In each blog, I often reference many different topics that I've already covered (or will soon cover), and maybe you've missed. Please review my blogs to read more...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
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Notice how each of these four visions keep building on one another... each vision builds upon the other and gives us a better picture with more information.
Even as Daniel 2 (Nebuchadnezzar’s statue) was almost perfectly paralleled by Daniel 7 (the four beasts), so also does Daniel 11 as a prophecy almost perfectly parallel Daniel 8.
Daniel chapter 10-12 are all one vision... the "great vision". Chapter 10 introduces the vision, Dan 11:1 - Dan 12:4 is the vision, and starting from Dan 12:5 the angel interprets the "great vision". This entire vision, while being partially realized historically pertains to the coming Antichrist.
Let me make sure to clarify... I believe all of this "great vision" will be fulfilled, and play out just as it says, by the coming Antichrist. Even though the parallels can be seen in our history books, I still believe this pertains to Antichrist himself and plays out as a near/far fulfillment.
Also - before starting... keep an eye out for that "pattern of seven" that I've talked about... I will post a separate blog later that details this pattern of seven and lines up perfectly with the Revelation's seven seals.
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From Joel Richardson, Daniel-11 Abomination.pdf, Conclusion
"In conclusion, for anyone who simply pays heed to the angelic interpretation of Daniel 11, the obscuring fog of Preterism will be cleared away, and the future, end time context of the passage will become crystal clear. Beyond this, when we recognize the fact that the three angels do not identify the individual who sets up the abomination of desolation described in Dan 11:21-45 as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but as the last days Antichrist, then we also recognize that the career of the Antichrist is described in far greater detail in this portion of Daniel than most commentators have commonly assumed. As I said at the beginning of this article, the implications of this interpretation, if true, are absolutely stunning."
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Four kings
After the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) his empire was divided up between four kings. Daniel 11 highlights the exploits of two of these kings (see note below for "three"). The king of the south (Dan 11:5), and the king of the north (Dan 11:6).
(NOTE: There is some debate as to whether there are two or three kings mentioned in Daniel 11. Iran does rush out in three directions... north, south, and westwardly. It really doesn't matter for this blog.)
After taking us through a couple hundred years of history, we are brought to details about the Antichrist (Dan 11:20), through foreshadowing of Antiochus Epiphanes. Often, throughout Scripture, prophecy is partially (or imperfectly) fulfilled in the near future before it is ultimately fulfilled in the far future. Prophecy teachers call this near/far fulfillment.
That is exactly what we're seeing here in Daniel 11 - the two kings of the north and south will collide in the future ("at the end time" Dan 11:40) and the Antichrist will prevail (king of the north).
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Grab your Bible and follow along...
Medo-Persian kings
Dan 11:2
... Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece [H3120 - yavan, modern day Turkey - not Greece].
Notice above the note concerning "yavan"... this has been covered in other blogs, and this English translation should not read "Greece".
Alexander the Great
Dan 11:3
The transition from the historical Medo-Persian Empire (Dan 11:2) to the Alexandrian Empire.
Seleucid & Ptolemaic kings
Dan 11:4
The death of Alexander in 323 B.C. and the division of his empire among his generals (Dan 11:4).
Dan 11:5-19
The great measure of intrigue, conflicts, and battles that took place throughout Alexander’s former dominion between the Seleucid Dynasty (in the North) and the Ptolemic Dynasty (in the South) continued for roughly the next 150-200 years.
Dan 11:5
"Then the king of the South" refers to Ptolemy of the Ptolemic Empire (modern day parts of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan).
Dan 11:6
"the king of the North" refers to Seleucus of the Seleucid Empire (modern day parts of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran).
Notice the alliance that is formed. The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north. Where have we seen similar in the past? Esau (Edom) married Ishmael's daughter (Gen 28:8-9) to appease his father Isaac.
Dan 11:18
Notice in this verse that the king of the North went against the coastlands and was stopped. This is important to note only to point out that the Antichrist will not come from any of the western nations just as his previous type (here in verse 18) was against him (not with him). Also see Dan 11:30 notes.
Antichrist
Dan 11:20-35
Overview of the Antichrist, with foreshadowing of the career of Antiochus IV Epiphanes the eighth King of the Seleucid North.
