11:2 The angelic messenger was revealing Israel’s future (see 10:20, 21). Only God can reveal future events so clearly. God’s work not only deals with the sweeping panorama of history but also focuses on the intricate details of people’s lives. And his plans—whether for nations or individuals—are unshakable.
11:2 The fourth Persian king may have been Xerxes I (also called Ahasuerus, 486–465 B.C.), who launched an all-out effort against Greece in 480 (Esther 1:1).
11:2ff Babylon was defeated by Medo-Persia. Medo-Persia was defeated by Greece under Alexander the Great, who conquered most of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern lands. After Alexander’s death, the empire was divided into four parts. The Ptolemies gained control of the southern section of Palestine, and the Seleucids took the northern part. Verses 2-20 show the conflict between the Ptolemies and Seleucids over control of Palestine in 300–200 B.C. Verses 21-35 describe the persecution of Israel under Antiochus IV Epiphanes. In verses 36-45 the prophecy shifts to the end times. Antiochus IV fades from view, and the Antichrist of the last days becomes the center of attention.
11:3 This mighty king of Greece was Alexander the Great, who conquered Medo-Persia and built a huge empire in only four years.
11:4, 5 Eventually Alexander the Great’s empire was divided into four nations. These four weaker nations were comprised of the following regions: (1) Egypt, (2) Babylonia and Syria, (3) Asia Minor, and (4) Macedonia and Greece. The king of Egypt (“the king of the south”) was Ptolemy I or perhaps a reference to the Ptolemaic dynasty in general.
11:6, 7 These prophecies seem to have been fulfilled many years later in the Seleucid wars between Egypt and Syria. In 252 B.C., Ptolemy II of Egypt (“the south”) gave his daughter Berenice in marriage to Antiochus II of Syria (“the north”) to finalize a peace treaty between their two lands. But Berenice was murdered in Antioch by Antiochus II’s former wife, Laodice. Berenice’s brother, Ptolemy III, ascended the Egyptian throne and declared war against the Seleucids to avenge his sister’s murder.
11:9-11 The king of Syria (“the north”) was Seleucus II, and the king of Egypt (“the south”) was Ptolemy IV.
11:17 The invader, Antiochus III, tried to bring peace between Egypt and Syria by having his daughter marry Ptolemy V Epiphanes of Egypt, but the plan failed.
11:20 The successor to Antiochus III was Seleucus IV. He sent Heliodorus to collect money from the Temple treasury in Jerusalem.
11:21 Seleucus IV was succeeded by his brother, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who found favor with the Romans.
11:22 The flood refers to the way all opposition against Antiochus IV will be broken. The prince of the covenant may be the high priest Onias III, who was assassinated by Menelaus in 170 B.C.
11:27 These two treacherous kings were probably Antiochus IV of Syria and Ptolemy VI of Egypt. Treachery and deceit are a power broker’s way to position himself over someone else. When two power brokers try to gain the upper hand, it is a mutually weakening and self-destructive process. It is also futile because God ultimately holds all power in his hands.
11:29-31 Antiochus IV would again invade “the south,” but enemy ships would cause him to retreat. On his way back, he plundered Jerusalem, desecrated the Temple, and stopped the Jews’ daily sacrifices. The Temple was desecrated when he sacrificed pigs on an altar erected in honor of Zeus. According to Jewish law, pigs were unclean and were not to be touched or eaten. To sacrifice a pig in the Temple was the worst kind of insult an enemy could level against the Jews. This happened from 168 to 167 B.C.
11:32 This reference to those who have violated the covenant may include Menelaus, the high priest, who was won over by Antiochus and who conspired with him against the Jews who were loyal to God. Those who are “strong, and do exploits” could be the Maccabees and their sympathizers, but a further fulfillment may lie in the future.
11:33, 34 Those who are wise will teach many, but they will also face great persecution. Difficult times show up our weaknesses and our inability to cope. We want answers, leadership, and clear direction. During these times, God’s Word begins to interest even those who would never look at it otherwise. We should look for opportunities to share God’s Word in hard times. We must also be prepared to face persecution and rejection as we teach and preach.
11:35 God’s messenger described a time of trial when even wise believers would fall victim to persecution. If we persevere in our faith, any such experience will only refine us and make us stronger. Are you facing trials? Recognize them as opportunities to strengthen your faith. If you remain steadfast in these experiences, you will be stronger in your faith and closer to God.
11:36-39 These verses could refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Titus (the Roman general), or the Antichrist. Some of these events may have been fulfilled in the past, and some have yet to be fulfilled.
11:37 The “desire of women” may refer to Tammuz, a Babylonian fertility god. Tammuz is also mentioned in Ezekiel 8:14. In other words, this person won’t recognize any deity or religions at all, not even pagan ones. Instead, he will proclaim himself to be divine and the ultimate power.
11:38 The “God of forces” is believed by some to be Jupiter or Zeus. The implication is that this king will make war his god. More than all his predecessors, he will wage war and glorify its horrors.
11:40 The Antichrist of the last days becomes the center of attention from this point through the rest of the book of Daniel.
11:45 “The glorious holy mountain” is Mount Zion or the city of Jerusalem.