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Dan 11:1-4  Be ye not troubled – Part 1

[Study Aired May 9, 2024]

Dan 11:1  Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 
Dan 11:2  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. 
Dan 11:3  And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 
Dan 11:4  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. 

The question asked of Daniel in Daniel 10:17, “How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me“, was written for the elect’s benefit to remind us that unless the Lord builds our spiritual house we will remain in our sins and not overcome (Psa 127:1, Joh 8:24), however if the son of man sets us free we will be free indeed and have the spiritual strength through Christ, via God’s spirit, to be able to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. It takes His strength and His spirit, typified by the breath of life, in order for us to fulfill God’s will on this earth (Rom 12:2) as it is done in heaven (Joh 8:36,  Joh 8:31-32, Php 2:12-13). 

Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

The answer to Daniel’s question, “How can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord?” (Dan 10:17), is to be given the gift of the holy spirit (Rom 8:9, Eph 2:8), typified by what we read when Daniel is strengthened by an angel, a messenger, and in particular by the words that were spoken to him (Dan 10:18-21, Joh 6:63). 

Dan 10:19  And said, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto thee, be strong, yea, be strong. And when he had spoken unto me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my lord speak; for thou hast strengthened me. 

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

As we will see later in this 11th chapter of Daniel, many people do exploits (Rev13:13) in the churches of Babylon (Dan 11:28, Dan 11:32, Jas 1:22-25, Mat 24:46-47, Rom 2:13, Rom 12:1-2). However, it will only be a small remnant who is given to understand that the physical exploits of Babylon are for the elect’s sake (2Co 4:15), and typify for us the spiritual exploits God is accomplishing within the few who are having their eyes and ears open spiritually in this age (Mat 24:24, Joh 5:20, Joh 5:36, Joh 14:12, 1Jn 4:17)

Dan 11:28  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. [evil doing, works in the flesh that draw attention to the beast’s power who asks the question in the second resurrection, “Haven’t we done many wonderful works?”]

Dan 11:32  And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries [more works of the flesh that are as filthy rags to God (Isa64:6)]: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits [righteous exploits through Christ (Gal 2:20)].

Jas 1:22  But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 
Jas 1:23  For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: 
Jas 1:24  For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 
Jas 1:25  But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [Joh 8:31-32] therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 

Joh 5:20  For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

Joh 5:36  But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me [Joh 20:21].

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also [1Jn 4:17]; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father [Joh 16:7].

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world [having God’s spirit within us (Rom 8:9, Joh 14:20)].

By God’s grace we can now look at this chapter and continue to be mindful of the truths which these seemingly enigmatic prophecies hide, being “sealed with seven seals” that can only be opened and understood by the faith of Christ within us, Who makes it possible for us to be doers of the words and not hearers only (Rev 5:1-5, Php 2:12-13). Without the faith of Christ, our natural tendency will be to get fixated on the natural events and see only the historical element of the prophecies, losing out on the riches God has hidden for the elect to unearth in this life (Pro 25:2).

Rev 5:1  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
Rev 5:2  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? 
Rev 5:3  And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. 
Rev 5:4  And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. 
Rev 5:5  And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: [“be ye not troubled“] behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. 

Pro 25:2  It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Dan 11:1  Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him.

God sends His angel [Christ] to Daniel to strengthen him in chapter 10 (Dan 10:17-18), and as such he was able to be shown the things that were “noted in the scripture of truth” (Dan 10:21). These verses of chapter 11 confirm to the church God’s faithfulness in what He has started in the body of Christ through our Lord who is the author and finisher of our faith by whom we can endure all things (Php 4:13).

Dan 10:17  For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. 
Dan 10:18  Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me, 

Dan 10:21  But I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth: [typifying Rev 1:3] and there is none that holdeth with me in these things, but Michael your prince. 

The body of Christ is strengthened when we can be among the many joints of His body that confirm the truth of our communion in the Lord (Eph 4:16, 1Co 10:16, 2Co 1:4) and how it is through much tribulation that we will inherit the kingdom of God (Act 14:22). 

