Commentary - Daniel 11:1-4

Bird's-eye view

In this eleventh chapter of Daniel, we are given one of the most remarkably detailed prophecies in all of Scripture. The angel, who began speaking to Daniel in the previous chapter, now lays out a history of the world in advance, stretching from the Persian Empire down to the establishment of the New Covenant. This is not astrology or vague soothsaying; this is God Almighty demonstrating that He holds all of history in the palm of His hand. He is not a reactor, He is the author. The theme here, as it is throughout Daniel, is the absolute and meticulous sovereignty of God over the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms. Men think they are the masters of their fate, but they are characters in a story that God is writing, and the plotline always, always bends toward the exaltation of His Son, Jesus Christ.

What we are about to walk through is a stunning confirmation that God knows the end from the beginning. He is not guessing. The details are so precise that liberal scholars, committed beforehand to their anti-supernaturalism, have to insist that this was written after the events. But for those of us who believe the Bible, this is God flexing, showing us that the Xerxes and Alexanders of this world are but pawns on His chessboard. And the purpose of this detailed history-in-advance is to give the saints confidence. The God who can map out the course of empires with this kind of precision is the same God who is mapping out the course of your life. He can be trusted. The end goal of all this turmoil, all these wars and intrigues, is the establishment of a kingdom that cannot be shaken, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus.

Outline

Context In Daniel

Chapter 11 does not begin in a vacuum. It is the continuation of the vision that began in chapter 10. Daniel had been mourning and fasting for three weeks, seeking understanding from God. In response, God sent a glorious angelic messenger, likely Gabriel, who had to fight his way through demonic opposition, the "prince of Persia," to get to Daniel. This reminds us that history is not just a matter of human politics; it is spiritual warfare. The angel has come to show Daniel "what will happen to your people in the latter days" (Dan. 10:14). Chapter 11 is the content of that revelation. It is a detailed prophetic survey course, moving from Persia to Greece, and then detailing the subsequent conflicts between the Seleucids (the kings of the North) and the Ptolemies (the kings of the South). This entire historical unfolding is the necessary prelude, the stage-setting, for the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of His everlasting kingdom, which is the true climax of all of Daniel's prophecies.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

Verse 1: Now I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood to strengthen and to be a fortress for him.

The angel speaking here connects his current activity back to a previous historical moment, the first year of Darius the Mede. This is the same Darius from the lion's den incident. The angel is telling Daniel that the work of heaven is intimately involved in the affairs of men. While kings and potentates think they are running the show, God has His agents, His ministering spirits, working behind the scenes to accomplish His purposes. The angel's role was to "strengthen" and be a "fortress" for Darius. This doesn't mean Darius was a righteous man in every respect, but rather that his stability was essential for God's plan at that moment, particularly as it related to the welfare of God's people, who were just beginning to return from exile. God props up pagan kings and tears them down according to His own timetable and for the sake of His elect. History is not a random series of events; it is a divinely managed project.

Verse 2: So now I will tell you the truth. Behold, three more kings are going to stand in Persia. Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the kingdom of Greece.

Here the prophecy begins in earnest, and the angel prefaces it with, "I will tell you the truth." This is not speculation. This is a direct report from the throne room of the universe. Following Cyrus, who was then reigning, there would be three more significant Persian kings: Cambyses, Pseudo-Smerdis, and Darius I. But the fourth one is the one to watch. This is a clear reference to Xerxes I, the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. History records his immense wealth and his monumental hubris. Just as the prophecy says, he amassed his riches and then, in his strength, he stirred up his vast empire for a massive invasion of Greece. This campaign, culminating in the famous battles of Thermopylae and Salamis (around 480 B.C.), was a pivotal moment in world history. It was also, providentially, the very act that would ensure the later retribution from Greece. Xerxes, in his pride, was unwittingly setting the stage for the man who would come and topple his empire. God uses the arrogance of kings to bring about their own destruction.

Verse 3: And a mighty king will stand, and he will dominate with great domination and do as he pleases.

The timeline jumps forward. The "mighty king" who arises from Greece is none other than Alexander the Great. The description is uncannily accurate. He did "stand," bursting onto the world stage with breathtaking speed. He did "dominate with great domination," conquering the known world from Greece to India in just over a decade. And he certainly did "as he pleases." Alexander was a man of immense talent and unrestrained will. He was a force of nature, a world-historical figure who reshaped the entire geopolitical landscape. But what we must see is that he was not a self-made man. He was a tool, a hammer, in the hand of God. God raised him up to smash the Persian empire, precisely as was necessary for the next phase of His redemptive plan. The Greek language and culture that Alexander spread throughout the world would, centuries later, become the vehicle for the Gospel. Alexander thought he was building a kingdom for himself, but he was really just paving a highway for King Jesus.

Verse 4: But as soon as he stands, his kingdom will be broken up and parceled out toward the four winds of heaven, but not to his own descendants, nor according to his domination with which he dominated, for his kingdom will be uprooted and given to others besides them.

Here is the vanity of all earthly ambition laid bare. "As soon as he stands", at the very height of his power, in the prime of his life, Alexander's kingdom would be broken. He died at the age of 32, and his empire immediately began to fracture. It was "parceled out toward the four winds," which is precisely what happened. His generals, the Diadochi, fought over the spoils and eventually carved the empire up into four main successor kingdoms. The prophecy is meticulous: it would not go "to his own descendants." Alexander had a son, but he was murdered. The kingdom did not pass to his lineage. Furthermore, the resulting kingdoms did not possess the same "domination with which he dominated." None of his successors had the authority or the reach that he did. His kingdom was "uprooted and given to others." This is a textbook description of the historical outcome. God determines the boundaries of nations and the tenures of kings. Alexander the Great was a shooting star, brilliant and brief, and his fall was just as much a part of God's plan as his rise. This is a warning to all who would build their kingdoms on the sand of human might. Only the kingdom of the Son of Man, the stone cut without hands, will endure forever.

Application

The first and most obvious application is that our God reigns. He is not wringing His hands in heaven over the latest headlines. The political machinations of our day, the rise of arrogant rulers, the shifting of global powers, none of it is outside His meticulous control. This detailed prophecy should build a granite-like confidence in the people of God. The God who told us about Xerxes and Alexander centuries in advance is the God who holds our future, and the future of the world, in His hands.

Second, we should see the futility of godless ambition. Alexander the Great is the poster boy for worldly success. He conquered everything he set his sights on. And it all turned to dust in his hands. His empire shattered, his lineage was cut off, and his glory was fleeting. We are constantly tempted to put our trust in earthly power, wealth, and influence. This passage reminds us that all such kingdoms are temporary. They are chaff that the wind will drive away. We are called to seek first a different kind of kingdom, one that is eternal and cannot be shaken.

Finally, this all points to Christ. The reason God was orchestrating this grand historical drama was to prepare the world for the coming of His Son. The rise of Persia allowed the Jews to return to their land. The conquests of Alexander spread the Greek language, which would become the language of the New Testament. The subsequent conflicts created the political and cultural climate into which Jesus was born. All of history is His story. And just as God faithfully brought about every detail of this prophecy, He will faithfully bring His eternal kingdom to its glorious consummation. Our job is to live as loyal citizens of that coming kingdom, knowing that the victory has already been secured.