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 1-4)
1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2 And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. 3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 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 – Daniel 11:1-4
OPENING POINTS TO PONDER: Here we have HISTORY literally pre-written down in ADVANCE and so absolutely accurate are these powerful PROPHECIES and their subsequent fulfillment that the enemies of the "Scripture of truth" have definitely declared that it could NOT have been “written” by the devoted “Daniel” several hundred years BEFORE these “people” came into existence and fiercely fought their battles. The pagan Porphyry in the third century had heralded his heretical work "Treatise Against Christians" in which he bitterly attacked the firm FACT that indeed “Daniel” had wonderfully “written” these PROPHETIC predictions. He ardently argued that ALL of these dire details were willfully “written” down long AFTER these events seen in HISTORY had already taken place. And these very SAME arguments are augmented by the chided CRITICS camped within modern-day mankind’s – Maniacal DOUBT!
Chapter 11: Prophesied Wars of the Ptolemies and Seleucids!
This HISTORICAL narrative dictates a very detailed account of the Seleucid & Ptolemy wars, the rise of Herod and Rome itself. The ruling “ram” and harassing “he goat” along with the looming “little horn” found in chapter 8 caused “Daniel” to fully FAINT and the “seventy weeks” were Divinely DETERMINED upon the particular “people” of insolent “Israel” within chapter 9 following. And now here in chapter 11 are found more dire details of these woeful WARS that were to come – HISTORY within PROPHECY!
The HISTORY heralded here covers a parcel of the Persian and Grecian Empires under Artaxerxes, Darius and Alexander the Great in kind. However, most of the focus is placed upon the wicked WARS of the Ptolemies as “Kings of the South” in Egypt and the Seleucids as “Kings of the North” in Syria succinctly to include: Ptolemy Lagris, Ptolemy Euergetes, Seleucus Calinicus, Ptolemy Philopater along with Antiochus Epiphanes and even the Roman fleet known as the “ships of Chittim” will actually ALL enter into this profound picture – Perfect PROPHECY!
A deeply detailed exposition of this precise PROPHECY and its final FULFILLMENT would indeed fill many pages. However, here in lies the devoted details of the inter-testamental period of some 450 years spanning from the “Babylonian” captivity under “king Nebuchadnezzar” up until Cesar Augustus and it continues on in chapter 12 until “Israel’s” determined Divine DESTRUCTION and the Sovereign SCATTERING of the “Jews” throughout the WOLRD in the year – 70 A.D.
Persians & Greeks!
The angelic assistant named “Gabriel” now continues his coveted CONVERSATION with “Daniel” indicating his heavenly role within the “Persian” Empire:
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him – Daniel 11:1
These things would surely come to PASS as the mandated “messenger” had aptly assisted king “Darius the Mede” in duly defeating the besetting “Babylonian” Empire. It was angelic POWER that supernaturally “stood to confirm” and “strengthened” the mighty “Medes and Persians” to bring utter – DEFEAT!
THEOLOGICAL THOUGHTS: We must not UNDERESTIMATE the righteous roles and wicked ways that holy “angels” and evil “demons” play within the human POLITICAL realm…
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia… Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come – Daniel 10:13 & 20
And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel. And David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from Beersheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know it – 1 Chronicles 21:1-2
Next a brief HISTORY pertaining to the “kingdom” of prevailing “Persia” and their COMING conquering “kings” in command and eventually ENDS with the “fourth” named Xerxes advancing “against” and pridefully provoking the “realm of Grecia” to anger:
And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia – Daniel 11:2
Here “we” are rightly RETRACING our studious steps back to the “understanding” found within chapter eight where the angel “Gabriel” promptly PROMISED to soundly “shew” the devoted “Daniel” this tremendous “truth” told and thus – Dutifully DELIVERS!
HISTORICAL HINTS: The “vision” of the FUTURE begins here with the “Persian” Empire and “three kings” would follow the present “king” named “Cyrus” as they “shall stand up” in full. Although there were many more “Persian” pawns in the HISTORICAL record, only these “three” had any significant IMPORTANCE in right reference to the “Jews” themselves. And after “Cyrus” was no longer reigning, Cambyses, Smerdis and Darius Hystaspes would aptly ascend to the throne. However, the “fourth” fellow to follow named Xerxes was indeed “far richer” than “all” of them and engaged MUCH of his reign raising money to finance an avid ARMY expedition sorely set AGAINST the great – Greek Empire!
Alexander the Great!
“And” there would come a MIGHTY military tactician named Alexander the Great of whom would sternly “stand up” as this “mighty king” in his rigorous “rule” with a growing “great dominion” and daringly DID everything “according” to HIS own waning “will” alone:
And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will – Daniel 11:3
BIBLICAL BACKGROUND: As we have already determined in our PREVIOUS serious “study” sessions, “Daniel” had boldly “beheld” a terrible THIRD threatening “kingdom” structures represented by the “kingdom of brass” as the “Graeco-Macedonian” Empire succeeding the maniacal “Medo-Persian” Empire in kind:
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth – Daniel 2:39
Here Alexander the Great had rankly received his poignant POWER and the AUTHORITY initially from his father Philip of Macedon and by the “time” he was 32 years of age, he had “ruled” the known “world” spanning among Egypt throughout Europe and India from 330 B.C. to 63 B.C.. deeply descending unto the “thighs of brass” as depicted on the “image” itself. WHY? Because the great Greek Empire primarily had TWO major facets. At the dire death of the antagonist Alexander the Great his Empire was daringly DIVIDED among four of his commanding generals, with two them overtaking Syria and two of them overtaking Egypt with both becoming the TWO thrusting “thighs of brass” encompassing this emphatic Empire. And notice that “brass” is actually NOT quite as valuable as is “silver” but it is much STRONGER as a sign and symbol of the Greek CONQUESTS through its energetic enterprise – Great Greeks!