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

2Co 1:4  Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

What we are going to read in chapter 11 is once again connected to the day of the Lord that is at hand in the lives of those who are being judged in this age (1Pe 4:17), and that point is signified by it being “in the first year of Darius the Mede.“

Dan 11:2  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.

Persia and Grecia have their positions on the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in chapter 2 of Daniel, and then those sections of the statue are further explained for us in chapter 7 of Daniel. When going over chapter 2 and 7 of Daniel, we looked at the spiritual significance of these two kingdoms for God’s elect, and we are shown in this second verse of Daniel 11 (Dan 11:2) that the three kings of Persia signify a process of judgment upon those kingdoms within us which must be destroyed. It is when the beast of Persia is whole, symbolized by “the fourth [king] shall be far richer” that this empire is determined by God’s counsel to be on its way out (Eph 1:11). Pride comes before a fall, and having the riches of this world can make us very easily proud, and yet if God is working with us, He will conquer that pride of life within us, with the “realm of Grecia” that will conquer “Persia.“

These four sections of the statue of Daniel found in chapter 2 represent kings and the kingdoms these kings rule, typifying for us the powers and principalities we must wrestle against in our heavens (Eph 6:12) through a life-long process that God has ordained will create the necessary spiritual battles which we need in order to go onto perfection on the third day (Luk 13:32). We are very much and unknowingly a kingdom divided against ourselves that can’t stand at first (Mar 3:24), which Christ is destroying little by little (Exo 23:30) so that we can become a fitly framed temple of God. This unity is all being accomplished by the grace through faith process that God is working out in His workmanship which we are through Christ (Eph 2:8-10).

Mar 3:24  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

Dan 2:37  Thou, O king, art a king of kings: [Babylonian empire] for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. 

Dan 7:3  And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another.
Dan 7:4  The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings: [Babylonian empire] I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 

Dan 2:39  And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee [Persia], and another third kingdom of brass [Grecia], which shall bear rule over all the earth. 

Dan 7:5  And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear [Persia], and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
Dan 7:6  After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard [Grecia], which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it. 

The fourth kingdom that is strong as iron of Daniel 2:40 is the composite beast of Revelation 13:1-9.

Dan 2:40  And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. 

Rev 13:1  And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 
Rev 13:2  And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Rev 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.

All the empires of mankind will eventually fall because of the natural state of disunity in man’s heart, which God has created within the marred vessel which the first Adam is (Jer 18:4). Every carnal empire with its way ‘that seems right to man, leads to death’ (Pro 14:12) and used by God to teach us an eternal principle of how mankind can only be united through the mind of Christ, the second Adam (1Co 1:12-29).

1Co 1:12  Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 
1Co 1:13  Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 
1Co 1:14  I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15  Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 
1Co 1:16  And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. 
1Co 1:17  For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 1:18  For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 
1Co 1:19  For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 
1Co 1:20  Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 
1Co 1:21  For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified [Gal 2:20], unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24  But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 
1Co 1:25  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men;[“God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise” (vs 27)] and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 
1Co 1:26  For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things [Rom 11:18, Rom 3:27] of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

Dan 11:3  And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 
Dan 11:4  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.

By many historical accounts this mighty king who shall “stand up” is speaking of Alexander the great, but the spiritual lesson for us is that Grecia does not fall all at once within us, but when it does begin to happen, the terminology God uses are these words, “his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven.” This dividing of Grecia to the four winds is accomplished by the hand of God, and it is a weakening of this part of the beast on the statue of Daniel chapter 2 expressed this way, “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“, and sets the stage “even for others beside those” to come in and rule. This is another starting point of sorts of the many great battles and wars God will work according to the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11) to teach God’s elect of His sovereign hand throughout history and, more importantly, in our heavens as Christ wages war against the adversary we must overcome as we work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing that it is Christ who is working in us both to will and to do of God’s good pleasure (Php 2:12-13).

Who comes in and follows the Grecian empire is the Persian empire, and the Roman Empire, and Christ the stone made without hands who is going to destroy the Roman empire within us, and by extension, every other corrupt power and principality [empires, kings] trying to gain rule over our heavens. Christ’s victorious life conquered all of humanity, every empire, and every king, down to this last empire of Rome (Rom 4:17) symbolized by the basest of all the empires that is represented by the feet of the statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Dan 2:34). 

