Hello Friends!
Welcome back to our Encouraging Concepts Bible study series focused on the powerfully PROPHETIC picture portrayed in the Old Testament book of Daniel painted as a panoramic landscape of World History in FIVE successions “written” in ardent ADVANCE some 2,600 years ago… “The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE!”
The Book of Daniel: Prophecy PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE (Chapter 11: Verses 21-31)
21 And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 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. 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. 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. 25 And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26 Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27 And both of these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28 Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29 At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30 For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate – Daniel 11:21-31
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: The devoted “Daniel” himself powerfully PROPHESIED that there would be “two thousand and three hundred days” in which the menacing Antiochus Epiphanes would overtly OPPRESS the jaded “Jewish” people:
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed – Daniel 8:13-14
These adorning atrocities had begun in 171 B.C. and that is very CLEAR from the annuls of recorded HISTORY itself. And “until” that Divinely decided date, there was purported pragmatic PEACE between Antiochus and the “Jewish” people. The righteous “high priest” was a godly man by the name of Onias III and was roughly REMOVED from his ordained office. A menacing man named Jason had boldly bribed the ardent Antiochus for this pious position and was perversely PUT in the place of the true “high priest” himself. As a rank result realized, the adamant ANGER of the righteous ranking “Jews” became stirred and although their revolution did not break out for a while, it began to fester and eventually led to that charge. And according to the HISTORICAL record of this period in Antiochus’ lethargic life, he ransacked “Jerusalem” by keenly killing some 80,000 individual “Jews” and sold some 40,000 more into slavery. He personally plundered the Holy “temple” and dedicated it to his indecent – Insolent Idols!
Another “king of fierce countenance” taken from among the “transgressors” sent against “Israel” by these “four kingdoms” will arrogantly ARISE from their midst…
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up – Daniel 8:23
These “transgressors” mentioned here represent the rashly regathered jaundice “Jews” of whom were themselves also very WICKED indeed. And this particular “king” would be of a “fierce countenance” and nature as he was CRUEL and VICIOUS in his corrupt conduct toward others – WICKEDNESS!
On December 25th, 165 B.C. under the leadership of the man Judas Maccabeus a great LEADER of the Maccabees to whom led the righteous REVOLUTION set ardently AGAINST the languishing “little horn” as Antiochus Epiphanes to clearly “cleanse” the “Jewish” temple. The mindful Maccabeans won their brave battle waged against Antiochus and had directly destroyed him. It must have been a GLORIOUS freedom from such a maniacal man. And as a RIGHTEOUS result, the “Jews” received a sparse 100 years of fleeting freedom in their heralded HISTORY up until the emerging Roman Empire had fully clenched their fearful fists around the “Hebrew” holds just as PROPHETICALLY promised in “God’s” Holy Writ. The Pagan Roman general Pompeii marched through the “kingdom” of the Seleucids and proceeded into Palestine, shattering the sadistic realm of the Seleucid Dynasty forever. And at that point in human HISTORY during the year 63 B.C. jaundice “Judah” became a rudimentary – ROMAN Province!
Therefore, the PROPHETIC picture proclaiming the terrible “times” of these “two thousand and three hundred days” spoken of by “Daniel the Prophet” have indeed been HISTORICALLY accurate – Faithfully FULFILLED!
Antiochus Epiphanes!
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: This “king” would come in the “latter time” of the Greek Empire that had ruled from 333 B.C. until 31 B.C. And the Greeks had seriously declined long BEFORE the dire defeat of Cleopatra at Actium proper. Then Emilius Probus had subdued Perseus and the Macedonians to completely conquer guarded Greece proper in 166 B.C. And Pompey had conquered sordid Syria for the Romans to eventually END the seething Seleucid system and its “kingdom” in precisely 63 B.C.
