God's Word Proves True
Daniel 11:2-35
Message #16
We’re back in Daniel, chapter 11, and notice the numbers, from verses 2 through 35. Our title is taken from Psalm 18:30.
Psalm 18:30 (ESV)
30 This God - his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true.
Do you believe that the Word of the Lord proves true? Do you believe it?
A professor at a LIBERAL Bible college was explaining the prophetic section of Daniel to his students. As he began – He said to his students, “Now, I want you to understand that the book Daniel was written long after the historical facts that it describes. It had to be written in about the 2nd Century B.C. – not in the 6th Century B.C. when Daniel lived.”
One of the students in the Bible class raised his hand and asked, “How can that be, sir, when Jesus said in Matthew 24:15 that it was written by Daniel?”
The professor was taken back a bit – and said to the student, “Young man, I know more about the book of Daniel than Jesus did.”
Many of our “so-called” Bible or religious colleges are filled with what we call “Liberal Bible Critics” who state their unbelieving opinions to their students as if they were facts. They call it “Higher Criticism.” It’s a reference to humanistic thinking. In their “human reasoning,” the amount of prophecy in this section of Daniel is just too much to believe. So their highly educated conclusion is – someone must have written it after the fact.
Amazingly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, in 1947, a (basically) complete manuscript of Daniel was found in the Scrolls, giving great defense to Daniel being written when it says it was (during the exile in the 6th century B.C.). But still, the critics say it’s just too much and too accurate for them to believe that it could’ve been written “By God’s Leading” as prophecy. It doesn’t make sense, so it must not be true.
You will have to decide for yourself, will God’s Word prove true in your life? Or will you join the critics because God’s Word is just too phenomenal to believe?
In the 34 verses we’re going to review today, there are over 100 specific prophesies. Over 100! All of which have been fulfilled. And the question you’re going to have to ask yourself today is this, Could God give Daniel over 100 correct prophesies in just 34 verses? Each of us will have to decide whether God’s Word will prove true in our lives. See, it doesn’t really matter if it proves true in someone else’s life because their eternity is set by their own choices. The only thing that matters is, will it prove true in your own life?
And here’s why! The big lesson I really want you to get is this; if God’s past prophecy has been 100% accurate, what is the chance that his future prophecy will be 100% accurate?
We left Daniel in intense intercession for the people of God in prayer and fasting for three weeks, during which time there was a great spiritual battle. And after the spiritual battle was won, an angel showed up to reveal to Daniel what was going to happen to the Nation of Israel for the next 300 years (and that’s just in our verses today.) Then, after that, the angel is going to reveal to him what was going to happen at the end of the age. So he goes from, here’s what’s going to happen in the next 300 years, to here’s what’s going to happen in the end of the age before Jesus comes back.
That’s not unusual for God. It’s not unusual for God to give these types of “double prophecies” – one close in (time-wise) and one further out.
In fact, my own salvation includes a mind-boggling double prophecy. Not on the scale of Daniel, but mind-boggling to me. When I was 19 years old, I was living in a recording studio in Hollywood, working with some big-name rock bands and trying my best to live the rock-n-roll life, when a friend convinced me to come home for the weekend to hangout… with his true intention being to get me to church.
At 19, I had never been in a Bible-believing church service, and I had never heard the Gospel message. But I heard it that morning, and I immediately received it. I was the first one down the aisle at the altar call, and I found myself standing right in front of the pastor. And this man laid his hand on my head, and he made two prophecies – one close in – one further out (just like what we’ll see in Daniel 11 and 12.)
I had never seen this man, and I had never been in his church (or anyone else’s). And he said, “The Lord wants you to know two things. Number one, your parents are separated right now, and they are going to get back together.” And my mom and dad were separated at that time, and they did get back together.
That first prophecy was given to me to give weight to the second prophecy he was about to give. So this pastor says to me, “Number two, you are going to be a pastor.” That was my first time in a Bible-based church, and that prophecy radically changed my life – that very day. I went home and called the recording studio that day, and I quit and told them I could never come back to Hollywood. Then Pam got saved three days later in the same church, and we have been following Jesus since that day.
Here’s my point. God will give double mountain top prophecies, one close, and one far. And as you look across the top, they look like the same prophecy, but they’re not. And the reason he gives you the first one is so that you’ll believe the second one. God does the same thing on a much grander scale in Daniel, Chapters 11 and 12. In the first 34 verses of Daniel 11, there are 100 prophecies that all came to pass in the following 300 years (which is short term for history.) And then after the shock and awe of 100 accurate prophecies in just 34 verses, then God’s Word moves to prophecies about the last days.
These first 100 prophecies are to add weight to the prophecies that are truly important, which are the prophecies about the last days that follow. It’s just like the first prophecy given to me was to add weight to the more important prophecy about me being a pastor.
