FRAMEWORKS:
Daniel
11: The Vision Continues
v.1
The figure continues to explain
v.2-45
Stages of History
v.1
The figure continues to explain
v.1
And
in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support
and protect him.)
[Notes:
The timing and location of this verse in the middle of this revelation
in the reign of Cyrus, seems to confirm that this Darius is a
different one from Darius I who came later, possibly a lessor
ruler in the province of Babylon, in whose time this heavenly
being had first been helped Michael who seems to be an angelic
prince appointed over Israel.]
v.2-45
Stages of History
[Preliminary
Comments: What is most remarkable about the vision that
follows is the shear detail that is given and we have noted at
least forty stages or steps or changes that take place. We have
hesitated to impose names on these steps but have added an Historical
Appendix at the end of the prophecy at the end of chapter 12.
The
primary combatants are the kings of ‘the south' and ‘the north'
and we see the comings and goings and plans and machinations of
these kings and kingdoms. Again we overcome the temptation to
be dogmatic or even suggest who, what, where and when these things
actually come. Why such a detailed prophecy? Surely, to simply
make the point – God knows!]
v.2
“Now
then, I tell you the truth: [i] Three
more kings will arise in Persia, and then
[ii] a fourth, who will
be far richer than all the others. [iii] When
he has gained power by
his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.
[see 8:21]
v.3
[iv] Then
a mighty king will arise,
who will rule with great power and do as he pleases.
v.4
[v] After
he has arisen, his empire
will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven.
It will not go to his descendants, nor will it have the power
he exercised, because his empire will be uprooted and given to
others.
v.5
[vi]
“The king of the South Egypt?]
will become strong, but [vii]
one of his commanders will become
even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great
power.
v.6
[viii]
After some years, they will become
allies. The daughter of the king of the South will go to the king
of the North to make an alliance, but she will not retain her
power, and he and his power will not last. [ix] In
those days she will be betrayed, together with her royal escort
and her father and the one who supported her.
v.7
[x]
“One from her family line will arise
to take her place. He will attack the forces of the king of the
North and enter his fortress; he will fight against them and be
victorious.
v.8
He
will also seize their gods, their metal images and their valuable
articles of silver and gold and carry them off to Egypt. For some
years he will leave the king of the North alone.
v.9
[xi]
Then the king of the North will invade
the realm of the king of the South but will retreat to his own
country.
v.10
[xii] His
sons will prepare for war and assemble a great army, which will
sweep on like an irresistible flood and carry the battle as far
as his fortress.
v.11
[xiii] “Then
the king of the South will march out in a rage and fight against
the king of the North, who will raise a large army, but it will
be defeated.
v.12
When
the army is carried off, the king of the South will be filled
with pride and will slaughter many thousands, yet he will not
remain triumphant.
v.13
[xiv]
For the king of the North will muster
another army, larger than the first; and after several years,
he will advance with a huge army fully equipped.
v.14
[xv] “In
those times many will rise against the king of the South. Those
who are violent among your own people will rebel in fulfillment
of the vision, but without success.
v.15
[xvi] Then
the king of the North will come and build up siege ramps and will
capture a fortified city. The forces of the South will be powerless
to resist; even their best troops will not have the strength to
stand.
v.16
The invader
will do as he pleases; no one will be able to stand against him.
He will establish himself in the Beautiful Land and will have
the power to destroy it.
v.17
[xvii]
He will determine to come with the
might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the
king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage
in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed
or help him.
v.18
[xvii]
Then he will turn his attention to
the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will
put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on
him.
v.19
[xix]
After this, he will turn back toward
the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to
be seen no more.
v.20
[xx] “His
successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal
splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not
in anger or in battle.
v.21
[xxi] “He
will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given
the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people
feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.
v.22
[xxii] Then
an overwhelming army will be swept away before him; both it and
a prince of the covenant will be destroyed.
v.23
[xxiii] After
coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and
with only a few people he will rise to power.
v.24
[xxiv] When
the richest provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will
achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will
distribute plunder, loot and wealth among his followers. He will
plot the overthrow of fortresses—but only for a time.
v.25
[xxv]
“With a large army he will stir up
his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king
of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army,
but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised
against him.
v.26
[xxvi]
Those who eat from the king's provisions
will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many
will fall in battle.
v.27
[xxvii]
The two kings, with their hearts
bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other,
but to no avail, because an end will still come at the appointed
time.
v.28
[xxviii] The
king of the North will return to his own country with great wealth,
but his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take
action against it and then return to his own country.
v.29
[xxix]
“At the appointed time he will invade
the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from
what it was before.
v.30
[xxx]
Ships of the western coastlands will
oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and
vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show
favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
v.31
[xxxi] “His
armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and
will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination
that causes desolation.
v.32
[xxxii] With
flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant,
but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.
v.33
“Those who
are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall
by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered.
v.34
When
they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not
sincere will join them.
v.35
Some
of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified
and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still
come at the appointed time.
v.36
[xxxiii] “The
king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself
above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God
of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed,
for what has been determined must take place.
v.37 He
will show no regard for the gods of his ancestors or for the one
desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself
above them all.
v.38
Instead of
them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his
ancestors he will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones
and costly gifts.
v.39
[xxxiv]
He will attack the mightiest fortresses
with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who
acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and
will distribute the land at a price.
v.40
[xxxv] “At
the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle,
and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots
and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries
and sweep through them like a flood.
v.41
[xxxvi] He
will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall,
but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from
his hand.
v.42
[xxxvii] He
will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape.
v.43
[xxxviii] He
will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all
the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Cushites in submission.
v.44
[xxxix] But
reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will
set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many.
v.45
[xxxx]
He will pitch his royal tents between
the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his
end, and no one will help him.
[Notes:
Many have speculated who these various players are but
again we simply point the reader to the Historical Appendix at
the end of the last chapter.]