Read Daniel 11:2-35.

Note: When verse six reports, “After some years they will become allies,” it is referring to the king of the South and the king of the North.

Introduction⤒🔗

To get things accomplished and to avoid counter-productive work, it is important to be “on the same page,” “on the same wave length,” to be “in sync.”

The importance of synchronization can be illustrated in many ways; for example: in the NFL championship game of January, 1991, the New York kicker successfully kicked five field goals, but he missed one. The one he missed was due to a lack of synchronization. Noting that the opposing team had too many players on the field, the Giants rushed the play, thereby throwing off their timing and causing the kick to go wide of the goal posts. They missed the field goal because they were not in “sync.”

When we are “out of sync” with the ways of God we will find ourselves futilely working in opposition to His will.

The passage before us, Daniel 11:2-35, presents an approximately 320-year panorama of Near Eastern history, covering that period between the Jews’ return to Palestine and the years leading up to the birth of Christ. The purpose of this panoramic vision is stated in Daniel 10:14, “I have come to inform you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to those future days.” Several points along this panorama are filled with potential for God’s people to get “out of sync” with God’s will and God’s ways.

So that we might function within the LORD’s divine will, as opposed to operating in opposition to His will, let us learn from this passage How to Live in “Sync” with God.

Focus on Your Role, Not God’s Role (Dan. 11:14)←⤒🔗

Verse fourteen speaks of a time when “the violent men” in Israel would take matters into their own hands in an effort “to fulfill the vision; but they will fall.” This verse is informing us that some within Israel would resort to violent means in an effort to bring about the liberation of Israel from pagan domination and establish the kingdom of God.

At this particular time, the people of Israel found themselves under Egyptian rule, (in the eleventh chapter of Daniel, Egypt is usually referred to as “the king[dom] of the South”). However, several uprisings within Egypt itself served to weaken its power. These internal uprisings inspired some of the Jews in Palestine to rebel against their Egyptian overlords.

But this Jewish rebellion led by Tobias would not result in independence; instead, it would result in new and greater perils. Having rebelled against Egypt, the Jews looked to Syria for favor and protection. Eventually, the Syrian “protection” would become far more threatening and oppressive than the former Egyptian occupation. Thus, taking matters into their own hands, these Jewish leaders did not “fulfill the vision;” on the contrary, they fell.

How many times do we seek to take matters into our own hands? How many times do we seek to assume God’s role or dictate to Him what His role should be (i.e. what God should do)?

Do we ever tell Christ that if He would get rid of the cross it would be a lot easier for us and many others to follow Him? This is just what Peter sought to do in response to our Lord’s prophecy of the cross:

Then [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²Now he spoke these things publicly. So Peter took him [aside] and began to rebuke him. Mk. 8:31-32

But note our Lord’s response to Peter:

³³But [Jesus], turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, Get behind me, Satan; for your mind is not focused on the things of God, but on the things of men. ³⁴Then he called to himself the [whole] crowd [along] with his disciples, and said to them, If any man desires to be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Mk. 8:33­-34

Do we ever tell Christ that the Christian life should consist of nothing but glorious spiritual highs without any descent for service into the valleys where we encounter demonic opposition? This was Peter’s suggestion when he and James and John were with the Lord Jesus at the time of our Lord’s transfiguration: “Peter said to Jesus, ‘Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will erect three shelters: one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah"” (Matt. 17:4).

But consider the Lord’s response: Instead of acquiescing to Peter’s suggestion, He led His disciples down from the mountain to where they encounter human suffering and demonic activity; and where they behold the Lord’s saving power:

When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. ^15'Lord, have mercy on my son,' he said. 'He is an epileptic and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water...' ¹⁸Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. Matt. 17:14-15,18

Do we ever show more interest in the way Christ is dealing with His other disciples than in the calling He has given us? Note how Peter has a greater interest in what Jesus has in store for John than what he himself is called to do:

Peter, turning around, saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following [them]... ²¹Upon seeing him, Peter asked Jesus, ‘Lord, what about this man?' Jn. 21:20-21

But observe the way in which our Lord responded to Peter’s inquiry:

Jesus answered him, ‘If I want him to remain [alive] until I come [back], what [is that] to you? Follow me' Jn. 21:22

But note the LORD’s warning, given through the Apostle Paul, that we restrain ourselves from doing so and leave the matter of administering justice in His hands: “Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but allow God to express his wrath, for it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19).

