Daniel 10-12
As we watch history play out in this world, with political intrigues, wars and treaties, the rise and fall of leaders and nations, we are usually unaware of what might be going on “backstage” in the spiritual realm. In Daniel 10, the curtain is pulled back a bit, and we catch a glimpse of the ongoing conflict between God’s angels (including Michael the Archangel and the messenger sent to Daniel) and the forces of evil (including the “prince of Persia” and the “prince of Greece”). (See Daniel 10:12-13,20-21.) We would do well to remember this reality when we turn on the news, especially when we see rockets raining down on Israel.
In reading Daniel 11, we may find it hard to follow who is who and what is going on because we are not there in the middle of it. But for Daniel this is a revelation of upcoming history. Like yesterday, we don’t have the capacity here to trace through all the historical details, but we can note a few highlights. Daniel 11:3-4 speaks of Alexander the Great, who rises to power in Greece and conquers Persia (and everyone else) very rapidly. Upon Alexander’s death at the ripe old age of 33, his empire is split up among his leading generals into four competing realms. Daniel 11:5-35 focuses on two of those realms, the Ptolemaic Kingdom (based in Egypt and seen here as the “king of the south”) and the Seleucid Empire (based in Mesopotamia and seen here as the “king of the north”). And yes, history really does play out following this script over the next few centuries — at least through verse 35.
One particularly nasty character in this history is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, appearing in Daniel 11:21-35. This Seleucid king, in control of Judea, launches severe persecution of the Jews and attempts to stamp out worship of the LORD. He ends the daily sacrifice, desecrates the Temple, where he installs a statue of Zeus, and slaughters a pig on the Altar. (All of that triggers the Maccabean Revolt in 167 BC, eventually resulting in independence for the Jews that lasts until the Romans invade in 63 BC under Pompey.)
Why focus on this guy? Just as various Biblical characters (like Joseph and Joshua) serve as “types” of Christ — “models” exhibiting some characteristics of which Christ is the ultimate fulfillment — Antiochus IV Epiphanes serves as a type of the Antichrist, the “beast” of Revelation 13. In other words, Antiochus IV Epiphanes gives us a hint — but not a complete picture — of what to expect from the Antichrist in the end times, which is where our text seems to jump in Daniel 11:36-12:3.
All of this goes to say that our God is fully in control of all of history. He has a plan, and He has it all worked out. He knows the end from the beginning. God is not surprised by the rise of Alexander the Great, nor is He surprised by his early death. He is not baffled by all the machinations of the Ptolemies and the Seleucids. He is not threatened by Antiochus IV Epiphanes, nor by the Antichrist. And He is certainly not panicked by Putin or Hamas. Yes, we may each face extraordinary challenges. We may face suffering of various forms — sickness, danger, violence, persecution, even martyrdom. But God is still God, and He calls us to trust Him.