Daniel Chapter 11
Daniel 11:1 "Also I in the first year
of Darius the Mede, [even] I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him."
This is the beginning of the things that Daniel was told to understand in the
vision. Some believe this was actually Cyrus, instead of Darius. For our study
here, it makes no difference who was the king. We are looking at the spiritual
side of these lessons, not the technical.
The messenger of 10:10 continues to speak of assisting Michael, even as
Michael had strengthened him (in the battle with demons in 10:21), confirming
Darius in his purpose of kindness to
Verses 2-45: (As in 8:3-26), this prophecy sweeps all the way from the
history of spiritual conflict in Israel (11:2-35), to the tribulation (verses
36-42), when Michael aids in fully delivering Israel (12:1). The detail of this
history is so minute and accurate so confirmed by history, that unbelieving
critics have, without evidence, insisted that it was actually written 400 years
later than Daniel, after it had happened which would have made the prophet a
deceiver. The prophecy actually looks ahead from Daniel to the final Antichrist.
The section (of 2-35), unfolds the near fulfillment of the Persian kingdom
and the reign of
Daniel 11:2 "And now will I show thee
the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in
These Persian kings are speaking of those who reigned after
The fourth is Xerxes I, called Ahasuerus in Esther (486-465 B.C.). Kings
after Xerxes are not included, probably because Xerxes’ failed military campaign
against the Greeks (481-479 B.C.). sounded the beginning of the end for
Daniel 11:3 "And a mighty king shall
stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will."
This is speaking of Alexander the Great of Greece. Alexander the Great
destroyed the armies of
Daniel 11:4 And when he shall stand
up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of
heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled:
for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.
After the death of Alexander (in 323 B.C.), four generals who were not of his
posterity took sectors of his wide empire.
Even this great kingdom, falls to the
The king of the South is
Daniel 11:5 "And the king of the south
shall be strong, and [one] of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and
have dominion; his dominion [shall be] a great dominion."
King of the South represents the Ptolemies, the leaders of
Daniel 11:6 "And in the end of years
they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall
come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the
power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given
up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened
her in [these] times."
The king of
Berenice, daughter of
Daniel 11:7 "But out of a branch of
her roots shall [one] stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and
shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against
them, and shall prevail:"
The murdered Berenice’s brother stood in his father’s place. His name was
Ptolemy III Euergetes of Egypt (246-222 B.C.), and in reverse he conquered
Daniel 11:8 "And shall also carry
captives into
This is speaking of
Daniel 11:9 "So the king of the south
shall come into [his] kingdom, and shall return into his own land."
Daniel 11:10 "But his sons shall be
stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and [one] shall
certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be
stirred up, [even] to his fortress."
Seleucus’ sons (successors), kept up war against
Daniel 11:11" And the king of the
south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him,
[even] with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but
the multitude shall be given into his hand."
The word "choler" means bitter. His bitterness caused the king of
The army, spoken of as a multitude, was about 75,000. The multitude falls
into enemy hands. They were defeated here. Ptolemy IV Philopator (222-203 B.C.),
devastated the Syrian army under Antiochus III the Great (223-187 B.C.).
Daniel 11:12 "[And] when he hath taken
away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down [many]
ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened [by it]."
Even though the multitude was captured, their captor is not strengthened.
Great numbers do not make a great army. Great leadership and great causes, make
a great army.
Gideon's army of 300 caused the multitude (so many they were like
grasshoppers), of Amalekites and Midianites to flee.
The size of an army is not important. God's blessing on that army is what is
important.
Daniel 11:13 "For the king of the
north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and
shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much
riches."
A king of
Thirteen years later Antiochus returned with a great army, and in a series of
strikes against
Daniel 11:14 And in those times there
shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy
people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall.
Violent Jews wanted Judean independence from
This happens almost as if it were to fulfill the prophecy.
Daniel 11:15 "So the king of the north
shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms
of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither [shall
there be any] strength to withstand."
The king of the north is
As we read in Ezekiel, a mount is a mountain of dirt. Which is built up and
pushed up against the walls, thus allowing soldiers to breach the top by simply
walking up the mount and onto the top.
Daniel 11:16 "But he that cometh
against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him:
and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed."
The glorious land is speaking of the
This speaks of Antiochus III the Great who took lasting dominion over
The
Daniel 11:17 "He shall also set his
face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him;
thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her:
but she shall not stand [on his side], neither be for him."
Antiochus gathered all his forces together for the conquest of
Cleopatra was true to her husband, instead of spying for her father. She,
along with her husband, even sent congratulations to
Daniel 11:18 "After this shall he turn
his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf
shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he
shall cause [it] to turn upon him."
Antiochus took advantage of the defeat of Phillip of Macedon by the Romans,
and he took the islands of the archipelago. He had set his sights to conquer
Daniel 11:19 "Then he shall turn his
face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be
found."
Antiochus returned from defeat to his own land compelled by
Daniel 11:20 "Then shall stand up in
his estate a raiser of taxes [in] the glory of the kingdom: but within few days
he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle."
Daniel 11:21 "And in his estate shall
stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom:
but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries."
(In verses 21-35), the cruelest king of the North was Seleucid, the Syrian
persecutor of
Daniel 11:22 "And with the arms of a
flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also
the prince of the covenant."
The prince that had made covenant was on the side of this one, who took over
without a fight.
Daniel 11:23 "And after the league
[made] with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall
become strong with a small people."
This has to do with Epiphanes receiving the throne. This has nothing to do
with power, but is trickery in action. It appears he made an agreement and then
did not keep his bargain.
Antiochus developed an alliance with Ptolemy VI Euergetes II (distinct from
the leader in verse 7). By this alliance, Antiochus deceitfully plotted to gain
greater power in
Daniel 11:24 "He shall enter peaceably
even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do [that] which his
fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the
prey, and spoil, and riches: [yea], and he shall forecast his devices against
the strong holds, even for a time."
Antiochus, under the guise of friendship, plundered the richest Egyptian
places he could strike. To gain support, he gave lavish gifts, possibly battle
spoils.
“His devices against the strong hold”: He formed a scheme
to take over
Daniel Chapter 11 Questions
1.
What is verse 1 the beginning of?
2.
Who is this 4th king of
3.
Which of the kings attacked
4.
Who is the mighty king, that rises up in
5.
What happens, to his kingdom?
6.
This great
7.
The king of the south is king of what country?
8.
What happens when the daughter tries to help get an
agreement for
9.
They land of the north is ___________.
10.
Egypt prevails over __________.
11.
What does "choler" mean?
12.
What happens to the multitude mentioned in verse 11?
13.
What makes a great army?
14.
_________ army of 300 caused the armies of the
Amalekites and Midianites to flee?
15.
How many were in the army of the Amalekites and
Midianites in the battle against Gideon?
16.
The king of
17.
What country is the glorious land?
18.
Antiochus brought his army against whom?
19.
What did he do, when he began to fear
20.
Who was the woman given in marriage to Ptolemy?
21.
Did she spy for her father, as he wanted?
22.
What did Antiochus take, because of the defeat of
Phillip of Macedon by
23.
What happened to Antiochus?
24.
When he fails in his conquest, what does he do?
25.
They raised taxes for what purpose?
26.
Verse 24 is speaking of ____________ entering into
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