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Verses 24-28. Antiochus IV invaded Syria and stole wealth so that he could give to the poor, trusted friends, and politicians in order
to win their favor. He was preparing for war against Egypt.
Apparently, Ptolemy VI had heard that Antiochus was planning to invade Egypt, so he raised a large army and prepared for war. Then in 170 B.C. Antiochus IV attempted to invade Egypt
and attacked Pelusium, just east of the Nile River. The Egyptian forces were defeated, and surrendered in favor of a new alliance. But Antiochus IV did not plan to keep the alliance.
The alliance was part of his plan to conquer all of Egypt. He had lied to Ptolemy VI about his intention in order to gain his allegiance.
Ptolemy VI Philometor had a brother named Ptolemy VII Eugeretes. Ptolemy VI ruled Memphis, and Ptolemy VII ruled Alexandria. Antiochus IV had hoped that Ptolemy VI would help him
defeat his brother, Ptolemy VII, and then break the alliance and rule Egypt. But Antiochus IV was defeated by Ptolemy VII at Alexandria.
Verse 28 predicted that Antiochus would be moved against the holy covenant. History records that when Antiochus returned to Syria, he crushed a revolt in Jerusalem in support of Menelaus, the high priest.
The high priest was his supporter.
Verses 29-31. About two years later in 168 B.C., Antiochus learned that Ptolemy VI Philometor and Ptolemy VII Eugeretes had made an alliance against him. In response he planned to attack Egypt. Two years
earlier he had been partially successful, but this time when he brought his army against Egypt, he was surprised by a Roman emissary, Popilius Laenas.
Antiochus did not know that Rome had agreed to help Egypt. Chittim or “Cyprus” refers to the northeast part of the Mediterranean Sea, including Italy. The Romans had arrived in ships, When
Antiochus came down to Egypt, Popilius Laenas told him that he could not enter Egypt. At first Antiochus refused to go back home, so Laenas drew a circle about him and told him that he had to respond before
he stepped out of the circle. Historians say that after a few moments of humiliating silence, Antiochus IV agreed and left Egypt in a rage. On his way home, he released his rage on the Jews.
Conclusion. That was Antiochus’ place in history. Verse 21 calls him a “despicable man.” Two other Bible translations call him a “vile man” or a “contemptible man.” Did
you think all of the men and women we saw earlier in the chapter were good people? Did you think that murder, divorce, revenge, anger, insults, and war were wrong, bad, wicked, or evil? If you thought
that men and women could be any worse, stop to think about Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He was a “despicable man.”
He had lied, murdered, and stolen his way into the pages of history. He was the king of a nation that deserved better. In fact, he should not have been king, because the man who deserved to be king was
in prison in Rome. He had made alliances or agreements and then broken them in order to defeat them and expand his empire. He was an extremely wicked man as we see more in our next study. Antiochus IV
Epiphanes is a picture of the coming Antichrist. This is the future of the world. It is not getting better. It is getting worse.
These evil men and women are a reminder of our world’s future. But it is also a great reminder of our future as Christians. It reminds us that some day Jesus is coming back. We will either see Jesus
when we die or we will see Him in the sky when He returns. What a wonderful future for those who believe in Jesus!
There is also another wonderful truth in this chapter. Did you miss all of the detail in the verses in this chapter - details about sins and events? We have seen one wicked man after another. Each one
seems to be worse. We have seen murder, war, lies, intrigue, anger, hatred, sex and divorce. We have seen defeat, victory, the murder of women, and money. Why did God put this chapter here? Yes, it is
true that God put it here to answer Daniel’s question, but why all the detail? The answer is found in the following statement, And you may say in your heart, “How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?” When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken. (NASB) Deut. 18:21-22 Daniel 11 is about God speaking to us. God has given us this remarkable passage to let us know that He has spoken. The words are His.
The Bible is truth because God Has Spoken!
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