Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective here is Gideon Levitan.

Gideon Levytam: Let's turn to Daniel chapter 11 Daniel 11 beginning from verse 2. And now will I show thee the truth. Behold there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia and a fourth shall be far richer than they all. And by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall stand up and shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up his kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided towards the four winds of heaven and not to his posterity nor according to his dominion which he ruled.

For his kingdom shall be plucked up even for others beside those. And the king of the south shall be strong and one of his princes. And he shall be strong above him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. And in the end of years they shall join themselves together for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement. But she shall not retain the power of the arm neither shall he stand nor his arm. But she shall be given up and they that brought her and he that begat her and he that strengthened her in these times.

But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate which shall come with an army and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north and shall deal against them and shall prevail. And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods with their princes and with their a precious vessels of silver and of gold. And he shall continue more years than the king of the north. And the king of the south shall come into his kingdom and shall return into his own land. But his sons shall be stirred up and shall assemble a multitude of great forces.

And one shall certainly come and overflow and pass through. Then shall he return and be stirred up even to his fortress. And the king of the south shall be moved with choler and shall come forth and fight with him even with the king of the north and shall set forth a great multitude. But the multitude shall be given into his hand. And when he has taken away the multitude his heart shall be lifted up and he shall cast down many ten thousands. But he shall not be strengthened by it. For the king of the north shall return and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches.

And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south. Also the robbers of the people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision but they shall fall. So the king of the north shall come and cast up a mount and take the most fenced cities. And the arms of the south shall not withstand neither his chosen people neither shall there be any strength to withstand. But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will. And none shall stand before him. And he shall stand in the glorious land which by his hand shall be consumed.

He shall also set up his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom and upright once with him. Thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women corrupting her but she shall not stand on his side neither be for him. After this shall he turn his face unto the isles and shall take many. But the prince of his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease. Without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. Then he shall turn his face towards the the fourth of his own land.

But he shall stumble and fall and not be found. Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom. But within few days he shall be destroyed neither in anger nor in battle. And in his estate shall stand up a vile person to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom. But he shall come in peaceably and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflowed from before him and shall be broken. Yea also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully for he shall come up and shall become strong with a small people.

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fatness places of the province. And he shall do that which his fathers have not done nor his father's fathers. He shall scatter among them the prey and spoil the riches. Yea and he shall forecast his devices against the strongholds even for a time. And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army. But he shall not stand. For they shall forecast devices against him.

Yea they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him and his army shall overflow and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings hearts shall be to do mischief and they shall speak lies at one table. but it shall not prosper. For yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he return unto his land with great riches and his heart shall be against the holy covenant. And he shall do exploiterous and return to his own land. And at that time appointed he shall return and come towards the south.

But it shall not be as the former or as the latter. For the ships of the Shittim shall come against him. therefore he shall be grieved and return and have indignation against the holy covenant. So shall he do. He shall even return and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part and they shall pollute the sanctuary of of strength and shall take away the daily sacrifice. And they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall be corrupt by flatteries. But the people should that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits.

And they that understand among the people shall instruct many. Yea they shall fall by the sword and by flames by captivity and by spoil many days. Now when they shall fall they shall be holpen with a little help. But many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white even to the time of the end because it is yet for a time appointed. I will stop here in verse 35. What I'm going to do as we are studying Daniel 11 and 12 really we are dealing with the conclusion of the book of Daniel and specially dealing with the two chapters which really deal with the last vision that Daniel had received beginning from chapter 10 if you remember and verse 1.

We have said in the last session that Daniel chapter 10 and verse 1 to Daniel chapter 11 and verse 1 deals with the introduction to the final vision that Daniel have received. And so the introduction to the prophecy that Daniel received was Daniel 10 1 to Daniel 11 1. Today we are going to begin with Daniel 11 and verse 2. And specifically the verses really verse 2 to chapter 12 and verse 4 deal with the prophecy itself. The prophecy the final prophecy that Daniel had received. And so really we have here in this particular chapter history set before us before it really happens.

