|
Lesson 4
DANIEL--THE LARGE STATUE AND THE
FOUR BEASTS
(Daniel 11, 12)
36"The king will do as he pleases.
He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of
things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of
wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37
He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired
by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them
all. 38 Instead of them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a
god unknown to his fathers he will honor with gold and silver, with
precious stones and costly gifts. 39 He will attack the
mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor
those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and
will distribute the land at a price. Dan. 11:36-39.
The account of Daniel's fantastic
dreams and visions continues. We have already explored Daniel's third
vision of the 'Seventy Weeks of Years' in Daniel, Chapter 9 (see Lesson
1). Daniel now has his fourth, and final, dream that completes the
description of the Antichrist, provides essential information of his
character and methods and pictures what happens during the seven year
tribulation period.
Spiritual Warfare
Daniel 10:12-14
The date is 536 BC, two years
after Daniel's vision of the 'Seventy Weeks of Years'. Daniel is 84 years
old. It may even be the same year that Cyrus decreed that the Jews could
return to their homeland to rebuild their Temple (Ezra 1), though some
expositors date that decree in 538 BC. In any event, Daniel's vision
actually occurs after three weeks of fasting and mourning while seeking
God's wisdom and understanding (Daniel 10:1-3). When the angel finally
appears in all his brilliance (verses 5-6), Daniel is overwhelmed and
faints (verses 7-9), but the angel reassures him:
12..."Do not
be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain
understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were
heard and I have come in response to them. 13But the prince of
the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the
chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king
of Persia. 14Now I have come to explain to you what will happen
to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a
time yet to come." (emphasis mine)
Once again we get just a little
insight into the warfare that goes on in the spiritual world when we seek
God's understanding. This confrontation must have been intense! God's
messenger, eager to provide the understanding Daniel sought after, was
stopped by the prince of the Persian kingdom. For twenty-one days this
prince resisted the angel until Michael, one of the chief princes, helped
him. What kind of force could stop an angel of God for twenty-one days?
Without going into a detailed explanation, this prince is obviously a high
ranking demon of Satan, sent to focus on hindering and thwarting God's
will in the politics of Persia. Imagine, for instance, what would have
happened historically if the Jews had not been permitted by Cyrus to
return home! Apparently Satan has such demons involved in every
government, for the angel implied the same type of demonic activity will
occur when Greece comes to power (verse 20). This kind of spiritual
warfare has gone on continuously since then, and still does for all
Christians and Jews (Ephesians 6:11-12; also see page 18).
Even today we need to be aware of who our real struggles are with!
Although this struggle between
the angel and the prince of Persia was intense, the real question is why
this demon was fighting so hard to keep God's messenger from completing
his task. The answer is provided in verse 14; the angel was sent
to reveal what will happen to your people (the Jews!) in the
future. The angel reaffirms that this prophecy, as with all
prophecy, concerns the Jews! Satan has always sought to destroy God's
people. This effort will intensify and reach a climax in the Great
Tribulation, as we will see when we study Revelation 12.
The King of the
North and the King of the South --Daniel 11:1-20
Daniel's vision begins Chapter 11
with a description of four more Persian kings following Cyrus, and Medo-Persia's
eventual defeat by a mighty king of Greece. This, of course, was Alexander
the Great (verses 2-3). Verse 4 once again recounts the death of Alexander
the Great and the four part division of the Grecian Empire following his
untimely death. Daniel's vision clearly declares that Alexander's heirs
will not receive the kingdom. Instead, it will be uprooted and given
to others. This is exactly what happened when Alexander, at age 32,
died of fever at the height of his power, and his four generals divided
his kingdom into four parts (see page 31).
Continual feuding between the
heirs of Generals Ptolemy and Seleucus after the death of Alexander the
Great keep the Jews in a constant state of turmoil and enslavement since
Israel was right between the two kingdoms.
Verses 5 through 20 of Daniel,
Chapter 11, provide a prophetic narration of the ebb and flow of the
Syrians, ruled by the Seleucids, and the Egyptians, ruled by the Ptolemies.
These are the kings of the North and the kings of the South referred to in
these verses, and represent two of the four horns replacing the mighty
horn (Alexander the Great) which was broken off (Daniel 8:8, see
Chart 5).
Why does God reveal information about these two remnant Grecian kingdoms
and not the other two? Because God's people, the Jews, lived in Palestine,
which just happened to lay exactly between the two. The Jews were not
affected at all by the other two kingdoms!
Palestine
and the Jews were pawns in the nearly continuous wars and conflicts
between the kings of the North and South. Daniel's prophecy concerning
these two kings is historically incredibly accurate. It is no wonder that
liberal expositors, who deny God's supernatural involvement in man's
history, insist that it must have been written after the
historical events had taken place! Although this astonishing account is
fascinating, nothing is gained in this study by including it,(1)
so we will skip to Daniel 11:21.