If we would live “in sync” with God, we must focus on our role, not on God’s role.

Focus on the Usefulness of Adversity, Not Its Grievousness (Dan. 11:31-35)←⤒🔗

Verses 31-35 speak of the distressful times of adversity that would come upon the nation of Israel in the days of Antiochus Epiphanes, the king of Syria:

He will send armed forces to desecrate the sanctuary, the [place of] refuge. They will take away the daily sacrifice and set up in its place the abomination that causes desolation. ³²By means of persuasive words he will cause those who have transgressed against the covenant to become apostates. But the people who know their God will be strong and take action [against him]. ³³Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or be captured or be plundered. ³⁴Now as they fall, they will receive a little help; and many shall join themselves with them, but not sincerely. ³⁵Some of those who are wise shall fall in order to refine them, purge them, and make them pure for the end time; because [the end] is still to come at the appointed time.

The sanctuary would be profaned, and “the abomination that causes desolation,” (i.e. the abominable pagan image that would cause the sanctuary to be polluted and thereby offend God’s holy presence and cause Him to leave the sanctuary desolate), would be erected. The godly in Israel would fall by the sword and by flames; they would have their possessions plundered and they would be taken into captivity.

All of us are very averse to experiencing adversity. We have no taste for it, no desire to welcome it into our lives; we make every effort to bar the door against it, and to run the other way when we see it coming. The more we are able to shelter ourselves from adversity, the more we tend to view adversity as unnatural, and even as the epitome of evil.

By no means does the Bible indicate that we are to enjoy adversity, but it does teach that we are to expect adversity: “I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation. But have courage; I have conquered the world” (Jn. 16:33).

The Scriptures teach that we are to profit from adversity: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). As Daniel 11:35 indicates, this whole period of trial and persecution is said to have the beneficial effect of purifying the people of God, a purifying process that is intended to prepare them for “the end time,” (i.e. the time of the consummation of all things when the transcendent kingdom of God appears in its full manifestation). The verse ends with the assurance that “the end” shall come at the time ordained by God.

Scripture even goes so far as to say we are to rejoice in adversity, (because of what God will accomplish in us through it):

And not only so, but let us even rejoice in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces steadfastness, ⁴and steadfastness [produces] approval, and approval [produces] hope, ^5aand that hope shall not disappoint [us] Rom. 5:3-5a

Furthermore, the Scriptures teach that we are also to bear one another’s burdens in adversity: “Bear one another’s burdens, and by doing so you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2). With regard to this matter, the writer to the Hebrews commends them for doing this very thing:

...recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, ³³sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those being so treated; ³⁴for you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves have a better possession and an abiding one.Heb. 10:32-34

A closer look at verses 31-35 reveals several ways in which the LORD employs adversity for the good of His people. The LORD can and does use adversity to assert Christian conviction: In the days when Antiochus forced the Jews to deny their faith, those who truly knew Christ withstood him even at the risk of their lives (vs. 32). According to verse thirty-five, the LORD used adversity to produce and refine Christian character. The Apostle Peter reminds suffering Christians of this same fact:

...now for a little while, since it is necessary, you have been brought to grief by all kinds of trials. ⁷[This has happened] so that the genuineness of your faith, ([being] of greater value than gold that perishes), having been tested by fire, may be verified, [resulting] in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1:6-7

If we would live “in sync” with God, we must focus on the usefulness of adversity, not on its grievousness. We must trust in God’s promise: “we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, those who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). We must remember the example of Christ:

Let us focus our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Heb. 12:2-3

We must rely ever more completely upon God:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. ⁹Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened so that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. ¹⁰He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us. 2 Cor. 1:8-10

Focus on Christ, and Nothing Less (Dan. 11:34)←⤒🔗

In verse thirty-four we are told that in the midst of their adversity, the people of God were helped with “a little help,” (here is a reference to the Maccabees).