Christ’s death (Heb 2:14) bruised the head of the serpent, as do the elect when we die daily (Gen 3:14-15, Isa 53:5), and the serpent bruised the heel of Christ’s body, the seed of the woman, the church. This allegory is typified for us with the stone [Christ] that hits the basest empire, Rome, in the prophecy in Daniel chapter 2 [the statue] (Dan 2:34), which is an example of God speaking of things that are not as though they were (Rom 4:17). In time, all nations within mankind will be judged and redeemed through Christ and His Christ. God’s elect must be bruised first in this life (Col 1:24) in order to be partakers of that rulership under Christ in the future (2Ti 2:12), and as we overcome all the nations within us of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream by dying daily, the man of perdition will be destroyed by the brightness of Christ’s coming into our lives. Christ will not deny himself that victory in the lives of those whom He is the author and finisher of their faith (2Th 2:8, 2Ti 2:13-15, Heb 12:2). The prodigal son in his lowest state represents this basest of kingdoms, the Roman Empire that is hit by a stone on “iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men [seed of the serpent (Joh 8:44)]: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay” (Dan 2:43).

Heb 2:14  Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 

2Ti 2:13  If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. 

It is all well and good to identify Adam’s descendants comprised of all these empires and kings and their wars, but to stop there is just a history lesson. With that said we can identify many parts of this section of Daniel in history with natural events that will precede spiritual lessons to those who are given eyes to see and ears to hear what those lessons are. God tells us that all of these prophecies’ primary function was not to give us a historical timeline [humanity’s prophetic scaffolding], but were written down to reveal something about the end of the ages that have come upon those who are being judged in this life (1Co 10:11, 1Pe 1:12, 1Pe 4:17). Our goal should therefore be to glean as many spiritual lessons as God will permit through these very troublesome events of war between empires that typify the spiritual warfare that God has called us to be refined by in the Potter’s hand (Eph 6:12).

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

1Pe 1:12  Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into. 

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Here is a pretty concise semi-historical explanation of Daniel chapter 11 that Microsoft Bing generated by asking the question “explain chapter 11 of Daniel.” God is preparing the world for the future teachers who will, in an instant, be able to explain the truth of God, and because God’s judgments will be in the earth, His manifest knowledge will proceed forth from the elect, and the world will learn of His righteousness.

“Chapter 11 of the Book of Daniel is a highly detailed and complex prophecy concerning the future events affecting the Jewish people. This chapter outlines a series of conflicts between the “king of the North” and the “king of the South,” which many scholars interpret as historical events that occurred between the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt (the South) and the Seleucid Empire in Syria (the North). The prophecy extends from the time of Persian rule to the end of times.

The chapter begins with a prediction of the rise and fall of Persian kings and the emergence of Alexander the Great, whose empire would be divided after his death. It then describes a long series of wars and political maneuvers between the northern and southern kingdoms, including marriages, alliances, betrayals, and battles. The prophecy is noted for its detail and accuracy regarding historical events, leading some to suggest it was written after the fact, though traditional belief holds that it was written by Daniel in the 6th century BCE as a genuine prophecy.

The latter part of the chapter shifts to a future “time of the end,” describing a ruler who will do as he pleases, exalt himself, and oppose God, which many interpret as a reference to the Antichrist figure in Christian eschatology.

The text is considered by many to be one of the most detailed prophecies in the Bible, providing insights not only into the historical events of the Near East but also into the ultimate triumph of God’s kingdom.”  * End Quote *

Next week, Lord willing, we will start to break down the remaining verses of this chapter of Daniel that, like all of God’s word, is “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. We are going to hear of a lot of wars and rumors of wars, and learn of many nations that have risen against nations, of which Christ tells us represent our spiritual battles in our heavens that He tells us not to be troubled over (Mar 13:7-8, Luk 12:32).

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Mar 13:7  And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
Mar 13:8  For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

Luk 12:32  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.