cyrus (the Great) the year was 535 BC. In his commentary 3 on Daniel 6 J. Vernon McGee states correctly that Darius the Mede was Darius Cyaxares II of secular history who ruled for only 2 years. Therefore this vision is given to Daniel a year after Darius death and three years after the Seventy Weeks (of years) prophecy in chapter 9. This reveals to us that the spiritual battle we are in takes many forms and is related to other spiritual battles raging in places and with people we are not aware of. [ Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia and the fourth ] The verse here is constructed as a formula found elsewhere in scripture 4 : = 4; that is, 3 kings + 1 king making 4 kings. See Table 11-2 for a list of Persian kings. Table The Kings of the Medo Persian Empire. (Note that Cyrus the Great Ruled in Persia for 21 Years Prior to Ruling the Combined Empire). Name of King Beginning Year Period of Reign Years Months Cyrus II {the Great} 538 BC 8 6 Cambyses II 529 BC 7 5 Smerdis 522 BC 0 7 Darius Hystaspis 5 {Darius I} 521 BC 36 0 Xerxes I {Ahasuerus who took Esther as a wife} 485 BC 21 0 Artaxerxes Longimanus BC 40 3 Xerxes II 424 BC 0 2 Sogdianus 424 BC 0 7 Darius Nothus 7 {Darius II} 423 BC 19 0 Artaxerxes Mnemon 404 BC 46 0 Darius Ochus 358 BC 21 0 Arses 337 BC 0 2 Darius Codomanus 335 BC Daniel 6, Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee, Vol. III, Proverbs-Malachi, Thru the Bible Radio, 1982, p See for example the prescription found in Amos 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 13; 2:1, 4, 6. 5 This Persian king is mentioned in Ezra & Nehemiah. He was contemporary with the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. See Ezra 4:5,24; 5:5-7; 6:1,12,15; Haggai 1:1; 2:10; Zechariah 1:1,7; 7:1. 6 This Persian king is mentioned in Ezra & Nehemiah and the decree to restore & rebuild Jerusalem was issued by him in 445 BC in the month of Nisan. This is the beginning date for the Seventy Weeks of Years prophecy given in Daniel 9:25. 7 This Persian king also tried to conquer Greece, but failed. He was contemporary with the prophet Malachi. 4

5 Since this prophecy is referring to four more Medo-Persian kings AFTER Cyrus the Great, who was still alive at this time [refer to Appendix in Daniel chapter 10 notes], the four kings are [refer to Table 11-2]: Cambyses II Smerdis Darius I, son of Hystaspis Xerxes I or Ahasuerus Cyrus was succeeded in 529 B.C. by his son Cambyses II, who added first Phoenicia and Cyprus, and afterward Egypt, to the new empire. In part because Cambyses had been away too long on his campaigns and had lost touch with the people, Smerdis, his younger brother, led a revolt in Persia. On hearing of this, Cambyses jumped on his horse to return and deal with the situation and apparently wounded himself with his own dagger. When he died from the wound, Darius, the son of Hystapis, restored order to the Persian Empire. He headed an insurrection of the nobles against Smerdis, which succeeded in dethroning Smerdis. An interesting bit of Biblical history is that it was the fourth Persian king after Cyrus the Great, Xerxes I {also called Ahasuerus in the book of Esther 1:1-4}, who married Esther {Hadassah; Esther 2:7} in the seventh year of his reign {Esther 2:16}. This would have been in 478 BC; several months after his return from his defeat in Greece when Herodotus specifically says he paid attention to his harem {see Esther 2:1-4}. Xerxes I was indeed richer than all the rest for he had the combined wealth amassed by 8 : Cyrus conquest of Lydia and the subjugation of it s the rich king, Croesus (of Midas fame). Cambyses increased that wealth by plundering the temples of other nations wherever he went 9. Darius Hystaspis [or Darius I] also referred to as Darius the Great, increased the wealth further by laying heavy taxes on the people. One of his first acts as king was to divide his kingdom into provinces for the purpose of raising tribute 10. So burdensome were these taxes, that he was called by the Persians the merchant or hoarder. According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the sum total of the taxation under Darius was 14,560 talents = tons. Herodotus also enumerates a great amount of gold and silver and other valuable items, which Darius was accustomed to receive annually from the Ethiopians, from the Arabians, and from India. Contemporary with the prophets Haggai & Zechariah. 8 The second Persia king on the prophetical list, Smerdis, reigned only 7 months and did not have time to accumulate wealth. 9 For example, on his return from Thebes, in Egypt, he caused all the temples in that city to be pillaged and then burned to the ground. But he saved from the flames 12 tons of gold and 100 tons of silver. He is also said to have carried away the famous circle of gold that encompassed the tomb of king Ozymandias, which was reportedly 548 feet in circumference (174.4 feet in diameter), on which were represented the celestial motions of several constellations. [Universal History; iv 140]. 10 The Greek historian, Herodotus writes, "During the reign of Cyrus, and indeed of Cambyses, there were no specific tributes; but presents were made to the sovereign. On account of these and similar innovations, the Persians call Darius a merchant, Cambyses a despot, but Cyrus a parent. [Herodotus, b. iii. lxxxix]. A full account of the taxation of the kingdom, and the amount of the revenue under Darius, may be seen in Herodotus, b. iii. xc -- xcvi. 5

