Verses 2-45 of Daniel 11 contain a series of prophecies set against the backdrop of ancient world history. The following is a specific explanation of the chronology of each verse and the people to whom it relates.
### Verse 2.
**"Four Kings of Persia ”**
- **Cyrus II (559-530 B.C.)**: ruler of Persia during the visionary period seen by Daniel.
- **Cambyses II (530-522 BC)**: son of Cyrus II.
- **Dareios I (522-486 BC)**: Third king of the Persian Empire.
- **Xerxes I (Ahasuerus) (486-465 BC)**: King who led a military expedition against Greece, also mentioned in the Book of Esther.
### Verses 3-4.
**"Strong King of Greece ”**
- **Alexander the Great (336-323 BC)**: He expanded the Greek empire and conquered Persia.
- **Alexander's division of the empire**: After his death, the empire was divided into four and succeeded by the following generals.
- **Cassandros** (Macedonia)
- **Lysimachus** (Thrace)
- **Seleucus I Nikator** (Syria and eastern territories)
- **Ptolemy I Soter** (Egypt)
### Verses 5-6.
**"King of the South and King of the North ”**
- **Ptolemy I (305-283 BC)**: Ruled Egypt.
- **Seleucus I (311-281 BC)**: ruled Syria and eastern territories.
- **Berenike**: daughter of Ptolemy II, married to Antiochus II of the Seleucid dynasty, who was later murdered.
### Verses 7-9 **"Egyptian Vengeance ”**
- **Ptolemy III (246-222 BC)**: brother of Berenike, retaliated against Syria after her death.
- **Seleucus II (246-225 BC)**: defeated by Egypt after Berenike's death.
### Verses 10-13 **"Seleucid Revenge ”**
- **Seleucus III (225-223 BC)**: son of Seleucus II.
- **Antiochus III the Great (223-187 B.C.E.)**: brother of Seleucus III, he opposed Ptolemy IV (221-203 B.C.E.) and was defeated at the Battle of Gaza (217 B.C.E.), but later re-invaded Egypt.
### Verses 14-16 **"Rebellion and Victory ”**
- **Antiochus III**: defeated Egypt at the Battle of Panium in 200 B.C. and took Syria and Palestine.
- **Ptolemy V (204-181 B.C.)**: young king of Egypt.
### Verses 17-19 **"The Failure of Antiochus III ”**
- **“Antiochus III ‘**: unsuccessful attempt to make peace with Egypt by marrying his daughter Cleopatra I to Ptolemy V. **’The Failure of Antiochus III” **“The Failure of Antiochus III” **"The Failure of Antiochus III
- **War with Rome**: Defeated in battle with Rome, eventually dying in 187 BC.
### Verse 20 **"heavy taxpayer ”**
- **Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175 B.C.)**: imposed heavy taxes, but was killed by the treasurer.
### Verses 21-24 **"Antiochus IV Epiphanes ”**
- **“Antiochus IV Epiphanes” (175-164 BC)**: illegally seized power and invaded Egypt.
### Verses 25-28 **"Invasion of Egypt ”**
- **Ptolemy VI Philometor (180-145 BC)**: defeated by Antiochus IV and makes a token peace.
### Verses 29-35 **"Another Invasion of Egypt and Persecution of the Jews ”**
- **Antiochus IV**: He invaded Egypt again in 168 B.C., but was forced to retreat by Rome. Afterwards, he violently persecuted the Jews and erected an image of Zeus in the temple.
### Verses 36-39 **"The obstinate king ”**
- Here the description of Antiochus IV continues, although some interpreters see it as a future antichrist figure as a prophecy of the apocalypse.
### Verses 40-45 **"The Final War ”**
Michael in Chapter 12
Yes, according to the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, there were indeed signs and wonders observed during the period leading up to and during the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. These events have been interpreted by some as fulfilling certain biblical prophecies, including those in Daniel 12.
Josephus describes several unusual phenomena that occurred before the city's fall. These include:
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A bright light shining around the temple altar: This occurred during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which some saw as an omen of the impending disaster.
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A cow giving birth to a lamb: This bizarre event was noted during a sacrificial ceremony at the temple.
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The eastern gate of the temple opening by itself: A heavy gate that normally required many men to move was seen opening on its own, which was interpreted as a sign of the temple's vulnerability.
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Chariots and armies in the sky: Josephus reports that just before sunset, chariots and armed battalions were seen moving through the clouds over the region, a sight that many witnesses found terrifying.
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Voices speaking from the temple: During the Feast of Pentecost, priests reported hearing a great commotion and a voice saying, "We are departing hence," which many took as a sign that God was abandoning the temple.
These events are interpreted by some as omens of the destruction to come, aligning with apocalyptic expectations. They could be connected with the prophecy in Daniel 12, where Michael is said to stand up during a time of great trouble, a period that some believe corresponds to the Roman siege of Jerusalem. The imagery of armies and celestial signs could also be seen as symbolic of a spiritual battle, possibly relating to Michael’s struggle against evil forces.
Michael fought Satan, and the devil planned to use the Roman army to spiritually decadent the Jewish people and annihilate them, but those who were given wisdom by Michael believed in the biblical prophecy and escaped to the mountains, where they survived. Later, when they saw the end of Judaism, they understood more and more the progress of the matter, and they were described as awakening from their slumber in the dust to gain a heavenly position as Christians. In contrast, those who paid no attention to this prophecy and did not believe in it suffered shame.
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