Antiochus
Epiphanes--Daniel
11:21-32
This historical accuracy is not
confined to Daniel 11:5-20. Verses 21-32 also provide an amazingly
accurate account of the exploits of Antiochus Epiphanes
(Chart 5), nearly
150 years after Daniel had his vision. As discussed previously in Chapter
8 of Daniel, Antiochus is cast as a type of Antichrist, and the exactness
of Daniel's account of this man's exploits in Daniel 11:21-30 can serve as
a background for further understanding of the discussion of the
Antichrist:
21"He will be
succeeded by a contemptible person who has not been given the honor of
royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he
will seize it through intrigue. 22Then an overwhelming army
will be swept away before him, both it and a prince of the covenant will
be destroyed. 23After coming to an agreement with him, he will
act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. 24When
the rich provinces feel secure, he will invade them and will achieve what
neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute plunder,
loot and wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of
fortresses-- but only for a time.
Antiochus was indeed a
contemptible person. In many ways he resembles Adolf Hitler and Saddam
Hussein; he was a liar, a flatterer, a deceiver, and a schemer. He was
untrustworthy and falsely exalted himself to be better than he was. He
called himself 'Epiphanes' meaning 'the manifest one' or 'illustrious',
but others called him 'Epimanes', or 'madman'. Antiochus did not succeed
to the Seleucid throne of Syria, but seized it from its rightful heir in
175 BC, just as Daniel had prophesied. He did his by first winning over
the support of the king of Pergamos through deceit, flattery, and promises
of reward, and then doing the same with key figures in Syria itself.
The date was 170 BC. Egypt's huge
army (verse 22), led by Ptolemy Philometor, dominated the Region. Ptolemy
Philometor was Cleopatra's son and Cleopatra, in turn, happened to be
Antiochus Epiphanes's sister! Many years before, Ptolemy Philometor and
Antiochus' fathers had formed an alliance to end the continuous feuding
between the two remnant Grecian Empires. Antiochus's father, Antiochus the
Great needed this agreement to stabilize relations, since Antiochus the
Great was about to wage war with Rome and needed to secure his southern
border.
The agreement was sealed by the
marriage of Cleopatra, Antiochus the Great's daughter, to Ptolemy
Epiphanes, king of Egypt. They later had two sons, Philometor and
Euergetes VII, and a daughter Cleopatra (named after her mother). The
dowry for this marriage promised the regions of Palestine and Coele-Syria
to Ptolemy Ephanes.
This agreement had remained in
effect through time, and as Daniel foretold in verse 22, Antiochus and
Philometor agreed to continue this agreement. But true to Daniel's vision,
Antiochus never intended to honor it, but agreed to it to
buy time. As soon as he gained sufficient power, and everyone felt secure,
he marched with his small army through both Coele-Syria and Palestine and
attacked the much larger Egyptian army just east of the Nile River Delta.
As he moved through Coele-Syria,
Palestine, and even Syria itself, Antiochus extracted booty from all who
opposed him and gave some of it to the masses of poor (verse 24) to secure
their loyalty. He devised plans against the strong, fortified communities
in Syria itself to weaken them, so that he would be unopposed, all as
Daniel foretold! But that's just the start of the prophecy of Antiochus!
Daniel has more to say about this devious man:
25With a
large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of
the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very
powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots
devised against him. 26Those who eat from the king's provisions
will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall
in battle. 27The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil,
will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail, because
an end will still come at the appointed time. 28The king of the
North will return to his own country with great wealth, but his heart will
be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then
return to his own country. Daniel 11:23-28
Antiochus' deceit was incredible.
He bribed officials of Philometor's own court, so that when Antiochus
confronted Ptolemy Philometor's much larger army in 170 BC, Ptolemy was
defeated. Not by Antiochus military might or brilliance, but by treachery
within Philometor's own inner circle, just as verses 25-26 foretold would
occur! Although Ptolemy was defeated and taken captive, the only actual
Egyptian territory Antiochus obtained was the City of Pelusium, located
just east of the Nile delta. Antiochus was not successful in crossing the
Nile river into Alexandria, and Philometor's brother, Ptolemy VII
Euergetes was made ruler of Egypt after his brother's capture.
The incredible deceit and
scheming of Antiochus continues. Although Ptolemy was taken captive by
Antiochus, Antiochus professed a feigned friendship for him because of
their 'blood linage'. Remember, Ptolemy Philometor's mother, Cleopatra,
was Antiochus' sister! Philometor was treated royally and as an 'equal' by
Antiochus to gain Philometor's confidence as they plotted together to
overtake Philometor's brother, Ptolemy VII Euergetes. True to the account
of verse 27, neither had any intention of honoring their secret covenant.