And so, we are about to review 100 prophecies in 34 verses, and when I read that number from Dr. John Walvoord (one of our most respected scholars on Biblical prophecy), I thought certainly there can’t be 100 prophesies in 34 verses; it must be some strange way he’s counting them. So, I took this text, and I broke out every separate prophecy I could see, and I counted them. I got 101 separate prophecies, and I got some reassurance that Dr. Walvoord doesn’t overstate the truth.
So, we’re going to survey 100 prophecies right now that all came to pass in the following 300 years. And then, with the full weight of those 100 prophecies having already been fulfilled, then (and only then) is Daniel going to move into prophecies about the last days before Jesus returns to this earth to establish his rule and reign. And again, there is only one big point to the message today. If the first 100 prophecies have all occurred just as God said, what is the chance that the remaining prophecies are going to occur just as God says?
God wants you to believe in his miraculous, supernatural Word. No way it can be concocted by man. Sixty-six books, forty authors, 1,500 years on three continents – with no internet! One perfectly concise message. God has given you every reason possible for you to believe. And if you will see that God’s Word has proven true in these 100 prophecies that have already come to pass, then can you believe God’s Word for the prophecies that are going to come to pass in the future?
Okay, are you ready? We are going to do this one verse at a time, but in order for you to get out of here, I have to spend less than one minute on each verse. So this truly has to be a survey.
In Chapter 10, we saw the spiritual battle that occurred as this mighty angel came through the spiritual realm to reach Daniel and now that he has reached him, after much battle…
The angel says in Daniel 11:2,
Daniel 11:2 (NLT)
2 “Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. He will use his wealth to stir up everyone to fight against the kingdom of Greece.
These are the four Persian Kings who were still to come. The fourth was Xerxes I (480 B.C.), who stirred up an army of several hundred thousand to fight against Greece. He lost very badly, and Persia never fully recovered. That battle is most likely the one that occurred between Chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Esther.
But, that’s all I have time for – now the prophecy turns to the Kingdom of Greece.
Daniel 11:3 (NLT)
3 “Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do
This is Alexander the Great, who, (as we have said before), was absolutely unstoppable. He had basically conquered the world by the time he was 33. Unfortunately, Daniel 11:4 says,
Daniel 11:4 (NLT)
4 But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king’s descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others.
At the height of his power, Alexander the Great died at 33, history says from exhaustion and alcohol abuse. When he dies (as verse 4 says), his kingdom was divided among his four generals, not his descendants (who were probably murdered). But the Kingdom of Greece never had that great power again because of the fighting among the four divided parts. It was uprooted from Alexander the great and given to his four generals.
And now we begin a long history of war between the King of the South and the King of the North, both of which came out of the four-way split of the Empire of Greece.
Daniel 11:5 (NLT)
5 “The king of the south will increase in power, but one of his own officials will become more powerful than he and will rule his (his own) kingdom with great strength.
These two kingdoms that come out of Greece will be fighting each other for what seems like forever. One of these Kingdoms was south of Israel – Egypt, and one was north of Israel – (what we know as) Syria. And both of these kingdoms (of course) are still there today. In 306 B.C., two kings who were initially aligned together split apart. One became King of the South – Egypt (Ptolemy I Soter). One became King of the North – Syria (Seleucus I Nicator), and their kingdoms began a 200-year war with the land of Israel in the middle.
Daniel 11:6 (NLT)
6 “Some years later an alliance will be formed between the king of the north and the king of the south. The daughter of the king of the south will be given in marriage to the king of the north to secure the alliance, but she will lose her influence over him, and so will her father. She will be abandoned along with her supporters.
Inter-marriage was a classic way of trying to form alliances between kingdoms. If one king’s daughter was the wife of the other king, she could influence that king on her dad’s behalf. In approximately 252 B.C, the daughter of the King of the South (Ptolemy II Philadelphus) was married to the King of the North (Antiochus II Theos). The daughter’s name was Berenice, and the King of the North divorced his own wife to marry her. But it didn’t work. Berenice was thrown out by the King of the North, who then took back his first wife… who immediately murdered him and Berenice in revenge. (History, it’s more real drama than a reality show.)
Daniel 11:7 (NLT)
7 But when one of her (The Daughter’s) relatives becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him.
Berenice’s brother is Ptolemy III Eurgetes, who became King of the South, and he attacked the King of the North and defeated him (approximately 250 B.C.), partly in revenge for his sister being killed.
Daniel 11:8 (NLT)
8 When he returns to Egypt, he will carry back their idols with him, along with priceless articles of gold and silver. For some years afterward he will leave the king of the north alone.
Historically, this King of the South actually erected a monument to this victory, describing all he had taken from the North.
Daniel 11:9 (NLT)
9 “Later the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south but will soon return to his own land
Ten years later (240 B.C.), the King of the North is Seleucus Callinicus, who tried to mount a return attack on the south, but was badly defeated.
Daniel 11:10 (NLT)
10 However, the sons of the king of the north will assemble a mighty army that will advance like a flood and carry the battle as far as the enemy’s fortress (in the south).