6 It is well known by history students that both Xerxes I and his father, Darius Hystaspis, had infuriated the Greeks with their invasions into that land. During the 490's BC, Greeks in Asia Minor (modern Turkey) rebelled unsuccessfully against Persian rule. In 492 BC., a Persian attempt to invade Greece failed. In 490 BC, Darius I sent another expedition to conquer Greece. The army landed northeast of Athens on the plain of Marathon and the Greeks, though outnumbered, defeated the Persians. Darius died before he could organize another invasion of Greece. His son Xerxes I succeeded him. All the vast wealth accumulated by the previous Persian kings was inherited by Xerxes I, the son and successor of Darius Hystaspis, and the fourth king referred to by this prophecy. He needed it to organize a vast army and fund his ambitious mission to invade and conquer Greece as the next verse prophecies. [.by his strength, through his riches, stir up all against the realm of Greece 11 ] During the early years of his reign, Xerxes I (or Ahasuerus) put down revolts in the Persian provinces of Babylonia and Egypt. Then he began to assemble a huge land and sea force to invade Greece. This army was drawn from all over the Persian Empire which then stretched as far west as Libya, as far north as Macedonia, as far south as Egypt and as far east as the Indus River in what is now Pakistan. The expedition of Xerxes I against Greece is well known 12 and fits exactly the summary description given here. Xerxes I spent four full years in making preparations for his renowned invasion of Greece. His military strength was such that Herodotus 13, who lived in that time, informs us that ultimately his vast army amounted to 5,283,220 men. Besides these, the Carthaginians furnished him with an army of 300,000 men, and a fleet of 200 ships. In 480 BC Xerxes I started out by leading an army against the Greeks comprised of about 800,000 men, and 1207 ships, with three banks of rowers each. As he marched along, he obliged all the people of the countries through which he passed to join him. He collected and equipped probably the largest army that was ever assembled prior to World War I. In 480 BC., Xerxes led his army against a Greek force in a mountain pass at Thermopylae, northwest of Athens. The Greeks, led by troops from Sparta, held back the Persians until a traitor told Xerxes I of another way through the mountains. The Persians attacked the Greeks from the rear and defeated them. The people of Athens then abandoned their great city. Xerxes I burned many temples and other buildings in Athens. 11 The Hebrew word translated Greece here is actually Javan referring to Ionia; the Greek islands. 12 The forces that constituted Xerxes army were gathered out of all parts of his vast empire embracing, as was then supposed, the entire habitable world except Greece. According to Justin, the army was composed of 700,000 of his own, and 300,000 auxiliaries. Diodorus Siculus makes it to be about 300,000 men. Humphrey Prideaux (Anglican cleric and Oriental scholar; ), from Herodotus and others, computes it to have amounted, putting all his forces by sea and land together, to 2,641,610; and he adds that the servants, eunuchs, provisioners, and such persons as followed the camp, made as many more, so that the whole number that followed Xerxes could not have been less than 5,000,000 [Connexions, part i.b.iv., vol. i. p.410]. Grotius (Dutch theologian and lawyer; ) reckons his forces at 5,282, For a full account of the amount of his forces and his preparation, refer to Herodotus, b. vii. 6

7 Soon afterward, the Greeks and Persians fought in the Bay of Salamis. The Greeks had fewer ships but were better trained than the Persians for maneuvering in the small bay. Xerxes watched from a hillside on shore as the Greeks crushed his fleet. Then he fled to his western capital in Asia Minor (now Turkey). In 479 BC., Persian forces attacked the Greeks at Plataea, west of Athens, and were again defeated. In 467 or 466 BC., Greek soldiers and seamen defeated Persian forces again at the mouth of the Eurymedon River, on the southern coast of Asia Minor. As a result a group of Persian nobles murdered Xerxes. AGAIN, THE FACTS OF HISTORY AND THE BIBLE ATTEST TO ACCURACY OF THE PROPHECY GIVEN HERE. We have then represented in this prophecy the Medo-Persian kingdom [Cyrus the Great + four other kings] which correspond to: The CHEST OF SILVER in Nebuchadnezzar s dream {Dan. 2:32, 39} The BEAR WITH THREE RIBS IN ITS MOUTH in Daniel s visions {Dan. 7:5; 8:3-7} The eight Persian kings after these are not in view in the prophecies of this chapter. The prophecy skips ahead to Greece and its