Antiochus was using Philometor to pit one brother against the other and
take all of Egypt, while Philometor was using Antiochus to get his kingdom
back.
The intrigue of these evil men
was made known to Daniel by God over 150 years before they made their
scheming plans! Though the two were successful in capturing Memphis, they
were repulsed when they attempted to march on Alexandria itself. Thwarted
once again, Antiochus concocted yet another scheme. He installed
Philometor as king at Memphis to provide a political and military
advantage for which to launch his next campaign into Egypt. But after
Antiochus' departure for Syria, Philometor shrewdly worked out a joint
rule of the land with his brother, and married Cleopatra, their common
sister named after their mother, to seal the deal.
In the meantime, the Jews in
Palestine had begun to revolt against Antiochus. They were apparently sick
of being treated as a pawn between these two kingdoms, and were
particularly offended by the favor the high priest Menelaus had catered
with Antiochus. Antiochus, disappointed about his failed attempt in Egypt,
now had an perfect excuse to stop in Palestine to wreck havoc against the
Temple, the priests and scribes, and against the Mosaic ceremonial system
in general. Antiochus not only put down the revolt, but also revoked the
Jewish religious customs and install his own Greek religion. Once this was
done he finally returned to Syria, just as verse 28 said he would.
Antiochus would make one more try
at Egypt:
29 At the
appointed time he will invade the South again, but this time the outcome
will be different from what it was before. 30 Ships of the
western coastlands will oppose him, and he will lose heart. Then he will
turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and
show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31His armed
forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the
daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes
desolation. 32With flattery he will corrupt those who
have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly
resist him.
Upon returning to Syria after his
first failed effort to conquer Egypt, Antiochus learned of the coalition
formed by the Ptolemy brothers and sister, and determined to break it up.
In 168 BC, two years after the first campaign, Antiochus once again set
his army south to confront the Egyptian army. But what Antiochus didn't
know when he set out was that the balance of power had taken a decided
shift against him. The Ptolemy's had formed an alliance with Rome, and
Rome sent ships to aid Egypt, just as verse 30 foretold would happen! The
Roman emissary, Popilius Laenas, gave Antiochus a letter forbidding him to
make war against Egypt. Antiochus realized that if he did not agree to the
demand, he would be faced with an unwinable war with Rome. Humiliated,
Antiochus agreed to the demand.
Enraged, Antiochus returned north
again toward Syria. Unfortunately for the Jews, Israel lay directly in his
path. The Jews had not submitted to the Grecian ways and religion demanded
by Antiochus, so he had the Mosaic ceremonies declared illegal. Those
refusing to change were executed. In spite, he had an altar or statue of
Jupiter (Zeus) Olympius erected in the place of the brazen altar in the
Temple. It is also reported that pigs were sacrificed there, further
desecrating the Jew's Holy Temple.
Antiochus sought favor of the
Jewish apostate high priest Menelaus, who gave his full cooperation in
assisting Antiochus in his efforts. Antiochus also made great promises of
reward for those Jews that would deny their faith and aid him. Though many
did deny their God, many did not and resisted Antiochus. The Maccabees
were foremost in this resistance. Mattathias Maccabeus and his five sons
refused to submit, fled into the mountains and started the Maccabean
Revolt that eventually drove Antiochus from Israel.
This incredible account given to
Daniel provides insight into the treachery, deceit and convoluted scheming
that will characterize the Antichrist and Daniel's fourth beast. As
incredible as the schemes and deceit of Antiochus were, they will pale to
the horror of those of the Antichrist.
The
Antichrist--Daniel 11:36-39
Verse 35 provides the transition
from the time of Antiochus to that of another king who will rule at 'the
time of the end'. This ruler will be the Antichrist himself.
36"The king
will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god
and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be
successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been
determined must take place. 37 He will show no regard for the
gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard
any god, but will exalt himself above them all. 38Instead of
them, he will honor a god of fortresses; a god unknown to his fathers he
will honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39
He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and
will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers
over many people and will distribute the land at a price.
This prophecy paints a picture of
a brilliant, successful man of unheard of arrogance (Chart
7). While
Antiochus had a false, overblown pride, he never exalted himself above a
god. In fact he tried to impose the mystic Greek religion on the Jews! The
Antichrist, on the other hand, will exalt himself over everyone and
everything, including God himself! He not only exalts himself over God, he
ridicules God. As we learned in Daniel 7:25, he even attempts to change
God's set times and laws! He says things against God that are unique to
himself, never before spoken by man. But as vile as this man will be, he
will be exalted by the world. He will honor those that support him by
making them rulers over people and land. But they must pay a price, an
eternal price, as we shall see when we study Revelation.
