Daniel 11 [the beginning]

There is almost as much prophecy in the Book of Daniel as there is contention over the prophecies themselves. Daniel was one of the first of three different diasporas from the Kingdom of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon; 606, 597, 586, B.C. He was a close friend of *Shadrach, **Meshach. and ***Abednego of the fiery furnace fame; Daniel 1-3. Their Hebraic names were *Hananiah (חֲנַנְיָה), **Mishael (מִישָׁאֵל) and **Azariah (עֲזַרְיָה). These three “teenagers” were exiled to Babylon at the same time as Daniel.

JIV NOTE: There are significant ahamoments when we look at the origin and meanings of many biblical names. Please be reminded: Hananiah (Shadrach) means “God who is gracious;” Mishael (Meshach) means “Who is like God;” and Azariah (Abednego) means “God is our help, or God has helped”. BONUS: Daniel means “God is my judge.”  These Old Testament name meanings stated as a sentence reveal a New Testament message: God is gracious; who can be like God; [for] God is my help/salvation [and] God will be my judge.

Just as interesting are their Babylonian name meanings: Shadrach means “command of Aku”, Aku being the name of the Babylonian god of the moon; Meshach means “who is (or can be) what Aku is?” Abednego means “servant of Nebo,” the Babylonian god of wisdom. This is no Hebraic or Babylonian (Chaldean) verbiage coincident but great insights inspired by God. This is what it means to STUDY the Word[s] of God.

While studying the Book of Daniel, we must keep in mind that the name Babylon is used within other scripture that concerns other, yet unfulfilled, End Time prophecy. That in and of itself does not always mean it is the Babylon of Daniel’s times.  The use of the name Babylon is symbolic or analogous to characteristics of events of end times. We cannot look at the Book of Daniel without including some references to other supportive End Time scriptures that remind us of End Time prophecies by Daniel. This is particularly true of Daniel 11.

PS: His traditional grave site is identified as being in Susa, Iran. Susa today is the city of Shuster in Iran’s district of Khuzestan. This in itself is located within an even more ancient settlement of the Elamites…a former empire named after one of the five sons of Shem; ELAM [Shem’s children: Elam, Ashur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram, in addition to daughters. Genesis 10:21, 22]

In a broad sense, the Book of Daniel prophecies can be defined within these categories:

1. Prophecies of things in the distant future (from that point in time, that is up to its fulfillment)
2. Prophecies of imminent events soon to happen
3. Prophecies of intermediary or mid-time events plus End Time events of week 70 in Daniel’s vision of Daniel’s Seventy 7’s vision in Daniel 9: 20-27.
4. Words of support and encouragement to not vacillate but remain in the faith

There are only 12 chapters in the Book of Daniel unless one includes Susannah (chapter 13), Bel and the Dragon (chapter 14). So much that is relevant to current events was prophesied at the time of Daniel; predictions and warnings of things to shortly happen, and a look into the future including our current era, is crammed into such a short book of the Bible; twelve canonized chapters. CAUTION: If a believer does not know and somewhat understand these prophecies in Daniel 11, s/he will never recognize them as they play out today.

It is one of my greatest [JIV: Jim’s Introspective View] challenges and honors to research and annotate Daniel 11 using the actual names of historical characters instead of the generic pronoun persons, places, or things used in chapter 11. This chapter in Daniel is possibly the most controversial in this great Old Testament book. The contentiousness of chapter 11 is not so much over what it contains, but the pinpoint accuracy of it. It is so accurate, some theologians and self-proclaiming wise guys insist Daniel 11 had to be written “after the fact” by someone else, then inserted into the Book of Daniel. There are some who call themselves Christian who have difficulty understanding that our sovereign Lord is the Aleph – Tav [Hebrew]; knows the beginning and the end; the Alpha – Omega [Greek]…Plus all of history falls within these two place markers.

If there is an error when inserting names into the place and descriptive names used in Chapter 11, I accept responsibility. One can only be sure if s/he looks it up herself or himself. If God or Jesus says it… do not question it.

We teach ^but YOU must decide.

Rev. Dr. stark
2023