first great king Alexander the Great. vv. 3, 4 THE MIGHTY KING WHO HAS A GREAT DOMINION [3 Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4 And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. There is only one mighty king that fits the description of (a) having a kingdom with great dominion after the Persians; (b) then having it divided into four parts [..the four winds of heaven. ] inferior in size and dominion and (c) having it given to others who are not his direct heirs. The mighty king is none other than Alexander the Great who between BC conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and the Medo-Persian Empire. Alexander was tutored by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. His father taught him that the Macedonian kings were descended from the hero Hercules, the son of the god Zeus, and throughout his life he carried with him a copy of the epic poem Iliad which described the exploits of Achilles. When Alexander died at Babylon in 323 BC at age 32 from malaria with complications due to alcoholism, his empire extended from Greece south to Egypt as far east as modern-day India. [..his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. ] But Alexander s family had a most tragic end; indeed it was uprooted and given to others besides his own family. The following events occurred soon after Alexander the Great s death: 7

8 Alexander s brother Aridaeus, succeeded him and was made king in Macedonia. Alexander s mother, Olympias, allied herself with one of his generals, Polysperchon against another general Cassander. She took in Roxana, one of Alexander s wives, and her son Alexander AEgus who was only a few months old. Alexander s other wife, Statira, and her sister were murdered soon after his death by Roxana in conspiracy with Olympias, Alexander s mother. After a reign of six years and a few months Alexander s brother Aridaeus was murdered, together with his wife Euridice, by command of Olympias, Alexander's mother. After Cassander s army defeated Polysperchon, Olympias fled with Roxane and Alexander AEgus. But she was quickly captured by Polysperchon and was executed by soldiers in retaliation for all the death and misery she had caused. Polysperchon evidently was spared and continued in a lesser role. Alexander s young son, Alexander AEgus, together with his mother Roxana, were executed by order of Cassander, one of Alexander s generals who became ruler of Macedonia. Two years later, Alexander s other son Hercules, with his mother Barsine, were quietly murdered by Polysperchon. Thus, within fifteen years after Alexander the Great s death not one of his family or posterity remained alive! Thus was Alexander, whose nickname was the butcher ; and his family uprooted by its own devices! So Alexander the Great s conquests and vast empire came to nothing that his family or descendents could enjoy. Never was the vanity of the world with its luxurious enticements shown to in a more illustrative fashion than in the story of Alexander s legacy. Solomon, the man with wisdom and no slouch of a king himself when it came to riches said, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. {See Eccl. 1:2-4; 2:8-11 and 6:1, 2}. But Solomon also had the answer {Eccl. 12:13, 14} Following the death of Alexander, and after much family intrigue, the expansive World Empire that he had amassed was eventually divided up between four of his commanders. Cassander took Macedonia; Lysimachus took Asia Minor {Turkey}; Seleucus I Nicator (the Conqueror) took Syria, Babylon and Persia {out of which comes the a little horn in Daniel 8:9-14} and finally, Ptolemy I Soter {Ptolemaeus Lagus} took Egypt {out of which Cleopatra [VII] later came}. Refer to Figure In the succeeding verses, vv.5-35, the families and kingdoms ensuing from two of Alexander the Great s generals, Seleucus I Nicator and Ptolemy I Soter, are described in further detail. Their successors are referred to as the kings of the North [SELEUCID dynasty] and kings of the South [PTOLEMY dynasty] throughout this prophecy. Refer to Figure This section of the vision {vv. 5-20} describes the continuous conflict between the two dynasties during which time the land of Israel was invaded alternatively by power and then by the other. 8

9 Alexander the Great Cassander {Macedonia} Lysimachus {Asia Minor} Seleucus I Nicator {Syria, Babylon, Persia} Ptolemy I Soter {Egypt} Kings of the North Kings of the South Figure Alexander the Great s Four Generals and the Division of the Greek Empire. THE FOUR PARTS IN THIS PROPHECY, THEN PROPERLY DESCRIBE THE DIVISION OF THE GREEK EMPIRE BETWEEN ALEXANDER S FOUR GENERALS AND THE PROPHECY IS CONFIRMED BY HISTORICAL FACT. We have represented in this prophecy the Greek kingdom and its division [Alexander the Great + empires of his four generals] which correspond to: The STOMACH & HIPS OF BRONZE in Nebuchadnezzar s dream {Dan. 2:32, 39} The LEOPARD WITH FOUR WINGS & FOUR HEADS in Daniel s vision {Dan. 7:6} The MALE GOAT WITH PROMINENT HORN & FOUR HORNS coming from it in Daniel s vision {Dan. 8:8-14} vv. 5, 6 THE FIRST KING OF THE SOUTH [5 Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. 