Deeper Reflection
The narrative of the cycles of conflicts between the two Greek kingdoms are filled with human decisions, actions and reactions (vv.5-20). What we see is a huge mess of chaotic people and events that are beyond human control. People in power are in charge, but ironically, not in control. Just look at Russia, Ukraine, America and NATO, who are stuck in the seemingly unending Ukraine War.God is virtually absent and silent in the whole of Daniel 11. God is mentioned only twice, but not about Him in action (Dan 11:32, 36). Where is God in this huge mess? God is behind it, because the narrative of Daniel 11 is a prophetic-theological vision that comes from God Himself. An important feature in Daniel 11 is “the balance in tension between the sovereignty of God’s control of events and the freedom and responsibility that humans have for their own choices and actions”⁵¹ .In the cycles of conflicts, some of God’s people in Egypt, for religious reasons, sought “to take one side or another, but without success”⁵² (v.14). These people tried to use the world’s power to do God’s work, seeking to establish God’s kingdom by political means.⁵³ Jesus said to Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world” (Jn 18:36). And God’s people in “the Beautiful Land”⁵⁴ faced “destruction” from the Seleucid king who was unstoppable in his conquest campaign (v.16). Our existence is affected by decisions and actions taken by higher authorities and powers – political, economic or social. In such challenging times, we need to see, trust, wait and rest in the sovereign God of Daniel 11.

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⁵¹ Christopher J. H. Wright, 223 ⁵²  Iain M, Duguid, 200 ⁵³  Iain M, Duguid, 200-201 ⁵⁴ Palestine