1. The Power of Prayer and the Sovereignty of God over Human History
Daniel 10:1 – 11:35
The Power of Prayer and the
Sovereignty of God over Human History

2. Daniel 10:1–21 Who is the “man” who appears to Daniel in vv. 5 – 7?
Who are the two named angels in this chapter and where else do we find them in Scripture?
According to this chapter (as well as Daniel 9), when does God respond to Daniel’s prayers?
Who is the “prince of Persia” and the “prince of Greece”?
What do we learn about prayer from this chapter?

3. Daniel 10:1–21
“third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (v. 1) = 536 BC or 3 years after Daniel 9
Marks the end of the 70 years of Babylonian Captivity (606/605 BC – 536 BC as mentioned in Dan 9:2; Jer 25:12; 29:10)
“24th day of the first month” (v. 4)
Daniel fasted/mourned for 21 days (equal to the time Gabriel was delayed in coming)
The fast overlapped the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread, denying Daniel the usual festal meals and anointing with oil. The Passover celebrated God’s deliverance from Egypt but now the Jews were wanting deliverance from other captivity.

4. Daniel 10: 1–21 The “man” in vv. 5 – 7
Linen garments: priestly garments (Ex 28:5, 39, 42)
See Revelation 1:12 – 16 for similarities in the appearance of Christ
Spiritual Warfare (Dan 10:13, 20–21; 11:1)
Deut 33:1; Jdg 5:19 – 20; 2 Kgs 6:17
Eph 6:11–12
Angel Gabriel (Dan 8 – 10; Luke 1)
Angel Michael (Dan 10, 12; Jude 9) “archangel”

5. Daniel 11:1–35 Intertestamental Period
4 Kingdoms of Daniel (and beasts of Dan 7):
Babylonian Empire (605 – 539 BC) (1st beast)
Medo-Persian (539 – 332 BC) (2nd beast)
Greek (332 – 164 BC) (3rd beast)
Hasmonean Rule (164 – 63 BC)
Roman (63 BC – AD 476) (4th beast)
Daniel 11:1 – 35 takes place during the Medo-Persian and Greek Empires (Ram and Goat of Daniel 8)

6. Daniel 11:1–2 Persian Rulers
Medo-Persian Rule (539 – 332 BC)
Cyrus the King 539 – 531 BC (11:1)
Cambyses 530 – 522 BC
Smerdis 522 BC
Darius I 522 – 486 BC
Xerxes (Ahasuerus) 486 – 465 BC (11:2)
Attacked Greece in 481/480 BC
King during the book of Esther

7. Daniel 11:1–2 Persian Rulers
11 “In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him. 2 And now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to arise in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece. 

8. Daniel 11:3–4 Greek Rulers Greek Empire (332 – 164 BC)
Alexander the Great 332 – 301 BC (11:3)
Kingdom Split among 4 Generals (11:4)
Cassander: Macedonia and Greece
Lysimachus: Thrace and Asia Minor
Seleucus: Syria, Mesopotamia, and eastern regions
Ptolemy: southern Syria,
Palestine, Egypt

9. Daniel 11:3–4 Greek Rulers
3 And a mighty king will arise, and he will rule with great authority and do as he pleases. 4 But as soon as he has arisen, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four points of the compass, though not to his own descendants, nor according to his authority which he wielded, for his sovereignty will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

10. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
“Kingdom of the South” = Ptolemies (Egypt)
“Kingdom of the North” = Seleucids (Syria)
Ptolemy I Soter 323 – 285 BC (v. 5a)
Seleucus I Nicator (312 – 281 BC)
Ptolemy I’s commander in v. 5b
Marriage Alliance between Ptolemies and Seleucids 250 BC (vv. 5b – 6)
Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II married Antiochus II (262 – 246 BC). Antiochus divorced Laodice to do this.
Laodice had Berenice, her son, and Antiochus II murdered and put her son, Seleucus II on the throne (246 – 227 BC).

11. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
5 “Then the king of the South will grow strong, along with one of his princes who will gain ascendancy over him and obtain dominion; his domain will be a great dominion indeed. 6 After some years they will form an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South will come to the king of the North to carry out a peaceful arrangement. But she will not retain her position of power, nor will he remain with his power, but she will be given up, along with those who brought her in and the one who sired her as well as he who supported her in those times. 

12. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
Revenge for Berenice (vv. 7 – 9)
Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III, killed Laodice and took plunder back to Egypt.
The retaliation by Seleucus failed
Control of Judea passes from Ptolemies (301 – 200 BC)
Antiochus III defeated by Ptolemy III in 217 BC (vv. 11 – 12a)
Ptolemy III made peace and was taken over by Antiochus III in 200 BC (vv. 12b – 13)

13. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
7 But one of the descendants of her line will arise in his place, and he will come against their army and enter the fortress of the king of the North, and he will deal with them and display great strength. 8 Also their gods with their metal images and their precious vessels of silver and gold he will take into captivity to Egypt, and he on his part will refrain from attacking the king of the North for some years.9 Then the latter will enter the realm of the king of the South, but will return to his own land.

14. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
10 “His sons will mobilize and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one of them will keep on coming and overflow and pass through, that he may again wage war up to his very fortress. 11 The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former. 12 When the multitude is carried away, his heart will be lifted up, and he will cause tens of thousands to fall; yet he will not prevail. 13 For the king of the North will again raise a greater multitude than the former, and after an interval of some years he will press on with a great army and much equipment.

15. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
Antiochus III “the Great” (223 – 187 BC)
Many rebellions against Egypt (Ptolemies), including the Jewish people (v. 14)
Antiochus III sieged Sidon in 198 BC (v. 15)
Gained control over all of Palestine (“Beautiful Land” v. 16)
Made alliance with Ptolemy V to protect himself against Rome, sealing it with his daughter (Cleopatra I)’s marriage to Ptolemy V in 193 BC. She remained loyal to her husband, though (v. 17)

16. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
14 “Now in those times many will rise up against the king of the South; the violent ones among your people will also lift themselves up in order to fulfill the vision, but they will fall down. 15 Then the king of the North will come, cast up a siege ramp and capture a well-fortified city; and the forces of the South will not stand their ground, not even their choicest troops, for there will be no strength to make a stand. 16 But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the  Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand. 17 He will set his face to come with the power of his whole kingdom, bringing with him a proposal of peace which he will put into effect; he will also give him the daughter of women to ruin it. But she will not take a stand for him or be on his side. 

17. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
Antiochus III “the Great” (223 – 187 BC)
Captured Egyptian territories along the coast, including many Greek islands (v. 18a)
Romans drove his army back in 190 BC, led by general Lucius Scipio (v. 18b)
Antiochus retreated to Syria and was assassinated (v. 19)
Seleucus IV Philopater (187 – 176 BC)
Attempted to confiscate temple money to pay tribute to Rome.
Assassinated in 175 BC as part of a conspiracy (v. 20)

18. Dan 11:5–20 Ptolemies and Seleucids
18 Then he will turn his face to the coastlands and capture many. But a commander will put a stop to his scorn against him; moreover, he will repay him for his scorn. 19 So he will turn his face toward the fortresses of his own land, but he will stumble and fall and be found no more.
20 “Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle.

19. Daniel 11:21–35 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes” (175–167 BC)
Probably helped conspire against his brother, Seleucus IV Philopater to usurp throne (v. 21)
Jewish high priest Onias III opposed the influence of Hellenism brought by Antiochus IV and was murdered by Menelaus who was in league with Onias’ brother, Jason in 171 BC (vv. 22)
Invaded Egypt in 169 BC (vv. 25–26)
Feigned alliance with Ptolemy VI (v. 27)
Failed to capture Alexandria, Egypt and turned attention to persecuting Jews in Palestine (v. 28)
Invaded Egypt again in 167 BC but unsuccessful due to help from Roman fleet, turning attention again to Jews (vv. 29–30a).

20. Daniel 11:21–35 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes” (175–167 BC)
21 In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 The overflowing forces will be flooded away before him and shattered, and also the prince of the covenant. 23 After an alliance is made with him he will practice deception, and he will go up and gain power with a small force of people. 24 In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. 25 He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. 

21. Daniel 11:21–35 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes” (175–167 BC)
26 Those who eat his choice food will destroy him, and his army will overflow, but many will fall down slain. 27 As for both kings, their hearts will be intent on evil, and they will speak lies to each other at the same table; but it will not succeed, for the end is still to come at the appointed time. 28 Then he will return to his land with much plunder; but his heart will be set against the holy covenant, and he will take action and then return to his own land.
29 “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action;

22. Daniel 11:21–35 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes” (175–164 BC)
Massacred Jews in Palestine, rewarding Jewish traitors who favored Hellenization (v. 30b)
Established imperial cult worship in Jerusalem, halted daily Jewish sacrifices, and built idol to Zeus in the temple on 15 Chislev (December) 167 BC. Also sacrificed pig on the altar, spreading its blood around the temple, desecrating it (Exod 20:3–4, 22–26). (vv. 31–33)
Maccabeans fought against Antiochus IV (v. 34)

23. Daniel 11:21–35 Antiochus IV “Epiphanes” (175–164 BC)
so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. 31 Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation. 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. 33 Those who have insight among the people will give understanding to the many; yet they will fall by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plunder for many days. 34 Now when they fall they will be granted a little help, and many will join with them in hypocrisy. 35 Some of those who have insight will fall, in order to refine, purge and make them pure until the end time; because it is still to come at the appointed time.

24. Daniel 10:1–11:35
God has allowed us to play a part in spiritual warfare through the power of prayer.
God has ordained the events of human history long (between 6–372 years) before they took place (11:29, 35).
Another will rise like Antiochus IV Epiphanes that will be the “little horn” and the “AntiChrist”.
Christians, like the Jews of the day, will be persecuted but will be purified through it (11:35).
False Christians will be revealed just as false Jews were (11:30–35; Mark 4:16–18).