Wednesday Evening
Adult Bible Study
Daniel
Chapter 10
This chapter takes up with Cyrus of Persia in charge. The
rule in
The vision entails two celestial beings, the first in the
appearance of a human being. This is
probably Gabriel again[1].
The description is of a human form with very heavenly qualities. There is described a battle in which a
“helper” is called, Michael one of the chief princes”. [2]
This has been described as Michael the
The text leads us to the knowledge that Daniel is highly favored of God because of his faithfulness toward God in the midst of the exile. Michael will contend with Cyrus, Prince of Persia, and when he comes, against the Princes of Greece which had been foretold in a number of the oracles that proceeded.
Chapter 11
This chapter unfolds a great deal of ancient history.[3]
11.1-12.13
– The reverence to three that follow
probably describe Cambyses, Darius I, and Xerxes I who warred with the Greeks
However, there are some who believe it was Darius III and Artaxerxes. The Warrior king is Alexander the Great.
11.5-6
– The kings of the south are the Ptolemies; the kings of the north are
Seleucids. There was an alliance between
Ptolemy I and Seleucus I in 250B.C. when Ptolemy II gave his daughter Bernice
to Antiochus II, attendants and child.
It didn’t work as her husband fell through Laodice, mother of Seleucus
II.
11.10
– His sons were Seleucus III and Antiochus III who attacked Egypt.
11-13
– Ptolemy IV defeated Antiochus at Raphia in Palestine and Antiochus defeated
the Egyptians at Banias.
11.14
– a reverence to the Egyptian insurrection under the child king, Ptolemy V
15-17
– Antiochus III campaigned against Egypt, taking possession of Palestine, them made
peace with Egypt by marrying his daughter to the young Ptolemy
18-19
– Antiochus sought to capture the coastlands of Asia Minor, he plundered on his
return and died at Elymais.
11.20
Seleucus IV succeeded him sent Heliodorus to Jerusalem to seize the temple
treasure. He failed and died.
21-45
– These refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes
22-24
– He deposed the high priest and appoint Jason as high priest and his troops
plundered Palestine
25-
28 –in 169 he invaded Egypt and captured Ptolemy VI. Troubles at home called him back, yet only
the way he sacked Jerusalem and plundered the treasury
11.29-31
– In the second campaign against Egypt he was forced by the Romans. Enraged he sacked Jerusalem again in 167 B.C.
setting up the abomination that makes
desolate – the heathen altar in the temple
11.32-35
– Some of the Hellenizing Jews sided with Antiochus but a small group, “a
little help” may refer to the Maccabees, Mattathias and his son, Judas
Maccabeus (1Macc, ch 2)
36
-39 - Antiochus claim divine honors for
himself
11.40-45
– Some predictions about Antiochus that were not fulfilled.
Chapter 12
The Final Conflict: Michael is again summoned to be victorious in the final battle. In this context the battle of defeat for Antiochus is viewed as the final conflict of evil proceeding the reign of God. These passages also represent the first reference to the resurrection from the dead in the Bible.
The time of the end is predicted by the angel. One answer is 3 ½ years. There are two variant calculations: 1,290 day and 1,335 day “perhaps added aft her three and one half years (1,150 days) had passed.[4] Regardless of the end, Daniel is promised to have a place in the final consummation.
The Rev. Dr. Kipp W. Zimmermann
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
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