6 And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times.] [ the king of the South shall become strong ] Directions in the Bible are relative to the land of Israel. Therefore, the nation to the north would be Syria and to the south it would be Egypt. Thus, we have logically and consistently identified that the king of the north is equivalent to the king of Syria and the king of the south is referring to the king of Egypt. In these verses and those following we have prophecies concerning the nations ruled by two of Alexander s generals; Seleucus and Ptolemaeus, and their successors. The rise and power of two great kingdoms out of the remains of Alexander's conquests {v 4} are now fleshed out in the rest of this vision. Refer to Figure 11-2 for a summary chart of the kings of the North and kings of the South described in this prophecy. [Note that there were many succeeding Seleucidae and Ptolemy kings not explicitly mentioned in this chapter]. 9

10 Seleucid Dynasty Kings of the North Seleucus I Nicator [ BC] Daniel 11:5 Ptolemy Dynasty Kings of the South Ptolemy I Soter [ BC] Daniel 11:5 Antiochus I Soter [ BC] *Not in Daniel s Prophecy Antiochus II Theos [ BC] Daniel 11:6 Ptolemy II Philadelphus [ BC] Daniel 11:6 Seleucus II Callinicus [ BC] Daniel 11:7-9 Seleucus III Soter [ BC] Daniel 11:10 Seleucus IV Philopator [ BC] Daniel 11:20 Antiochus III Magus [ BC] Daniel 11:10-13, Antiochus IV Epiphanes [ BC] Daniel 11:21-35 Ptolemy III Euergetes [ BC] Daniel 11:7-8 Ptolemy IV Philopator [ BC] Daniel 11:11-12, Ptolemy V Epiphanes [ BC] Daniel 11:17 Ptolemy VI Philometer [ BC] Daniel 11:25 Figure Listing of the Kings of the North [Seleucid Dynasty] and the Kings of the South [Ptolemaic Dynasty] Referred to in Daniel Chapter 11. The Dates Designate the Years of Each Ruler s Reign with Scriptural Reference. The king of the South in verse 5 is then Ptolemaeus [also called Ptolemy I Soter] a general in Alexander s army who ruled Egypt from BC. He was proclaimed king of Egypt in 304 BC. Ptolemy I s father was Lagus and so he is also referred to as Ptolemaeus Lagus and his successors are sometimes referred to as the Lagidae. History attests to the fact that Ptolemy I Soter made Egypt a considerable power and his dominion became great. The countries that belonged to Ptolemy I are considered to be Egypt, Phoenicia, Arabia, Libya and Ethiopia. He founded a museum and the famous library at Alexandria [named after Alexander the Great]. 10

11 However, he also apparently founded the cult worship of a god called Serapis which combined Egyptian and Greek mythological characteristics [Osiris-Apsis]. Ptolemy I built an elaborate temple to honor and worship Serapis. The cult of Serapis was actively promoted throughout the Mediterranean region by the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt. Soon after Ptolemy took control of Egypt he invaded Judea and took control of Jerusalem on a Sabbath day; after having come under the pretense of a friendly visit. However, there was another one of his princes that gained power. By identifying his with the mighty king in v3; we see that this is a reference to Alexander the Great. Therefore, one of his princes was another one of Alexander s generals. In the context of this prophecy, this was none other than Seleucus I Nicator, who took control of Syria [he would be considered a king of the North ]. He eventually came to rule over a much greater dominion, the vast empire of Syria, Babylon and Persia. It was said that Seleucus I had no fewer than seven-two smaller kingdoms under him. Thus, his empire became stronger than that of Ptolemy I Soter s. Both Seleucus I and Ptolemy I fought over Judah; the affairs of which are in view in this prophecy and which were particularly important to the Daniel s people, the Jews. When Ptolemy I died in 285 BC his son, Ptolemy II Philadelphus became king of Egypt and ruled from BC. During this time Seleucus I was murdered in 281 BC and his son, Antiochus I Soter [who IS NOT in view in this prophecy], ruled the Seleucid kingdom from BC. Upon the death of Antiochus I, his son, Antiochus II Theos, ruled the Seleucid Empire from BC. Antiochus II and Ptolemy II were bitter enemies and constantly fought over territorial claims relating to Palestine, Israel and Lebanon. [ at the end of some years they shall join forces ] However, about 70 years after Alexander died, the SELEUCID dynasty [ king of the North ] and PTOLEMAIC dynasty [ king of the South ] attempted to make an alliance through marriage. [ for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement ] The king of the North here was Antiochus II Theos and the king of the South was Ptolemy II Philadelphus. Although they were constantly warring with one another, around 248 BC they decided to make an alliance which was sealed when Ptolemy II, king of Egypt, gave his daughter, Berenice, in marriage to Antiochus II, king of Syria. [ but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up ] But the marriage of Berenice to Antiochus Theos did not last but was the occasion for much turmoil. The problem was that Antiochus Theos already had a wife named Laodice whom he had divorced to marry Berenice. J. Vernon McGee mentions the fact that although historians differ on some of the minor details they have recorded enough of the significant details to determine what happened. For a schematic diagram of these events, refer to Figure