There is NO question about it, this corrupt “king” of whom had “understanding dark sentences” in his subtlety of darkly DECEIVING others by subterfuge was none other than the Seleucid sadistic ruler Antiochus IV of whom was a very important person in this HISTORICAL narrative. This Greek guard had “stood up” from within the family of the Seleucids as one of the “four” generals who took over the fallen anxious Alexander’s dominion. Thus, this antagonist known as Antiochus Epiphanes became the miserable MASTER over the “nation” of intimidated “Israel” in full…
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people – Daniel 8:24
HISTORICAL HINTS: This “king” appropriately named Antiochus Epiphanes had absolutely NO blood claim to the theocratic throne and had ROSE out of insignificance and was the EIGHTH ruler of the Seleucids sect of whom reigned from 175 to 164 B.C. in what is known as the Intertestamental period (see the extra-Biblical narrative of Josephus and the non-canonical writings found in the Apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees 1:10-15). He was definitely NOT a great general or a regal ruler as such. However, the great “God of heaven” had greatly granted him his prominent POWER to purposely “prosper” and was assisted in his rank REIGN by the apt aid of Eumenes the “king” of Pergamos along with his brother Attalus in kind. He was assisted in his tyrannical TREACHERY set aptly against insolent “Israel” by the equally WICKED jaded “Jewish” pious PRIESTS named Menelaus and Jason in kind. He would have angst against “Jerusalem” and its tainted “temple” of which very FEW foes before him ever had and would “destroy wonderfully” the miserable “mighty and the holy people” of inept “Israel” as BOTH sincere saints and soldiers severely – SUFFERED Sorely!
This ANTI-SEMETIC seething source did indeed wield a “mighty power“ that was NOT borne of “his own” strength to crassly “cause craft to prosper” as he set to “destroy many” in a demonically DISSOLUTE effort aimed AGAINST the jaundice “Jewish” body…
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand – Daniel 8:25
Through feign FLATTERY his pious “policy” promoting a promise of proposed “peace” pragmatically “prospered” as he purposed to mindfully “magnify himself in his heart” to direly “destroy many” as he willed. As a rank result, “he” would also “stand up against” the righteous “Prince of princes” as the sitting heralded “high priest” named Onias III in an EVIL effort to reticently REMOVED from his ordained office. He would manically “magnify himself” as he SOLD the pious priesthood of “peace” for mandated – MONEY Manipulated!
The maniacal Antiochus Epiphanes had built an alluring ALTAR to the pagan pompous Jupiter upon “God’s” appropriate ALTAR and offered swine in the true “temple” trusted. He and his satanic soldiers pined PROSTITUTES in this tyrannical tempest specifically sent to deeply DEFILE it in full. By so flagrantly DEFACING the Creator’s real religion, this looming “little horn” sternly “stood up” avidly AGAINST the only “God” Himself – UNHOLY Henchman!
Fiendish FLATTERIES!
This very profane and “vile person” purported in HISTORY aptly named Antiochus Epiphanes IV would overtly “obtain” the sordid Seleucid throne and caustic “kingdom” by an outside assistance and “by” fiendish “flatteries” flaunted:
And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries – Daniel 11:21
HISTORICAL HINTS: At this point, Antiochus Epiphanes was held captive inside Rome as a hostage after his father’s dire DEFEAT of doom. And because the throne itself along with the “honour of the kingdom” bestowed was NOT gladly “given” unto him, he was most likely personally involved in the treacherous ASSASSINATION of his blood-brother Seleucus Philopater IV of whom was in command. To do so, Antiochus usurped the use of Eumenes and Attalus farmed from Pergamos to antagonistically ASSIST him in taking the “kingdom” for his nephew Demetrius as such. Antiochus was known to flagrantly “flatter” the pragmatic populace with purposed POLITICS pined for personal popularity polls. Incidentally, Antiochus had rankly referred to himself as Ephiphanes meaning “the Illustrious” one. However, others rightly referred to him as Epimanes meaning – The MADMAN!
”And” with Antiochus Epiphanes utilizing this foreign ASSISTANCE through the “arms of a flood” sent from Pergamos had viably vanquished his political overt OPPONENT named Heliodorus himself:
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 – Daniel 11:22
HISTORICAL HINTS: It is quite doubtful that Antiochus could have “overflown” the coveted “kingdom” without the backing bemoaned of Eumenes and Attalus in kind. “And” as a result, this OPPOSITION was brazenly “broken” to include the rightful “prince of the covenant” named Demetrius I Soter of whom would rankly reign AFTER him. Incidentally, the “covenant” here refers to the “flattering” fickle claim that Antiochus was only personally PROTECTING the throne for Demetrius himself – Political PAWN!
FIRST Siege of the South!
