Trusting the Prophet
I hope you have been enjoying learning more about Daniel. Today we conclude this study by looking at chapters 10–12.

When reading the prophets, it’s easy to wonder: were they speaking about events in their own time, as we saw in Ezekiel, or predicting events far in the future? Many people today believe in fortune tellers, astrologers, tarot card readers—yet the Bible warns us to have nothing to do with such spiritists (Deut. 18:10–12). So why can we put our faith in Daniel?

The first rule of thumb with a prophet is this: if their prophecies come true, they are from God; if not, they are false prophets (Deut. 18:21–22). We should only trust prophets who speak with God’s authority over their mouths (Dan. 10:15–19).
Prophecy and History
Therefore, we can trust God’s Word, and especially Daniel’s end-times prophecy. Much of what we read in these chapters did not happen in Daniel’s lifetime—he was around eighty years old when he wrote this—but history confirms that they occurred as foretold.

Historians such as Polybius and Josephus document that Cambyses, Bardiya [Smerdis], Darius I, and Xerxes I (known as Ahasuerus in Esther) were the four Persian kings after Cyrus (who reigned when the prophecy was given). The “mighty king” of Daniel 11:2–3 is Alexander the Great, who rose to power centuries later. (1)

Daniel 11:6 refers to “the daughter,” identified historically as Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy II of Egypt. Antiochus II of Syria betrayed her after she married him, resulting in her death and the death of her child. Daniel 11:8 points to Ptolemy III, who carried idols and treasure from Syria to Egypt around 246 BCE—three centuries after Daniel’s prophecy. (2)

Daniel 11:30–31 describes Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who desecrated the Temple in 167 BCE, erecting an altar to Zeus and sacrificing pigs upon it. This is the “abomination of desolation” later referenced by Jesus (Matt. 24:15). (3)
Why This Matters
Since history confirms these events, which were foretold long before they happened, we can trust the rest of Daniel’s prophecy—including those yet to be fulfilled. Daniel foresees Jesus returning in judgment and a time when knowledge will increase (Dan. 12:4). Today, we have more knowledge at our fingertips than any generation before. Even children can search Google or watch YouTube tutorials to learn new skills.

I’ve seen this in my family: my wife tackles nearly any challenge by watching a video. My son, as a teenager, rebuilt a Miata transmission from online tutorials. In my day, I relied on Chilton’s manuals—often without understanding them. I remember pulling the transmission from my Jeep pickup but needing a mechanic friend to help reinstall it. Once he showed me, I could do it myself many times afterward. That’s the power of a visual demonstration.
The Final Judgment
Daniel tells us that the archangel Michael will stand guard and that Jesus will consult the Book of Life to determine who will enter eternal glory and who will face eternal separation (Dan. 12:1–2; Rev. 20:12). This is not symbolic—it will happen.
Refined for Heaven
When we face trials, our first instinct is often to escape them. But God uses trials to refine us (Dan. 12:10), purifying us so that heaven remains pure even when we enter it. Without this refining, we are like the Peanuts character Pigpen—trailing a cloud of dust everywhere we go. Imagine that filth entering a pristine heaven; it would defile everything.

We can try to “clean up our act,” but in truth, we are powerless against the forces of this world. Only God, through the Holy Spirit, can give us the power to speak truth and overcome sin. Jesus takes our sin and gives us His righteousness so we can be with Him in glory.
The Only True Cleansing
Soap won’t do it. To purify your life, you must denounce the sin that entangles you and ask Jesus to take it away. He will remove it, give you a spirit of repentance, and strengthen you to shine for Him.
Tomorrow, we will read Hosea 1-5.
Footnotes 

Polybius, Histories, trans. W. R. Paton (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1922), 5.58–61; Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, 11.6–7.

Ibid.; see also John F. Walvoord, Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), 259–262.

Tremper Longman III, Daniel, NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), 276–278.