Dan 11:20-21 Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle.
In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility [peace and security] and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
Note: This view concerning the dual-fulfillment of Dan 11:20-35 is the view of Jerome, who claims it was the most widely held view of the Churches of his time.
I used to have a hard-copy of Jerome's commentary on Daniel, but can't find it. Luckily, it's available online now and is copied below from His commentary on chapter 11, verse 24:
"But those of our persuasion believe all these things are spoken prophetically of the Antichrist who is to arise in the end time. But this factor appears to them as a difficulty for our view, namely the question as to why the prophetic discourse should abruptly cease mention of these great kings and shift from Seleucus to the end of the world. The answer is that in the earlier historical account where mention was made of the Persian kings, only four kings of Persia were presented, following after Cyrus, and many who came in between were simply skipped over, so as to come quickly to Alexander, king of the Macedonians. We hold that it is the practice of Scripture not to relate all details completely, but only to set forth what seems of major importance. Those of our school insist also that since many of the details which we are subsequently to read and explain are appropriate to the person of Antiochus, he is to be regarded as a type of the Antichrist, and those things which happened to him in a preliminary way are to be completely fulfilled in the case of the Antichrist. We hold that it is the habit of Holy Scripture to set forth by means of types the reality of things to come, in conformity with what is said of our Lord and Savior in the Seventy-first [i.e Seventy-second] Psalm, a psalm which is noted at the beginning as being Solomon's, and yet not all the statements which are made concerning can be applied to Solomon. For certainly he neither endured "together with the sun and before the moon from generation to generation," nor did he hold sway from sea to sea, or from the River unto the ends of the earth; neither did all the nations serve him, nor did his name endure before the sun; neither were all the tribes of earth blessed in him, nor did all races magnify him. But in a partial way these things were set forth in advance, by shadows as it were, and by a mere symbol of the reality, in the person of Solomon, in order that they might be more perfectly fulfilled in our Lord and Savior. And so, just as the Savior had Solomon and the other saints as types of His advent, so also we should believe that the Antichrist very properly had as a type of himself the utterly wicked king, Antiochus, who persecuted the saints and defiled the Temple. Let us therefore follow along with the explanation point by point, and let us briefly observe in the case of each item what it signifies to those of the other school of thought and what it signifies to those of our school, in accordance with each of the two explanations."
Dan 11:22-30
Start of the "beginning of sorrows" (Mat 24:8), or the first half of the 70th week.
Dan 11:30
"For ships of Kittim will come against him" ("him" being the king of the north). Kittim comes from H3794 and speaks to the Greeks and Romans on the shores opposite of Palestine ("the west") (Jer 2:10).
This is another foreshadow, telling us the Antichrist will not come from (or with) a western nation, but rather will be against western nations.
Dan 11:31
Start of the second half of the 70th week, or what's known as great tribulation.
See Dan 12:11
Dan 12:11 From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Jesus also spoke of this abomination in Mat 24:15 as being future and not referring to Antiochus Epiphanes (past tense). Also note, this abomination spoken of by Jesus, dealing with the end times contextually here in Daniel, also rules out the preterist view of Him speaking about the upcoming 70 AD destruction.
Dan 11:32
We find out here that Antichrist will have charisma and be persuasive "by smooth words". Those of us who know the voice of our Shepherd will not be fooled though.
Dan 11:33-35
"Those who have insight", or those who have studied the Scriptures and know what's going on will explain it to the many who don't understand what's going on. Those who have insight pay a price for it as well.
Dan 11:36
Antichrist and his beliefs. Verse 36 portrays the Antichrist as a self-willed, self-exalting one who exalts himself above every god, and most specifically, blasphemes Jehovah, the one true God.
2 Th 2:3-4 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and hurl blasphemies at Jehovah.
Rev 13:5-6 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
Satan will give his power to Antichrist after being cast to the earth:
Rev 13:4 they worshiped the dragon [Satan] because he gave his authority to the beast [Antichrist]; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"
Rev 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
With this in mind, consider the fact that Islamic theology teaches that every Muslim is obligated to make a pledge of allegiance, known as the bay’ah, to any sitting caliph (leader of the Islamic world), the refusal of which is punishable by death.
