How does Daniel 11:17 connect with God's promises in other Scriptures? Setting the Scene in Daniel 11:17 “ He will resolve to come with the force of his entire kingdom and will reach an agreement with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage to ruin the kingdom, but it will not succeed or help him.” • The northern king (historically Antiochus III) plots to control the southern kingdom (Egypt) through marriage diplomacy. • The scheme looks brilliant politically—yet God foretells that it will fail. • Instantly we see a timeless pattern: human plans bump up against God’s unshakable sovereignty. What Daniel 11:17 Tells Us about God’s Faithful Promises • God’s Word never misses. Centuries before Antiochus III was born, the Spirit laid out his failed plan in precise detail (Isaiah 46:10; Numbers 23:19). • Israel’s survival, hinted at here, rests on covenant promises going back to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you… and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:3) • Evil plots cannot derail God’s redemptive storyline—foreshadowing the ultimate failed plot against Christ (Psalm 2:1-4; Acts 4:27-28). Links to Other Promise Passages 1. Promise of Divine Sovereignty – Isaiah 14:24: “The LORD of Hosts has sworn: ‘As I have planned, so will it be; as I have purposed, so will it stand.’ ” – Daniel 11:17 proves the point: even intricate political marriages submit to God’s timetable. 2. Promise of Covenant Protection – Jeremiah 31:35-36: if sun, moon, and stars endure, so will Israel before God. – Antiochus III’s maneuver aimed to absorb Egypt and ultimately pressure Israel; God blocked it, preserving His people for future messianic fulfillment. 3. Promise of Messiah’s Triumph – Psalm 2: “The kings of the earth take their stand… He who sits in the heavens laughs.” – Daniel’s stream of thwarted rulers prepares hearts to expect the King whose kingdom “will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). 4. Promise of Ultimate Good for Believers – Romans 8:28: “We know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him…” – If God redirected a pagan king’s scheme, He can weave every modern headline into His saving purposes. Takeaway for Today • History is not random; it bends to God’s written promises. • Human schemes, however sophisticated, cannot override the covenant God made and kept in Christ. • Because Daniel 11:17 came true to the letter, every remaining promise—Christ’s return, our resurrection, the new heaven and earth—stands firm. God’s track record in Daniel fortifies our confidence that He will finish exactly what He has pledged in every other page of Scripture. |
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