”And” then Antiochus Epiphanes would wickedly “work deceitfully” by making a luring “league” with Ptolemy Philometer VI the son of Cleopatra herself, thus TAKING only a portion of the “small people” from the nation “Egypt” itself as a result:
And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people – Daniel 11:23
HISTORICAL HINTS: This Ptolemy Philometer VI was the nephew of Antiochus by virtue of his mother being his sister known throughout the halls of HISTORY as the claimed Cleopatra in kind. Thus, Antiochus moved through Syria and Palestine then down into “Egypt” and would “become strong” with a seemingly “small” but firmly formidable force – STRONG Seizure!
Then Antiochus would carefully “enter peaceably” to make great PROPHESIED progress towards the fine “fattest places” within the “province” of the land in “Egypt” with much pummeled “prey” and stolen “spoil” and ready “riches” to be publicly PLUNDERED in full:
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 – Daniel 11:24
HISTORICAL HINTS: While Ptolemy Philometer was deceived into safety, Antiochus moved upon his “fattest” territories. Superior to ALL of the Seleucid cunning “kings” and fickle “fathers” that went before him, Antiochus makes great PROGRESS toward all “Egypt” itself. One of his personal policies was liberal DISTRIBUTION of his military myriad of pragmatic “prey” and sordid “spoil” and ransacked “riches” to piously purchase the souls of nobles and generals. With a CRAFTY crass “forecast” foisted, Antiochus devised secret STRATEGIES set adamantly against the specified “strong holds” within “Egypt” to the “south” to easily TAKE it by force. This subtle form of CONQUEST consummates at a “time” for an – Antagonistic ASSULT!
SECOND Siege of the South!
“And” then Antiochus Epiphanes now aptly ATTACKS the “king of the south” within “Egypt” with a “great army” of his own to deathly DEFEAT the large force of Ptolemy Philometer complete:
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him – Daniel 11:25
HISTORICAL HINTS: Having had great SUCCESS with his modest modeled “devices” dictated, Antiochus Epiphanes now openly “stirred up to battle” against the “very great and mighty army” mounted by the young Ptolemy Philometer to a dire DEFEAT of doom. However, it was NOT by mighty military strength but through – TREASON Touted!
“Yea” the disgruntled Ptolemy Philometer VI was thus SUBDUED through internal SEDITION causing “many” to fatally “fall down slain” by them that did “feed of the portion of his meat” as his closest advisors:
Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain – Daniel 11:26
Family FEUD!
“And” now with Ptolemy Philometer being the captive of the antagonist Antiochus himself, he is incisively INVITED to attend a great banquet “table” gathered at Memphis to further discuss the matter of “mischief” manifested:
And both of these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed – Daniel 11:27
HISTORICAL HINTS: Here Antiochus Epiphanes would “speak lies” concerning the care for his young nephew Ptolemy Philometer promised. Similarly, Ptolemy too “speak lies” in kind to his uncle Antiochus for a personal thanks regarding such action. However, all the while he plans to unite in VENGEANCE with his brother Ptolemy Euergetes II. This family folly would “not prosper” and the “end” of either empire is not “yet” set UNTIL the apt “time appointed” is fulfilled – Family FEUD!
“Then” the anxious Antiochus Epiphanes would rigorously “return” with the stolen “great riches” in hand to his “own land” to the “north” in Syria proper. However, his “heart” is set “against the holy covenant” of our great GOD and makes a stop along the way to “do” evil “exploits” against “Jerusalem” itself:
Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land – Daniel 11:28
HISTORICAL HINTS: Having had great military success down in “Egypt” to the “south” the adamant Antiochus Epiphanes had much “spoil” to rankly “return” back to the Antioch area. The “Jews” having heard a false RUMOR that the ardent Antiochus was DEAD had thus celebrated as such. These glad tidings so ENRAGED this maniacal madman that he entered the “holy” house, PLUNDERED the “temple” and savagely SLAYED upwards of 80,000 innocent men, with their women and children of the “Hebrew” hoard – DESECRATED Dictates!
THIRD Siege of the South!