And so the way it is being written what I'm going to do I'm going to take really a verse at a time and we are not going to cover with with a lot of details because there are details here that really you got to be an an historian to be able to go into the actual details that we have here in these verses. So I would like just to highlight some of the verses that we have here before us. First of all just to mention Daniel 2 and sorry Daniel 11 verse 2 to 35 we have the rule of God over the people or his people Israel during the first 69 weeks of years which have been given to us in Daniel chapter 9.

And then when we get to chapter 11 verses 36 to the end including chapter 12 and verse 4 we have really the the the God's rule over his nation Israel during the 70th week of Daniel which is the tribulation period. Now there's so much history here that I I have when I was listening and reading a little bit about it there is so much details here that some people do not even believe that this is history from Daniel's vantage point. Some people say well you know it is really something that had been known ahead of time by someone and he wrote it down point by point.

And and but we see here as as Daniel received this information from God we can really see that God is giving Daniel history before it's really even happened. Now let me just highlight some of the verses here. But before I'm going to give you this highlight I want to refresh your mind. In chapter 10 verses 1 to verse of chapter 11 verse 1 we had this information that Daniel received from this angel. And it is interesting that this particular men this particular angel that we have been reading about and studying about in chapter 10 especially the less verses if you remember in the less verses of chapter 10 we find out that there was a real conflict in the heavenly places.

You notice what it says here. Let me just read verse verse 19 of Daniel chapter 10 and he said all men greatly beloved fear not peace be unto thee be strong yea be strong. And when he had spoken unto me I was strengthened and he and and said let my Lord speak for thou hast strengthened me. Then he said you know there were of I come unto thee he says. And now I will return to fight with the prince of Persia. And when I have gone forth the prince of Grecia shall come and I will show thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth and there is none that hold this with me in these things but Michael your prince.

And then verse 1 of chapter 11 also I in the first year of the Darius the Mede even I stood to confirm and to strengthen him that is Michael. You know we learn in the less chapter in chapter 10 that there was a conflict in the heavenly spheres where the where the the angelic being are really is is struggling together if you will. In other words God's good angels have in mind to give to give Daniel the plan of the future plan concerning the people of Israel. But we have the false if you will the Satan and his angels seeking to hinder God's word to come to Daniel.

So for 21 days for 3 weeks there was a struggle if you will that this particular man needed the help of Michael the prince of Daniel's people the prince of Israel. And so he came to help him at the end of the 21 days he helped him. Then that man that angel came to Daniel and he began now to give him the instruction about future events that will happen for the people of Israel. But he told Daniel you know Daniel in the past in the first year of the Darius the Medes I stood to confirm and to strengthen also Michael.

You know what I have helped him in the past just same way like I needed help in this present time to come to give you this information. So can you imagine there is God wanted to give Daniel the plan of his dealing with his people Israel but there was a hindrance by satanic power if you will from letting this information to come to Daniel. First of all I want to read there is a in verse 2 there is a summary of the rulers of Persia that this man gives Daniel a to know. Notice it says in verse 2 and now I will show thee the truth.

Behold there shall stand up yet. Notice the word yet. Three kings in Persia. And the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia of Greece. Let just pause here for a moment. What we find out here that Daniel received now from this man from this angel information or if you will a summary information about the rulers of Persia. You remember what we have read already earlier if you remember he mentioned in chapter 10 the prince of Persia in verse 20 and the prince of Grecia in verse 20.

He already mentioned that that he received help from um from Michael with respect to the prince of Persia. Now he's giving us the prince of Persia by the way in chapter 10 has to do with the angel that was that that was if you will the angel of Persia. Now he's giving us a detailed information about the the summary of the rulers of Persia. So apparently in verse 2 of Daniel chapter 11 there shall stand up yet. Looking yet to the future they shall stand up yet three kings in Persia. Now there is there are those who knows all the details that I just mark mark the names some of the names Cambyses Cyrus son reign from 529 to 521.