A singular use of 'god' in verse
37 may imply that this man will have a Jewish heritage which he denies and
keeps secret. But God, as used here, can also be plural. If so, 'gods' may
also imply that he has no regard for the Roman gods of his heritage or of
goddess earth worship that will sweep him into power.
In any event, the
Antichrist does not depend on any god, for he claims he
is god himself. Instead he puts his faith in military might--'the
god of fortresses'. This military will be highly favored by the
Antichrist, and he will spend whatever it takes to make it the strongest
force on earth. As Dan. 8:23 explains he initially gains power by deceit
and scheming, just like Antiochus did before him. Once his power is
consolidated though, he will not hold back from demolishing any opposing
stronghold by military force including the harlot church that enabled him
to come into power (Revelation 17). This will be done with the help of a
foreign god--Satan himself!
The Mid-Tribulation Battle
The date is yet future. The
Antichrist has signed a peace agreement with Israel, and mankind is
finally at peace. A forced peace, yet the world believes it worth the
price for safety. A one world government has been established based on
deceit and delusion, and there is still disagreement and strong factions
constantly threatening the fragile unity. One source of these tensions is
the ongoing friction between the Arab nations and Israel. Although the
Palestine issue has been settled through agreement, the Antichrist just
cannot put it to bed. It is a constant obstacle, always threatening to
disrupt his plans.
To
add to his problems, Russia continues to question his authority and seems
to look for opportunities to discredit and challenge his leadership. Then
suddenly it happens. The delicate peace he has orchestrated falls apart.
The Arab coalition attacks Israel, forcing the Antichrist to fulfill his
peace agreement with Israel. As he sends troops to aid Israel, Russia
reacts by launching a huge, well planned and supplied counterattack
against both Israel and the forces of the Antichrist.
It is at this point Daniel's
prophecy picks up the story in Daniel 11:40-45. These last five verses of
Daniel 11 are some of the most revealing, yet most controversial, of any
of Daniel's visions.
40 At the time of
the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of
the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great
fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like
a flood. 41 He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many
countries will fall, but Edom, Moab and the leaders of Ammon will be
delivered from his hand. 42 He will extend his power over many
countries; Egypt will not escape. 43 He will gain control of
the treasures of gold and silver and all the riches of Egypt, with the
Libyans and Nubians in submission. 44 But reports from the east
and the north will alarm him, and he will set out in a great rage to
destroy and annihilate many. 45 He will pitch his royal tents
between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his
end, and no one will help him.
The king of the South will
sometime in the future launch an attack against Israel and the Antichrist.
This will provide all the excuse the king of the North needs to also
launch his massive military machine against that of the Antichrist's. But
who is the 'he' in these verses? The Antichrist or the king of the North?
When do these things take place? What is the nature of the reports 'he'
hears from the east and north, and where is 'he' when he hears them? How
an expositor answers these questions result in very different
Tribulation scenarios. Therefore, it is important that the more
important interpretations be reviewed.
Liberal expositors identify the
'he' as Antiochus Epiphanes. The events are placed during his reign to
force a natural, historical explanation of Daniel rather than supernatural
prophecy. But, as discussed before, this attempt falls short of
credibility because there is no historical fulfillment of these events by
Antiochus or anyone else. Even after setting aside these self-serving
authors, however, considerable disagreement still exists between
conservative scholars. One thing they do agree on, however, is that these
events occur during the Tribulation. Beyond that agreement, consensus is
lacking on who, why, and when the events in 41-45 occur. Let's take a
brief look at the more important interpretations.
Who is the King of
the North?--Daniel 11:40
Who is the king of the North?
Since the king of the North in the proceeding verses of Daniel 11 is
always associated with the Seleucid empire (see Lesson 3), some expositors
believe that it must be a Syrian leader. This is very unlikely for several
reasons: 1) the king of the North has a mighty army, much larger than
anything Syria has today, or is likely to have in the future; 2)
"He" will invade many countries, sweeping through them like a
flood-- en route, and before he invades the Beautiful Land!;
and 3) the text does not demand that it be Syria since several millennia
transpire between the Selucid empire and the last days.
If not Syria, then the only
logical identity for the king of the North is Russia. "Russia meets
the hermeneutical requirements involved in the title 'king of the North'
associated with the Seleucid empire [of vv. 5-29]. It has a corresponding
northern location, a corresponding vast geographical scope, and a
corresponding vast political preeminence."(2)
Ezekiel 38:1-9 also refers to Gog (ruler of Russia):
1 The word of the
Lord came to me: 2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog,
of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, prophecy
against him 3and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I
am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4 I
will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your
whole army--your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with
large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords. 5Persia,
Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6
also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far
north with all its troops--the many nations with you.' "
7" 'Get
ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you and take
command of them. 8 After many days you will be called to arms.