At Modein, a village west of Jerusalem, there lived an elderly priest named Mattathias. When he was ordered by the Syrian official to offer a pagan sacrifice, he killed the official, tore down the altar, and together with his sons fled into the hills, (the story is related in 1 Maccabees 2:15-28). After his death in 166 B.C., his son, Judas Maccabeus, using guerrilla tactics, won a number of brilliant victories over the Syrians. In 164 B.C. the temple was cleansed and re-dedicated.

But note that the deliverance by the Maccabees is described as being only “a little help.” This deliverance would soon degenerate into worldly goals and self-ambition. It started out as a revolt to purify the land of pagan influence. But soon its goal became politically oriented, namely, the effort to gain national independence from the Syrians. Eventually it degenerated into corruption and self-ambition: the descendants of the Maccabees established a monarchy that was little different from the nations around them. Furthermore, this deliverance is seen as insignificant when compared to the deliverance that would be won by Jesus the Messiah.

Many times we are tempted to settle for something less than Christ, or to settle for something less than the full salvation Christ has to offer, namely, redemption from our sins:

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. Matt. 1:21

We might be tempted to focus on a conservative, “Christian,” political agenda, rather than the salvation of our own souls and the souls of others from sin, the devil, and hell. Note how the Lord Jesus resisted the attempts of the Jews to make Him an earthly liberator and king: “Jesus, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force in order to make him king, withdrew again into the hills by himself” (Jn. 6:15).

We might be tempted to focus on social action, as good and necessary as that may be, rather than reconciliation to God and eternal life. Note how the Lord Jesus urges the people of His day to seek more than earthly bread; He urges them to seek first the kingdom of God:

Jesus answered them, I tell you the truth, You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ^27aDo not work for the food that spoils, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, [the food] that the Son of man will give you. Jn. 6:26-27a

If we would live “in sync” with God, we must focus on Christ, and the salvation He offers us; and settle for nothing less:

I regard all things as loss on account of the all-surpassing value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, because of whom I have suffered the loss of all things. Indeed, I regard all such things as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ, ⁹and be found in him, not having my own righteousness that is [derived] from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness that is from God, [received] by faith; ¹⁰so that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death, ¹¹so that I may in some way attain the resurrection from the dead. Phil. 3:8-11

Conclusion←⤒🔗

Are we living “in sync” with God? How do we go about bringing our lives into “sync” with God? Consider the Psalmist’s prayer:

³³Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. ³⁴Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. ³⁵Direct me in the path of your commandments, for there I find delight. ³⁶Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward covetousness. ³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things; and revive me in your ways. Psl. 119:33-37

Note: See the Appendix that accompanies this study for An Exposition of Daniel 11:2-35.←↰⤒🔗

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. In the next chapters of the book, what is the LORD going to show Daniel, and for what purpose? See Dan. 10:14 What do these future events involve? See Dan. 10:1 As a Christian, are you surprised when you encounter the hostility of the world because you bear the name of Christ? Do you realize that such is part of the great spiritual warfare in which we are engaged? What assurance does our Lord Jesus give us? See Heb. 13:5-6,

I have come to inform you what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to those future days. Dan. 10:14

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia, something was revealed to Daniel (who was called Belteshazzar). This thing was true and it concerned a great warfare. Dan. 10:1

He himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' ⁶So we may boldly say, 'The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?' Heb. 13:5-6

2. What specifically does the LORD reveal to Daniel in Dan. 11:2-ff.? What comfort and assurance would the people of God draw from this account as they witnessed its fulfillment in the ensuing years? What comfort and assurance should we as Christians draw from the absolute sovereignty of the LORD our God as that sovereignty is carried out in history? Note Dan. 4:35b; Lk. 12:32,

Now I will tell you what shall surely happen. Three more kings will reign in Persia, and then a fourth, who will be far richer than all the others. When he has gained power by his wealth, he will stir up all his resources against the realm of Greece. Dan. 11:2

What follows in Daniel 11:2-35 is an incredibly detailed account of ancient history from the reign of Cyrus the Great of Persia to the time of the Maccabees, approximately 375 years.

