Daniel

Kings at War | Daniel 11:1-35 – Pastor Troy Dobbs






Kings at War | Daniel 11:1-35

Kings at War | Daniel 11:1-35

Welcome Message:

Good morning and welcome! Whether you’re joining us from EP, the Chapel Chaska, Pocatello, or online, we’re excited to have you here. Today, we continue our journey through the book of Daniel, focusing on chapter 11. We’re almost at the end of this series, with just a few weeks remaining. Hopefully, this study has been a blessing and encouragement to you!

Introduction: Learning from History

We’ve all heard the phrase: “Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it.” This statement rings true across generations, as history often follows repeating patterns. A historical cycle describes how societies move from bondage to faith, courage, freedom, abundance, complacency, apathy, and ultimately back to bondage. This cycle is reflected in the events of Daniel 11.

Context: Daniel’s Vision of the Future

Although the events of Daniel 11 are history to us, they were prophetic for Daniel. After reading Jeremiah 25 and 29, Daniel understood that the Babylonian exile was supposed to end after 70 years. He prayed fervently for his people to return to Jerusalem, but only a small fraction did—less than 50,000. The majority remained in Babylon, comfortable in their captivity.

Overview of Daniel 11

Chapter 11 is a detailed prophecy outlining conflicts between various kings, ultimately leading up to the coming of the Messiah’s kingdom. The chapter can be divided into two main sections:

  • Verses 1-35: Prophecies within the 483 years of Daniel’s 70-week prophecy (Daniel 9), detailing struggles and hardships for Israel.
  • Verses 36-45: Future events concerning the Great Tribulation Period.

Key Lessons from Daniel 11

  1. God is Sovereign Over History: History is His story. Everything unfolds under His divine plan.
  2. God Knows the Future: Predicting the future is no harder for God than knowing the past. His knowledge is perfect.
  3. Faithfulness Despite Opposition: The trials faced by Israel foreshadow future spiritual battles, reminding believers to remain faithful.
  4. Cycles of Human Nature: The historical patterns of complacency and bondage serve as a warning against spiritual stagnation.

Closing Thoughts

As we reflect on Daniel 11, we see that God’s plan is unfolding, and He remains in control despite earthly turmoil. Just as He guided His people through past hardships, He will continue to lead us today. Let us remain faithful, learning from history, and trusting in His divine sovereignty.

Prayer: Lord, help us to learn from history and remain steadfast in our faith. May we trust in Your sovereignty and walk in obedience to Your will. Amen.


Daniel 3

Daniel 3

Today’s reading is the famous story of the three Hebrews and their unflinching faithfulness to God in the midst of an imminent threat of death in the fiery furnace. Most people have heard this story and it is often told in very simplistic terms. However, the principle of steadfast faithfulness in the midst of great personal threat is so pertinent to our present culture and the new of current times, that the words from today’s reading seemed to leap off of the page as I read them.

I like a paragraph from today’s reading of D. A. Carson’s devotional,

Observe: (a) Their basic courtesy and respect are undiminished, however bold their words. (b) They are completely unwilling to apologize for their stance. The wise believer never apologizes for God or for any of his attributes. (c) They do not doubt God’s ability to save them, and they say so: God is not hostage to other gods, or to human beings, emperors or otherwise. (d) But whether or not God will save them they cannot know—and the point is immaterial to their resolve. Faithfulness is not dependent upon an escape hatch. They choose faithfulness because it is the right thing to do, even if it costs them their lives.1

Personal persecution is very limited today in our country, but it seems like the potential is rising for it to become increasingly more as the days go by. Do I have the backbone to stand faithfully to any tests that I face in the future? It is a sobering and pertinent question to ask myself.

1 D. A. Carson, For the Love of God: a Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word., vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1998).