Daniel 11:20-24 – Making Impact by our integrity and godliness.

It is truly remarkable how the prophecies in Daniel 11 are meticulously chronicled with astonishing precision, providing a unique lens into historical events. These prophecies reveal intricate details, such as matrimonial alliances, separations, and the rise and fall of leaders, offering an intense understanding of the past. This divine insight was a preparation for the impending trials and persecution at the hands of Antiochus Epiphanes. They prove God’s omniscient.   

Our last discussion showed how Antiochus III’s campaign against the Coastland was hindered from advancing. The Romans defeated him and made him pay indemnity. The Romans even took hostages. Among the people taken as hostages was his son Antiochus IV, later named Antiochus Epiphanes. Meanwhile, as the Romans held him hostage, his father made his brother, Seleucus IV, a co-regent. Daniel 11:20 alludes to Seleucus IV. Having to pay his father's enormous financial debt, Seleucus IV had an unambitious policy and was finally assassinated by Heliodorus, a government official.  In Daniel 11:21-36, we will see the crisis Antiochus IV had created for God's people. 

Verse 21 indicates that Seleucus IV would be succeeded by "a despicable person…on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquillity and seize the kingdom by intrigue."

Antiochus IV discovered that his father had appointed his brother, Seleucus IV, as a co-regent during his captivity. Seizing this opportunity, he escaped and navigated his way back to Syria.  Striking a deal with the king of Pergamon, he secured the necessary resources for his return.  He eliminated potential rivals with strategic precision and seized the throne with trickery.   

These verses paint a vivid picture of the nature of Antiochus IV. Though not a legal heir, he craftily manipulated his way into power through bribery, deceit, and trickery. His character was marred by treachery, cruelty, greed, and an insatiable ambition for power. He devised the most sinister schemes to deceive his allies, crush his enemies, and plunder the defenseless. 

These verses serve as a timely reminder of what ambition, deceit, and treachery can do to a person. It shows us the consequences of pursuing power at any cost as well as the devastating effects of using manipulation and cruelty to achieve one's goals.

Trusting in God we should instead prioritize integrity, honesty, and empathy in our pursuits. We must consider the far-reaching implications of our actions on others. With wisdom and discernment in our decision-making, we must ensure that our ambitions are guided by noble intentions and a genuine desire to positively impact the world around us for the glory of God.