All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can push away his hand, or demand of him, What are you doing? Dan. 4:35

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Lk. 12:32

3. What is foretold to Daniel in Daniel 11:14, and what lesson need we to learn from this?

In those times, many will stand against the king of the South. Also, the violent men among your people will rebel in an effort to fulfill the vision, but they will fall. Dan. 11:14

With the death of Philopator in 205 B.C., various uprisings occurred within the Egyptian empire that weakened its power considerably. These internal rebellions within Egypt itself sparked similar uprisings in Palestine: a Jewish revolt led by Tobias threw off Egyptian dominion and sought to establish an independent Jewish nation in Palestine. This revolt would eventually bring the Jews under the control of Syria, rather than establishing an independent nation.

How often do we seek to take matters into our own hands; how often do we seek to assume the role of God, or dictate to God what His role should be (i.e. tell God what He should do)? Note Mk. 8:31-32, and our Lord’s response to Peter’s counsel (cf. Mk. 8:33-34) What is one facet of life in which we are especially prone to usurp God’s role? Note Rom. 12:19,

Then [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. ³²Now he spoke these things publicly. So Peter took him [aside] and began to rebuke him.Mk. 8:31-32

But [Jesus], turning around and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and said, Get behind me, Satan; for your mind is not focused on the things of God, but on the things of men. ³⁴Then he called to himself the [whole] crowd [along] with his disciples, and said to them, If any man desires to be my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.Mk. 8:33­-34

Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but allow God to express his wrath, for it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. Rom. 12:19

4. What is foretold in Daniel 11:31, 32b-33, 35a, and what should we learn from this episode in the history of the covenant nation?

He will send armed forces to desecrate the sanctuary, the [place of] refuge. They will take away the daily sacrifice and set up in its place the abomination that causes desolation. ³²...But the people who know their God will be strong and take action [against him]. ³³Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or be captured or be plundered... ³⁵Some of those who are wise shall fall in order to refine them, purge them, and make them pure for the end time... Dan. 11:31-33, 35

In 167 B.C., the Syrian ruler, Antiochus Epiphanes, responded to Jewish resistance by sending his troops into Jerusalem with the purpose of wiping out the biblical religion. Godly teachers stood up at this time in Israel to instruct the people of God and to exhort them to remain faithful to the LORD and His covenant. Their efforts met with no small measure of success; but their very success caused them and their followers to be persecuted unto death.

What does the LORD want us to know about the trials and adversities He sees fit to bring into our lives? See 1 Pet. 1:6-7,

...now for a little while, since it is necessary, you have been brought to grief by all kinds of trials. [This has happened] so that the genuineness of your faith, ([being] of greater value than gold that perishes), having been tested by fire, may be verified, [resulting] in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1:6-7

5. What is reported in Daniel 11:34, and what must we learn from this?

He will send armed forces to desecrate the sanctuary, the [place of] refuge. They will take away the daily sacrifice and set up in its place the abomination that causes desolation. ³²...But the people who know their God will be strong and take action [against him]. ³³Those who are wise among the people will instruct many; though for a time they will fall by the sword or be burned or be captured or be plundered. ^34aNow as they fall, they will receive a little help... Dan. 11:31­-34a

As the faithful people of God fell before their persecutors they received “a little help,” (this is a reference to the Maccabees). Judas Maccabeus, led a revolt against the Syrians by the use of guerrilla warfare. The Maccabees won a series of brilliant victories, and in 164 B.C. the temple in Jerusalem was cleansed and re-dedicated. But the revolt of the Maccabees is called “a little help” because the deliverance eventually degenerated into earthly nationalism and self-ambition.

As a Christian, are you ever tempted to prioritize the “little help” of a conservative political agenda, rather than keep your primary focus on the kingdom of God? Note Jn. 6:15/Matt. 6:33 As a Christian, are you ever tempted to prioritize the “little help” of social action, good and necessary as it may be, rather than man’s primary need of reconciliation to God through the cross of Christ? Note Jn. 6:26-27a; Matt. 1:21/Mk. 10:45,

Jesus, perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force in order to make him king, withdrew again into the hills by himself. (Jn. 6:15) / But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...Matt. 6:33

Jesus answered them, I tell you the truth, You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Do not work for the food that spoils, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, [the food] that the Son of man will give you.Jn. 6:26-27a

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. (Matt. 1:21) / the Son of man came not to receive ministry, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mk. 10:45)