Chapter Eleven

World History from Darius to the Time of the End

Daniel 11:1-2

(And in the first year of Darius the Mede, I took my stand to support and protect him.) Now then I tell you the truth: Three more kings will appear in Persia, and then a fourth who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up everyone against the kingdom of Greece.

This Chapter contains the revelation of important events beginning with Darius the Mede (539 B.C.) and extending to the last Gentile ruler in the time of the end. The prophecy covers a period that coincides with the prophecy of Chapter Eight of the ram and the goat. Daniel was informed that there would be three kings in Persia to be followed by a fourth far richer and greater than the others, who would stir up all against the realm of Greece. The most natural explanation would be that the four kings were the first four Persian rulers in addition to Darius the Mede, the last one being Xerxes I who led the great expedition against Greece.

See also Daniel 2:32c

....its belly and thighs of bronze.

And Daniel 2:39b

Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.

Daniel 7:6

And after that, I looked, and there before me was another beast, one that looked like a leopard. And on its back it had four wings like those of a bird. This beast had four heads, and it was given authority to rule.

And Daniel 8:5-8

As I was thinking about this, suddenly a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes came from the west, crossing the whole earth without touching the ground. He came toward the two-horned ram I had seen standing beside the canal and charged at him in great rage. I saw him attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power. The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven.

And Daniel 8:21-22

The shaggy goat is the king of Greece, and the large horn between his eyes is the first king. The four horns that replaced the one that was broken off represent four kingdoms that will emerge from this nation but will not have the same power.

Let’s return to Daniel 11:25-29

The king of the South will become strong, but one of his commanders will become even stronger than he and will rule his own kingdom with great power…. At the appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome will be different from what it was before.

This section of Daniel 11 gives us details regarding the struggle between the various kings of Egypt and the kings of Syria ending with Antiochus Epiphanes, a comparatively obscure Syrian ruler.

Daniel 11:30-35

Ships of the western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favour to those who forsake the holy covenant. His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation. With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Those who are wise will instruct many, though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or captured or plundered. When they fall, they will receive a little help, and many who are not sincere will join them. Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end, for it will still come at the appointed time.

Disgruntled by his defeat in Egypt at the hands of Rome, Antiochus Epiphanes seemed to have vented his wrath upon the Jewish people.In the process of his opposition to the Jews, Antiochus polluted the holy altar in the Temple by offering a sow upon the altar and forbidding the continuance of daily sacrifices. He also issued orders that Jews should cease their worship and he erected an idol in the holy place. Thus Antiochus attempted to annihilate the party among the Jews that was devoted to God, but succeeded only in contributing to its purifying. His purging process foreshadows events which are yet to come as we can read in:

Daniel 11:36-45

The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. He will show no regard for the (God) gods of is fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above all. Instead of them, he will honour a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he will honour with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honour those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be delivered from his hand. He will extend his power over many countries; Egypt will not escape. He will gain control of the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the Libyans and Nubians in submission. But reports from the east and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate many. He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet, he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

The second part of Chapter Eleven is a description of the closing days of the Gentiles when the final world ruler will come on the world scene who will invade many nations, including Israel. His end will come when Christ returns.