In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from
war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the
mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought
out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.
9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go
up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the
land."
Although many modern expositors
describe this war before the beginning of the seven-year
tribulation, others do not. Ezekiel defines when this will happen. It will
be after the Jews are gathered from all the nations, after a
peace accord has been signed that assures their peace, and after
they have lived in peace and safety for awhile. That certainly has not yet
occurred! Yet, according to Daniel 9:27 (see Lesson 1), the last week of
Daniel's 70 weeks of years will begin with the signing of some sort of
covenant with the emerging Antichrist that guarantees peace. So this war
most likely will be sometime during the seven year tribulation.
(Chart 11)
Through the ages most expositors
have traced Meshech and Tubal to modern-day southern Russia north of
Turkey and the Black Sea. The tribe of Tubal (see Genesis 10) originally
settled in what is now Turkey and migrated north. Likewise the tribe of
Magog (Genesis 10) are the ancestors of the Scythians or Tarters, who in
turn are the ancestors of modern Russia. There is even evidence that
Meshech is the root word for Moscow and is more correctly spelled Moskva.
Note in Chart 12 that Moscow lies to the "far north" of Israel!
Gog is the ruler over all. The Hebrew word for chief prince or ruler used
in Ezekiel 38:2 is Rosh, but it is unclear if there is any connection.
Likewise, Persia is modern-day
Iran and Iraq, Cush is Ethiopia and perhaps Arabia (Saudi Arabia), Put is
Libya, Gomer is the regions to the northwest of the Black Sea (eastern
Europe). Beth Togarmah is Russia north of Iraq and Iran. If the account
given in Ezekiel 38-39 is the same as Daniel 11:40-45, then God's
judgeent will be clearly revealed as He destroys Russia and her allies
(Ezekiel 38:17-23 and 39:1-7). The Antichrist will likely take the credit,
but the world will know it was God who executed the
judgment and will be
astonished. But most important Israel will know it was God who delivered
them:
21"I will
display my glory among the nations, and all the nations will see the
punishment I inflict and the hand I lay upon them. 22 From
that day forward the house of Israel will know that I am the Lord their
God. 23 And the nations will know that the people of
Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me.
So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they
all fell by the sword. . . . 27 When I have brought them back
from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their
enemies, I will show myself holy through them in the sight of many
nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.
. ." (Ez 39:21-28)
The Jews will finally know their
Messiah! Most likely it will be because the two witnesses of Revelation 11
had been telling the Jews that very truth for 3½ years -- along with
prophecies that Russia was going to attack Israel and then be destroyed by
God's wrath! When these prophecies are fulfilled in such a powerful
manner, revival will spread like wildfire through Israel. They will forget
their shame of signing the peace covenant with the Antichrist (Ez 39:26).
In Ezekiel 38:24-28 God claims that 24"My servant
David [Jesus] will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd.
They will follow my laws and be careful to keep my decrees. . .25 and
David my servant [Jesus] will be their prince forever. 26 I
will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting
covenant. I will establish them and increase their numbers, and I will put
my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My dwelling place will be
with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Although not conclusive in
itself, the parallel descriptions of Daniel 11:40 and Ezekiel 38:9 cannot
be ignored. Wood(3) provides convincing
evidence that both the Daniel and Ezekiel battles occur in the first half
of the Seven Year Tribulation: both conflicts "must be near the
midpoint of the Tribulation week, since the following verses in Daniel 11
tell of the Antichrist moving on into Palestine after this battle; and two
battles, totally different, could hardly transpire in so short a time in
the same general area." So it is likely that the world will see God's
judgment on Russia, and the Jews will find their Messiah in the
middle of the Tribulation! Such an interpretation agrees well with
Zechariah 12; Revelation 6:12-17; 11:15-19; and 12:all. But more on that
later. In the meantime, considerable disagreement exists between scholars
of who the "He" is of Daniel 11:40-45.
Scenario
A: 'He' the King
of the North--Daniel 11:40-45
Some expositors have identified
the 'he' in verse 40 as being the king of the North while others believe
'he' is the Antichrist. Let's first look at how events might transpire if
'he' is the king of the North. After this discussion we will take a look
at what might happen if the 'he' where the Antichrist.
The king of the North, most
likely Russia as discussed above, will at sometime yet future join with
the king of the South to destroy Israel. His ulterior motive, however, is
probably to gain regional dominance, break the growing power of the
Antichrist who has signed a peace and defense treaty with Israel (Daniel
9:27), and gain control of the world's oil supply. So, although the target
is Israel, the king of the North actually storms against the Antichrist
and the Arab nations.