You see that the never-ending battle between the Kingdom of the North (Syria), and the Kingdom of the South (Egypt), is ON with the people of Israel smack dab in the middle. The King of the North is killed, but his legacy of war is carried on by his successors (his sons), and they will not let up.
The first successor is Antiochus III the Great, who assembled a huge army and took control of everything, all the way to Gaza, marching over Israel and plundering along the way, while going after the King of Egypt (South).
Daniel 11:11-12 (NLT)
11 “Then, in a rage, the king of the south will rally against the vast forces assembled by the king of the north and will defeat them.
12 After the enemy army (of the north) is swept away, the king of the south will be filled with pride and will execute many thousands of his enemies. But his success will be short lived.
In 217 B.C., Ptolemy IV Philopator (King of Egypt), came against the huge army of the North (who were in Israel) and defeated them soundly, killing many thousands of them, and creating some calm for a few years (historically).
Daniel 11:13 (NLT)
13 “A few years later the king of the north will return with a fully equipped army far greater than before. (it’s the war that never ends)
History records in the years that follow Antiochus the Great (King of Syria), turned his attention to conquering other lands to the East and increasing the strength and size of his army. But Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t the first one to use the phrase “I’ll be back…” because Antiochus the Great will be back to fight the Egyptian Kingdom, and he’ll come at just the right time.
Daniel 11:14 (NLT)
14 At that time (when he returns) there will be a general uprising against the king of the south. Violent men among your own people will join them in fulfillment of this vision, but they will not succeed.
In 201 B.C., Antiochus the Great (North) again attacked Egypt (South) but this time with the help of Jewish mercenaries (who are mentioned specifically by the historians).
Daniel 11:15 (NLT)
15 Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught.
History puts this battle beginning at the area we know as Caesarea Philippi in the North of Israel, and the fortified city mention here is most probably Sidon on the coast of Northern Israel.
The battle is firmly on the land of Israel now.
Daniel 11:16 (NLT)
16 “The king of the north will march onward unopposed; none will be able to stop him. He will pause in the glorious land of Israel, intent on destroying it.
Three generals of the Egyptian army unsuccessfully tried to stop the march of the Syrian army thru Israel toward Egypt, with the Syrian army intent on destroying the land of Israel in the process. And now, with the might of victory on his side, the King of the North tries to form an alliance with the South.
Daniel 11:17 (NLT)
17 He (north) will make plans to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will form an alliance with the king of the south. He will give him (the South) a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom from within, but his plan will fail.
The King of the North (still Antiochus the Great), tries to force an alliance with the South and gives his daughter in marriage to the King of the South (Egypt). But the King of the South is the heir, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, who at this time is seven years old, and this planned alliance fails because the daughter of the King of the North (Cleopatra) refuses to do her father’s dirty work. But the King of the North still controls all of the land of Israel, right up to the Egyptian border.
Daniel 11:18 (NLT)
18 “After this, he will turn his attention to the coastland and conquer many cities. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and cause him to retreat in shame.
At this point, Antiochus the Great (North) begins to have set-backs. This commander from another land (history tells us) is the Roman general Lucius Scipio Asiaticus, who is credited with the ultimate defeat of Antiochus the Great. The battles “toward the coastland” were in Greece. History records then in 191 B.C. and in 189 B.C., and they were actually the beginning of Rome’s dominance. So Antiochus the Great is finally turned back.
Daniel 11:19 (NLT)
19 He (Antiochus the Great) will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall and be seen no more.
This guy had to be attacking and defeating something. So history tells us he attacked the temple of the pagan god Bel in his own land of Elam, and he was killed trying to take plunder from the temple.
Daniel 11:20 (NLT)
20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. But after a very brief reign, he will die, though not from anger or in battle.
The successor to Antiochus the Great (North) was a king named Seleucus IV Philopator. Rome was now asserting its power, and the King of Syria (North) had to collect taxes for Rome, including from the land of Israel – because they controlled the land of Israel. History says this King sent a tax collector to plunder the Temple in Jerusalem to pay taxes to Rome, and when he returned, the tax collector poisoned the King. This leads us to the most critical pre-runner to the Antichrist.
Daniel 11:21 (NLT)
21 “The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue.
This is the infamous pre-runner to the Antichrist, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (remember his name), and this is exactly how this one who “fore-shadows” the Antichrist came to power. History says three rightful heirs to the throne were murdered to pave the way for Antiochus IV Epiphanes to take control.
Daniel 11:22 (NLT)
22 Before him great armies will be swept away, including a covenant prince.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Syrian Kingdom (North) from 175 B.C. to 164 B.C. During that time, he brought great atrocities upon the Jewish people, which we will see more of, and the “Covenant Prince” is probably a reference to him murdering the High Priest in Jerusalem in 172 B.C.
Daniel 11:23 (NLT)
23 With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers.
He had some of Satan’s power of deceit and manipulation, and he used them to grow and maintain power, even though he was not a legitimate heir to the throne.