One Islamic author describes the bay’ah thus:
"Bay’ah means taking an oath of loyalty. Whoever makes bay’ah agrees to submit his entire life to the leader … He will not act against the leader in agreed matters, and will be loyal to him in every action, regardless of his personal likes or dislikes."
In another Islamic tradition concerning obedience to Muhammad and the caliph, it is written:
"Muhammad said: Those who obey me obey Allah, the Almighty. Those who disobey me disobey Allah, the Almighty. Those who obey my leader obey me and those who disobey my leader disobey me."
If the Antichrist were simply a Muslim caliph who mocked the God of the Israelites, demanding absolute obedience from his followers, while also demanding that everyone worship the allah of Islam, in no way would this conflict with any of the relevant texts that describe the Antichrist’s actions, words, and demands. He would receive absolute subservience, while Satan, the dragon, bearing the title of allah, would receive worship.
Later, we are told that the Antichrist’s assistant, "the false prophet" will set up an image, and all who will not worship the beast will be killed:
Rev 13:15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
Antichrist’s sitting in the Temple is an act of defiance, derision, and superiority over the God of the Temple.
The Temple was viewed as the earthly location from which the governmental authority of God was extended to the earth. In other words, the Temple is God’s seat. This concept is seen throughout the Scriptures. Ezekiel, for instance, had a vision in which God spoke to Him from a future Temple and declared it to be his throne:
Eze 43:6-7 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, and He said to me, ‘Son of man, this is the place of My Throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever’.
Speaking of the kingdom of the Messiah, Jeremiah the prophet also referred to the Temple as the throne of God:
Jer 3:17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.
Jesus also referred to the Temple as the place where His throne will one day remain:
Mat 25:31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His Glorious Throne.
In understanding how God views the Temple, we can understand that when the Antichrist sits in God’s seat, he is declaring himself to be equal to or greater than God.
He will succeed until his fury, literally his "frothing at the mouth" [H2195 - za'am], is complete.
Dan 11:37
[1] He will reject "the gods [God, KJV] of his fathers" [H430 - elohim] [H1 - ab].
The phrase "elohim ab" is used frequently throughout Scripture. Many use this Hebrew phrase as proof in their claim that the Antichrist will have Israelite roots. Rejecting the God of one's father, does not make you an Israelite.
In other words, simply because the Antichrist rejects the God of his father Abraham, in no way does this prove that he is an Israelite. He could just as easily be an Ishmaelite, an Edomite, or a descendant of any number of relatives of Abraham’s sons that fill much of the Middle East and are dispersed throughout the earth today.
Also note, every type or foreshadow of the Antichrist throughout Scripture has been a non-Israelite, Gentile leader. Pharaoh, Sennacherib (the Assyrian), Nebuchadnezzar (the king of Babylon), or Antiochus IV Epiphanes, these were all non-Israelite pagan world leaders.
While Muslim apologists will claim the allah of Islam is, in fact, one and the same as the God of Abraham, this is merely Islamic propaganda. The allah of Islam has far more in common with Sin, the moon god whom Abraham left behind in the desert, than with the Father God of the Bible.
[2] He will reject "the desire of women". Some claim this means he will be a homosexual. I have a hard time believing this as muslims are extremely biased towards homosexuality. This cannot be what is meant. To me, the direct statement seems to say that women will find him desirable, but that'll mean nothing to him... he's got bigger fish to fry than dealing with relationships and women.
Dan 11:38
The only "god" that Antichrist will give any credence to is the "god of war" - his commitment to military conquest. The most natural reading of the text is to see the Antichrist as a worshiper of a specific god of war.
When the full picture is considered, it is fair to say that this description could certainly be applied to a muslim. Islamic doctrine rejects Jehovah in exchange for the allah of the qur’an. Islam denies Jesus as the Son of God and rejects the gods of every other religion. And certainly the allah of Islam could be understood as the god of war, or jihad.
If Islam is the religion of the Antichrist, then the phrase "a god whom his fathers did not know", could easily be understood as a reference to allah, the moon-and-war god of Arabia.
Dan 11:39
"He will take action against the strongest of the fortresses with the help of a foreign god"
The strongest fortresses, not mentioned up to this point are the United States, Russia, China, and the European Union. The Antichrist will make deals with some of them - he will reward those who support his efforts, "he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price."
