John Calvin Commentary Daniel 11:27

"And as for both these kings, their hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table: but it shall not prosper; for yet the end shall be at the time appointed." — Daniel 11:27 (ASV)

The angel here narrates that this war would end through treaties and a hollow pretense of peace after the slaughter Ptolemy had suffered. Although Antiochus could have followed up on his good fortune, he dared not venture to push his advantage to the extreme. Instead, true to his nature, he thought it more in his interest to make peace with his enemy.

We have already alluded to his craftiness and his lack of openness and integrity. The angel predicts the existence of bad faith in both these kings. The uncle and nephew will meet, says he, and dine together, and pretend the greatest friendship, but they shall speak lies, says he, at the same table; meaning, they will plot against each other, and each will act fraudulently for his own ends. This prophecy indeed seems to be of little importance to the faithful, but it was necessary to show that in such a state of confusion they could not endure without being provided with all kinds of support. If the angel had only said generally, "First there will be war, and then a temporary peace," this would not have been sufficient to uphold the minds of the devout. But when the details are so clearly pointed out, a remarkable confirmation is given to them. Thus the faithful have no reason to doubt that God has spoken, when the angel predicts the future so precisely and narrates it so openly, as if it were a matter of history.

He next adds, Yet it shall not prosper, because the end is for the time, says he. The angel calls the faithful back to the providence of God, as our minds always naturally settle on earthly things. We understand with our minds only what we see with our eyes.

We always ask for the reasons "why this happens" and "why that course of action has not turned out well," entirely overlooking the will of God. Therefore, the angel addresses this fault and stupidity of humankind by saying that whatever these kings were plotting would fail, since the end was for the time; meaning, God would keep many events in suspense.

Therefore, while we consider only secondary causes, we perceive that supreme power resides with God alone, and he governs the interactions of humankind by his will. No small advantage comes to the faithful from this teaching, because, while kings devise many schemes, using great cunning and all the perverse tactics of diplomacy, God still restrains their minds. He holds events by his secret bridle and allows nothing to happen without his heavenly decree.

Although we may draw this general instruction from this passage, the angel undoubtedly restricts what I have said primarily to the historical events immediately before us. The end had not yet come, yet the fitting time was predetermined by God’s secret counsel, so that Antiochus conquers at one time and retreats at another, as we shall see. It follows: