Daniel 11 (1)

Introduction
Daniel 11 gives us the most complete details about events that will take place following the fall of the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians and the empire of Alexander the Great. All the kings and rulers and princes here can be identified, and I encourage you to consult online resources or commentaries for the details. Our approach will be to understand the revelation of this chapter as Daniel would have, and as they were intended for those who were returning to the land of Israel. The Lord wanted Daniel and His people to know that a political food fight was on the horizon, and they must be careful not to get messed up in it. They must keep their focus on restoring the temple and looking ahead to the coming of the promised Kingdom of God (Dan. 7.13-18). Thus the purpose of Daniel’s book is similar to that of the book of Revelation.

Read Zechariah 4.

Read Daniel 11.1-4.

Think it through.
1.  The events of Daniel 9-11 all happened in fairly close proximity in time. God intended Daniel to record these details faithfully, even though neither he nor any of the people who read these words would have been able to understand those details exhaustively. The revelations of these chapters are intended to evoke a moodand a mindsetwithin the people of God. What kind of mood and mindset? As they were anticipating these earthly events, understanding the spiritual backdrop against which they would unfold, and remembering why God through Cyrus was sending them to Jerusalem (Ezra 1.1-4), what would they have been feeling and thinking, and what overall mood and mindset was God trying to establish within them? Why would this be important? Does it matter what kind of mood and mindset we take into our daily lives? Explain.

2.  People can become distracted from their divine callings by the events and affairs of everyday life. When large events – political, military, economic – are unfolding and swirling around us, we can easily lose sight of the larger picture in which these things occur. That was certainly Israel’s case prior to being taken captive to Babylon. Now they were going back, and what was going to unfold around them for the next few hundred years had the potential of being even more distracting than what Israel had experienced in the past. Our calling, like that of Daniel and the people of Israel, is to serve God in an unbelieving world by receiving His truth, staying close to Him in prayer, and fulfilling our individual callings day by day. What kinds of things can distract us from this focus? How can we maintain a proper focus on our calling, and the kind of mood and mindset to carry out that calling each day?

Meditate.
“Moreover it should be observed that after he has specified four kings of Persia after Cyrus, Daniel omits the nine others and passes right on to Alexander. For the spirit of prophecy was not concerned about preserving historical detail but in summarizing only the most important matters.” Jerome (347-420 AD)

I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send itto the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”Revelation 1.9-11

Lord, how much can we know about unfolding world events? Very little, to be sure. But concerning Your Kingdom, we can know that it will increase in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Spirit without end (Is. 9.6, 7). So today, help me to keep focused on… 

Pray Psalm 9.1-8.
Hostility toward Christ and Christians appears to be growing, but we need not be distracted by this. Praise the Lord for all His marvelous works, including His rule over His enemies!

Psalm 9.1-10 (Diademata: Crown Him with Many Crowns)
I will give thanks, O Lord, with all my heart to You!
I’ll tell the wonders of Your Word, so many and so true!
With joy to You I cry; Your glory I will raise; 
Your matchless Name, O Lord on High, will I forever praise!

Backwards my foes shall fall before Your holy face.  
You rescue all who on You call by Your all-glorious grace.
The nations lie in ruins; the wicked are no more; 
Our enemies have come to doom in wrath and judgment sore.

Lord, You forever reign in judgment on Your throne.
The world in bitter wrath and pain Your righteousness will own. 
All those who know Your Name, though in this life oppressed, 
You shelter from the storms of shame and keep them ever blessed.

T. M Moore

For a better understanding of the book of Daniel, and all the books of the Bible, order a copy of the workbook, God’s Covenant, from our online store. The studies in this workbook will show you how the parts of the Bible connect with one another to tell the story of God’s redemption and glory (click here).

Men, God is calling you to pray, lest He come in judgment against His Church. Watch this brief video, then seek the Lord about joining our Men at Prayer movement.

Please prayerfully consider sharing with The Fellowship of Ailbe through your giving. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute buttonat the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006.