Then um Pseudo reign in 521. And thirdly Darius the first reign from 521 to 487 he's mentioned in Ezra chapter 4. So those three kings that he's mentioning here in verse in verse 2 yet three kings in Persia will stand. So he's giving to Daniel the information that there will be still three kings are coming in Persia after Cyrus Cyrus son. Then we have um the one that reign in 521 BC and Darius the first 521 to 487. Now Daniel did not know what does he know. He was just receiving information about future events that are going to happen.

Now if you and I going to read about historic you're going to read about it we'll find a lot of information about those kings. Now I don't know a person must be historian to go through this information to find out all these details. But now notice that in verse 2 he still continue and he tells us there's an additional king. It says here and the fourth shall be far richer than they all. And by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. In other words there will be a fourth kings and by the way there are other kings after him that yet would come before the Greeks will take the the become the the the the next kingdom.

But the fourth king is Artaxerxes. This is what we call in Hebrew you would say in English. He is the one that ruled in the time in the book of Esther. When we read about him in the book of Esther he ruled from 485 to 464 BC. And you know it you notice that it says that he going to be far richer than they all. You know it is interesting that he was so rich. If you read the book of Esther you remember in chapter 1 of the book of Esther he made a great feast.

And you remember how many how many princesses came to this feast. If I'm correct what was it 127 127 came from all over to to celebrate that and you remember he is the one that eventually Esther the Jewish girl end up to be his wife. And the the the next queen of of of of Persia. And so what we find out that he gives him you know details. I I'm I'm not an historian. But imagine for a person who likes details to look into history and to begin to find out about those three kings and then the fourth king that came after the wealthy the rich king.

And ultimately there were other kings that came after until the kingdom of Persia have ended. And if you remember when we studied Daniel chapter chapter 2 and chapter 7 we saw that there were four kingdoms the Babylonian the Medo-Persian the Grecian and and eventually the Romans. And then we had the revived Roman empire in the future day which finally the Messiah will come and will totally destroy with the power of his coming. And he is going to be the one that is going to establish a kingdom which have will have never end which have which will have no end.

So in verse 2 we see a summary of the rulers of Persia. Basically we see three the one that have been first of all plus three plus the fourth one. And we don't have any more details but there were an additional a few kings before the next kingdom entered in. Now here's the next kingdom. The next kingdom is verses 3 and 4. In verse 3 and 4 and let me read those two verses and a mighty king shall stand up. That shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up his kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven and not to his posterity or family or children or his family nor according to his dominion which he ruled for his kingdom shall be plucked up even for others beside those.

Now verse 2 I should say verse 3 and 4 gives us a summary of the kingdom of Greece. What we have here really in verse 2 first of all in verse 2 we have Alexander the Great Alexander the Great. It says here in verse 3 a mighty king shall stand up. You know very well the story of Alexander the Great. He was a young man when he conquered when he became a king and he a BC he was a king who ruled Greece. And it says here about Alexander that he would be a mighty king.

We read of him in chapter 7. We read of him in chapter 7 when he's come to the image. We read of him in chapter 7 when he's come to the four beasts the third beast there. And we read of him here again. He would be that mighty king that shall stand up. And then it said and that and that shall rule with great dominion and do according to his will. And that is exactly what he did. He was a young man and by the way in 323 BC Alexander died. And what happened is it says here in the next verses in actually verse 4 there was a division of his kingdom.

Instead of his family to inherit the kingdom no eventually actually his four a generals that that have led his army or the ones that the kingdom have been divided to. It says here in verse 4 he shall stand up and his kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided towards the four winds of heaven. And it is interesting that those four generals and I make I have their name here Ptolemy Seleucus um Lysimachus and and Cassander. Those four generals have taken over the kingdom. But you know what as we go on as time went on the two major um generals and the two major kingdoms have taken over the north and the south.

And the northern kingdom was really has been placed in Syria north of Israel straight north of Israel. And the southern kingdom was in Egypt. And so from from these verses we discover that his kingdom have been divided into four. It had been broken divided towards the four winds of heaven. And not notice it says and not to his posterity.

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry write to Holy Scriptures and Israel box 1411 Niagara on the Lake Ontario L0S 1J0 or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program visit holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.