Were Daniel's Visions Historical?

Daniel's final vision contains a lot of history... and some things that we haven't yet managed to interpret as historical. Here's some of the history. The next study just might move into the future... or not...

(52) Daniel and History

Daniel’s 4^th vision contains a lot of history… does that mean the vision is no longer relevant?

Just to recap:

1.       Daniel 7 takes place during Babylon’s decline, presents a statue representing 4 kingdoms – Babylon, Medo-Persian, Greek, then ten-toed Rome (like Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2)

2.       Daniel 8, taking place under Medo-Persian rule, represents kingdoms with animals and horns, predicting the quartering of Greece’s empire and offering hope for the days of Antiochus Epiphanes.

3.       Daniel’s fourth vision begins toward the end of the exile (though Daniel will remain at the Persian court). Here’s where he learns what’s written in the Book of Truth…

Read Daniel 11:1-4. Cyrus II is the ruler at the time of the prophecy. Four future kings are

1.       Cambyses (529-522BC, Pseudo-Smerdis (522-521BC), Darius I Hystaspes (521-486BC Read Ezra 5:5)

2.       and Xerxes I (486-465BC Read Ezra 4:6) who attacked Greece and failed miserably.

3.       Then (verse 3) Alexander the Great arises, leaving a kingdom split in four when he dies.

a.       Why might Alexander not be dismayed to hear his kingdom will split?

b.      What sort of comfort do we want for our families’ futures?

c.       How do we react if we feel like God’s giving us that comfort? Or if we feel like he isn’t?

4.       What extra information is given in this vision besides what Daniel already knew?(Read Daniel 8:20-22)

Read Daniel 11:5-8 South of Israel is Egypt (Ptolemy) and North is Syria (Seluecid). North of both is Greece.

1.       Together Ptolemy and Seleucid defeat Antigonus leaving the Seluecids in control. Who is really in control?

a.       Who is really in control of our world?

b.      Who does the world say is in control?

2.       Berenice of Egypt marries Antiochus II (Seleucid) around 250BC (He had to divorce Laodice first)

a.       The Middle Ages saw similar divorces and remarriages among royal families. Is all that “in the past”?

3.       When Ptolemy dies, Antiochus breaks the alliance, returning to his first wife who responds by killing him, Berenice and their child!

a.       We like to imagine the past as uncivilized and the present as being different. Is that really the case?

b.      Is it more important to be civilized or to be faithful?

4.       Then Ptolemy III (a relative of Berenice) conquers the north and takes hostages.

5.       Judea will be fought over by one army after another.

a.       Do you think the people understood the prophecy before the wars?

b.      Do you think it began to make sense during the wars?

c.       Do you think we should strive to understand prophecy or wait for God’s timing?

Read Daniel 11:9-14

1.       Seluecus (N) fails in an attack on Egypt (S) but his successors do better, especially Antiochus III (verse 11)

2.       This rouses Egypt and two armies of 70,000 each meet in 217BC. Egypt wins and takes hostages (verse 12) Antiochus escapes.

a.       How many times has Egypt appeared as a big player in Jewish history?

b.      Why is Egypt important in Christian history?

c.       Why is Egypt still important? Does God care about geography?

3.       Antiochus (North) conquers as far East as India, amasses large armies, and attacks Egypt again. Many Jews join his force (verse 14)

a.       Do you suppose those Jews thought they were working for or against God?

b.      When might we be tempted to take action for God rather than waiting for God?

c.       How can we tell when we’re being tempted to make that mistake? Does prophecy help?

Read Daniel 11:15-26

1.       The Egyptian leader Scopas is captured and imprisoned in Sidon. Three Egyptian armies fails to get him back (verse 15)

2.       But Rome is rising, so Antiochus marries his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolemy V Epiphanes in 192BC (verse 17)

3.       Antiochus treats the Roman ambassadors badly (verse 18) then tries to expand his territory by attacking Greece at Thermopylae (191BC) and then near Ephesus (189BC) where the Roman general Scipio defeats him (verse 19)

a.       Does this sound like modern politics?

4.       The next king, being subject to Rome, has to impose oppressive taxes to raise the tribute (verse 20).

5.       He dies, possibly poisoned, just after issuing an order to plunder the Temple (verse 20)

6.       And his successor is the dreaded Antiochus IV Epiphanes (glorious), who gains the throne through intrigue. (verse 21-24)

a.       A lot of this history is given in Maccabees, which isn’t generally accepted in our Bibles. Does that mean we shouldn’t be reading it?

7.       One story suggests the Jews poisoned the ruler to protect the Temple (verse 26).

a.      Is God more pleased by our intent to help Him, or our desire to be used by Him?

Read Daniel 11:27-35

1.       Antiochus suffers broken treaties with Egypt, and takes out his frustrations on Israel. (verse 28)

2.       Rome forces Antiochus to give up Egypt (verse 30) meeting him at Alexandria with ships from Cyprus.

3.       Antiochus pollutes the Temple altar with a pig and puts up an abominable idol (probably Zeus) (verse 31, read Matthew 24:15, Daniel 8:23-25)

a.       What might be the connection between Antiochus’ abomination and Jesus’ mention of it?

b.      Is Antiochus the only person to have polluted the altar?

c.       Where is God’s Temple now, and what pollutes its altar?

4.       Thousands die in the persecution of the Jews.

a.       Does this prefigure Roman persecution and the destruction of the Temple?

b.      Does it prefigure the end times? (verse 35)