In this scenario, the king of the
North somehow overruns Israel and the Antichrist, and then proceeds
unhindered to conquer Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, forsaking his previous
alliance with the king of the South (the Arabs).
Support for the Antichrist being
killed in this battle is found in Revelation 13:3,12,14 and 17:8,11, where
we find that the Antichrist is killed in a battle (wounded by the sword,
verse 14), and then is miraculously brought back to life. But before that
happens the king of the north goes on to conquer many other countries,
including North Africa. In his haste, he ignores Jordan (Edom, Moab, and
Ammon) because they have no value to him.
The king of the North continues
his conquest of Northeast Africa until he hears disturbing reports from
the east and the north. But where is 'he' when he hears the reports and
what is the nature of the reports?
Many have understood 'The East' to refer to the two
hundred million mounted troops of Revelation 9:13-16, or 'the kings of the
east' on their way to Armageddon (Revelation 16:12). Neither is likely
though. Revelation 9:16 obviously refers to a spiritual army, not an army
of men. There is no supporting reference to such a massive military
buildup against Russia, as would be the case if the king of the North were
both Russia and the 'he' of verses 40-45.
In reference to Revelation 16:12,
it is possible there is a break between verses 43 and 44, and that the
king of the North is already back in Jerusalem when he hears reports about
the kings of the East advancing on him. But this just does not fit the
account of Armageddon, as we shall see when we discuss Chapters 16-19 of
Revelation.
Instead, most proponents of this
interpretation place Russia in Northeast Africa when the reports from the
east and north are heard in Daniel 11:44. (see Chart
12a) Therefore, these
represent reports from Jerusalem, not the far east as
would be the case if the king is in Jerusalem when he hears the reports,
as some expositors believe.(4) The next
question is--reports of what? The obvious answer is that the Antichrist
has been brought back from death (Revelation 13:3), and is claiming he is
God! The king of the North (Russia) then turns back in a rage to finish
the job he thought he had already finished--to kill the Antichrist once
and for all. But before he can do the job, God intervenes and
supernaturally destroys Russia (Ezekiel 38:17-23; 39:3-6). The Antichrist,
now free from all opposition solidifies his power over the world, cancels
the peace agreement with Israel, sets up the Abomination of Desolation and
begins to persecute the Jews that results in the Great Tribulation of the
last 3½ years of seventieth week.
Though Whitcomb provides
persuasive arguments, several significant conflicts are apparent.(5)
First, as Whitcomb proposes, it is highly probable that the king of the
North is indeed Russia. It is therefore hard to understand why verse 44
speaks as if it were a 'man' hearing reports from the
east and north, when the seat of Russian power has always been in a group
of men who remain in Moscow. This makes Jerusalem to the south!
Second, there is no indication in
Ezekiel 38 and 39 that Russia was successful in overflowing the 'Beautiful
Land'. Instead, Russia (Gog) appears to be destroyed before
reaching Jerusalem! (Ezekiel 38:18-23).
Third, it is uncertain why Russia
would turn back to Jerusalem in a 'great rage to destroy and
annihilate many'. The Hebrew word for great used here is gedolah
and rage is hema, which in context with the entire sentence
implies white hot fury, born of bitter hatred. Not even Antiochus's fury
(verse 30) was as great. Why would Russia have such hatred? Certainly
Russia would be frustrated and angry, but nothing in this text or other
scripture warrants the type of bitter fury implied in verse 44.
Fourth, why does the Antichrist
persecute the Jews with such venomous fury? Jesus warns persecution of
this magnitude will be beyond anything in all of history (Matthew
24:17-22). Nothing in this interpretation provides the reason. Although
not fatal to Whitcomb's interpretation, these arguments pose serious
questions for the idea that the 'he' in this passage is the king of the
North. As we shall see in the next section, all of Whitcomb's concerns can
be met with fewer conflicts when the 'he' in verses 40-45 is the
Antichrist rather than the king of the North.
Scenario
B--The king is the Antichrist
 |
|
|
Far fewer conflicts are apparent
if he in verse 40-45 is the Antichrist, not the king of the North. Most
expositors interpreting the Antichrist to be the 'he' in verses 40-45 also
conclude that Russia is the king of the North (see Chart
12b).(6)
In this interpretation the king of the North, most likely Russia, is drawn
into attacking Israel and the Antichrist after the king of the South (the
Arab coalition) initially launches the attack. Russia, a military
juggernaut, is drawn into battle by God himself (Ezekiel 38:1-9)! How?
