Text: Daniel 11:1-45
The Lord now allows Daniel to see the previous visions again, but in greater detail (vv.2b 4). After the Persians rule this region for a while, Greece will rise up very fast and raise up a kingdom, which will be the new environment for God’s people to develop and grow in. It is now well known that Alexander the Great is the mighty king spoken of here, who dies at a young age and has his kingdom divided quickly between his generals. The kingdom of the North is Syria and Palestine, and the kingdom of the South is Egypt. Both of these are ruled by Greek cultures, which the Jews find very offensive and sinful. Then in amazing and accurate detail, several hundred years of wars, feuds, and family arguments are described as these two kingdom wrestle with each other.
What is the spiritual benefit of knowing this prophetic history? Daniels’ visions show how unstable global politics are. Governments continually ignore God’s will and thus suffer the results. These kingdoms are unstable because their gods are unstable, being that they are no gods at all. Ultimately, their cultures are based on irrational ideas that do not understand humans as they truly are.
In several places in this chapter, we find that where there is selfishness and
pride, there will be secret politics and lies (vv. 6, 17, 23, 27, 32, 34). Normally stable countries are based on truth, and these governments were never stable.
Only the Romans did bring about a certain level of stability in the region under Caesar Augustus.
Antiochus Epiphanes, who was prophesied about in earlier chapters, is now shown in more detail, as a lying, backstabbing double dealer in Jerusalem. He failed politically, so he took his revenge locally on the Jews under his care. The result was a revolt which set the stage for the coming of Christ. How do we respond to this? We glorify God by praising and asking him to allow us to bring peace and stability wherever He sends us.
Meditate on verse 4. What is God teaching you in this verse? How are you
going to respond to it?
Heavenly Father, we pray that You forgive us all the evils we have committed as a nation. Do not uproot us, instead cleanse and establish us in Your service. In the name of Jesus Christ we have prayed. Amen.