Kings North and South 2
Series: Daniel
Daniel 11:9 ESV
Daniel 11:10-13 ESV
Daniel 11:12-23 (Northern Kingdom fought back)
Daniel 11:14-19 ESV
To set the stage for the period of time, Alexander the Great had prepared for a successor for his kingdom of his own blood. When that failed, four kings were chosen to rule. To of those kings were in Daniel’s vision, the King from the north and the King from the South because they controlled the Holy Land.
Daniel 11 has been called the most detailed prophecy in all of scripture.
I heartily agree!
Reading this much much later we have the benefit of wisdom of Biblical historians who have studied the prophecy and the history of the region.
In Daniel 11:9 we are told, “Then the latter shall come into the realm of the king of the south but shall return to his own land.”
I we know the King(s) of the north were Greek kings from Syria from the Seleucid Dynasty.
Daniel’s prophecy contains detailed actual accounts that occurred. The actual date to the time period they reigned was not foretold. Antiochus III (the Great) was born 242 B.C.E. and died in 187. He did see success in rebuilding the empire but did not succeed with the Romans (https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/understanding-the-book-of-daniel/daniel-11/).
In reality the King(s) of the south were from the Ptolemaic Dynasty who ruled south of the Holy land from Egypt (https://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/understanding-the-book-of-daniel/daniel-11/).
Ptolemy I was born around 367 B.C. and died around 283 B.C. in Egypt. He became ruler of Egypt (323–285 B.C.)
Daniel’s prophecy in Daniel 11:10-13 tells us specific details about conquests during this time period: “His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall keep coming and overflow and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. (11) Then the king of the south, moved with rage, shall come out and fight against the king of the north. And he shall raise a great multitude, but it shall be given into his hand. And when the multitude is taken away, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall cast down tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, greater than the first. And after some years he shall come on with a great army and abundant supplies.”
What occurred in reality to verse 10 is Seleucus II the son of the king of the north had two sons (Seleucus III and Antiochus III) of the Seleucid Dynasty who ‘stirred up strife’ between the two kingdoms when they ‘overflowed and passed through’ by conquering the Holy Land.
The kingdom of the North held ground that had been a safe zone. But then the son of the King from the South fought fiercely and he took it back. All of that was foretold by Daniel.
In Daniel 11:12-23 Daniel wrote that the house of the northern kingdom fought back.
Daniel 11:14-19 the prophet foretold, “In those times many shall rise against the king of the south, and the violent among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they shall fail. Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siegeworks and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, or even his best troops, for there shall be no strength to stand. But he who comes against him shall do as he wills, and none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land, with destruction in his hand. He shall set his face to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of an agreement and perform them. He shall give him the daughter of women to destroy the kingdom, but it shall not stand or be to his advantage. Afterward he shall turn his face to the coastlands and shall capture many of them, but a commander shall put an end to his insolence. Indeed, he shall turn his insolence back upon him. Then he shall turn his face back toward the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.”
And so back and forth they fought. What is remarkable is that the prophecy of Daniel was exacting.
It was specific, it was clear, and it was to the point.
Daniel’s prophecy in verse 19 to a stumble and fall occurred in reality when “Antiochus III turned his attention towards the areas of Asia Minor and Greece. He was helped by Hannibal, the famous general from Carthage. But a Roman General, Lucius Cornelius Scipio, defeated Antiochus in Greece. Antiochus planned to humiliate Greece but was humiliated instead. He returned to his former regions, having lost all that he gained and died shortly after” (https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/daniel-11/).
We have to remember the timeline as it relates to Daniel. Daniel’s captivity began in 606 B.C.E. and the exile lasted 70 years.
King Antiochus reigned 175 to 164 B.C.E.
By historical means Daniel could not have known anything of this time period.
Overall, critics of this section of Daniel’s last vision state it was too long, too accurate, and too detailed to have been a prophecy. They thought the prophecy was too good to be true.
They further contend that it must have been written at a much later date and inserted into scripture.
They do not believe God can speak to one person with such detail and accuracy before it happens.
Oh contrare’ this IS God. The one true God and this God prepared the prophet Daniel to receive His Word!
Daniel gave God time to speak, and God spoke clearly.
Spiritual Practice: Give God Time
Sit with God. Give God time to speak.
In God, Deborah