Probably by putting the idea into Russia's head that this is the last
chance to stopping the Antichrist rise to world power, and to gain control
over the world's oil supply. But something very strange occurs when this
king storms into battle. He apparently disappears! No further mention is
made of the king of the North in Daniel 11:40. It is as if he ceases to
exist. No explanation is given -- he is just never mentioned again!
God does not leave us ignorant on
this matter. He provides the answer in Ezekiel (38:18-23; 39:1-6,12),
where we find that God himself totally destroys Gog (the Russian army)
with earthquakes, torrents of rain and hail, and burning sulfur! Many will
be killed when soldiers turn against each other. The destruction will be
so massive that it will take seven months to bury all the dead! It is no
wonder that the king of the North is never mentioned again in Daniel, for
he literally ceases to exist!
With God's destruction of the
kings of the North and South, a military vacuum now exists in Russia, the
Mid-East and Northeast Africa. With no opposition to confront him, the
path is now clear for the Antichrist to occupy Israel and 'sweep
through' the defeated countries 'like a flood' without
opposition--with their infrastructures and governments intact! If the ten
horns of Daniel 7:7-8 are regional economic coalitions and not the new
European Union, this would account for at least two of the three horns
that are to be subdued by the beast (Antichrist). Depending on how these
regional coalitions are organized, it might even account for all three. If
not, the third might be the distant coastlands God sends nuclear fire upon
during this battle (Ezekiel 39:6). This most likely will be the United
States.
This may be the reason the
Antichrist breaks the peace agreement with Israel and establishes the
Abomination that causes Desolation in the temple. This will probably not
happen for another seven months, after all the dead are buried (Ezekiel
39:12), and when he returns from Northeast Africa (Chart
12b).
As the Antichrist solidifies his
conquests in Northeast Africa he hears distressing reports from the east
and north--coming from Israel and Jerusalem (verse 44, see
Chart 11 and 12b). Then 'he will set out in a great rage to destroy and annihilate
many' (verse 44). The same question arises for the Antichrist as was
posed in our discussion for Russia. Why would the Antichrist set off in
such a rage? As noted before, the Hebrew word for rage in this verse is 'hema',
and when put into context with the rest of the sentence, implies a white
hot anger born of bitter hatred. What report could raise such bitter
hatred in the Antichrist? There is only one thing that could cause such an
eruption of fury. Israel had found its long-awaited Messiah --Jesus
Christ! (See Revelation 12) Although this hypothesis is hotly contested
among theologians, it can be the only answer. The idea will be further
developed in coming lessons, but remember Satan has been trying to destroy
God's chosen people throughout the ages. Why? To prevent this very thing
from happening!
Satan failed in preventing the
Messiah (Jesus) from coming the first time. He failed to destroy Jesus
when He did come the first time. He failed in preventing the resurrection
of Jesus after He died on the Cross. Now this is his last hope of
preventing Jesus from coming the second, and last, time (Revelation 12)!
This is his last shot at changing the "set times and the laws"
(Dan 7:25) that ordains his demise. Satan funnels his fury through the
Antichrist, who sets out to destroy the Jews once and for all in an
all-out attempt to change the set times and laws (Daniel 8:23-25)! It's
his last hope of survival, for he knows his time is short.
Why didn't the Antichrist finish
the job when he overran Israel just a few short months before? He felt
there was no need to. For the first 3½ years of his power the Jews in
Israel were as carnal as the rest of the world! They had sold out to him
and now he had them in his power--He controlled God's chosen
people! Only Satan, in his arrogance would try to use God's own
people to flaunt God.
When the Antichrist returns to
Israel he finds chaos. It is likely the two witnesses of Revelation 11 are
still alive when he returns. Although they were in Jerusalem when he was
there before, no one seemed to pay any attention to them and they were
probably considered crackpots. But he finds he can do nothing about it.
Why? Because anyone who tries is killed by fire from their mouths
(Revelation 11:5)! In fact, this may be how the Antichrist dies in Daniel
11:45(7). If so, he is then resurrected
(Revelation 13:3,14; 17:8,11), kills the two witnesses (Revelation 11:7),
breaks the peace covenant with Israel, establishes the Abomination of
Desolation (Daniel 9:27) and launches the greatest persecution the world
has ever seen against the Jews (Chart
8).
Few conflicts remain unanswered
in this interpretation. Even if the Antichrist is killed in the battle
with Russia, as Whitcomb proposes, he will still be resurrected, will kill
the two witnesses thereby confirming their own prophecies of this act by
the Antichrist. Israel will still accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah,
and the stage will be set for the climactic showdown between Satan and
Christ during the final 3½ years of the Tribulation!