Daniel 11:24 (NLT)
24 Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land. Then he will distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich—something his predecessors had never done. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while.
The richest areas of the land certainly included Israel and plunder he did. Distributing the plunder among his followers is a reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes buying favor with his wealth in order to control the people around him. All of this he did, though he was only in power eleven years.
Daniel 11:25-26 (NLT)
25 “Then he will stir up his courage and raise a great army against the king of the south. The king of the south will go to battle with a mighty army, but to no avail, for there will be plots against him.
26 His own household will cause his downfall. His army will be swept away, and many will be killed.
For a time, because of his deceit and manipulation (in turning the household of the King of Egypt against him), Antiochus IV Epiphanes held the upper hand over Egypt. So, he forced the King of Egypt to the negotiating table.
Daniel 11:27 (NLT)
27 Seeking nothing but each other’s harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time.
The deceivers sit down at the bargaining table (and no, I’m not talking about our King and the King of Iran). I’m talking about the Kings of the North and South around 160 B.C. They conspire to deceive each other, but it will make no difference. God’s prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled while Antiochus IV Epiphanes was bringing his “hell-inspired” atrocities against the people of God.
Daniel 11:28 (NLT)
28 “The king of the north will then return home (from Egypt) with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.
Set against God’s people with a vengeance, just as the Anti-Christ will be. But his reign of evil doesn’t last too long.
Daniel 11:29 (NLT)
29 “Then at the appointed time he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different.
At God’s appointed time, this: pre-runner to the Antichrist” will come to the end of his rope, and this is the beginning.
Daniel 11:30 (NLT)
30 For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant.
Historically, this occurred near Alexandria, Egypt, when Antiochus was met by Roman general Gaius Popillius Laenas who promised to annihilate him if he continued to attack Egypt. History records that the Roman general drew a circle around Antiochus in the dirt and demanded his answer before he stepped out of the circle. This humiliated Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who took it out on who? On God’s people, of course. The Jews had been in the middle of this battle (literally) for over 200 years, and so in his anger and humiliation, Antiochus turned from Egypt toward Jerusalem.
Daniel 11:31 (NLT)
31 “His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration.
This is the big fore-shadowing of the Antichrist. This is the first “Abomination of Desolation” which the real Antichrist will follow. He sacrifices a sow, a pig, and spreads the blood of a pig in the temple. This is the Desecrating of the Temple that occurred in the time of the Maccabees. We’ve seen this before in Daniel, and we will continue to discuss it as we go.
Daniel 11:32 (NLT)
32 He (Antiochus) will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.
Some Jews were deceived by his money and manipulation, But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. This desecration began what is called the Maccabean Revolt, which we discussed in some detail when we studied Daniel chapter 8 in a message called “God’s Awesome Prophecy.”
Daniel 11:33 (NLT)
33 (during this time) “Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed.
This was a time of purging and testing for the Jews, as a “foreshadowing” of the Great Tribulation, where those who don’t join the Antichrist will meet the same fate as the wise leaders who rejected this “Little Antichrist.”
Daniel 11:34 (NLT)
34 During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes killed over 100,000 Jewish people, and those who stood up for God had to do it in hiding – just as it will be in the Great Tribulation.
And finally,
Daniel 11:35 (NLT)
35 And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.
for the appointed time is still to come!!
This was only a precursor to the Great Tribulation, the FINAL appointed time that is still to come.
We just surveyed 100 separate prophecies in 34 verses, covering almost 300 years of history. All of this can be documented by history.
Now, you decide. You have to decide how much you believe your own logic and reasoning versus how much you believe God.
Every line of these 34 verses has a prophecy in it that has absolutely come to pass. But you have to decide if you believe. God gave Daniel 100 prophecies covering 300 years in just 34 verses in order to give you a reason to believe the prophecies that follow these that are all about the last day.
God’s Word is here.
History is here.
Evidence is here.
The question is, DO YOU BELIEVE?? And will these 100 prophecies give you the confidence to believe the prophecies about the last days that follow?
Psalm 18:30 (ESV)
30 This God - his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true.
Do you believe that the Word of the Lord proves true? Do you believe it?
A professor at a LIBERAL Bible college was explaining the prophetic section of Daniel to his students. As he began – He said to his students, “Now, I want you to understand that the book Daniel was written long after the historical facts that it describes. It had to be written in about the 2nd Century B.C. – not in the 6th Century B.C. when Daniel lived.”
One of the students in the Bible class raised his hand and asked, “How can that be, sir, when Jesus said in Matthew 24:15 that it was written by Daniel?”
The professor was taken back a bit – and said to the student, “Young man, I know more about the book of Daniel than Jesus did.”
