He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. Daniel 11:32 

Recurrent Thought

Times and Seasons do change. Believers in God survive and thrive in the changing environments by their association with God (Yahweh), who holds times and seasons in His Hands 

Daniel Chapter 11 is a unique text that is both complicated and prophetic. This is a detailed prophesy spanning a period of 370 Years that is thoroughly fulfilled in confounding many scholars.  This is a text with so much detail about the Greek Empire given to Daniel before the foundation of that Empire. The text introduces the Greek Empire by mentioning in summary the names of the Kings of Persia. It then reveals that Alexander the Great, the one represented as a great horn on the Goat in the vision of Chapter 8 died and his kingdom split into four portions. Chapter 11 deals only with the two Kingdoms that are called Kingdom from the South and Kingdom from the North. History conforms details of Chapter 11 so much that some scholars think an historian who disguised it as prophetic wrote it. This Chapter clearly shows that God does not only know the future but He has it under His control

The main outline of this Prophecy in Chapter 11 includes the following

1. A Founding of the Greek Empire on the dying Persian Kingdom (11:1-4)

   • Daniel is informed that Persia will be led by four more kings
   • The Fourth King of Persia will be so wealth and expansive in his philosophy.
2. A  Prediction of two Greek Kingdoms from Egypt & Syria (11:5-20; 42-43).
   • King of the South, led by Ptolemy Countries included were Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, Arabia, etc
   • King of the North, led by Seleucus Nicanor. He became one of the greatest of Alexander’s successors.
   • These two kingdoms would exchange power like seesaw and Judah would be their playing ground. 
   • They are included in this text because the two impacted Judah in profound ways seeking to annex it many various times.
3. The Rise of Antiochus Epiphanes (11:21-29)
   • His father, known as Antiochus the Great was defeated by the Romans and they held his son Antiochus Epiphanes as a hostage
   • When his brother heir to the throne was killed, His son Demetrius was in line for the throne; however, the trick of Antiochus Epiphanes was to use Demetrius to come and stand also for him as hostage. However, he was so clever and very sociable until he stayed as a king despite not being the legitimate one 
4. The Mischiefs of Antiochus Epiphanes (11:31-39)
   • Some people connived with him to train Jews into Greek Culture and worship
   • On his return from war in Egypt (Ch. 11:30) he worked hard to desecrate the temple
   • Stopped daily sacrifice; and set an Altar to Zeus (Ch. 11:31; 1 Mac. 1:54, 59; 2 Maccabees 6:2).
   • He would persecute people of integrity; Women were killed for having their sons circumcised; they would hang their children on their necks (1 Mac. 1:60-61). Moreover, when time came many suffered. Judas Maccabaeus and his sons led to a guerilla warfare to resist this “little horn.” They are like those who get tortured and yet refuse deliverance (Heb. 11:35). 
   • The people that would affect the development of the kingdom of the Judah and the essence of the worship of Yahweh would be those who will know their God. 
   • People who shall know their God shall be strong and do mighty exploits (Ch.11:32). Doing exploits shall be to choose to suffer rather than to sin. They will trust God and do might exploits.  Some will instruct others (v33) while some will suffer for it and in the process be purified (v35)
   • Antiochus Epiphanes grew proud, insolent, and profane in his actions. With his cconquests, he bade defiance to Heaven, and trampled upon everything that was sacred (Ch. 11:36).
   • Antiochus Epiphanes is a type of the AntiChrist and foreshadows him. 2 Thess. 2:4 shows similar things that the future Antichrist will do “who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
   • He shall be vile, against Jews, and Yahweh. He will be against their worship. He will not regard any god, but magnify himself (37) and he shall set up another god (Ch. 11:37-39)
     
     Foreshadowing the Antichrist
      
   • Most Prophesies may have a double fulfillment where the persons at the center may be a type of one coming in the future. Antiochus Epiphanes both in Chapter 8 where he is shown as a “little horn,” is seen as foreshadowing the future Antichrist
   • Antiochus Epiphanes is a type of the AntiChrist and foreshadows him. 2 Thess. 2: 4 shows similar things that the future Antichrist will do “who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”
   • He shall exalt himself above all gods and will speak things against the God of gods. Which means he wants to be like Yahweh. He will be wanting to be worshipped as God (Ch.11:36)
   • He shall be vile, against Jews, and Yahweh. He will be against their worship. He will not regard any god, but magnify himself (36) and he shall set up another god (Ch. 11:37-39)
   • Verse 37: Views: He will disregard the gods of his fathers and will have no desire of women” he will be Jewish and homosexual, another way he will not regard a messiah (Messiah is the desire of women)
   • “He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these.” It shows that this will be a man of power
5. The fall and ruin of Antiochus Epiphanes (11:40-45).
   1. Antiochus has a similar prophesy in Ch. 8:25, that he will be cut off but without hands; that he shall come to his end and none shall help him(V. 45)
   2. When he returned from fighting with the Kingdom from the South he pitched his tent at Emmaus and waited there hoping that Jerusalem will be exterminated. This was as stated in the prophecy of Ch. 11:45. Dan 11:45  And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.

