STUDIES IN DANIEL 11“Daniel 11 – A Basic Overview”

DANIEL 11 STUDY FOUNDATIONS Daniel 11 should be understood through the

vantage point of historicism (Rev 1:19; 17:10) Daniel 11 will be studied from the perspective

of clear textual connections, comparing scripture with scripture (Isa 28:9-10)

Post-Calvary symbols in Daniel 11 should be understood primarily in a symbolic, global, and spiritual fashion (SDABC, 4:25-38)

We should avoid interpretive dogmatism!

James White, “Unfulfilled Prophecy,” Review & Herald, November 29, 1877

“Fulfilled prophecy may be understood by the Bible student. Prophecy is history in advance. He can compare history with prophecy and find a complete fit as the glove to the hand, it having been made for it.”

James White, “Unfulfilled Prophecy,” Review & Herald, November 29, 1877

“But in the exposition of unfulfilled prophecy, where history is not written, the student should put forth his propositions with not too much positiveness, lest he find himself straying in the field of fancy.”

Testimonies to Ministers, pp. 112-113

“The light that Daniel received from God was given especially for these last days. The visions he saw by the banks of the Ulai and the Hiddekel, the great rivers of Shinar, are now in the process of fulfillment, and all the events foretold will soon come to pass.”

Testimonies for the Church, 9:14

“The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.”

Manuscript Releases, 13:394“The prophecy in the eleventh of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Much of the history that has taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy will be repeated. In the thirtieth verse a power is spoken of that ‘shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall

Manuscript Releases, 13:394, cont’deven return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.’ [verses 31-36, quoted] . . . Scenes similar to those described in these words will take place. Let all read and understand the prophecies of this book, for we are now entering upon the time of trouble spoken of: [Daniel 12:1, quoted].”

Spirit of Prophecy on Daniel 11 Events shown by the rivers Ulai (Dan. 8)

and Hiddekel (Dan. 10-12) have insight for the last days and will soon come to pass.

Dan. 11 has nearly reached its fulfillment. Much of Dan. 11 has already been fulfilled

historically. The specific history described in verses 30-36 will actually be repeated.

We are living in the stream of history somewhere between Dan. 11:36 and 12:1.

CHRONOLOGY OF DANIEL’S VISIONSDaniel 2 Daniel 7 Daniel 8InterpretationGold Lion -------Babylon, 605-539 BCSilver Bear Ram Medo-Persia, 539-331 BCBrass Leopard He-Goat Greece, 331-168 BC------- 4 Heads 4 Horns 4 Kingdoms, 301-30 BCIron 4th Beast Little Horn Rome, 168 BC to AD 47610 Toes 10 Horns ------- Divided Europe, AD 476Iron-Clay Little Horn Little Horn Papal Rome, 538-1798Stone Cut Judgment SanctuaryJudgment (1844-End)Image Dest. Horn Judged Horn Broken 2nd Advent (Still Future)

NOTE – Daniel 11 repeats the same historical chronology as Daniel’s prior prophecies.

Daniel 11 – Historical Transition Points Dan. 11:2-4 Persia and Greece

Four Hellenistic Kingdoms Dan. 11:16-22 Pagan Rome Dan. 11:30-37 Dark-Age Papal

RomeAD

538-1798 Dan. 11:40 The “Time of the

End”1798

to the End Dan. 12:1 The Close of

ProbationThe

“Time of Trouble”

God’s People Delivered

DANIEL 11:2 (KJV)“And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia.”

Four Persian Kings Theory #1 – Cambyses (529-522 BC); Smerdis

(522 BC); Darius I (521-486 BC); and Xerxes (485-465 BC).

Theory #2 – Cambyses (529-522 BC); Darius I (521-486 BC); Xerxes (485-465 BC); and Artaxerxes I (465-423 BC).

Either view is plausible; the overall historical chronology of the prophecy remains intact (Greece is the next empire, either way!).