Many of our “so-called” Bible or religious colleges are filled with what we call “Liberal Bible Critics” who state their unbelieving opinions to their students as if they were facts. They call it “Higher Criticism.” It’s a reference to humanistic thinking. In their “human reasoning,” the amount of prophecy in this section of Daniel is just too much to believe. So their highly educated conclusion is – someone must have written it after the fact.
Amazingly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, in 1947, a (basically) complete manuscript of Daniel was found in the Scrolls, giving great defense to Daniel being written when it says it was (during the exile in the 6th century B.C.). But still, the critics say it’s just too much and too accurate for them to believe that it could’ve been written “By God’s Leading” as prophecy. It doesn’t make sense, so it must not be true.
You will have to decide for yourself, will God’s Word prove true in your life? Or will you join the critics because God’s Word is just too phenomenal to believe?
In the 34 verses we’re going to review today, there are over 100 specific prophesies. Over 100! All of which have been fulfilled. And the question you’re going to have to ask yourself today is this, Could God give Daniel over 100 correct prophesies in just 34 verses? Each of us will have to decide whether God’s Word will prove true in our lives. See, it doesn’t really matter if it proves true in someone else’s life because their eternity is set by their own choices. The only thing that matters is, will it prove true in your own life?
And here’s why! The big lesson I really want you to get is this; if God’s past prophecy has been 100% accurate, what is the chance that his future prophecy will be 100% accurate?
We left Daniel in intense intercession for the people of God in prayer and fasting for three weeks, during which time there was a great spiritual battle. And after the spiritual battle was won, an angel showed up to reveal to Daniel what was going to happen to the Nation of Israel for the next 300 years (and that’s just in our verses today.) Then, after that, the angel is going to reveal to him what was going to happen at the end of the age. So he goes from, here’s what’s going to happen in the next 300 years, to here’s what’s going to happen in the end of the age before Jesus comes back.
That’s not unusual for God. It’s not unusual for God to give these types of “double prophecies” – one close in (time-wise) and one further out.
In fact, my own salvation includes a mind-boggling double prophecy. Not on the scale of Daniel, but mind-boggling to me. When I was 19 years old, I was living in a recording studio in Hollywood, working with some big-name rock bands and trying my best to live the rock-n-roll life, when a friend convinced me to come home for the weekend to hangout… with his true intention being to get me to church.
At 19, I had never been in a Bible-believing church service, and I had never heard the Gospel message. But I heard it that morning, and I immediately received it. I was the first one down the aisle at the altar call, and I found myself standing right in front of the pastor. And this man laid his hand on my head, and he made two prophecies – one close in – one further out (just like what we’ll see in Daniel 11 and 12.)
I had never seen this man, and I had never been in his church (or anyone else’s). And he said, “The Lord wants you to know two things. Number one, your parents are separated right now, and they are going to get back together.” And my mom and dad were separated at that time, and they did get back together.
That first prophecy was given to me to give weight to the second prophecy he was about to give. So this pastor says to me, “Number two, you are going to be a pastor.” That was my first time in a Bible-based church, and that prophecy radically changed my life – that very day. I went home and called the recording studio that day, and I quit and told them I could never come back to Hollywood. Then Pam got saved three days later in the same church, and we have been following Jesus since that day.
Here’s my point. God will give double mountain top prophecies, one close, and one far. And as you look across the top, they look like the same prophecy, but they’re not. And the reason he gives you the first one is so that you’ll believe the second one. God does the same thing on a much grander scale in Daniel, Chapters 11 and 12. In the first 34 verses of Daniel 11, there are 100 prophecies that all came to pass in the following 300 years (which is short term for history.) And then after the shock and awe of 100 accurate prophecies in just 34 verses, then God’s Word moves to prophecies about the last days.
These first 100 prophecies are to add weight to the prophecies that are truly important, which are the prophecies about the last days that follow. It’s just like the first prophecy given to me was to add weight to the more important prophecy about me being a pastor.
And so, we are about to review 100 prophecies in 34 verses, and when I read that number from Dr. John Walvoord (one of our most respected scholars on Biblical prophecy), I thought certainly there can’t be 100 prophesies in 34 verses; it must be some strange way he’s counting them. So, I took this text, and I broke out every separate prophecy I could see, and I counted them. I got 101 separate prophecies, and I got some reassurance that Dr. Walvoord doesn’t overstate the truth.
So, we’re going to survey 100 prophecies right now that all came to pass in the following 300 years. And then, with the full weight of those 100 prophecies having already been fulfilled, then (and only then) is Daniel going to move into prophecies about the last days before Jesus returns to this earth to establish his rule and reign. And again, there is only one big point to the message today. If the first 100 prophecies have all occurred just as God said, what is the chance that the remaining prophecies are going to occur just as God says?
God wants you to believe in his miraculous, supernatural Word. No way it can be concocted by man. Sixty-six books, forty authors, 1,500 years on three continents – with no internet! One perfectly concise message. God has given you every reason possible for you to believe. And if you will see that God’s Word has proven true in these 100 prophecies that have already come to pass, then can you believe God’s Word for the prophecies that are going to come to pass in the future?
