“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.”
My Notes
What Does Daniel 11:36 Mean?
Daniel prophesies a king of supreme arrogance: and the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
The king shall do according to his will — the king acts with unchecked autonomy. No counsel restrains him. No authority checks him. His will is the only law. The phrase describes absolute self-determination — the kind of power that answers to no one.
He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god — the arrogance exceeds normal human pride. He places himself above every god (el — deity) — not just above other kings but above the divine realm itself. The self-exaltation is theological: he claims superiority over all spiritual powers.
Shall speak marvellous things (niphlaot — extraordinary, astonishing things) against the God of gods — the speech is directed against (al) the God of gods (El elim — the supreme God, the God above all gods). The marvellous things are blasphemies — astonishing in their audacity, unprecedented in their defiance. The king speaks against the highest being in existence.
Shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished — the prosperity is temporary but real. The king succeeds — his arrogance appears to be vindicated by results. He speaks against God and prospers. The prosperity continues until (ad) the indignation (zaam — divine wrath, appointed fury) is accomplished (kalah — completed, finished). God allows the arrogance to continue until his predetermined purpose is fulfilled.
For that that is determined shall be done — the sovereignty statement. What is determined (charats — decreed, decided, cut in stone) shall be done (asah — accomplished). The king does according to his will (v.36a). But God does according to his determination (v.36b). The human will operates within the divine decree. The king's arrogance has a boundary — and the boundary is God's pre-set purpose.
The identity of this king is debated: Antiochus IV Epiphanes (the immediate historical fulfillment), the Antichrist (the eschatological fulfillment), or a composite figure. All interpretations agree: the arrogance prospers temporarily and is terminated by divine decree.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What does the king 'doing according to his will' reveal about the nature of unchecked power — and its temporary nature?
- 2.Why does God allow the arrogant king to prosper — and what does 'till the indignation be accomplished' reveal about divine timing?
- 3.How does 'that which is determined shall be done' provide comfort when arrogance appears to be winning?
- 4.Where do you see arrogant, self-exalting power prospering — and how does this verse reshape your patience?
Devotional
The king shall do according to his will. Unchecked. Unrestrained. No authority above him. No counsel beside him. His will is the only law that matters. The kind of power that does whatever it wants — and nobody can stop it.
He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god. The arrogance is not just political. It is theological — claiming superiority over every deity, every spiritual power, every god humanity has ever worshipped. The self-exaltation has no ceiling. It reaches for the divine itself.
Shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods. Against the God of gods — the supreme being, the highest authority in existence. And the king speaks against him. Not quietly. Marvellously — with astonishing audacity, with blasphemies that shock even the heavens. The arrogance is breathtaking.
And shall prosper. This is the part that makes the faithful doubt. The arrogant king prospers. The blasphemer succeeds. The one who exalts himself above every god appears to be vindicated. The prosperity is real. The success is visible. And for a season, it looks like arrogance wins.
Till the indignation be accomplished. Till. The prosperity has a deadline. The arrogance has an expiration. The indignation — God's appointed wrath — will be accomplished on schedule. The king prospers until God's purpose is complete. Not one day longer.
For that that is determined shall be done. The final word belongs to God, not the king. The king does his will. God does what is determined. And what God determines overrides what the king wills. The arrogance is temporary. The decree is permanent. The king's prosperity runs out when God's timetable is fulfilled.
The arrogant always prosper for a season. And the faithful always wonder: why? The answer is the same every time: till. The indignation has an appointment. The determination shall be done. The king's will expires. God's decree does not.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
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Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture