Read Daniel 11:21-45
Daniel’s vision continues here, but the end is still to come. However, for the tyrant king being described by the angel messenger, his time runs out. God will only allow the atrocities he brings for a given period of time.
The description of this despicable human fits historically with the Syrian king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. He brought much disgrace and evil to God’s remnant people who had returned to Jerusalem after the exile. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah have told us all about the return from captivity. Daniel would have been left behind when those waves of people returned home.
Daniel is now being told what is going to happen to his people. That had to be hard to hear. Little did Daniel know what this evil king would do to desecrate the temple. For all the details being shared, this is one that is still left to the imagination for Daniel.
Being on this side of history, we know that Antiochus IV Epiphanes will defile the temple by sacrificing a pig of all things on the LORD’s holy table. In that culture and for devout Jews today, a pig is unclean, not to be sacrificed or eaten. To have a pig slaughtered in the holy place would have been unthinkable.
God’s laws had been taunted and abused. This horrible king will show no respect for God or any false gods, and will even believe and “boast that he is greater than them all.” Direct attacks on God do not end well. We’re not told what happens to this king other than this. “He will stop between the glorious holy mountain and the sea and will pitch his royal tents. But while he is there, his time will suddenly run out, and no one will help him.”
Enough. God had had enough. God’s people had endured enough disaster. The king’s time had run out. According to Wikipedia, the king drowned himself. How has this mighty, wicked king been remembered? I can’t say as I had heard of him before, but then I was reminded of Hanukkah.
Jewish tradition remembers Antiochus IV Epiphanes as quite the villain and persecutor of their faith beliefs. My pastor hubby reminded me that the Apocrypha has a couple books, I and II Maccabees would speak of the temple’s desecration as well as the temple’s restoration describing the events now celebrated with the festival, Hanukkah.
Just a little background to help us picture what this messenger is talking about. Things that actually happened were given as part of an apocalyptic passage. Being these texts were believed to be written years after Daniel would have lived, possibly by someone who had already lived through some of these events and were on the other side.
The message I take away is that God won’t allow evil to win. Ever. He didn’t back then and he won’t today. He’s the same God. There’s a great song I’ve probably shared about before called, “Same God,” by Brandon Lake. Here in Mexico, the same song is “Mismo Dios.” It’s one I’ll be teaching our youth group soon.
As the song’s lyrics say,
“O God my God I need You
O God my God I need You now
How I need You now
O Rock O Rock of ages
I’m standing on Your faithfulness”
Let those lyrics be part of your worship today. It’s the best place to be—standing on God’s faithfulness.
Let’s pray. LORD, I need you now to show me the way. I feel at a crossroads in some ways and have so many directions I want to go. Help me see which direction you have for me. I am standing on your faithfulness being grateful for each new day you bring forth. May your name be glorified. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
