The intertestamental period- Daniel’s prophecies come to pass

The Old Testament comes to a close shortly after the events described in the books of Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah and Esther. However, the prophecies of Daniel also continued to forecast events during the Intertestamental period.

Alexander the Great in Prophecy

God revealed to Daniel in a vision the kingdom to rise after the Persians would be the Greeks led by Alexander the Great: “The ram which you saw, having the two horns, are the kings of Media and Persia. And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power” (Daniel 8:20-22).

The Persian kingdom came to an end in 333 B.C. when Alexander the Great defeated the armies of Darius III at Issus. Then, just 10 years later, as prophesied in Daniel 8, Alexander unexpectedly died and the Greek Empire divided into four parts, each headed by one of his four generals.

The writings of Josephus include an account of Alexander the Great sparing Jerusalem from destruction after he became aware his exploits were prophesied in Scripture. Alexander’s troops surrounded Jerusalem, ready to attack, when suddenly the city gates opened, and the high priest with his entourage advanced towards him: “… For Alexander, when he saw…the high priest in purple and scarlet clothing…having the golden plate whereon the name of God was engraved, he approached by himself, and …adored that name, and first saluted the high priest … [When] asked…how it came to pass that…he should adore the high priest of the Jews?…he replied, ‘I did not adore him, but that God who hath honoured him with his high priesthood; for I saw this very person in a dream…who … exhorted me to make no delay….for that he would conduct my army, and would give me the dominion over the Persians … And when the book of Daniel was shewed him, wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person…and as he was then glad, he … bade them ask what favours they pleased of him; whereupon the high priest desired that they … might pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they desired …” (Antiquities of the Jews, XI, viii, 5).

Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the Abomination of Desolation

The Greek reign over Judea lasted 150 years. The changes in fortune the Jews would experience under the Greeks was prophesied in Daniel chapter 11. After Alexander died Judea became part of the realm of General Ptolemy, who governed from Egypt. This period was mostly peaceful for the Jews, until the intermittent wars between the Ptolemies of Egypt and the Seleucids of Syria for complete control of the Greek Empire came to a head in 198 B.C. The Ptolemies were defeated and Judea came under the rule of the Seleucids.

A king of the Seleucid line would fulfill several of the dire prophecies recorded in Daniel. According to historians, Antiochus IV Epiphanes was the ruler who set up the first “abomination of desolation” mentioned in Daniel 8 and 11. Daniel 8:8-13 describes this time: “Therefore the male goat [the Greek Empire] grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken [Alexander the Great suddenly died at the apex of his power], and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven [Alexander’s kingdom was divided among his four top generals]. And out of one of them came a little horn [Antiochus IV Epiphanes] which grew exceedingly great toward the south [Egypt], toward the east [Mesopotamia], and toward the Glorious Land [Judea] … He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary [the temple at Jerusalem] was cast down … Then I heard a holy one speaking … ‘How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation …?’“

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia tells us the career of Antiochus Epiphanes “… with respect to Palestine is recorded in 1 and 2 Maccabees, and remarkably predicted in [Daniel] 11:21-35” (Vol. I, p. 145, “Antiochus IV Epiphanes”). The books of 1 and 2 Maccabees, written before the birth of Christ, are not included in the traditional Hebrew canon of Scripture but are valuable as historical accounts.

Antiochus’s Cruel Reign

A brief history of the three years of the “abomination of desolation” under Antiochus Epiphanes is to be found in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: “This part of the vision anticipated the rise of a ruler in the Greek Empire who subjugated the people and land of Israel, desecrated her temple…demanded for himself the authority and worship that belongs to God…and abolished the daily sacrifice….they attacked Jerusalem on the Sabbath, killed many people, took many women and children as slaves, and plundered and burned the city. In seeking to exterminate Judaism and Hellenize the Jews, he forbade the Jews to follow their religious practices (including their festivals and circumcision), and commanded that copies of the Law be burned. Then he set up the abomination that causes desolation….he erected on December 16, 167 BC an altar to Zeus on the altar of burnt offering outside the temple, and had a pig offered on the altar. The Jews were compelled to offer a pig on the 25th of each month to celebrate Antiochus Epiphanes’ birthday. Antiochus promised apostate Jews great reward if they would set aside the God of Israel and worship Zeus, the god of Greece. Many in Israel were persuaded by his promises and worshiped the false god. However, a small remnant remained faithful to God, refusing to engage in those abominable practices. Antiochus IV died insane in Persia in 163 BC” (Logos Library System, 1997).

The precision of Daniel’s description of events of this period (given more than 300 years earlier) have led many Bible critics to redate the book of Daniel to after these events took place, but thanks to the discovery in 1948 of the Dead Sea Scrolls, which include parts of every Old Testament book except Esther, the traditional date for Daniel’s prophecies to around 530 B.C. has gained additional support and there is no doubt God inspired the prophet Daniel to outline these historical events centuries in advance of them actually occurring.

Jews lose their independence to Rome

In 164 B.C. the Jews overthrew their Syrian oppressors, under the leadership of the Maccabean family, and for a century they enjoyed their independence. However, in 63 B.C. the Roman general Pompey conquered Judea, making it Roman territory. Several decades later the Jews would suffer greatly when the Romans chose Herod the Great as king of Judea. He reigned from 37 to 4 B.C. His last years bring the Intertestamental period to a close and usher in the New Testament era.