12 After two years of marriage Berenice s father, Ptolemy Philadelphus died and Antiochus Theos put away Berenice and her son, and remarried his first wife, Laodice. In gratitude, Laodice (1) poisoned her husband Antiochus Theos, then (2) ordered the death of Berenice and her son [ she was given up ] and (3) made her son, Seleucus II Callinicus, king of Syria. [ with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times.] Instead of producing a coalition between the Syrian and Egyptian dynasties, the marriage resulted in tragedy for everyone involved. For those who engineered the alliance, for Ptolemy II Philadelphus [ him who begot her ] and for Antiochus II Theos [ him who strengthened her, i.e. Berenice]. See illustration in Figure The Seleucidae dynasty came to an end in 65 BC when the Romans conquered the Syrian Empire. The end of the Ptolemy dynasty began after its defeat by the Roman navy {under the command of Octavian (Augustus Caesar)} in the battle of Actium [31 BC] and finally by its defeat to the Roman army in 30 BC; the suicide of Queen Cleopatra VII and the execution of her son, Caesarion. It is interesting to note that Jesus was born during the reign of this Augustus Caesar [27 BC 14 AD] {Luke 2:1}; the first Emperor of Rome. Obviously, the world rulers are not always righteous; the fact is that they are mostly ungodly and evil. Corruption runs rampant even in the best of governments. What is the Christian s response? Paul gives us the answer: it is to seriously pray for our rulers irrespective of their character. This is hard to put into practice, yet ironically it is in our best interests to do so. The Scripture teaches us: Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 Notice the benefits of doing this. We need to believe that through prayer and thanksgiving for all those who rule over us we will Lead a quiet & peaceable life. Live a life of all godliness & reverence. Help (and not hinder) the plan of salvation God our Savior has for all men. Not thwart the desire of God to impart the knowledge of the Truth (i.e., Jesus Christ). It is only through faith and love that a Christian can put this exhortation into practice. If Christians would do this, the world would take Christianity a lot more seriously. See also Romans 13:1-7. So far we have seen some incredibly detailed prophecies accurately fulfilled. Skeptics might attempt to cynically dismiss the prophecies of fantastic statues and wild animals as the ramblings of a person under the influence of some ancient mind altering drugs. But the precise, unambiguous prophecies of this chapter or not so easily ignored or dismissed. 12

13 Antiochus I Soter [ BC] *Not in Daniel s prophecy Ptolemy II Philadelphus [ BC] Daniel 11:6 Laodice Poisons Antiochus II; has Berenice & her son killed and makes her son, Seleucus II, king. Antiochus II Theos [ BC] Divorces Laodice, marries Berenice then divorces her and remarries Laodice. Is poisoned by Laodice. Berenice Is ordered killed by Laodice Seleucus II Callinicus [ BC] Daniel 11:7-9 Son Is ordered killed by Laodice Figure Diagram Depicting the Prophecy of Verses 5, 6. vv. 7, 8 THE VENGEANCE OF THE KING OF THE SOUTH [7 "But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. 8 And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North.] It is not surprising that the political double-cross of the Antiochus II Theos [Seleucid] and the murder of Berenice [Ptolemy] and her son by Laodice [Seleucid] did not go unpunished by the Ptolemies to the south. This was going to be a feud on a grand scale, the ancient version of the Hatfield s and McCoy s. This is what is here prophesied. The branch of her roots was Berenice s brother, Ptolemy III Euergetes [ Benefactor ]. After succeeding his father as king of Egypt, he came against Syria with his army to avenge his sister s murder. His army defeated the Syrians, captured the fortress city of Antioch [ fortress of the king of the North ] and routed Laodice s son, Seleucus II Callinicus. Laodice was captured and executed. History records that Ptolemy III came back to Egypt with approximately160 tons of gold, 1600 tons of silver and approximately 2500 idols as well as many captives. He reigned over Egypt for 46 years; 6 more years than his counter-part to the north, Seleucus II. All in perfect fulfillment of this prophecy! 13

