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The Book of Daniel – Dan 11:17-20  Be ye not troubled – Part 3

[Study Aired May. 23, 2024]

The verses we will look at in this section of Daniel will once again be a comfort to us because they all demonstrate that God is the one writing history and declaring the end from the beginning through the mouth of His holy prophets who were “moved by the Holy Ghost” (2Pe 1:20-21) to bring hope to us through His word (1Pe 1:12) that witnesses to God’s unfolding master plan of the salvation of all (1Co 15:22).

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 

Once again I’ve included a history portion that reveals what physical events were unfolding in the earth that are relevant to the verses in the book of Daniel. The historical information that I’m using comes from Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org) and may not be perfectly accurate regarding historical content. Nevertheless it can serve to be a starting point to help us see a prophetic timeline that will shed light on God’s eternal words we are to live by today (Mat 4:4). We understand by God’s grace that the biblical record of the events have an ‘is, was and will be’ application for the end times that are upon those who are the first to trust in the living God (Eph 1:11-12, 1Ti 4:10, 1Ti 6:17).

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 
Eph 1:12  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. 

1Ti 4:10  For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 

1Ti 6:17  Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; 

My main goal with all of these prophetic events is to show how they are relevant to us today as the body of Christ and how they point to the hope of glory within us, Jesus Christ (Col 1:27), who wants the bride of Christ to not fear, but rather take comfort in knowing there is an expected end for His people that is good (Jer 29:11), and therefore we ought not to worry about the morrow, about the wars and rumors of war that are increasing in this age, but rather focus on the promises of His mercy and supernatural deliverance that is going to come, and is with us every day. With the faith of Christ we can be at peace and not be troubled by the spiritual warfare to which we are called (Eph 6:12). We are promised that we will be victorious as a result of our Saviour and Deliverer Jesus Christ (Mat 6:25-34, Mat 10:26, Mat 10:28, Mat 10:31, Rom 5:10).

Delivered “through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith” (Php 3:9)

Mat 6:25  Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? [1Ti 6:17]
Mat 6:26  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Mat 6:27  Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? [God gives the increase (1Co 3:6)]
Mat 6:28  And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
Mat 6:29  And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
Mat 6:30  Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? [God will help us in our unbelief, in other words, and clothe us with the righteousness of Christ (Heb 3:19, Heb 4:11, Rom 11:20, Mar 9:24, Heb 5:7)]
Mat 6:31  Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

God has blessed us to be covered with the faith of Christ, and He gives us spiritual meat in due season so we can be clothed and found with His righteousness in that day (Gal 2:16, Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13, Php 3:9-10, Luk 22:32)]

Mat 6:32  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
Mat 6:33  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. [The only way we can seek the kingdom first and His righteousness Gal 2:20, Php 2:12-13]
Mat 6:34  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 

Mat 10:26  Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 

Mat 10:28  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Mat 10:31  Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Dan 11:17  He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 

These verses that we looked at last week (Dan 11:15-16), represent for us how evil men will wax worse and worse. “The king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches” (2Ti 3:13). Whether the time period for these events is happening as the historians suggest does not mean that there is not an aorist, ‘is, was and will be’ manner in which we can understand what we are reading, always applying what we read primarily inwardly as this is the only place where the scriptures we are reading can become relevant for our dying daily sojourn in the Lord (Rev 1:3, 1Co 15:31).

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Rev 1:3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

These verses (Mat 24:12-14, Mat 10:21-23, 2Ti 3:1) correspond with the historical events that were taking place at this time in history (Dan 11:15-16). “And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall” and remind us of Christ’s words to “be you not troubled” (Mat 24:5-8), as all these things must happen inwardly in our own heavens, but the end is not yet, and we are assured “but they shall fall” meaning in our inward battles against powers and principalities. No carnal weapon formed against you shall prosper because of Christ (Isa 54:17, Rom 7:24-25).

It is Antiochus III who comes on the scene as a liberator for the Jewish people from Egyptian rule, and he does typify for us how we must go into Babylon to meet our captors [Antiochus III] who promises with great swelling words to deliver us from our Egyptian overlords (2Pe 2:17-19, Isa 3:1) who represent the powers and principalities of our former conversation (Eph 2:1-3) over which we learn we cannot gain dominion without Christ (Joh 8:32-36). Antiochus III turning destruction upon the Glorious Land and its people typifies for us what Babylon does to the words of God in our lives at that time (Isa 3:1) when we have not yet begun to come out of her my people, and are deceived into thinking that we have (2Co 6:17).

2Pe 2:17  These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. 

Isa 3:1  For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, 

Eph 2:1  And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 
Eph 2:2  Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 
Eph 2:3  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

History (Dan 11:15-16)

The king of the North… shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army: The angel told Daniel that the northern dynasty would answer back and defeat the king of the South in an extended siege. This victory would give the king of the North dominion over the Glorious Land.

“The land of ornaments — that is, Judea, which, lying betwixt these two potent princes, was perpetually afflicted, as corn is ground asunder lying betwixt two heavy millstones.” (Trapp)

No one shall stand against him: This was fulfilled when Antiochus III invaded Egypt again, gaining final control over the armies of Ptolemy V and over the Holy Land.

Many shall rise up against the king of the South: Jews living in the Holy Land helped Antiochus III defeat the king of the South. This was because the Jewish people resented the rule of the Egyptian Ptolemies (violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision).