Okay, are you ready? We are going to do this one verse at a time, but in order for you to get out of here, I have to spend less than one minute on each verse. So this truly has to be a survey.
In Chapter 10, we saw the spiritual battle that occurred as this mighty angel came through the spiritual realm to reach Daniel and now that he has reached him, after much battle…
The angel says in Daniel 11:2,
Daniel 11:2 (NLT)
2 “Now then, I will reveal the truth to you. Three more Persian kings will reign, to be succeeded by a fourth, far richer than the others. He will use his wealth to stir up everyone to fight against the kingdom of Greece.
These are the four Persian Kings who were still to come. The fourth was Xerxes I (480 B.C.), who stirred up an army of several hundred thousand to fight against Greece. He lost very badly, and Persia never fully recovered. That battle is most likely the one that occurred between Chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Esther.
But, that’s all I have time for – now the prophecy turns to the Kingdom of Greece.
Daniel 11:3 (NLT)
3 “Then a mighty king will rise to power who will rule with great authority and accomplish everything he sets out to do
This is Alexander the Great, who, (as we have said before), was absolutely unstoppable. He had basically conquered the world by the time he was 33. Unfortunately, Daniel 11:4 says,
Daniel 11:4 (NLT)
4 But at the height of his power, his kingdom will be broken apart and divided into four parts. It will not be ruled by the king’s descendants, nor will the kingdom hold the authority it once had. For his empire will be uprooted and given to others.
At the height of his power, Alexander the Great died at 33, history says from exhaustion and alcohol abuse. When he dies (as verse 4 says), his kingdom was divided among his four generals, not his descendants (who were probably murdered). But the Kingdom of Greece never had that great power again because of the fighting among the four divided parts. It was uprooted from Alexander the great and given to his four generals.
And now we begin a long history of war between the King of the South and the King of the North, both of which came out of the four-way split of the Empire of Greece.
Daniel 11:5 (NLT)
5 “The king of the south will increase in power, but one of his own officials will become more powerful than he and will rule his (his own) kingdom with great strength.
These two kingdoms that come out of Greece will be fighting each other for what seems like forever. One of these Kingdoms was south of Israel – Egypt, and one was north of Israel – (what we know as) Syria. And both of these kingdoms (of course) are still there today. In 306 B.C., two kings who were initially aligned together split apart. One became King of the South – Egypt (Ptolemy I Soter). One became King of the North – Syria (Seleucus I Nicator), and their kingdoms began a 200-year war with the land of Israel in the middle.
Daniel 11:6 (NLT)
6 “Some years later an alliance will be formed between the king of the north and the king of the south. The daughter of the king of the south will be given in marriage to the king of the north to secure the alliance, but she will lose her influence over him, and so will her father. She will be abandoned along with her supporters.
Inter-marriage was a classic way of trying to form alliances between kingdoms. If one king’s daughter was the wife of the other king, she could influence that king on her dad’s behalf. In approximately 252 B.C, the daughter of the King of the South (Ptolemy II Philadelphus) was married to the King of the North (Antiochus II Theos). The daughter’s name was Berenice, and the King of the North divorced his own wife to marry her. But it didn’t work. Berenice was thrown out by the King of the North, who then took back his first wife… who immediately murdered him and Berenice in revenge. (History, it’s more real drama than a reality show.)
Daniel 11:7 (NLT)
7 But when one of her (The Daughter’s) relatives becomes king of the south, he will raise an army and enter the fortress of the king of the north and defeat him.
Berenice’s brother is Ptolemy III Eurgetes, who became King of the South, and he attacked the King of the North and defeated him (approximately 250 B.C.), partly in revenge for his sister being killed.
Daniel 11:8 (NLT)
8 When he returns to Egypt, he will carry back their idols with him, along with priceless articles of gold and silver. For some years afterward he will leave the king of the north alone.
Historically, this King of the South actually erected a monument to this victory, describing all he had taken from the North.
Daniel 11:9 (NLT)
9 “Later the king of the north will invade the realm of the king of the south but will soon return to his own land
Ten years later (240 B.C.), the King of the North is Seleucus Callinicus, who tried to mount a return attack on the south, but was badly defeated.
Daniel 11:10 (NLT)
10 However, the sons of the king of the north will assemble a mighty army that will advance like a flood and carry the battle as far as the enemy’s fortress (in the south).
You see that the never-ending battle between the Kingdom of the North (Syria), and the Kingdom of the South (Egypt), is ON with the people of Israel smack dab in the middle. The King of the North is killed, but his legacy of war is carried on by his successors (his sons), and they will not let up.
The first successor is Antiochus III the Great, who assembled a huge army and took control of everything, all the way to Gaza, marching over Israel and plundering along the way, while going after the King of Egypt (South).
Daniel 11:11-12 (NLT)
11 “Then, in a rage, the king of the south will rally against the vast forces assembled by the king of the north and will defeat them.
