World History, Chapter 11: Fall of Greece and Rome

World History, Chapter 11: Edited 4/15/20.

Fall of Greece and Rome

Daniel 11 contains the interpretation of the vision found in chapter 10. God was going to reveal secrets to Daniel concerning Israel’s future under the Grecian Empire, (the belly and thighs of bronze). This chapter reveals nothing about the Babylonian Empire (head of gold) and only brushes on the Medio-Persian Empire (the chest and arms of silver).

Chapter 11 concerns the Grecian Empire, one that terminates for the most part with the rule of Antiochus of Ascalon in the year 68 B.C. So in this chapter, a great deal of attention is given to the Grecian Empire under Alexander (the he-goat having a great horn), one that would soon be broken; followed by the four notable ones; Alexander’s 4 generals: Seleucus 1 Nictor; Lyasimacus; Cassander and Ptolemy.

The prophesy goes on to describe a little horn, coming from one of the four notable ones. That one notable horn was Selencus 1 Nictor. When war broke out among the four, only one of the kings remained standing. Selencus Nictor had defeated the others, and thus ruled over the Selecuid Empire.      

In the year 281 B.C. Selencus 1 Nector successfully consolidated the whole of the kingdom of Alexander’s conquests. In my understanding of this prophesy, 281 B.C. is a very important date, so keep it in mind. Selencus built many Greek like cities, and Hellenized many areas in Asia Minor; the Middle East including Israel. He establishing the Greek language throughout his kingdom; the language God chose to have the words of the New Testament published. 

He was murdered in 281 B.C. on the eve of his success by the man he supported on the Egyptian throne, Ptolemy Keraunos. During the successive reigns of those who followed after,Antiochos I; Antiochos II; Seleucos II and Seleucos III, the empire struggled against many rebellions.

And from the loins of Selencus came generations of tyrants; sons and grandsons who would increase in the growth of the little horn prophesied by Daniel that would wax great. The first was Antiochus 1 Soter born 324, died 262. He took power after his father Selencus was assassinated at the age of 62 in the year 281 B.C.

He was followed by Antiochus 2, who called himself (theos = God in Greek) born 287, died 246 B.C. He organized an empire-wide cult, as suggested by his epithet; Theo’s (God.) After his death, he would be succeeded by his son Seleucus 2ed.

Then we have Antiochus III, the son of Seleucus II, Born 242, died in 187 B.C. at the age of 55. He led the war against Rome in the wake of his expansion in Anatolia, and despite the wise advice of Hannibal Barca he decided not to follow it and was defeated at the Battle of Magnesia at Sipylum in 190 B.C. The Roman’s had driven him back to Asia Minor and the consequences of the peace treaty with Rome that followed led the kingdom into ruin. Antiochos III died in 187 BCE during a campaign in the East. His death marked the end of the Seleucid Empire as a great power.

Antiochus 4th Epiphanes is historically known for his desecration of the Temple in Jerusalem. Born 215, died 164 B.C. King of the Hellenistic Syrian kingdom from 175 until 164 B.C. He was an able and popular ruler best known for his encouragement of Greek influences, during the course of which he inadvertently promoted the creation of the important independent Jewish state of the Maccabees, or Hasmoneans.

He served as a hostage in Rome for 14 years after his father’s defeat (190-189) by the Romans. On his release he ousted the usurper Heliodorus and ascended the Syrian throne. He occupied almost all of Egypt in 169 and again in 168, but the Romans forced him to evacuate the kingdom. Antiochus then made war conquering the Jewish stronghold of Jerusalem and attempted to Hellenize the city. In 166 B.C. Judas Maccabeus raised the Jewish rebellion that eventually led to the formation of an independent Jewish state. Many refer to Antiochus 4th as an antichrist, but this cannot be because Christ had not yet been born, and he never claimed to be the Messiah of the Jews; he just hated Jews.

He was followed by,

Antiochus Eupator who was nine years old when his father died and left him to sit as king over the kingdom of Syria.

His son Antiochus V. followed; he ruling from 173 to 162 B.C. 

Antiochus 7th Sidetes ruled form 159 to 129 B.C., captured Jerusalem in 135-134 B.C., then razed Jerusalem’s walls.

Antiochus of Ascalon was the last of this line and died in 68 B.C., this ending the generational rule of the Selencus dynasty.

When Rome took over, they divided the region into four smaller republics, and in 146 BC Macedonia officially became a province, with its capital at Thessalonica. The remainder of the Greek city-states gradually and in due course payed homage to Rome ending the Greeks power of self-government. The Romans left local administration to the Greeks without making any attempt to abolish traditional political patterns, also the place of assembly in Athens continued to be the center of civic and political life.

Here is where Daniel 11 ends, picking up in Chapter 12 with the legs of iron (Rome), and to conclude with the destruction of the toes of iron mixed with miry clay, a thing at that time far into the future. From its beginning, the legs of iron to the feet and toes of miry clay have consumed some 2100 + years of man’s history. I feel the ninth month of the whore of Babylon’s pregnancy is here; when the seed of the serpent is to be delivered; this son of perdition, the anti- Christ. The last link in the chain of mankind’s historical fall is now being fitted.

Pagan Rome

The war like state of Rome was as an image of a wild beast; they prepared their legions of soldiers; prepared their bodies; skills; courage and honed their forces of destruction. They converted bronze and iron into lethal weapons, spears, shields and suits of armor; invented mighty machines of war; then their legions marched into the nations of the world.

As their power and authority grew, so also was there a decline in their morals. Perfectly trained in the instruction of war; yet blinded by their successes, they unknowingly were preparing themselves for the destruction of the empire.  Also there grew an increase of tension and conflicts between the ruling aristocracy and the poorer classes.

Rome’s army became too large as they hired mercenary soldiers; men who were not Romans and surely not loyal to Rome. The people lived well and soon became lazy as they took to themselves the luxuries of life having many slaves to serve them. Their interest in immoral living grew as they became lax in waging war against their enemies. And for many years’ persecutions, tortures, and the murder of thousands of Christians raged throughout the empire, yet the gospel of Jesus Christ spread into every part of their culture.

Also the division of the Empire into the eastern and western Empires weakened Rome. And by the 4th century a commander called Constantine rose up, he adopted Christianity and in so doing changed the convictions of most every Roman citizen. Christianity could now take a deep breath! The people soon rejected traditional Roman values, and for the most part set aside their pagan religious practices and beliefs. 

Phillip LaSpino   www.seekfirstwisdom.com