Daniel 11.30b-The Prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes IV Venting His Anger Against the Mosaic System and Showing Favor to Apostate Jews
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday June 11, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 11:30b-The Prophecy of Antiochus Epiphanes IV Venting His Anger Against the Mosaic System and Showing Favor to Apostate Jews
Lesson # 347
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 11:29.
Daniel 11:29 “At the appointed time he will return and come into the South, but this last time it will not turn out the way it did before. 30 For ships of Kittim will come against him; therefore he will be disheartened and will return and become enraged at the holy covenant and take action; so he will come back and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.” (NASB95)
“Therefore he will be disheartened” is presenting the result of the ships of Kittim coming against the despicable king ruling the north when he attempts to attack the south a third time.
“He will be disheartened” is the verb kā·ʾā(h) (כָּאָה) (kaw-aw´), which means “to be intimidated” since it pertains to inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another and refers to the despicable king ruling the north being intimidated by the ships of Kittim opposing his third invasion of the south.
“And will return” is presenting the result of the previous prophecy that the despicable king ruling the north will be intimidated by the ships of Kittim.
“Will return” is the verb šûḇ (שׁוּב) (shoob), which means “to retreat, withdraw” since here it pertains to an act or process of withdrawing of troops from an enemy or from an advanced position and is referring to the despicable king ruling the north retreating from the south as a result of the ships of Kittim intimidating him.
“And become enraged at the holy covenant” presents the next prophetic event that will take place after the ships of Kittim cause the despicable king ruling the north to be intimidated so that he retreats from the south.
“Become enraged” is the verb zā·ʿǎm (זָעַם) (zaw-am´), which means “to take out one’s anger on another, to vent one’s anger against another” indicating that the despicable king ruling the north “will take out his anger” against the holy covenant or he “will vent his anger” against the holy covenant.
“At the holy covenant” is composed of the preposition ʿǎl (עַל) (al), “against” and its object is the noun berîṯ (בְּרִית) (ber-eeth´), “the covenant” which is modified by the noun qō·ḏěš (קֹדֶשׁ) (ko´-desh), “holy.”
The noun berîṯ means “covenant” referring to the Mosaic system of worshipping of Yahweh or in other words, it refers to the instructions found in the Mosaic Law which pertain to the proper worship of Yahweh.
The noun qō·ḏěš means “holy” describing the Mosaic covenant was set apart exclusively for the worship of the true and living God.
The noun berîṯ is the object of the preposition ʿǎl, which means “against” since it is functioning as a marker of opposition indicating that the despicable king of the north will vent his anger “against” the holy covenant, i.e. the Mosaic system for the worship of Yahweh.
“And take action” presents the result of the previous prophecy that the despicable king ruling the north will vent his anger against the holy covenant.
“Take action” is the verb ʿā·śā(h) (עָשָׂה) (aw-saw´), which is referring to the despicable king ruling the north taking military action against the Mosaic system for worshipping Yahweh as a direct result of his heart becoming arrogant against them.
“So he will come back” is a temporal clause indicating that “when” the despicable king ruling the north returns to vent his anger against the holy covenant, he will show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.
“Show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant” refers to the despicable king ruling the north showing partiality for those who forsake the holy covenant in the sense that he will favor them over those who remain loyal to the holy covenant.
Daniel 11:29 “At the appointed time, he will return in order to wage an attack against the south. However, it will by no means turn out like the first or the last 30 because ships of Kittim will come against him. Consequently, he will be intimidated so that he will retreat. Then, he will vent his anger against the holy covenant so that he will take action. When he returns, he will also show partiality for those who abandon the holy covenant.” (My translation)
As we noted in Daniel 11:29, the angel prophesied that at God’s own appointed time, the despicable king ruling the north will return to wage another attack against the south.
This was fulfilled in history when Antiochus Epiphanes IV waged a third invasion of Egypt.
The angel then goes on to tell Daniel that this invasion will not turn out like the first two which were successful.
Then, in Daniel 11:30, he informs Daniel that the ships of Kittim will be the reason why this third invasion will be unsuccessful.
This has been fulfilled in history when the Romans intimidated him and caused him to withdraw from Egypt.
The angel issues another prophecy in Daniel 11:30, namely that after retreating the despicable king ruling the north will next vent his anger against the holy covenant so that he will take action against it.
This was fulfilled in history again through Antiochus Epiphanes IV who after being humiliated by the Romans took out his anger against the Mosaic system of worship in the temple in Jerusalem and against those who adhered to this system.
Then the angel predicts that when the despicable king ruling the north returns to vent his anger against the holy covenant, he will show partiality for those who abandon the holy covenant.
This too has been fulfilled in history since it records Antiochus Epiphanes IV showing partiality to those Jews who did not remain loyal to the Mosaic system of worship in the temple and were sympathetic to the Hellenization process he had instituted.
He wanted these renegade Jews to assist him in completely abolishing the temple worship and Jewish religious feasts and customs.
1 Maccabees 1:11-15, 2 Maccabees 4:7-28 records the treachery of certain Jews such as Jason and Menelaus.
History records that on his return from being humiliated by the Romans which resulted in his retreat from Egypt, Antiochus came to Jerusalem to reinstate Menelaus.
He entered the Temple precincts to plunder the temple treasury, and to carry away valuable utensils, such as the golden candlestick upon the altar and the showbread table, as well as gold.
He ordered his officer Apollonius to go throughout Israel with an armed troop in order kill the Jews.
He first entered Jerusalem peaceably but then suddenly turned upon Jerusalem by murdering throughout the city.
The men were butchered, women and children sold into slavery.
The walls and houses of the city were ordered to be torn down by Antiochus.
As a result of making Jerusalem his Greek colony, this king turned his attention to the destruction of the national religion in Israel.
He decreed the abolition of the Jewish mode of worship by abolishing the observance of the Sabbaths and the seven great feasts of Israel.
Circumcision was abolished.
The Scriptures were to be surrendered and the Jews were compelled to offer sacrifices to the idols that had been erected.
The Antiochus’ officers carried out his orders with great vigor.
Anyone in possession of a copy of the Old Testament Scriptures was executed.
The performance of the rite of circumcision was punished with capital punishment.
Josephus writes “King Antiochus returning out of Egypt, for fear of the Romans, made an expedition against the city Jerusalem; and when he was there, in the hundred and forty-third year of the kingdom of the Seleucidae, he took the city without fighting, those of his own party opening the gates to him. (247) And when he had gotten possession of Jerusalem, he slew many of the opposite party; and when he had plundered it of a great deal of money, he returned to Antioch.”
In Daniel chapter 8, the angel Gabriel prophesied extensively about Antiochus Epiphanes IV and his attack against the Jews and the Mosaic system of worship in the temple in Jerusalem.