What is the meaning of Daniel 11:22? Then a flood of forces • Daniel describes a sudden, overwhelming surge of military power: “Then a flood of forces will be swept away before him” (Daniel 11:22). • Like water bursting through a dam, these armies move swiftly and irresistibly (cf. Daniel 9:26; Isaiah 8:7–8). • Historically, this points to Antiochus IV Epiphanes overrunning rivals in the Seleucid realm. Prophetically, it foreshadows the coming antichrist whose forces will “come in like a flood” against God’s people (Revelation 12:15–17). • The imagery underscores God’s warning: earthly powers rise fast, but only by His allowance (Psalm 75:6–7). will be swept away before him • The text stresses total dominance: opponents are “swept away before him.” • Antiochus’ cunning enabled him to outmaneuver stronger claimants (Daniel 11:21; 1 Maccabees 1:10–13 offers historical color). • Scripture often pairs floods with sudden judgment—Noah’s generation (Genesis 7:17), Assyria’s invasion of Judah (Isaiah 28:17)—reminding us God ultimately controls the tide of history. • For believers, the lesson is clear: apparent invincibility of evil rulers is brief (Psalm 37:35–36). and destroyed • The phrase adds finality: not merely pushed back but obliterated (cf. Daniel 8:25, “he will destroy many”). • Antiochus eliminated rival commanders and regional governors; prophecy pictures total collapse of resistance. • In the larger biblical drama, every rebellious power meets this end—Pharaoh’s chariots (Exodus 14:27–28), Gog’s hordes (Ezekiel 39:3–6). • God’s sovereignty ensures that the enemies of His covenant people cannot stand indefinitely (Psalm 46:6–9). along with a prince of the covenant • “Prince of the covenant” likely refers to Onias III, the legitimate high priest murdered in 171 BC. His death signaled Antiochus’ contempt for Israel’s covenant with God (cf. 2 Maccabees 4:34–35 for historical detail). • The phrase also anticipates the antichrist breaking his future covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27). • By linking the priest’s fall to the flood of forces, the Spirit highlights how political aggression and spiritual persecution often travel together (Psalm 83:2–4; Revelation 13:7). • God’s people may suffer temporarily, yet their covenant remains secure because it rests on His faithfulness (Jeremiah 31:35–37). summary Daniel 11:22 pictures an unstoppable military surge, the decisive defeat of all opposition, and the assassination of a covenant leader. Historically fulfilled in Antiochus IV’s ruthless rise, it prefigures the final antichrist whose brief triumph will meet the same divine judgment. The verse reassures us that no flood of evil can outrun God’s sovereign plan or erase His covenant promises. |
    |