14 After this victory the Ptolemaic Dynasty had control of all the territory north to the borders of Syria which included the land of Israel. The historian Justin says that if Ptolemy III s own affairs had not called him home he would, in this war, have made himself master of the whole Seleucid kingdom. vv. 9, 10 STRIFE & TURMOIL INSTIGATED BY THE SELEUCID DYNASTY [9 Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. 10 However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife. ] [.the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South. ] After suffering a humiliating defeat, Seleucus II Callinicus [ king of the North ], launched a counter-attack against Egypt [ king of the South ; Ptolemy III Euergetes] to regain the spoils taken from his kingdom {refer to v.8 notes} and probably also to partially exact revenge for the death of his mother, Laodice, by Ptolemy III Euergetes. [ but shall return to his own land. ] But Seleucus II was forced to return to his own land without any success against the Egyptian army or recovering any of the spoils of war taken from his kingdom. [ However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces ] However, the Seleucidae Dynasty did not give up the battle. When Seleucus II Callinicus died [from a fall off of his horse], he left two sons as heirs; Seleucus III Soter [ the Preserver ] and Antiochus III Magnus [ the Great ]. During each of their respective reigns [ BC and BC] these two sons tried to restore Syria's lost prestige and recover what their father had lost by assembling large armies. By military conquest they in turn stirred up strife throughout the Middle East; the older son by invading Asia Minor, modern Turkey [Lysimachus Empire], and the younger son by attacking Egypt [Ptolemy s Empire]. [ and one shall certainly come ] Here there is a change to the singular one. This refers to one of the sons 14. And therefore the angel, though he prophecies of both sons of Seleucus II at first, goes on with the account of only one with the implication that he will have a greater reputation and gain more distinction. Of the two sons, history tells us this was Antiochus III the Great. Upon Seleucus II s death, his elder son, Seleucus III Soter, was made king but he was weak and was unable to rule over his army. While on a military campaign in Asia Minor he was poisoned by some of his confidants after a reign of only four years [ BC]. 14 Some Bible scholars also see a subtle reference to another one; Antiochus the Great s younger son, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who caused the Jews much grief and misery. The descriptions of his military campaigns and animosity towards the Jews will be detailed in verses [more that the other Seleucid kings combined] for he intruded on relationship with the LORD. His judgment of God and defeat by the Jews is chronicled in the apocryphal books 1, 2 Maccabees. 14

15 Seleucus III s younger brother, Antiochus III who is referred to as Antiochus the Great 15, became the ruler in 223 BC at age 18 and reigned for over 36 years [ BC]. [ and overwhelm and pass through then he shall return [lit. be stirred up again ] to his fortress and stir up strife ] On the recommendation of the one who was his brother s chief minister [Hermeias] the young king Antiochus the Great authorized an attack on Judea to put down a rebellion. Although his forces initially overwhelmed and passed through Israel, this attack proved to be a fiasco. His militia was routed and forced to return to Syria to their own fortress. Antiochus the Great was agitated or stirred up and he began to launch military expeditions to the surrounding nations [including the fortresses of other lands]. Thus, being stirred up and stirring up trouble. In 221 BC Antiochus the Great headed east and squashed the rebellions that had taken place in Media and Persia. In 220 BC he rid himself of Hermeias by assassination and returned to Syria. Meanwhile, in Asia Minor, Antiochus cousin [Achaeus] revolted and assumed the title of king but without much power. Antiochus the Great eventually took up the mantle of his father [Seleucus II Callinicus] in prosecuting the war against the Ptolemaic Dynasty and regaining lost territory. He succeeded in driving the Egyptians back to the southern borders of Israel, to almost the confines of Ptolemaic Egypt, during a military campaign that lasted between BC. We shall see in the continuation of this prophecy that this culminated in the great Battle at Raphia. One of the primary reasons Daniel received this vision is so that those who are righteous and faithful to God would not lose heart during this time of suffering and corruption. Knowing that the LORD already knows what s going to happen and is in control would give confidence to God s people, the Jews, and cause them to persevere and be encouraged through adversity. No wonder the prince of Persia [a Satanic angel; Dan. 10:13] did not what this information to be made known. The Jews incurred untold sufferings from both the kings of the North and the king of the South as this and succeeding prophecies unfold. These kings stirred up much trouble. An old African proverb says, WHEN TWO ELEPHANTS FIGHT IN THE JUNGLE, THE GRASS IS TRAMPLED. Such was the fate of Israel and the Jews during this time. 15 Antiochus III, called The Great [ BC] was the king of Syria from 223 to 187 BC. He was the most distinguished of the Seleucids. Having made vassal states out of Parthia and Bactria, he warred successfully against the Egyptian king Ptolemy V and in 198 BC obtained possession of all of Palestine and Lebanon. He later became involved in a conflict with the Romans, who defeated him at Thermopylae in 191 BC and at Magnesia [now Manisa, Turkey] in 190 BC. As the price of peace, he was forced to surrender all his dominions west of the Taurus Mountains and to pay costly tribute. Antiochus, who early in his reign had restored the Seleucid Empire, finally forfeited its influence in the eastern Mediterranean by his failure to recognize the rising power of Rome. 15

