Conclusion
I hope you have a heart for the Jewish people. Among them are an elect remnant who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and God calls every believer to reach out to them. An old missionary hymn puts it this way:
Shall we whose souls are lighted with wisdom from on high;
Shall we to souls benighted the lamp of life deny?
Focusing on the Facts
1. How long will man’s defiance of God last (see p. 1)?
2. How does the Old Testament say Israel disobeyed God? What has that resulted in (see p. 1)?
3. Explain the context of Daniel 11 (see pp. 1-2).
4. Describe what kind of answer Daniel received to his prayers as given in Daniel 11-12 (see p. 2).
5. In the midst of demonic activity what are God’s holy angels doing (see p. 2)?
6. Describe the attacks of literary critics on the book of Daniel. What is their basic presupposition (see pp. 2-3)?
7. Who was the fourth Persian king who led a major attack on Greece? In what other book of the Bible does he appear, and under what name (see p. 3)?
8. When the Greeks finally retaliated against the Persians for the attacks made on them, who were they led by? Describe his success (see p. 4).
9. What happened to the Greek Empire after its great leader died (see pp. 4-5)?
10. Identify the two dynasties identified as “the king of the south” and “the king of the north” in chapter 11 (see p. 5).
11. How did the two kingdoms attempt to resolve increasing tension between them (see p. 5)?
12. What two realities does the minute fulfillment of prophecy in Daniel point to (see p. 6)?
13. After his initial unsuccessful campaign against Egypt, what did Antiochus the Great do thirteen years later? Who assisted him (see p. 7)?
14. How did Antiochus attempt to establish a deceptive alliance with Egypt? Why did it fail (see p. 8)?
15. Who was the “vile” successor to Antiochus the Great? How did he obtain the throne (Dan. 11:21; see p. 9)?
16. After failing to obtain control of Egypt in 170 B. C. , what did Antiochus Epiphanes do (see p. 10)?
17. What deterred Antiochus Epiphanes in his second attack on Egypt? How did he vent his anger and disappointment (see pp. 10-11)?
18. What did Antiochus Epiphanes do to the Temple in Jerusalem? What was his persecution of the Jewish people typical of (see pp. 11-12)?
19. What is God’s purpose in the persecutions of the Jewish people according to Daniel 11:35 (see p. 12)?
Pondering the Principles
1. Daniel 11 shows the ongoing chastening of rebellious Israel. Unfortunately, few responded to that discipline. When allowed to return to their land from captivity, many were so entrenched in a pagan lifestyle that they wouldn’t leave Babylon. Is that how you respond to the Lord’s discipline in your life? A right response to God’s gracious dealing with us is reflected in this hymn by Adelaide Pollard:
Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the Potter, I am the clay:
Mold me and make me after Thy will,
While I am waiting, yielded and still.
Resolve to adopt the attitude of the hymnwriter in God’s dealings with you.
2. The ultimate purpose of divine testing is to strengthen our faith (cf. James 1:2-3). Chastisement may not seem pleasant, yet it does affirm God’s continuing commitment to us. We see that truth in the affirmation that though the Jewish people have rebelled against God, “all Israel shall be saved” (Rom. 11:26). God has promised us that He will never leave or forsake us (Heb. 13:5). Praise God for His faithfulness to His own, and ask Him how you may be used to bring the light of the gospel to a Jewish person you know.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
