Daniel 11:21

Daniel 11:21 says, And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.   Matthew Henry says these next few verses refer to the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, the little horn spoken of before (Dan 8:9) a sworn enemy to the Jewish religion, and a bitter persecutor of those that adhered to it. He added that "What troubles the Jews met with in the reigns of the Persian kings were not so particularly foretold to Daniel as these, because then they had living prophets with them, Haggai and Zechariah, to encourage them; but these troubles in the days of Antiochus were foretold, because, before that time, prophecy would cease, and they would find it necessary to have recourse to the written word."  He would come to power not by military might but by flattery, or trickery.  Even today, there are those who use flattery and deceit to gain power in the world.  Verse twenty-two adds, And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.  Matthew Henry says this refers to an uprising against Antiochus Epiphanes, during which the rightful heir, his nephew, was killed.  Verse twenty-three continues, 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 would make a league with others by being deceitful and would become strong with a small people.  He will use those without much power to gain control of the country for himself.  Verse twenty-four states, He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.  Unlike those before him, he will scatter, or share, the wealth.  Many times, today, rulers come into power by appealing to those who feel powerless and treating them well for a time, but then turning their backs on them.  Verse twenty-five adds, 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.  The king of the south, Ptolemaeus Philometer, would go to war against the king of the north, Antiochus,, but would lose.  Verse twenty-six continues, Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain.  Part of the reason that the king of the south failed was because he was betrayed by his own people.  Verse twenty-seven states, 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.  The two kings would get together to declare peace, but neither would be sincere.  We often hear of cease fires in wars, or conflicts, today that do not last because either one or both of the sides are not sincere in their negotiations.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land.  Antiochus would gain great riches, but his heart would be against the holy covenant, or God and His people.  Though there are rulers who gain great power today, if they stand against God and His people, their doom is already assured.