He who comes against him shall do according to his own will… with destruction in his power: The Jewish people of the Glorious Landinitially welcomed Antiochus III as a liberator from Egyptian rule. Their decision to support Antiochus III proved unwise when he turned destruction upon the Glorious Land and its people. (Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org)

This plot of Antiochus the III to give his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V of Egypt (Dan 11:17) symbolizes for us the ecumenical spirit of this age out of which God’s people must come. We all initially try to ‘go along to get along’, agreeing in the essentials and tolerating what we consider to be non-essential doctrines, and believing that this is the way to demonstrate love to all men, when of course it is the exact opposite of love (1Co 4:6, 1Jn 5:2) and is a spirit of antiChrist that accommodates such a licentious approach to the word of God that accepts the traditions of mankind so we can fit in and not be hated by all men for His name’s sake (Mar 7:7). Giving his daughter is equivalent to giving his doctrine, and trying to intermarry his beliefs with Egypt, the ecumenical spirit spoken of earlier.

1Co 4:6  And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. 

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. 

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

History (Dan 11:17)

He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him.

He shall also set his face: The king of the North who ruled over the Holy Land would also attempt to dominate and destroy the king of the South. He would make one attempt by giving the king of the South the daughter of women to destroy, but this plot would not succeed.

She shall not stand with him: This was fulfilled when Antiochus III gave his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V of Egypt. He did this hoping to gain permanent influence and eventually control in Egypt. To the great disappointment of Antiochus III, the plan did not succeed because Cleopatra wasn’t faithful to her Egyptian husband at all.

This was not the most famous Cleopatra from ancient history, but this was the ancestor of the more famous Cleopatra. The more famous Egyptian woman lived some 100 years after the time of this Cleopatra. (Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org)

Dan 11:18 After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 
Dan 11:19  Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 

What happens next to Antiochus III assures us that we can commit our lives to God as unto a faithful Creator (1Pe 4:18-19) who knows how to destroy the man of perdition by the brightness of His coming (2Th 2:8-10, 1Pe 4:17) as He drives away the attempts of the devil to try to sift us like wheat (Luk 22:31-32). When we are under the strong delusion of this world’s false doctrines, we are being bound by a strong man that can only be overtaken by a stronger force, that being Christ who is the fit man giving us the ability to overcome Satan (Mat 12:27-29, Lev 16:21). There’s only two men in the bible being talked about at any given time, and Antiochus III represents our old man whose attempts to overtake us and control our thinking is not going to succeed if Christ is on the throne of our hearts (Rom 8:37). Antiochus III is driven away like the swine that had spirits enter into them causing them to go from the earth and into the sea and ultimately be drowned (Mar 5:12-13). Antiochus III’s demise came upon him after he tried to pillage or waste a Babylonian temple in the earth and was killed by enraged local citizens, and this is a shadow of the destruction of the man of perdition who must go where God commands him to go at an appointed time, like the gentile swine part of us that has to be drowned in the sea as Pharaoh’s chariots and his host were cast into the sea along with his chosen captains who also drowned in the Red sea” (2Th 2:6-7, Exo 15:4). 

1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:
Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. [Rom 11:20-22, Rom 3:27]

Mat 12:27  And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. 
Mat 12:28  But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, [within Christ’s body the church (Col 1:24, Col 1:27)] then the kingdom of God is come unto you [the kingdom of God is within (Luk 17:21)]. 
Mat 12:29  Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house [Joh 8:36]. 

Lev 16:21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness

History (Dan 11:18-19)

After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

He shall turn back on him: After the disappointing effort through the daughter Cleopatra, the king of the North would turn his efforts towards the coastlands— until he was stopped by one formerly under reproach, until he shall stumble and fall, and not be found.

He shall stumble and fall: This was fulfilled 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.

After this defeat Antiochus III had an inglorious end. Needing money badly for his treasury, he resorted to pillaging a Babylonian temple and was killed by enraged local citizens. (Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org)

Dan 11:20  Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle.

There are some parallels with Seleucus III who was Antiochus III’s eldest son and successor who would raise taxes, and Rehoboam the son of Solomon who would also raise taxes on the people and rule with a rod of iron. Both men represent the bondage sin brings upon us and how God determines the times and seasons of such bondage (Isa 45:7) and uses it to teach us through these lives how His chastening in our life makes it possible for us to cease from sinning and move forward in the righteousness of Christ (Rom 8:28, Gal 2:20). The phrase “he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle” reminds us that this typifies for God’s elect a work that is taking place within us where the battle resides against powers and principalities (Eph 6:12). Even though Seleucus III is assassinated and Antiochus III is killed, both representing our old man, we take comfort in knowing that while our old man is dying through God’s judgments in our lives, not a hair on our head is going to perish (Luk 21:18-19). 

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Luk 21:18  But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

History (Dan 11:20)

There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.
There shall arise in his place: After the inglorious end of the king of the North, his successor would raise taxes and meet a soon end.

One who imposes taxes: This was fulfilled in the brief reign of Seleucus III, the eldest son of Antiochus III. He sought to tax his dominion (including the glorious kingdom, the Holy Land) to increase revenues. His plan to pillage the Jerusalem temple was set aside when his ambassador had an angelic vision of warning.

Within a few days he shall be destroyed: Seleucus III was assassinated, probably by his brother Antiochus IV. (Study Guide for Daniel 11 by David Guzik (blueletterbible.org)

Next week we will look at Daniel 11:21-27 and conclude chapter 11 the following week, Lord willing.

Dan 11:21  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. 
Dan 11:22  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. 
Dan 11:23  And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 
Dan 11:24  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. 
Dan 11:25  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. 
Dan 11:26  Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 
Dan 11:27  And both 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.