16 vv STRIFE & WARFARE BETWEEN ANTIOCHUS III & PTOLEMY IV; V [11 And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. 12 When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. 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 provisions. ] The king of the South at this time was Ptolemy IV Philopator [221 BC BC]. In a response completely uncharacteristic of his usual temperament 16 ; was moved with with rage and indignation [lit., bitterness ] against Antiochus the Great [ king of the North ] for driving the Egyptians back to the southern borders of Israel and reclaiming the territories of Lebanon, Gaza & during the period between BC Israel [see comments on v.10]. [ who shall muster a great multitude ] Antiochus the Great came against Ptolemy IV with an army consisting of approximately 62,000 soldiers, 6,000 horsemen and 102 war elephants [larger Asian variety]. [ but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy.] Ptolemy IV came to meet Antiochus the Great with an army estimated to be approximately 70,000 soldiers, 5,000 horsemen, and 73 war elephants [mostly African variety]. Ptolemy IV was initially successful in stopping the invasion of Antiochus by killing many thousands of the enemy s troops 17. In the great battle that was fought at Raphia 18 in southern Israel on June 22, 217 BC, Ptolemy IV gained the victory. 10,000 troops of Antiochus the Great s army were slain, 4,000 taken prisoner and Antiochus was forced to retreat to Antioch in northern Syria with the remainder of his forces [See Prideaux, Connexions; iii ]. The expression the multitude shall be given into his hand refers not only to the Ptolemy IV s victory over Antiochus the Great s army, but also to the fact that the inhabitants of southern Syria and Palestine territory were quick to submit themselves to Ptolemy IV. 16 The Anglican cleric and historian, Humphrey Prideaux, says of him He was a man naturally slothful and effeminate a most decadent and vicious prince. [Connexions iii. 146]. 17 The Roman historian Polybius, who lived with the Roman general Cornelius Scipio and documented his military campaigns [similar to the Jewish historian Josephus who lived with the Roman general Titus], gives a particular account of this great battle that took place at Raphia, southern Gaza [where the Rosetta Stone was discovered much later in 1799]. 18 Raphia or Rafah (Arabic: حفر Hebrew: (חיפר near what is today a town in the lowermost Gaza Strip near the most northeastern side of the Egyptian border that is part of the Sinai Peninsula. Over the ages is has been known as Robihwa by the ancient Egyptians, Rafihu by the Assyrians, Raphia by the Greeks and Romans, and now Rafah. It is the largest town in the southern strip, with a population of about 96,000, of which some 44,000 live in the two refugee camps about it, Canada Camp to the north, and Rafah camp to the south. Yasser Arafat International Airport, Gaza's only airport, is located just south of the city; the airport operated from 1998 to Rafah is the site of Gaza's only international border crossing. Formerly operated by Israeli military forces, control of the crossing was transferred to the Palestinian Authority in September 2005 as part of the larger Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. A commission of the European Union began monitoring the crossing in November 2005 amid Israeli security concerns, and in April 2006 Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Presidential Guard assumed responsibility for the site. 16

17 After this great battle at Raphia, and the retreat of Antiochus, history records that the cities of southern Syria and Palestine vied with each other in submitting themselves to Ptolemy. They had been long under the government of Egypt and preferred that to the government of Antiochus. They had submitted to Antiochus the Great only by force and once his influence was removed, they returned readily to the authority of their old masters. In the following year [216 BC] Ptolemy IV again rallied his forces and invaded Syria, took Gaza and the other strongholds, and subdued the whole country of Syria (including Palestine) to himself [See Prideaux, Connexions; iii. 176,177]. [ when he has taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up ] That is, after Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus the Great, he became extremely arrogant and presumptuous. He went into the temple of God at Jerusalem