Simply teaching the Bible, simply

This study on the incredible chapter 11 of the book of Daniel was given by Pastor Barry Forder at Calvary Portsmouth on 11th July 2021. DANIEL 11:1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. The first thing we need to realise as we begin this chapter is that chapter breaks are man’s invention, they we’re not in the original. Some of the chapter breaks in the Bible are in unfortunate places because they actually serve to confuse rather than help us. At first glance it is easy to make the assumption that as we move in to chapter 11, we are starting something fresh and it is Daniel speaking; however verse 1 of chapter 11 is just a continuation of chapter 10 verses 20-21. Thus we find, it is the angel who had been sent to Daniel that is speaking to him here. That being the case, we are still in the 3rd year of Cyrus (as we were at the beginning of chapter 10). The angel starts by explaining to Daniel that in the first year of Darius (two years ago), he (i.e. the angel) was involved in spiritual warfare regarding Darius. Two years back from this point would have been about the time the Jews were being allowed to leave Babylon and return to their own land, as had been decreed by Cyrus. Could it have been in regard to Darius’ releasing of the Jewish captives that this angel had come to confirm and strengthen the king? 135 FULFILLED PROPHECIES IN JUST 34 VERSES! Before we move into the following verses, it is incredible to realise that, between verse two and thirty-five, there are a staggering 135 fulfilled prophecies. Bible critics hate this chapter because it offers irrefutable proof that the Bible is the Word of God; for no man could accurately predict, with such detailed precision, the rise and fall of world empires, the political manipulating and deception of successive kingdoms, and the battles that would be fought. And once again, we need to remind ourselves, that all of this was recorded hundreds of years before the prophesied events actually took place.