Daniel 11

Daniel 11:20-45

Morris adds "It is believed that Epiphanes, aided by traitorous Jews, sacrificed a sow on the altar and erected a statue of Zeus in the temple at Jerusalem. The motive behind this act was his ambition to unify the great empire extending all the way to India, left him by his father, by compelling all people in the empire to adopt the Greco/Roman system of culture and pantheistic religion." Daniel 11:32 "BY SMOOTH WORDS HE WILL TURN TO GODLESSNESS THOSE WHO ACT WICKEDLY TOWARD THE COVENANT, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD WILL DISPLAY STRENGTH AND TAKE ACTION. turn to: 2Th 2:9, 10, 11, 12 Rev 13:12, 13, 14, 15 the people: 1Ch 28:9 Ps 9:10 Jer 31:34 Jn 17:3 2Co 4:3-6 1Jn 2:3,4 5:20 shall be: Pr 19:5 26:28 Mic 5:7, 8, 9 7:15, 16, 17 Zec 9:13, 14,1 5, 16 10:3, 4, 5, 6,12 12:3, 4, 5, 6, 7 14:1, 2, 3, 4 Mal 4:2 2Ti 2:1, 2, 3 Heb 10:32,33 Rev 6:11 7:9,10 12:7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Daniel 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries ANTIOCHUS A SMOOTH OPERATOR By smooth words - Antiochus IV Epiphanes was a "smooth operator" facile in using words filled with flattery. The root verb (for smooth) is balaq which means to be smooth or slippery! What a picture of this despicable king's speech and a foreshadowing of the future king, the Antichrist. Turn to godlessness those who act wickedly toward the covenant - This refers to Jews who are enticed by Antiochus to in essence "apostatize", to reject the truth of God's covenant. First Maccabees alludes to these events recording that In those days there appeared in Israel men (Jews) who were breakers of the law (act wickedly toward the covenant), and they seduced many people, saying: “Let us go and make an alliance with the Gentiles all around us; since we separated from them, many evils have come upon us.” 12 The proposal was agreeable; 13 some from among the people promptly went to the king (Antiochus IV), and he authorized them to introduce the way of living of the Gentiles (Hellenization). 14 Thereupon they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem according to the Gentile custom. 15 They covered over the mark of their circumcision and abandoned the holy covenant; they allied themselves with the Gentiles and sold themselves to wrongdoing. (1Macc 1:11- 15) Many even from Israel gladly adopted his (Antiochus pagan, godless) religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. (1Macc 1:43) But - Observe the striking contrast between the Jews who were unfaithful and apostatized versus those Jews who remained faithful to Jehovah and His covenant. THE PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR GOD The people who know their God - This refers to faithful, God fearing Jews, who were "jealous" for God which in turn made them "zealous" (display strength and take action), for this verse alludes to the Maccabees who revolted against the forced imposition of godless religion upon the nation of Israel. THOUGHT - Do you know your God? In these last days, may God's Spirit strengthen your heart to "redeem your time, because the days are evil." (Eph 5:16+). Those of us who know him by faith can trust in his power and victory. Spurgeon in Morning and Evening - Every believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to “have an unction from the Holy One,” and it is the Spirit’s peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what he has done for us, and what he is doing now, we cannot love him much; but the more we know him, the more we shall love him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the “knowledge” of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Chris Tigren - IN WORD Daniel’s prophecy tells of the shifting of nations and rulers, and of one particular ruler who would oppress and abuse God’s people and violate their sacred places. Many would fall victim to this oppressor, but those who know their God will rise above him. The statement is translated various ways, but its implications are clear. In the clash between kingdoms, the people who know the heart of their King stand against their enemies, are strong, take action, and carry out great exploits. They will do damage to the kingdom of darkness. That’s our calling, and it’s a daunting one. Are we really able to plunder the lords of darkness? Are humble creatures like us really destined to venture into ominous kingdoms and win great victories? Apparently so, and it isn’t because we have superior strategies, overwhelming strength, or devastating weapons —at least not in ourselves. Our great exploits come because we know our God. That’s it. That’s where our strategies, strength, and weapons come from. He gives us everything we need to stand firm, take action, and plunder the enemy that everyone else flees from. The problem is that so few believers know this that we tend to remain in a state of defeat or frustration. We resign ourselves to the status quo, not realizing that God has called and equipped us to overturn the status quo. As ambassadors, representatives, and mobile outposts of His Kingdom, we are meant to be resisters against evil and influencers for good. And to the degree we know Him, we can. IN DEED That’s the key: knowing God. Not knowing about Him, not merely understanding His truths, not simply practicing His principles, but knowing Him. The closer we draw in intimate communion, the more He imparts His solutions, strategies, character, and purposes to us. We may not even be conscious of