Too Detailed
Daniel chapter 11 was given to the prophet in the year 534 BC. It is nothing less than a detailed account of events that were to take place within the next half millennium of human history!
Ironically, those who do not believe in the veracity of Scripture, reject this powerful evidence for inspiration saying: "It's too detailed to be true!". They reason the only way it could be so accurate is that it is nothing more than a "pious fraud" written after the events actually took place, but presented as prophecy written well before! The problem with this unbelieving perspective is threefold: #1 it makes God's Word out to be a decietful fabrication; #2 it rejects the internal and external evidence for the veracity of the book of Daniel; and #3 it makes Jesus Himself out to be either a liar or a fool, given the fact that He presents the book as factual in His own discussion of the "end times" (Matthew 24:4-25).
Now, for all you history buffs, here's a quick breakdown of the principle players of Daniel 11 and the historical personages attached to the prophesied events:
Verse 2:
“Three more kings will appear” That is after the current Persian King Cyrus. And so they did: Cambyses 529 B.C., Pseudo-Smerdis in 522 B.C., and Darius the Great from 522 B.C. to 486 B.C.
“then a fourth…richer than all the others” Xerxes (Ahasuerus of Esther 1) 486 B.C.
Verse 3:
“a mighty king will appear” This was none other than Alexander the Great. In 334 B.C. Alexander the Great crossed the Hellespont with 40,000 men and broke the power of the weakened Persian empire once and for all.
Verse 4:
“his empire will be broken up” Upon Alexander’s death at 33 years of age, his vast empire was divided four ways among his generals Seleucus, Ptolemy, Antigonus, and Lysimachus.
Verse 5:
“The king of the South (the Ptolemaic ruler of Egypt) will become strong…one of his commanders…even stronger.” This found fulfillment in the person of Seleucus Nicator and his rise to power.
Verse 6:
“the daughter of the king of the South” Her name was Berenice- daughter of the Ptolemy Philadephus, king of Egypt.
Verse 7-8:
“One from her family…” In an act of revenge, Berenice’s brother Euergetes invades the Northern kingdom and conquers it!
Verse 9:
“The king of the North will invade…” This is Seleucus Callinicus, (the son of Antiochus and Berenice) takes up the torch against the king of the South, but has his authority undercut by his stepmother Laodike who supports her own son as the only rightful heir to the throne of the Northern Kingdom.
Verse 10-11:
“His sons will prepare for war…” Callinicus’ two sons Antiochus III and Seleucus the III continue to wage war against the Southern Kingdom, but in 217 B.C. Antiochus III is defeated at the battle of Raphia by Ptolemy IV.
Verses 12-15:
“…the king of the North will muster another army…” 14 years after his defeat by Ptolemy the IV, Antiochus III comes back to Egypt with an even larger army (this time assisted by the Jews who seek freedom from their Egyptian overlords) and breaks the power of the Ptolemies.
Verse 16:
As Antiochus III returns from conquering the Ptolemys of Egypt, he double crosses the Jews who had fought by his side against the Egyptians and turns from ally of the Jews to occupier of the Jewish territories.
Verse 17:
Antiochus III proposes the marriage of his daughter Cleopatra I to Ptolemy V in hope that she will become his “insider spy” to the workings of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Unfortunately for Antiochus, Cleopatra is faithful to her husband and sides with the enemy!
Verse 18-19:
“…he will turn back…” In 190 B.C. Antiochus III invades the coastlands of Asia Minor and Greece, but is defeated by the Roman Army at the battle of Magnesia.
Verse 20:
Antiochus’ son Seleucus Philopater becomes a servant to the emerging Roman Empire- forced to pay heavy taxes from his father’s kingdom to support Rome.
Verses 21-45:
This is nothing less than a detailed account of the rise and rule of Antiochus Epiphanes.
Fourteen points (not to mention the many subpoints not listed here) of easily verifiable, historical evidence that ABSOLUTELY validate the authority of Scripture! Anyone with the desire can go check it out and face the facts- God's Word is trustworthy and true!
God has spoken. God can be trusted. God has called us to obedience. SO- what are YOU going to do about it?