12 After the enemy army (of the north) is swept away, the king of the south will be filled with pride and will execute many thousands of his enemies. But his success will be short lived.
In 217 B.C., Ptolemy IV Philopator (King of Egypt), came against the huge army of the North (who were in Israel) and defeated them soundly, killing many thousands of them, and creating some calm for a few years (historically).
Daniel 11:13 (NLT)
13 “A few years later the king of the north will return with a fully equipped army far greater than before. (it’s the war that never ends)
History records in the years that follow Antiochus the Great (King of Syria), turned his attention to conquering other lands to the East and increasing the strength and size of his army. But Arnold Schwarzenegger wasn’t the first one to use the phrase “I’ll be back…” because Antiochus the Great will be back to fight the Egyptian Kingdom, and he’ll come at just the right time.
Daniel 11:14 (NLT)
14 At that time (when he returns) there will be a general uprising against the king of the south. Violent men among your own people will join them in fulfillment of this vision, but they will not succeed.
In 201 B.C., Antiochus the Great (North) again attacked Egypt (South) but this time with the help of Jewish mercenaries (who are mentioned specifically by the historians).
Daniel 11:15 (NLT)
15 Then the king of the north will come and lay siege to a fortified city and capture it. The best troops of the south will not be able to stand in the face of the onslaught.
History puts this battle beginning at the area we know as Caesarea Philippi in the North of Israel, and the fortified city mention here is most probably Sidon on the coast of Northern Israel.
The battle is firmly on the land of Israel now.
Daniel 11:16 (NLT)
16 “The king of the north will march onward unopposed; none will be able to stop him. He will pause in the glorious land of Israel, intent on destroying it.
Three generals of the Egyptian army unsuccessfully tried to stop the march of the Syrian army thru Israel toward Egypt, with the Syrian army intent on destroying the land of Israel in the process. And now, with the might of victory on his side, the King of the North tries to form an alliance with the South.
Daniel 11:17 (NLT)
17 He (north) will make plans to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will form an alliance with the king of the south. He will give him (the South) a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom from within, but his plan will fail.
The King of the North (still Antiochus the Great), tries to force an alliance with the South and gives his daughter in marriage to the King of the South (Egypt). But the King of the South is the heir, Ptolemy V Epiphanes, who at this time is seven years old, and this planned alliance fails because the daughter of the King of the North (Cleopatra) refuses to do her father’s dirty work. But the King of the North still controls all of the land of Israel, right up to the Egyptian border.
Daniel 11:18 (NLT)
18 “After this, he will turn his attention to the coastland and conquer many cities. But a commander from another land will put an end to his insolence and cause him to retreat in shame.
At this point, Antiochus the Great (North) begins to have set-backs. This commander from another land (history tells us) is the Roman general Lucius Scipio Asiaticus, who is credited with the ultimate defeat of Antiochus the Great. The battles “toward the coastland” were in Greece. History records then in 191 B.C. and in 189 B.C., and they were actually the beginning of Rome’s dominance. So Antiochus the Great is finally turned back.
Daniel 11:19 (NLT)
19 He (Antiochus the Great) will take refuge in his own fortresses but will stumble and fall and be seen no more.
This guy had to be attacking and defeating something. So history tells us he attacked the temple of the pagan god Bel in his own land of Elam, and he was killed trying to take plunder from the temple.
Daniel 11:20 (NLT)
20 “His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. But after a very brief reign, he will die, though not from anger or in battle.
The successor to Antiochus the Great (North) was a king named Seleucus IV Philopator. Rome was now asserting its power, and the King of Syria (North) had to collect taxes for Rome, including from the land of Israel – because they controlled the land of Israel. History says this King sent a tax collector to plunder the Temple in Jerusalem to pay taxes to Rome, and when he returned, the tax collector poisoned the King. This leads us to the most critical pre-runner to the Antichrist.
Daniel 11:21 (NLT)
21 “The next to come to power will be a despicable man who is not in line for royal succession. He will slip in when least expected and take over the kingdom by flattery and intrigue.
This is the infamous pre-runner to the Antichrist, Antiochus IV Epiphanes (remember his name), and this is exactly how this one who “fore-shadows” the Antichrist came to power. History says three rightful heirs to the throne were murdered to pave the way for Antiochus IV Epiphanes to take control.
Daniel 11:22 (NLT)
22 Before him great armies will be swept away, including a covenant prince.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes ruled the Syrian Kingdom (North) from 175 B.C. to 164 B.C. During that time, he brought great atrocities upon the Jewish people, which we will see more of, and the “Covenant Prince” is probably a reference to him murdering the High Priest in Jerusalem in 172 B.C.
Daniel 11:23 (NLT)
23 With deceitful promises, he will make various alliances. He will become strong despite having only a handful of followers.
He had some of Satan’s power of deceit and manipulation, and he used them to grow and maintain power, even though he was not a legitimate heir to the throne.