Dan 11:40-45
The final conflicts, career and end of the Antichrist.
It is here that we find an important clue as to where the Antichrist will come from:
Dan 11:40 At the end time the king of the South will collide with him [king of the north, Antichrist], and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.
Antichrist will be "the king of the north". What does "north" mean?
See notes on Dan 11:6 above. Antichrist will arise out of this area (previously known as the Seleucid Empire) which is currently mostly Islamic right now. It is suggested that this area will be reunited once again as it was with the previous kings (before the coming Antichrist).
It says the king of the south (Egypt, but could this also include Saudi Arabia?) will come against him, then he enters the Beautiful Land (Israel), and then Egypt is listed separately starting in verse 42 "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape."
Isa 19:4 Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them," declares the Lord GOD of hosts.
Ten kings
Dan 11:43
Libyans and Ethiopians will follow... Put and Cush
These are likely the ten kings found in Psa 83:6-8. Antichrist will eventually rule the entire Middle Eastern, Islamic caliphate after the defeat of the Southern Empire.
Dan 7:24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
Psa 83:4-8 They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." For they have conspired together with one mind; against You they make a covenant:
The tents of [1] Edom and the [2] Ishmaelites, [3] Moab and the [4] Hagrites; [5] Gebal and [6] Ammon and [7] Amalek, [8] Philistia with the inhabitants of [9] Tyre; [10] Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the children of Lot. Selah.
Dan 11:44
This is a pretty interesting verse:
"But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many."
Rumours from the East and North will disturb him. This immediately brings to mind the superpowers not mentioned as being involved yet - East = China, and North = Russia.
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
CLICK HERE! for an index to previous blogs.
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Notice how each of these four visions keep building on one another... each vision builds upon the other and gives us a better picture with more information.
Even as Daniel 2 (Nebuchadnezzar’s statue) was almost perfectly paralleled by Daniel 7 (the four beasts), so also does Daniel 11 as a prophecy almost perfectly parallel Daniel 8.
Daniel chapter 10-12 are all one vision... the "great vision". Chapter 10 introduces the vision, Dan 11:1 - Dan 12:4 is the vision, and starting from Dan 12:5 the angel interprets the "great vision". This entire vision, while being partially realized historically pertains to the coming Antichrist.
Let me make sure to clarify... I believe all of this "great vision" will be fulfilled, and play out just as it says, by the coming Antichrist. Even though the parallels can be seen in our history books, I still believe this pertains to Antichrist himself and plays out as a near/far fulfillment.
Also - before starting... keep an eye out for that "pattern of seven" that I've talked about... I will post a separate blog later that details this pattern of seven and lines up perfectly with the Revelation's seven seals.
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From Joel Richardson, Daniel-11 Abomination.pdf, Conclusion
"In conclusion, for anyone who simply pays heed to the angelic interpretation of Daniel 11, the obscuring fog of Preterism will be cleared away, and the future, end time context of the passage will become crystal clear. Beyond this, when we recognize the fact that the three angels do not identify the individual who sets up the abomination of desolation described in Dan 11:21-45 as Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but as the last days Antichrist, then we also recognize that the career of the Antichrist is described in far greater detail in this portion of Daniel than most commentators have commonly assumed. As I said at the beginning of this article, the implications of this interpretation, if true, are absolutely stunning."
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Four kings
After the death of Alexander the Great (323 BC) his empire was divided up between four kings. Daniel 11 highlights the exploits of two of these kings (see note below for "three"). The king of the south (Dan 11:5), and the king of the north (Dan 11:6).
(NOTE: There is some debate as to whether there are two or three kings mentioned in Daniel 11. Iran does rush out in three directions... north, south, and westwardly. It really doesn't matter for this blog.)
After taking us through a couple hundred years of history, we are brought to details about the Antichrist (Dan 11:20), through foreshadowing of Antiochus Epiphanes. Often, throughout Scripture, prophecy is partially (or imperfectly) fulfilled in the near future before it is ultimately fulfilled in the far future. Prophecy teachers call this near/far fulfillment.
That is exactly what we're seeing here in Daniel 11 - the two kings of the north and south will collide in the future ("at the end time" Dan 11:40) and the Antichrist will prevail (king of the north).