Later, “Daniel” had boldly “beheld” this brute “beast” appearing on the Sovereign scene looking much “like” a lurking “leopard” looming:
After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it – Daniel 7:6
This languishing “leopard” leading with “four heads” sporting its “four wings of a fowl” is correctly corresponding to the “belly and thighs of brass” in the middle of “Nebuchadnezzar’s” image as the THIRD great inferior monarchy HISTORICALLY held by Alexander the Great and his subsequent foursome of germinated Generals known as the – Graeco-Macedonian Empire!
It was the burning of the city of Athens along with other overt offences towards “Grecia” that brought the vexing “choler” of the young Alexander the Great to fruition “against” the raging “ram” rummaged…
And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand – Daniel 8:7
And after the Greeks had defeated king Xerxes in full, the pummeled “Persian” Empire was weak and ready for disaster – Dire DEFEAT…
The young Alexander the Great was indeed a very cruel and brutal general. Incidentally, the Old Testament prophet Zechariah had personally PROPHESIED the formidable foretelling of this man’s maniacal mission garnering “Greece” some 200 years BEFORE it would occur. And this AMAZING annotation outlines the fulfilment of his MILITARY campaign crossing over from Europe into Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and eventually down unto the “nation” of “Israel” and the “city” of “Jerusalem” itself…
The burden of the word of the Lord in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the Lord. And Hamath also shall border thereby; Tyrus, and Zidon, though it be very wise. And Tyrus did build herself a strong hold, and heaped up silver as the dust, and fine gold as the mire of the streets. Behold, the Lord will cast her out, and he will smite her power in the sea; and she shall be devoured with fire. Ashkelon shall see it, and fear; Gaza also shall see it, and be very sorrowful, and Ekron; for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited. And a bastard shall dwell in Ashdod, and I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth: but he that remaineth, even he, shall be for our God, and he shall be as a governor in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite – Zechariah 9:1-7
However, “God” had powerfully PRESERVED His particular pious “people” the “Jews” from the DESTRUCTIVE determined “will” of this mighty man of MALICE even unto the Sovereign Second Coming of our “Lord Jesus Christ” Himself…
And I will encamp about mine house because of the army, because of him that passeth by, and because of him that returneth: and no oppressor shall pass through them any more: for now have I seen with mine eyes… When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man – Zechariah 9:8 & 13
The “Persian” Empire had reached its zenith with the raving “riches” of the man Xerxes and then it declined deeply. And then Alexander the Great was set over “Greece” as a fierce FULFILLMENT of these exact words as he CONQUERED with magnificent might, stupendous speed and domineering dominion dictated. Whatever this “mighty king” chose to “do” he could ardently ACCOMPLISH aptly. He was incredibly INVINCIBLE in battle, even against – Obstinate ODDS!
“And” as Alexander the Great did sternly “stand up” abruptly, his confident “kingdom” was soon “broken” through his dire DEATH after a short 12 year reign and his “dominion” was “divided” to the “four winds” of his non-family pool of generals:
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 – Daniel 11:4
No sooner had Alexander reached the haughty height of his personal POWER play, he was “plucked up” and left “his kingdom” in great turmoil. Within 15 years, his “posterity” (brother, mother, wives and sons) had ALL been murdered as retribution of Divine PROVIDENCE on the butchering barrage by this looming lunatic. There was fighting among his generals lasting for over twenty years caused principally by Antigonus Monophthalmus the son of – Philip of Elimeia!
PROPHETIC PROMISE: Although the Bible itself does NOT provide these specific details, human HISTORY itself indeed DOES provide these departed details. WHY? To constantly CONFIRM the very veracity found in the “Word of God” completely! HOW? When Alexander the Great had died, his FOUR great generals Cassander, Lysimacus, Seleucus, and Ptolemy had decidedly DIVIDED the conquering “kingdom” of Greece into FOUR regions. WHAT? The General Cassander had taken the west area of Greece and Macedonia in kind. The General Lysimacus was given Thrace and Asia Minor in the east arena. The General Seleucus took Syria and the Middle East (Seleucids) in the north region. And General Ptolemy had taken Egypt (Ptolemies) to the south corridor – A Kingdom DIVIDED!
Sufficient “study” and right “reading” will indeed “show” that this poignant PROPHECY is more detailed and accurate than absolutely ANY other in regards to world HISTORY itself. And since many people are NOT at all familiar with this “time” period, there is little “understanding” of this very challenging chapter 11 charter – Today!
Praise the Lord Jesus Christ!We
are not guaranteed tomorrow – tomorrow may be too late! If you haven't
yet made that most important decision of your life, won't you make Jesus
Christ your personal Lord and Savior today - before it's too late? Today is the day of Salvation!
If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com
I love hearing from you. Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!
Shane K. Morin <><
"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.