it, but it happens. When opposing circumstances arise, we rise up. And our great exploits are celebrated in heaven. (The One Year Heaven on Earth Devotional) Spurgeon in Faith's Checkbook - “THE Lord is a man of war, Jehovah is his name.” Those who enlist under his banner shall have a commander who will train them for the conflict, and give them both vigour and valour. The times of which Daniel wrote were of the very worst kind, and then it was promised that the people of God would come out in their best colours: they would be strong and stout to confront the powerful adversary. Oh, that we may know our God—his power, his faithfulness, his immutable love—and so may be ready to risk everything in his behalf! He is one whose character excites our enthusiasm, and makes us willing to live and to die for him. Oh, that we may know our God by familiar fellowship with him; for then we shall become like him, and shall be prepared to stand up for truth and righteousness. He who comes forth fresh from beholding the face of God will never fear the face of man. If we dwell with him, we shall catch the heroic spirit, and to us a world of enemies will be but as the drop of a bucket. A countless array of men, or even of devils, will seem as little to us as the nations are to God, and he counts them only as grasshoppers. Oh, to be valiant for truth in this day of falsehood! John Butler - Two Groups “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.” (Daniel 11:32) DANIEL’S vision of future events involved a wicked ruler named Antiochus Epiphanes. He is like the Antichrist who will be manifested during the Great Tribulation. In our verse, we have the reaction of two groups to Epiphanes. It shows the various reactions of people to evil. There is the group we call the betrayers who end up following evil; then there is the other group we call the loyalists who oppose evil. We note the record of each group given in our verse. Betrayers. “Such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries.” The betrayers’ were disobedience and they were deceived. First, they were disobedience. They “do wickedly against the covenant.” That is they disobeyed the law God gave Israel. They would not do as God’s Word said to do. They junked the Word of God as many do today. Second, they were deceived. Disobedience to God’s Word makes you very vulnerable to the deception of evil. Thus those who did “wickedly against the covenant” were seduced by “flatteries.” The evil ruler was able to seduce those who disobeyed and rejected the Word. You will be very easily deceived by evil when you turn against the Word. Our land is easily deceived by all sorts of evil, and the big reason for that seduction is that our land has turned against the Word of God. Loyalists. “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” We note the loyalists’ devotion and dynamic. First, their devotion. “Know their God” involves more than just head knowledge here but also heart devotion. The loyalists knew and were devoted to God and His Word. Second, their dynamic. “Shall be strong; and do exploits.” The Word made these loyalists strong and able to resist evil. These folk were not deceived by the evil ruler, but discerned his evil and were strong enough to resist him. If you want to overcome evil, you must get into the Word, know and be devoted to the Lord. Otherwise you will be a victim of evil. Martin Manser - Strong God, strong people ‘The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.’ (Daniel 11:32KJV) Amongst the nations of Bible times, it was believed that a god’s strength was reflected in the strength of his people. So if one nation defeated another, it was clear to all that the conqueror’s god was obviously greater. This was why, for example, the Philistines put the ark of the covenant they had captured after their victory over Israel into the temple of their gods to show who was the greatest (though events that followed soon led them to think again!). Our God too wants his people to be strong, so that through this others might recognize that he alone is the one true God. He wants it known that no situation, no obstacle, no crisis has strength that is greater than his strength. Note that important little word, however: his strength. This is all about his strength, not our strength. It is as we are strong in him that we can ‘do exploits’ (KJV) or ‘take action’ (NRSV). This is what Israel discovered when faced with the impenetrable barrier of the Red Sea ahead of them and the invincible might of Pharaoh’s army behind them, and when Moses simply said, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today … The LORD will fight for you; you need only be still’ (Exodus 14:13–14). It’s what they discovered many centuries later on returning from exile, wondering how on earth they would ever be able to rebuild the temple in the light of all the difficulties and opposition they faced. But Zechariah reminded them that it would happen ‘not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit’ (Zechariah 4:6). God’s promise is that as we know him and trust in him, we shall be strong and we shall do great things. Knowing this promise should prompt us to action, for these are days when we need Christians who will ‘do exploits’ for God—out of his strength, not ours. Claim the promise for yourself today and see what ‘exploit’ God would have you do for him today, that people might see how great our God is. ‘You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.’ (2 Timothy 2:1)