The Future of Israel

Daniel 11:1-13Part 1

Review• Daniel had been mourning and praying about

the future of his people, Israel– God sent a messenger to provide an answer to

Daniel– The messenger had been delayed due to other

events surrounding Persia• The messenger affirms that he is to reveal the

truth of what will happen to the children of Israel• Affirms that the events will happen no matter

what kings try to do– Because Michael, the archangel, stands with the

messenger– Dan 11:1 – as the messenger had also had

occasion to stand with Michael

Persia’s future• Dan 11:2

– 3 more kings of Persia (about whom nothing is said), since Cyrus is still king until 530 BC . . .• Cambyses, Cyrus’ son, 529-522 BC• Smerdis, 522 BC, either Cambyses’ brother or an

usurper pretending to be• Darius the Great, 522 – 486 BC, a son-in-law to

Cyrus, greatly expanded the empire– Though he was unable to defeat the Scythians to

his north and lost the Battle of Marathon to the Greeks to his west

– Then a 4th richer king who would stir all Persia against Greece• Xerxes

Persia’s future• Then a 4th richer king who would stir all against

Greece– Xerxes, 485-465 BC

• Wanted to punish Greece for the defeat of his father at Marathon

– Brought soldiers from Assyria, Babylon, Phoenicia, Egypt and Israel

– Built two pontoon bridges across the Hellespont» A sudden storm destroyed them

– Rebuilt the bridges, conquered Thessaly• Then sent an army of 1 million across the Aegean

– Stalled by 300 Spartan soldiers under King Leonidas at Thermopylae

» Gave Greeks time to withdraw from cities and prepare defenses

Persia’s future• Xerxes, 485-465 BC

– Tried to destroy the Greek fleet and lost most of his navy at Salamis• Decided to pull back to Thessaly and reinvade

Greece in the spring

– Received word Babylon was threatening to rebel, so Xerxes returned home• The Greeks managed to burn the remaining

Persian ships

• Without supply ships, the Persian army retreated back to Persia

Greece’s future• Dan 11:3

– The prophecy jumps forward to the “mighty king”, the goat of Chapter 8, Alexander the Great• As the angel had said in Dan 10:20, nothing

Persia could do would prevent the prince of Greece from coming

– Alexander would do as he pleased• Discussed at length in Chp 8

• Conquers from Greece to India to Egypt

Greece’s future• Dan 11:4

– Alexander’s kingdom would be broken on his death into 4 parts

– But none would be ruled by Alexander’s descendants or designated heirs

The 4 generals• Alexander’s death was followed by civil war

from 332 BC to 312 BC– Alexander left a pregnant wife, Roxana, who

gave birth to a son• The general Cassander killed both Roxana and

her baby– He briefly controlled Greece, but was later

conquered by Antigonus

– Eventually 4 generals divide the empire• Ptolemy Lagi – Egypt, Arabia, and Palestine• Seleucus – Babylon, Persia, and Syria • Lysimachus – Thrace, Bithynia, and Lydia• Antigonus – Greece, Macedonia, and Rhodes

The king of the South• Dan 11:5

– The first and great king of the South was Ptolemy Lagi, who changed his name to Ptolemy Soter (“savior”) in 305 BC when he accepted the title Pharaoh • Ruled from ca. 323 BC to 285 BC

– Succeeded by Ptolemy II, Philadelphus • Ruled 285 – 246 BC• Prince who became even stronger than his father• Allowed the tributary Israelites limited self-rule

under a governor and a high priest– Allowed Jews a peaceful existence in Egypt– Allowed the translation of OT into Greek

(Septuagint)

Conflict• Dan 11:6

– War broke out late in reign of Ptolemy II with Seleucus Empire to the North• As terms of peace, Antiochus II (Seleucid king)

agreed to divorce his wife (Laodice), disinherit her son, and marry Berenice (daughter of Ptolemy II) – joining the empires

• But it didn’t work out as hoped– Shortly after the wedding, Ptolemy II died– Antiochus II divorced Berenice and remarried

Laodice– Laodice poisons Antiochus II, and has Berenice,

her son, and her attendants all executed» Laodice’s son is then made king, Seleucus II

The Laodicean War• Dan 11:7-8

– Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III (the branch from her roots), 246- 221 BC

– Invaded the Seleucid empire to avenge her death

• Conquered all of Syria and a large portion of the empire

• Caught and executed Laodice

– Ptolemy III had to return to Egypt due to unrest there

• Brought 40,000 talents of silver and 2,400 idols (stolen from Egypt by Cambyses almost 300 years earlier)

– Seleucus II died in 226 BC, 5 years before Ptolemy III

More conflict• Dan 11:9-10

– The king of the North (Seleucus II) will come to the kingdom of the South

• He retook some of the land taken by Ptolemy III

• But didn’t cross into Ptolemy’s land

– Seleucus’ sons (Seleucus III and Antiochus III) prepared a large army to invade Egypt

• Seleucus III, king, fell off a horse and died (some claim he was assasinated) after 2 years ruling

• Antiochus III retook the rest of the land lost by his father– Took northern parts of Egypt’s territory down to what would

later be Caesarea, then accepted a 4 month truce– Then returned 4 months later and conquered all the way to

Gaza

More conflict• Dan 11:11

– The king of the South, Ptolemy IV, 221-203 BC• An evil man, believed to have become king by

killing his father, mother, and siblings– Sarcastically nicknamed “Philopater”, father-lover

• Finally retaliated

– Antiochus III sent 75,000 against Egypt• 10,000 were slain, 4,000 captured

• Antiochus III forced to retreat

• Lost control of the lands of Judea, Lebanon and Phoenicia to Egypt

Wasted opportunity• Dan 11:12

– Rather than take advantage of his victory and Antiochus III’s retreat• Ptolemy IV, made peace

– Took the financial gains from the peace and threw it all away on wild, extravagant parties and immoral living

» Was not strengthened (prevail in NKJV) either in land gains or in using the money for improving the army

– Forced his way into the Holy of Holies, put many burdens on the Jews

– When he finally died, the Jews celebrated in the streets

Opportunity used• Dan 11:13

– Unlike Ptolemy IV, Antiochus III used his opportunity• He built a larger army

– Trained them in battles against India and other neighbors

• Waited 14 years, until Ptolemy IV died and his son, still a child, was named king, Ptolemy V

– Then he attacked• Retook the lands of Phoenicia, Lebanon, Arabia,

and Judea in 198 BC– After securing his new border, he moved his army

to expand his empire further westward

Conclusion• Not nearly done with the vision

– But we can see God was indeed giving Daniel a detailed answer to his question about what would happen to the people of Israel

– We can also continue to stand in awe of God’s detailed foreknowledge and control of the kingdoms of men