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Grab your Bible and follow along...
Medo-Persian kings
Dan 11:2
... Then a fourth will gain far more riches than all of them; as soon as he becomes strong through his riches, he will arouse the whole empire against the realm of Greece [H3120 - yavan, modern day Turkey - not Greece].
Notice above the note concerning "yavan"... this has been covered in other blogs, and this English translation should not read "Greece".
Alexander the Great
Dan 11:3
The transition from the historical Medo-Persian Empire (Dan 11:2) to the Alexandrian Empire.
Seleucid & Ptolemaic kings
Dan 11:4
The death of Alexander in 323 B.C. and the division of his empire among his generals (Dan 11:4).
Dan 11:5-19
The great measure of intrigue, conflicts, and battles that took place throughout Alexander’s former dominion between the Seleucid Dynasty (in the North) and the Ptolemic Dynasty (in the South) continued for roughly the next 150-200 years.
Dan 11:5
"Then the king of the South" refers to Ptolemy of the Ptolemic Empire (modern day parts of Egypt, Libya, and Sudan).
Dan 11:6
"the king of the North" refers to Seleucus of the Seleucid Empire (modern day parts of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran).
Notice the alliance that is formed. The daughter of the king of the south will come to the king of the north. Where have we seen similar in the past? Esau (Edom) married Ishmael's daughter (Gen 28:8-9) to appease his father Isaac.
Dan 11:18
Notice in this verse that the king of the North went against the coastlands and was stopped. This is important to note only to point out that the Antichrist will not come from any of the western nations just as his previous type (here in verse 18) was against him (not with him). Also see Dan 11:30 notes.
Antichrist
Dan 11:20-35
Overview of the Antichrist, with foreshadowing of the career of Antiochus IV Epiphanes the eighth King of the Seleucid North.
Dan 11:20-21 Then in his place one will arise who will send an oppressor through the Jewel of his kingdom; yet within a few days he will be shattered, though not in anger nor in battle.
In his place a despicable person will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility [peace and security] and seize the kingdom by intrigue.
Note: This view concerning the dual-fulfillment of Dan 11:20-35 is the view of Jerome, who claims it was the most widely held view of the Churches of his time.
I used to have a hard-copy of Jerome's commentary on Daniel, but can't find it. Luckily, it's available online now and is copied below from His commentary on chapter 11, verse 24:
"But those of our persuasion believe all these things are spoken prophetically of the Antichrist who is to arise in the end time. But this factor appears to them as a difficulty for our view, namely the question as to why the prophetic discourse should abruptly cease mention of these great kings and shift from Seleucus to the end of the world. The answer is that in the earlier historical account where mention was made of the Persian kings, only four kings of Persia were presented, following after Cyrus, and many who came in between were simply skipped over, so as to come quickly to Alexander, king of the Macedonians. We hold that it is the practice of Scripture not to relate all details completely, but only to set forth what seems of major importance. Those of our school insist also that since many of the details which we are subsequently to read and explain are appropriate to the person of Antiochus, he is to be regarded as a type of the Antichrist, and those things which happened to him in a preliminary way are to be completely fulfilled in the case of the Antichrist. We hold that it is the habit of Holy Scripture to set forth by means of types the reality of things to come, in conformity with what is said of our Lord and Savior in the Seventy-first [i.e Seventy-second] Psalm, a psalm which is noted at the beginning as being Solomon's, and yet not all the statements which are made concerning can be applied to Solomon. For certainly he neither endured "together with the sun and before the moon from generation to generation," nor did he hold sway from sea to sea, or from the River unto the ends of the earth; neither did all the nations serve him, nor did his name endure before the sun; neither were all the tribes of earth blessed in him, nor did all races magnify him. But in a partial way these things were set forth in advance, by shadows as it were, and by a mere symbol of the reality, in the person of Solomon, in order that they might be more perfectly fulfilled in our Lord and Savior. And so, just as the Savior had Solomon and the other saints as types of His advent, so also we should believe that the Antichrist very properly had as a type of himself the utterly wicked king, Antiochus, who persecuted the saints and defiled the Temple. Let us therefore follow along with the explanation point by point, and let us briefly observe in the case of each item what it signifies to those of the other school of thought and what it signifies to those of our school, in accordance with each of the two explanations."