Then at the “time appointed” just as PROPHETICALLY proclaimed, Antiochus Epiphanes would “return” again two years later “toward the south” to powerfully PROSECUTE yet another additional willing WAR waged although the “former” and “latter” attempts were made:
At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter – Daniel 11:29
HISTORICAL HINTS: This is the THIRD military campaign from Syria in the “north” set against Egypt down in the “south” corridor. This campaign was NOT as successful as the first TWO sieges: The smaller and subtle (verses 23 & 24) and the larger and open skirmishes (verses 25 & 26). Here the antagonizing Antiochus Epiphanes was dully DEFEATED due to a roaring – Roman THREAT!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: The approaching Antiochus Epiphanes would rankly “return” unto “Egypt” by the PRECISE telling “time” of the proclaimed PROPHECY concerning these tumultuous 2300 days coming to a close in the HISTORICAL narrative…
Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man – Daniel 8:13-15
The ranking Roman Senate then sent sordid “ships of Chittim” to finally FORCE the adamant Antiochus to ultimately leave the “Egyptian” city of Alexandria alone. He would then become so FURIOUS about his defiant defeat that he sent Appolonius to take his vindictive vengeance out on the “Jews” themselves:
For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant – Daniel 11:30
HISTORICAL HINTS: Deep into “Egypt” territory Antiochus Epiphanes is mindfully MET by rank Roman ambassadors from their Senate demanding his EXIT from the “south” side. This political position was a DIRECT result of Ptolemy Philometer and his brother Ptolemy Euergetes having sordidly sought the apt ASSISTANCE of the Roman ambassador Popilius Loenas demanding as such. Horribly GRIEVED at this treatment by his former friend and political proponent, Antiochus is frightfully FULL of wrath and determines to take out his full FURY of hoarded HATRED towards the “Jews” of whom were geographically located in his RAMPANT return. Ultimately, Antiochus sends his sitting “army” arrayed with a total of 22,000 soldiers to the city of “Jerusalem” unabated – DESOLATION Decreed!
”And” then the PROPHETIC amiss “arms shall stand on his part” is rightly referring to the subsequent RISE of the Roman Empire itself of which would aptly arrive on the HISTORICAL horizon:
And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate – Daniel 11:31
HISTORICAL HINTS: At this PROPHETIC point, Antiochus Epiphanes places an armed garrison inside of “Jerusalem” and forcibly FORBIDS the formal “Jewish” solemn “daily sacrifice” and sets up his abrupt “abomination that maketh desolate” abrogated. He built a military fort to completely CONTROL all amiable access and egress to the “sanctuary of strength” itself. He established revelry with HARLOTS within the “temple” confines itself. He instituted his IDOL god named Jupiter Olympius on the altar of “burnt offering” to the true “God of Israel” Himself – SATANIC Sacrilege!
Incidentally, there are NO further words of warning offered in the PROPHETIC proclamation concerning the HISTORICAL herald regarding Antiochus Epiphanes himself. WHY? Because “he” was already bluntly “broken without hand” as his personal END was foretold by the devoted “Daniel” in full…
And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand – Daniel 8:25
PROPHETIC PROMISE: These VITAL verses conclude with a brief reference to the total DESTRUCTION of the jurisdiction of “Jerusalem” itself in the year 70 A.D. just as Sovereignly planned by our great “God of Heaven” Himself – PROPHETIC Picture!
For Further Personal Study:
Please refer to the links below to satisfy and stimulate your serious “study” of the “Word of God” faithfully fulfilling this wonderful PROPHECY picture promised within the HISTORY of humanity. The meditative material found within these PURPOSED pages points to merely an outline sketch. Every detailed clause of these perfect PROMISES can be vehemently VERIFIED from a poised plethora of sincere sources with as much illumined EVIDENCE as a fair person could ever want – At the CLICK of a Mouse!
There is NO other heralded HISTORY with as much detail and accuracy as this powerful PROPHECY given by “Gabriel” unto the devoted “Daniel” a full 10 - 520 years yielded BEFORE these specified events had occurred – HISTORY Held!
Our great “God” has CHALLENGED all of whom solemnly seek to confidently “consider” His TRUTH terrifically told…
Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you – Isaiah 41:21-24
The short & reliable HISTORY concerning Antiochus Epiphanes through the years 175 B.C. – 163 B.C. is outlined here ~ http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0804254.html & http://www.bibarch.com/Biographs/Ancient/Antiochus%20IV.htm
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Shane K. Morin <><
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