and, in defiance of the law, entered the most holy place. [ but he will not prevail {or be strengthened } ] Had Ptolemy IV possessed energy and capacity for government, it would have been easy to have retained the control over his empire but he could not and did not as the phrase but he will not prevail prophesies. The Anglican cleric and historian, Humphrey Prideaux, says of him He was a man naturally slothful and effeminate a most decadent and vicious prince [Connexions iii. 146]. Ptolemy IV was wholly given up to luxury and the easy life and immediately after returning from his victory over Antiochus, surrendered himself up to the enjoyment of his pleasures. Although he destroyed many thousands he did not enjoy the victory in peace but suffered with internal strife. After the victory at Raphia, he brokered a truce with Antiochus and the result was that his people, who expected much more from him and supposed that he would have prosecuted the war to the point of destroying the Seleucid kingdom, became dissatisfied with his conduct and broke out into rebellion. He was actually less strong in the confidence and affections of his people, and his ability to wage a war after his triumph over Antiochus was less than it was before. {See Prideaux, Connexions iii. 155}. The consequence was that Ptolemy IV, by his conduct, provoked some of his people to rebellion 19 and greatly undermined himself in the affections and confidence of the rest. But taking the prophecy but shall not prevail to refer to the Ptolemaic Dynasty [king of the South] in general, a subsequent attack by Antiochus the Great would lead to an ultimate Ptolemaic defeat and Seleucid victory. [ For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former ] After successful military campaigns against Media, Persia and India, Antiochus the Great [ king of the North ] assembled another army [204 BC] and this time it was larger than before. 19 The arming of Egyptians in this campaign had a disturbing effect upon the native population of Egypt, leading to the secession of Southern Egypt under pharaohs Harmachis (also known as Hugronaphor) and Ankmakis, (also known as Chaonnophris) thus creating a kingdom that occupied much of the country and lasted nearly twenty years. 17

18 [ and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment ] About 14 years after his defeat at Raphia {at the end of some years } Antiochus the Great returned to fight against Egypt with another, much larger and better equipped army [204/203 BC]. Much of the provisions and equipment were obtained in his previous victorious conquests in Media and Persia. The timing of this is significant for Antiochus the Great purposefully waits to resume his controversy with Ptolemies. Exploiting the situation in Egypt following Ptolemy IV s death, Antiochus the Great makes war against his son; Ptolemy V Epiphanes [ BC], who at the time was a mere child of no more than 5 years of age. vv. 14, 15 THE KING OF THE SOUTH IS ATTACKED WITH A MASSIVE ONSLAUGHT [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. 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.] These two verses predict what history now records as the victory of Antiochus the Great over Egypt. It was a decisive victory, and it caused Israel to suffer immeasurably 20. [.. many shall rise up against the king of the South ] Antiochus the Great had some powerful allies in his military campaign against the Ptolemaic empire such as Philip V of Macedonia and Cornelius Scipio [general of the Roman Republic and the one who had defeated Hannibal]. Antiochus the Great routed the Egyptians and destroyed a great part of their army. [ Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves ] The Kings James version translates the word for violent men as robbers. The Hebrew word is describing men of violence having very little human decency or kindness. We might call them hoodlums, gang bangers/gangsters, thugs or mobsters. This is not unlike the corrupt men and women in places of political and business leadership today. When Antiochus the Great returned from defeating Egypt many Jews [ your people as in Dan. 9:24; 10:14], who were eager to maintain the power and status they enjoyed under Ptolemy IV, helped with providing supplies for Antiochus' army. This enabled him to successfully besiege the Egyptian garrison in Jerusalem [Josephus, `Antiquities' xii. 3, 3]. This alliance did not last long however. There would have been devout and righteous Jews watching this turn of events that would be dismayed and appalled at this collaboration with the enemy. However, this vision and its fulfillment were intended to give them forewarning and confidence in the fact that they shall fall. 20 If you care to go into more detail, consult one of the larger Bible encyclopedias, such as Hastings' Encyclopedia or the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, and read in detail the secular history covered in these verses using key words such as Antiochus, Ptolemy and Scipio. You will find that Daniel's prophecy was fulfilled in a most accurate way. 18