Dan 11:22-30
Start of the "beginning of sorrows" (Mat 24:8), or the first half of the 70th week.
Dan 11:30
"For ships of Kittim will come against him" ("him" being the king of the north). Kittim comes from H3794 and speaks to the Greeks and Romans on the shores opposite of Palestine ("the west") (Jer 2:10).
This is another foreshadow, telling us the Antichrist will not come from (or with) a western nation, but rather will be against western nations.
Dan 11:31
Start of the second half of the 70th week, or what's known as great tribulation.
See Dan 12:11
Dan 12:11 From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days.
Jesus also spoke of this abomination in Mat 24:15 as being future and not referring to Antiochus Epiphanes (past tense). Also note, this abomination spoken of by Jesus, dealing with the end times contextually here in Daniel, also rules out the preterist view of Him speaking about the upcoming 70 AD destruction.
Dan 11:32
We find out here that Antichrist will have charisma and be persuasive "by smooth words". Those of us who know the voice of our Shepherd will not be fooled though.
Dan 11:33-35
"Those who have insight", or those who have studied the Scriptures and know what's going on will explain it to the many who don't understand what's going on. Those who have insight pay a price for it as well.
Dan 11:36
Antichrist and his beliefs. Verse 36 portrays the Antichrist as a self-willed, self-exalting one who exalts himself above every god, and most specifically, blasphemes Jehovah, the one true God.
2 Th 2:3-4 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and hurl blasphemies at Jehovah.
Rev 13:5-6 There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
Satan will give his power to Antichrist after being cast to the earth:
Rev 13:4 they worshiped the dragon [Satan] because he gave his authority to the beast [Antichrist]; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"
Rev 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.
With this in mind, consider the fact that Islamic theology teaches that every Muslim is obligated to make a pledge of allegiance, known as the bay’ah, to any sitting caliph (leader of the Islamic world), the refusal of which is punishable by death.
One Islamic author describes the bay’ah thus:
"Bay’ah means taking an oath of loyalty. Whoever makes bay’ah agrees to submit his entire life to the leader … He will not act against the leader in agreed matters, and will be loyal to him in every action, regardless of his personal likes or dislikes."
In another Islamic tradition concerning obedience to Muhammad and the caliph, it is written:
"Muhammad said: Those who obey me obey Allah, the Almighty. Those who disobey me disobey Allah, the Almighty. Those who obey my leader obey me and those who disobey my leader disobey me."
If the Antichrist were simply a Muslim caliph who mocked the God of the Israelites, demanding absolute obedience from his followers, while also demanding that everyone worship the allah of Islam, in no way would this conflict with any of the relevant texts that describe the Antichrist’s actions, words, and demands. He would receive absolute subservience, while Satan, the dragon, bearing the title of allah, would receive worship.
Later, we are told that the Antichrist’s assistant, "the false prophet" will set up an image, and all who will not worship the beast will be killed:
Rev 13:15 And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.
Antichrist’s sitting in the Temple is an act of defiance, derision, and superiority over the God of the Temple.
The Temple was viewed as the earthly location from which the governmental authority of God was extended to the earth. In other words, the Temple is God’s seat. This concept is seen throughout the Scriptures. Ezekiel, for instance, had a vision in which God spoke to Him from a future Temple and declared it to be his throne:
Eze 43:6-7 While the man was standing beside me, I heard one speaking to me out of the temple, and He said to me, ‘Son of man, this is the place of My Throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the people of Israel forever’.
Speaking of the kingdom of the Messiah, Jeremiah the prophet also referred to the Temple as the throne of God:
Jer 3:17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the Throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.
Jesus also referred to the Temple as the place where His throne will one day remain:
Mat 25:31 When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His Glorious Throne.
In understanding how God views the Temple, we can understand that when the Antichrist sits in God’s seat, he is declaring himself to be equal to or greater than God.
He will succeed until his fury, literally his "frothing at the mouth" [H2195 - za'am], is complete.
Dan 11:37
[1] He will reject "the gods [God, KJV] of his fathers" [H430 - elohim] [H1 - ab].
