How does Daniel 11:6 connect with God's promises in Proverbs 19:21? Setting the Scene • Daniel 11:6 records a specific political marriage arranged about 250 B.C. between Berenice (daughter of Ptolemy II Philadelphus, “king of the South”) and Antiochus II Theos (“king of the North”). • The treaty was meant to end warfare between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid kingdoms. • Though carefully planned, the scheme collapsed: Antiochus II returned to his former wife, Laodice; Berenice, her infant son, and her attendants were murdered; war resumed. • The prophecy was fulfilled exactly, centuries after Daniel wrote, demonstrating the literal reliability of Scripture. Human Schemes on Display • Diplomatic marriages, military alliances, and political calculations illustrate humanity’s attempt to secure peace and power by its own ingenuity. • Daniel 11:6 shows those efforts proving fragile, short-lived, and even catastrophic. The Unshakable Counsel of the Lord – Proverbs 19:21 • “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.” • God’s counsel stands untouched by human plotting, ambition, or resistance. • The proverb is a promise: every intention of God comes to pass, while human plans succeed only when aligning with His will. Connecting the Dots: Sovereignty in Both Texts • Daniel 11:6 provides a historical case study of Proverbs 19:21. – Human plan: unite two empires through marriage to secure lasting peace. – Divine purpose: expose the weakness of human strategy, advance God’s prophetic timetable, and preserve His larger redemptive plan. • The prophecy proves that before the events unfolded, God had already decreed their outcome. • Where men saw diplomacy, God saw an opportunity to display His foreknowledge and authority over kingdoms (cf. Isaiah 46:9-10; Daniel 2:21). Living It Out Today • Personal and national plans must be held loosely, submitted to the Lord’s will (James 4:13-15). • Trust grows as believers look back on fulfilled prophecy like Daniel 11:6 and rest in the certainty that God still directs history. • Confidence in God’s prevailing purpose frees believers from fear when human institutions fail (Psalm 33:10-11). Supporting Passages • Isaiah 14:24 – “Surely, as I have planned, so it will be; as I have purposed, so it will stand.” • Proverbs 16:9 – “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” • Daniel 4:35 – “He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can restrain His hand…” |
    |