What is the meaning of Daniel 11:29? At the appointed time • Scripture says, “At the appointed time he will invade the South again” (Daniel 11:29). • God alone fixes the timetable of history; nothing happens early or late (compare Daniel 8:19; Galatians 4:4 “when the fullness of time had come”). • This reminds us that world rulers operate on a divine schedule, even when they imagine they are acting independently (Proverbs 21:1; Acts 17:26). • Practical takeaway: trust God’s timing in our own lives, just as Daniel trusted Him with world events. He will invade the South again • “He” points to the king of the North—historically Antiochus IV Epiphanes—whose earlier Egyptian campaign (Daniel 11:25-26) had been successful. • “The South” refers to the Ptolemaic kingdom in Egypt, ruled at this moment by the young Ptolemy VI. • By recording the word “again,” Daniel underscores that this second march was fully foreseen by God, centuries before it occurred. • Cross references highlight repeated northern aggression: Daniel 11:9 “Then the king of the North will invade the realm of the king of the South.” • Believers see here a picture of spiritual persistence: the enemy seldom gives up after one defeat (Ephesians 6:11-13). But this time will not be like the first • The first invasion (c. 170 BC) brought quick victory; Antiochus took Memphis and installed a puppet king. • The second invasion (168 BC) ended differently: Roman envoys confronted Antiochus near Alexandria, drawing the famous “line in the sand” and forcing his withdrawal—exactly as Daniel 11:30 predicts, “Ships of Kittim will come against him; he will lose heart.” • God’s word matched the details: same aggressor, same target, but opposite outcome. • Lessons for today: – Success once does not guarantee success again when God says “enough” (Psalm 33:10-11). – Earthly power bows before higher authority; Rome’s intervention was merely God’s instrument (Isaiah 10:15). summary Daniel 11:29 reveals a divinely scheduled second attack by the king of the North on Egypt, yet foretells an outcome sharply different from his earlier triumph. The verse demonstrates God’s precise control over historical events, encourages believers to rely on His timing, warns that evil often repeats its assaults, and assures us that the Lord can overturn human plans whenever He chooses. |
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