The phrase "elohim ab" is used frequently throughout Scripture. Many use this Hebrew phrase as proof in their claim that the Antichrist will have Israelite roots. Rejecting the God of one's father, does not make you an Israelite.
In other words, simply because the Antichrist rejects the God of his father Abraham, in no way does this prove that he is an Israelite. He could just as easily be an Ishmaelite, an Edomite, or a descendant of any number of relatives of Abraham’s sons that fill much of the Middle East and are dispersed throughout the earth today.
Also note, every type or foreshadow of the Antichrist throughout Scripture has been a non-Israelite, Gentile leader. Pharaoh, Sennacherib (the Assyrian), Nebuchadnezzar (the king of Babylon), or Antiochus IV Epiphanes, these were all non-Israelite pagan world leaders.
While Muslim apologists will claim the allah of Islam is, in fact, one and the same as the God of Abraham, this is merely Islamic propaganda. The allah of Islam has far more in common with Sin, the moon god whom Abraham left behind in the desert, than with the Father God of the Bible.
[2] He will reject "the desire of women". Some claim this means he will be a homosexual. I have a hard time believing this as muslims are extremely biased towards homosexuality. This cannot be what is meant. To me, the direct statement seems to say that women will find him desirable, but that'll mean nothing to him... he's got bigger fish to fry than dealing with relationships and women.
Dan 11:38
The only "god" that Antichrist will give any credence to is the "god of war" - his commitment to military conquest. The most natural reading of the text is to see the Antichrist as a worshiper of a specific god of war.
When the full picture is considered, it is fair to say that this description could certainly be applied to a muslim. Islamic doctrine rejects Jehovah in exchange for the allah of the qur’an. Islam denies Jesus as the Son of God and rejects the gods of every other religion. And certainly the allah of Islam could be understood as the god of war, or jihad.
If Islam is the religion of the Antichrist, then the phrase "a god whom his fathers did not know", could easily be understood as a reference to allah, the moon-and-war god of Arabia.
Dan 11:39
"He will take action against the strongest of the fortresses with the help of a foreign god"
The strongest fortresses, not mentioned up to this point are the United States, Russia, China, and the European Union. The Antichrist will make deals with some of them - he will reward those who support his efforts, "he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price."
Dan 11:40-45
The final conflicts, career and end of the Antichrist.
It is here that we find an important clue as to where the Antichrist will come from:
Dan 11:40 At the end time the king of the South will collide with him [king of the north, Antichrist], and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through.
Antichrist will be "the king of the north". What does "north" mean?
See notes on Dan 11:6 above. Antichrist will arise out of this area (previously known as the Seleucid Empire) which is currently mostly Islamic right now. It is suggested that this area will be reunited once again as it was with the previous kings (before the coming Antichrist).
It says the king of the south (Egypt, but could this also include Saudi Arabia?) will come against him, then he enters the Beautiful Land (Israel), and then Egypt is listed separately starting in verse 42 "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape."
Isa 19:4 Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them," declares the Lord GOD of hosts.
Ten kings
Dan 11:43
Libyans and Ethiopians will follow... Put and Cush
These are likely the ten kings found in Psa 83:6-8. Antichrist will eventually rule the entire Middle Eastern, Islamic caliphate after the defeat of the Southern Empire.
Dan 7:24 As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.
Psa 83:4-8 They have said, "Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, That the name of Israel be remembered no more." For they have conspired together with one mind; against You they make a covenant:
The tents of [1] Edom and the [2] Ishmaelites, [3] Moab and the [4] Hagrites; [5] Gebal and [6] Ammon and [7] Amalek, [8] Philistia with the inhabitants of [9] Tyre; [10] Assyria also has joined with them; They have become a help to the children of Lot. Selah.
Dan 11:44
This is a pretty interesting verse:
"But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many."
Rumours from the East and North will disturb him. This immediately brings to mind the superpowers not mentioned as being involved yet - East = China, and North = Russia.
Some of these excerpts are from my personal notes copied from 30+ years of studying... some of these notes are direct copies of various sources - I do not claim to have authored every word of this... it's just a mass collection I've tucked away over the years for my own personal studies... I didn't consider a bibliography at the time I directly copied small excerpts from various authors. Also, any emphasis (underlines, bold text, all CAPS, etc.) noted above was only meant to capture my personal attention as I studied...
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