Daniel 11.11-The Prophecy of Ptolemy IV Philopator's Victory Over Antiochus III the Great
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Tuesday April 22, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 11:11-The Prophecy of Ptolemy IV Philopator’s Victory Over Antiochus III the Great
Lesson # 328
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 11:2.
Daniel 11:2 “Now, at this present time, I must reveal to you the truth. Behold, three future kings will ascend to power for Persia. Then, the fourth will cause greater riches to make him wealthier than each and every one of these in comparison. However, when he amasses power through his wealth, the entire nation will stir up the Greek kingdom. 3 Next, a powerful king will ascend to power so that he will rule with great authority with the result that he will do according to his desire. 4 However, after he ascends to power, his kingdom will be broken up. Then, it will be divided towards the heaven’s four winds but not for the benefit of his posterity and in addition, not according to his sovereign will which he sovereignly exercised. For his kingdom will be uprooted specifically, for the benefit of others, to the separation and exclusion of these. 5 Then, the king ruling the south as well as one of his subordinate commanders will be strong. In fact, he will become stronger than him because he will exercise authority over a dominion greater than his dominion. 6 Next, at the end of an unspecified number of years, they will form an alliance as the daughter of the king ruling the south will enter into marriage with the king ruling the north in order to secure a peaceful arrangement. However, she will by no means retain her powerful position likewise he will by no means endure, namely his power. For she will be delivered over as well as he who caused her to enter into marriage, as well as her child and in addition, her benefactor during those times. 7 But one of the branches from her roots will ascend to power in his place. Then, he will wage an attack against their army so that he will enter the fortress of the king ruling the north. Indeed, he will take action against them so that he will be victorious. 8 Consequently, he will also cause their gods to be transported into captivity to Egypt along with their cast images, as well as their valuable silver and gold articles. Furthermore, for some years he will withdraw from the king ruling the north. 9 Then, he will wage an attack against the king ruling the south but will return to his land. 10 Following this, his sons will initiate hostile military action. Specifically, they will muster a multitude of great military forces. Then, he will as a certainty wage a massive attack so that he will overflow, yes, pass through like a flood with the result that he will turn him back. Indeed, he will engage in hostile military action up to his fortress.” (My translation)
Daniel 11:11 “The king of the South will be enraged and go forth and fight with the king of the North. Then the latter will raise a great multitude, but that multitude will be given into the hand of the former.” (NASB95)
“The king of the South will be enraged” presents the next event that took place after the events recorded in Daniel 11:10.
This statement indicates that the king of the south will cause himself to be enraged with the king of the north who had defeated him in battle.
“And go forth” presents the result of the previous statement that the king ruling the south will cause himself to be enraged.
Therefore, it denotes that the king ruling the south will cause himself to be enraged so that or with the result that he will go forth in order to fight the king of the north.
This purpose clause refers to the king ruling the south marching out of his territory which he governed, which was Egypt.
“And fight with the king of the North” presents the purpose for which the king ruling the south went forth from his territory.
Therefore, it denotes that the king ruling the south went forth from his territory in order to fight against the king ruling the north.
“Then the latter will raise a great multitude” presents the result of the previous statement that the king ruling the south will march out in order to wage war against the king ruling the north.
Therefore, the mustering of this great army by the king of the north will be the direct result of the king of the south marching out to wage war against him.
“But that multitude will be given into the hand of the former” presents a contrast with the previous angelic statement that the king of the north will cause a great multitude to be assembled.
Therefore, this would indicate that the king of the north will cause a great multitude to be assembled however or despite this the king of the north will be defeated in battle by the king of the south.
This adversative clause reveals that the multitude assembled by the king of the north will be delivered over to the power of the king of the south or in other words, they will be destroyed in battle.
Daniel 11:11 “Then, the king ruling the south will cause himself to be enraged so that he will march out in order to wage war against him, against the king ruling the north. Consequently, he will cause a great multitude to be assembled. However, despite this, this multitude will be delivered into his power.” (My translation)
The angel continues to communicate to Daniel God’s prophetic program for the nation of Israel during the Times of the Gentiles by informing him that in response to his great defeat at the hands of the king of the north, the king of the south will cause himself to be enraged over this great loss.
Consequently, he will take his army and march out in order to wage war against the king of the north.
In response to this, the angel tells Daniel that the king of the north will cause a great multitude of troops to be assembled but despite this, this multitude will be delivered over into the power of the king of the south meaning these troops will be defeated in combat by the army led by the king of the south.
This has all been fulfilled in human history.
The king ruling the south in Daniel 11:11 is a reference to Ptolemy IV Philopator (221-204 B.C.).
The king ruling the north is a reference to Antiochus III the Great (223-187 B.C.).
In 217 B.C., Ptolemy IV Philopator attacked the great army assembled by Antiochus III the Great at Raphia.
The account of this great battle appears in Polybius’ work “Histories” (pages 430–436).
In this battle, Ptolemy IV Philopator was accompanied by his sister-wife, Arsinoe.
He led an army of 70,000 as well as 5,000 cavalry and 73 elephants.
Antiochus II the Great led an army of 62,000 as well as 6,000 cavalry and 102 elephants.
Antiochus lost 14,000 men according to Polybius.
Ptolemy IV Philopator regained the land of Israel.
According to Jerome, Antiochus was almost captured but escaped to the desert.
Unlike his father, Ptolemy IV Philopator lacked his father’s military instinct and did not press his advantage.
Instead, he was content with the victory and did not pursue Antiochus.
This came back to haunt him later.
All of the prophecies in Daniel 11:2-11 have been fulfilled in history, which teaches us that God is watching over His Word to execute it (cf. Jeremiah 1:12).
The fulfillment of the prophecies found in Daniel 11:2-7 reveal that He is omnipotent and sovereign and omniscient (Isaiah 46:8-11).
He is omnipotent in that God bring to that which He says will take place and He is omniscient in that He has perfect knowledge of events and people centuries before these events and people appear on the pages of history.
He is sovereign in that fulfilled prophecy reveals that God is in control of history and ruler over both the human and angelic realms.
Fulfilled prophecy glorifies God since it manifests these attributes.
Isaiah 46:8 “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” (NASB95)
These fulfilled prophecies were designed to encourage God’s people as they went through persecution and were also designed to produce faith in God’s people.