DANIEL 11:3-4 (KJV)“(3) And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. (4) And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.”

The “Four Winds” of Dan. 11:4 They parallel Dan. 7:6 (the “four heads”)

and Dan. 8:8 (the “four horns”). Four Greco-Macedonian generals –

Ptolemy, Seleucus, Cassander, and Lysimachus – divided Alexander’s former empire after the Battle of Ipsus (301 BC).

Four Hellenistic Empires emerged after Alexander – Seleucid Syria, Ptolemaic Egypt, Antigonid Macedonia, and Attalid Pergamum – each was conquered by Rome.

Dan. 11:5-15 discusses the activities of two of these Hellenistic kingdoms, describing the warfare between Seleucid Syria (the “king of the north”) and Ptolemaic Egypt (the “king of the south”) for control of Israel, prior to the rise of Rome. Syria eventually became stronger and overpowered Egypt in this period.

Daniel 11:16 (KJV)“But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed.”

Daniel 11:17 (KJV)

“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.”

Daniel 11:19-20 (KJV)“(19) Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. (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.”

Luke 2:1“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.”

Daniel 11:21-22 (KJV)“(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. (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.”

Luke 3:1-2“(1) Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea . . . (2) Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.”

Highlights in the Career of Pagan RomeDan. 11:16 Pompey the Great

Syria and Judea (Israel) conquered (64-63 BC)

Dan. 11:17-19 Julius Caesar

Affair with Cleopatra VIIAssassinated (44

BC)

Dan. 11:20-22 Caesar Augustus (27 BC-AD 14)

Tiberius Caesar (AD 12-37)

Christ crucified (AD 31)

Daniel 11:30 (KJV)“For the ships of Chittim [Cyprus] shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.”

SDA Bible Commentary, 4:873“Some see in the ‘ships of Chittim’ a reference to the barbarian hordes who invaded and broke up the Western Roman Empire.”

NOTE – The main Germanic peoples that broke up the old Roman Empire were the Goths (AD 410), the Vandals (AD 455), and the Heruli (AD 476).

Daniel 11:31 (KJV)“And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.”

Daniel 11:32-33 (KJV)“(32) And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (33) And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.”

Daniel 11:34-35 (KJV)“(34) Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. (35) And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.”

Daniel 12:7 (KJV)“And I heard the man clothed in linen . . . when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.”

Daniel 12:8-9 (KJV)“(8) And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? (9) And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

Great Controversy, page 356“But that part of his prophecy which related to the last days, Daniel was bidden to close up and seal ‘to the time of the end.’ . . . But at the time of the end, says the prophet, ‘many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.’ Daniel 12:4. . . . But since 1798 the book of Daniel has been unsealed, knowledge of the prophecies has increased, and many have proclaimed the solemn message of the judgment near.”

Daniel 11:36-37 (KJV)“(36) And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (37) Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.”

Daniel 11:40 (KJV)“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.”

Daniel 12:1 (KJV)“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.”

Basic Chronology of Daniel 11 Dan. 11:2 Persia (4 Persian

kings) Dan. 11:2-3 Greece (Alexander) Dan. 11:4 4 kingdoms (vs. 4-

15) Dan. 11:16-22 Pagan Rome (vs. 16-

30) Dan. 11:30-37 Papal Rome (vs. 30-

39) Dan. 11:40 Time of the End (vs.

40-45)1798

to the End Dan. 12:1 Close of Probation

Time of Trouble

God’s People Delivered

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS Dan. 11:1-39 has been fulfilled historically. We are living during the “time of the end.” Per 13MR 394, the history in Dan. 11:30-36

will be repeated, and this will take place specifically during the “time of the end.”

Therefore, Dan. 11:40-45 discusses the actual repetition of the historical events that are described in Dan. 11:30-36.

We CAN understand Daniel Eleven!

John 14:29“And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.”

Testimonies to Ministers, page 114“When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart.”