Table of Nations
You notice that Chapter 11 is an amplification of Greek Empire in Chapter 8

Two Major Concluding Thoughts

1. Beware of Evil Prosperity (Ch. 11:28)

   • Evil prosperity is the kind of wealth gotten apart from moral goodness and disregards both the source and how it is made.
   • This is when wicked people succeed, grow rich and flourish based on external props yet neglecting the demands of moral goodness. (Psa 73:1-19).
   • Know that when the wicked prosper it does not connote the weakness of moral and spiritual forces in the economy of life. We have to know that the energy of the will and intellectual ability may exist apart from moral worth, and may secure temporal success
   • Every believer must know that God does not regard aadversity as a supreme evil, nor prosperity as a supreme good—both are subservient to higher aim. Therefore, do not conclude that the one who is going through adversity as being cursed nor the one enjoying prosperity as being righteous
   • Evil prosperity should teach and warn us never to believe that prosperity is a proof of our goodness;nor is the evidence of God’s favoron us
   • Evil Prosperity makes one disregard moral goodness at the same time it rejects the notion that it is a provision of God. It makes one to think they created the wealth.
   • Evil Prosperity comes with temporal comfort. It makes one overestimate the capacities of earthly riches; it makes one believe they can secure the future from harm.
   • The danger is that when we pursue Evil Prosperity, we become hardened and rarely assess ourselves
2. Recognize the Strength that comes with the knowledge of God (Ch. 11:32)
   
   What does it mean to know God? What does it mean to be a follower of Yahweh? 
   Being a Christ-devoted follower begins with establishing a relationship with him and thereafter, engaging to deepen it through the study of the His Word, Prayer and Walking with Him through your life experiences

Notice the Nature of their Strength

1. Those who know their God gain Spiritual strength  This Power is not physical power, as in the case of Samson, who had very little strength of soul;
2. It is not intellectual power that solves mysteries of thought but cannot resist temptation and accomplish spiritual work; and
3. This is the strength of the inner being and of higher nature. It is capacity of the character and will, raised to spiritual energy, to resist evil and to do good. 
4. This spiritual strength is the type that fosters self-control (1 Cor. 9:27). It is power that resists temptations of seduction (Neh. 6:9);
5. This Spiritual Strength grows the capacity and energy to do spiritual work. It is the power to overcome evil in the world. It is power to extend the good that comes from God. 
6. Those who know God grow (2 Cor. 5:20) moral courage, patience, zeal and perseverance in God’s service.

Notice the Source of their Strength

1. It is from God.  It is not innate, nor acquired by our own efforts, nor attained by any worldly means.
2. It is given to us in our natural weakness (Isa 40:29), when we are most conscious of this and distrustful of ourselves (2 Cor 12:10), and in response to prayer (Psa 138:3).
3. Knowledge of our God grants us faith to access the strength of God.
4. The more knowledge of Yahweh one has the more spiritual strength they acquire. This strength comes in relation to the knowledge of God. Thus, those that don’t know God, are rarely spiritually strong..  . Actually, that is what is in this text, the resistors stood strong in adversity.
5. God does not honor ignorance with Favor. Personal relationship with God is the basis of the transfer of this Grace. The people who know their God: It is this appropriation of God that secures to us his strength.

Notice the Use of the Spiritual Strength  

1. Believers utilize this Spiritual power to resist temptation. Temptation is strong for our unaided powers. In God’s strength we are conquerors (1 Cor 10:13).
2. Spiritual power gives believers capacity to endure in the evil day.
3. For the times of Daniel, doing exploits meant to choose to suffer rather than to sin. They will trust God and do might exploits.  Some will instruct others (v33) while some will suffer for it and in the process be purified (v35)
4. Spiritual Power is necessary for active service. We often fail in work for want of energy of soul. Divine strength brings zeal, capacity, and successful activity (2 Ch 15:7 Phi 4:13).).
5. The Spiritual Power is essential for growth of the spiritual nature. As we are strong in soul we can know more of Divine truth, and enlarge and elevate the life of the inner man. This growth is the result of the working out of indwelling spiritual energy (Luk_1:80).

Altar Time

1. Do you Know Him?
2. Lord increase my knowledge of who you are!
   • Through the Study of your Word
   • Through Prayer with You
   • Through my Walk with You
3. Special prayer for those who have suffered by demonstrating the Knowledge of God (Doing Exploits while suffering)