Daniel 11:24 (NLT)
24 Without warning he will enter the richest areas of the land. Then he will distribute among his followers the plunder and wealth of the rich—something his predecessors had never done. He will plot the overthrow of strongholds, but this will last for only a short while.
The richest areas of the land certainly included Israel and plunder he did. Distributing the plunder among his followers is a reference to Antiochus IV Epiphanes buying favor with his wealth in order to control the people around him. All of this he did, though he was only in power eleven years.
Daniel 11:25-26 (NLT)
25 “Then he will stir up his courage and raise a great army against the king of the south. The king of the south will go to battle with a mighty army, but to no avail, for there will be plots against him.
26 His own household will cause his downfall. His army will be swept away, and many will be killed.
For a time, because of his deceit and manipulation (in turning the household of the King of Egypt against him), Antiochus IV Epiphanes held the upper hand over Egypt. So, he forced the King of Egypt to the negotiating table.
Daniel 11:27 (NLT)
27 Seeking nothing but each other’s harm, these kings will plot against each other at the conference table, attempting to deceive each other. But it will make no difference, for the end will come at the appointed time.
The deceivers sit down at the bargaining table (and no, I’m not talking about our King and the King of Iran). I’m talking about the Kings of the North and South around 160 B.C. They conspire to deceive each other, but it will make no difference. God’s prophecy is in the process of being fulfilled while Antiochus IV Epiphanes was bringing his “hell-inspired” atrocities against the people of God.
Daniel 11:28 (NLT)
28 “The king of the north will then return home (from Egypt) with great riches. On the way he will set himself against the people of the holy covenant, doing much damage before continuing his journey.
Set against God’s people with a vengeance, just as the Anti-Christ will be. But his reign of evil doesn’t last too long.
Daniel 11:29 (NLT)
29 “Then at the appointed time he will once again invade the south, but this time the result will be different.
At God’s appointed time, this: pre-runner to the Antichrist” will come to the end of his rope, and this is the beginning.
Daniel 11:30 (NLT)
30 For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant.
Historically, this occurred near Alexandria, Egypt, when Antiochus was met by Roman general Gaius Popillius Laenas who promised to annihilate him if he continued to attack Egypt. History records that the Roman general drew a circle around Antiochus in the dirt and demanded his answer before he stepped out of the circle. This humiliated Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who took it out on who? On God’s people, of course. The Jews had been in the middle of this battle (literally) for over 200 years, and so in his anger and humiliation, Antiochus turned from Egypt toward Jerusalem.
Daniel 11:31 (NLT)
31 “His army will take over the Temple fortress, pollute the sanctuary, put a stop to the daily sacrifices, and set up the sacrilegious object that causes desecration.
This is the big fore-shadowing of the Antichrist. This is the first “Abomination of Desolation” which the real Antichrist will follow. He sacrifices a sow, a pig, and spreads the blood of a pig in the temple. This is the Desecrating of the Temple that occurred in the time of the Maccabees. We’ve seen this before in Daniel, and we will continue to discuss it as we go.
Daniel 11:32 (NLT)
32 He (Antiochus) will flatter and win over those who have violated the covenant. But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him.
Some Jews were deceived by his money and manipulation, But the people who know their God will be strong and will resist him. This desecration began what is called the Maccabean Revolt, which we discussed in some detail when we studied Daniel chapter 8 in a message called “God’s Awesome Prophecy.”
Daniel 11:33 (NLT)
33 (during this time) “Wise leaders will give instruction to many, but these teachers will die by fire and sword, or they will be jailed and robbed.
This was a time of purging and testing for the Jews, as a “foreshadowing” of the Great Tribulation, where those who don’t join the Antichrist will meet the same fate as the wise leaders who rejected this “Little Antichrist.”
Daniel 11:34 (NLT)
34 During these persecutions, little help will arrive, and many who join them will not be sincere.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes killed over 100,000 Jewish people, and those who stood up for God had to do it in hiding – just as it will be in the Great Tribulation.
And finally,
Daniel 11:35 (NLT)
35 And some of the wise will fall victim to persecution. In this way, they will be refined and cleansed and made pure until the time of the end, for the appointed time is still to come.
for the appointed time is still to come!!
This was only a precursor to the Great Tribulation, the FINAL appointed time that is still to come.
We just surveyed 100 separate prophecies in 34 verses, covering almost 300 years of history. All of this can be documented by history.
Now, you decide. You have to decide how much you believe your own logic and reasoning versus how much you believe God.
Every line of these 34 verses has a prophecy in it that has absolutely come to pass. But you have to decide if you believe. God gave Daniel 100 prophecies covering 300 years in just 34 verses in order to give you a reason to believe the prophecies that follow these that are all about the last day.
God’s Word is here.
History is here.
Evidence is here.
The question is, DO YOU BELIEVE?? And will these 100 prophecies give you the confidence to believe the prophecies about the last days that follow?