TWO RIVAL KINGS EMERGE

A few years after coming to power, Casander died, and in 285 B.C.E., Lysimachus took possession of the European part of the Greek Empire.  In 281 B.C.E., Lysimachus fell in battle before Selducus I Nicator, giving Seleucus control  over the major portion of the Asiatic territories. Antigonus II Gonatas, grandson of one of Alexander
s generals, ascended to the throne of Macedonia in 276 B.C.E. In time, Macedonia became dependent upon  Rome and ended up as a Roman province in 146 B.C.E.

 Only two of the four Hellenistic kingdoms now remained prominent-one under Seleucus I Nicator and the other under Ptolemy Lagus.  Seleucus established the Seleucid dynasty  in Syria. Among the cities he founded were Antioch-the new Syrian capital-and the seaport of Seleucia.  The apostle Paul  later taught in Antioch, where the followers of Jesus first came to be called Christians. (Acts 11:25, 26; 13:1-4) Seleucus was assassinated in 281 B.C.E., but his dynasty ruled until 64  B.C.E. when Roman General Gnaeus Pompey made Syria a Roman province. 

The Hellenistic kingdom that lasted the longest of the four was that of Ptolemy Lagus, or Ptolemy I, who assumed the title of king in 305  B.C.E.The Ptolemic dynasty that he established continued to rule Egypt until it fell to Rome in 30 B.C.E.

Thus out of four Hellenistic kingdom, there emerged two strong kings-Seleucus I Nicator over Syria and Ptolemy I over Egypt.  With these two kings began the long struggle  between "the king of the north" and "the king of the south," described in Daniel chapter 11. Jehovah's angel left the names of the kings unmentioned for the identity and nationality of these two kings would  change throughout the centuries.   Omitting unnecessary details, the angel mentioned only rulers and events that have a bearing on the conflict.

Next time:  THE CONFLICT BEGINS

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999