The Great
Tribulation
Daniel 12
Daniel's phenomenal vision
continues without interruption into an account of the terrible times that
will befall the Jews during the final 3½ years of the Seven Year
Tribulation:
1"At that
time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There
will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of
nations until then. But at that time your people--everyone whose name is
found written in the book--will be delivered. 2Multitudes who
sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life,
others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise
will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to
righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. 4But you,
Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the
end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.
A Time of Help and
Deliverance--Daniel 12:1-4
As Daniel's last vision
concludes, he is told that there will be a time of distress unequaled in
all of history. It is the same distress that is commonly referred to as
the Great Tribulation(8) (Matthew 24:21)
which occurs during the last half of the Tribulation. As we shall see in
our study of Revelation 12, the Angel Michael fights and hurls Satan to
earth in the middle of the Tribulation where he indwells the Antichrist.
This prince of evil then attempts to destroy God's people during the final
3½ years (Revelation 12:7-9, 13-17). Satan knows his time is short and
that he must destroy God's people to prevent God's plans from being
fulfilled. So he supernaturally empowers the now 'resurrected' Antichrist
to accomplish this job (Daniel 8:24; 11:39 and Revelation 13:2-3).
As terrible a time as this will
be, however, the newly converted Jewish Christians will not be without
hope. Michael, the same angel made reference to above, and in Daniel
10:13,21, will arise and help to strengthen them! Zechariah 12:1-9,
describes this supernatural strength as an 'immovable rock that sends the
nations reeling.' Even so, the Antichrist and his obedient nations are
successful in killing two-thirds of the Jews. While it is impossible to
say for sure, it may be that these are the Jews who still have not
accepted Christ as their Messiah or are those who failed to heed Christ's
warning to flee when the Abomination that Causes Desolation is
established. (Mt 24:16-20; Dan 9:27) But the remaining one-third will be
refined like silver and gold. And they will call on God's name, and He
will answer them (Zechariah 14:8-9).
At this time, Daniel's
people--those Jews whose names are found written in the book--will be
delivered (Chart 8 and Chart
11). Though Israel as a whole has turned their hearts to
God, some have not. Only those who have accepted the Messiah, Jesus
Christ, will have this deliverance. Jesus has promised that when He
returns the 'nations will mourn as they see the Son of Man coming on
the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will
send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect
from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.'
(Matthew 24:30-31). This will be the second rapture, the gathering of the
Jewish Christians, including those that have been martyred (Daniel 12:2)
to heaven. This time will be of such great relief to the Jewish Christians
that Jesus tells them 'when these things begin to take place, stand up
and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near'
(Luke 21:28, emphasis mine).
Those who have accepted Jesus as
their Lord will receive everlasting life, those who have not, shame and
everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:3). This verse even implies a special
recognition for those who have lead others to righteousness!
The End of the
Antichrist--Daniel 12:6-10
The question naturally arises,
how long will this distress last before Christ returns in the Clouds and
the Antichrist is destroyed? Daniel is provided that answer in Daniel
12:6-10:
6...How long will
it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled? 7...."It
will be for a time, times and half a time. When the power of the holy
people has been finally broken, all these things will be completed."
...10"Many will be purified, made spotless and refined,
but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will
understand, but those who are wise will understand."
Daniel is told in verse 7 that
this distress will last for 'a time, times and half a time' (3½
years-see Chart 3). 'When the power of the holy people has been
finally broken, all these things will be completed.' As we learned in
Daniel 7:21, 8:24, and Zechariah 13:9, God's people will suffer a terrible
defeat and two-thirds of the Jews will be killed by the Antichrist and his
followers. But the very moment the Antichrist thinks victory is in his
grasp will be the moment that will mark his end. As he amasses a huge army
at Armageddon in a final effort to wipe all the Jews from the face of the
earth, he is struck down by a mere word from Jesus Christ (Revelation
16:15-16, 19:15). Why can't he see that this will happen as revealed in
scripture? Because he is blinded to the truth, just as the Jews were
blinded to the true identity of Jesus for so long. 'None of the wicked
will understand, but those who are wise will understand' (Daniel
12:10). The truth will be staring the Antichrist and his followers in the
face, they will never see it because of their hardened hearts!
The Jews During the
Great Tribulation --Christian or Non-Christian?
A final comment before discussing
the last of Daniel's vision. Some scholars believe that the broken power
referred to in verse 7 is that of the Jew's self-will. They believe it
will take this severe persecution for them to finally turn to God and
accept Christ as their Messiah at the end of the Great Tribulation.
However, this interpretation is inconsistent with the identity of the
those whose power will be broken--the holy people. This
clearly implies those who already know God!
The same meaning is implied in
Daniel 7:25 and 8:24, as well as Revelation 12:17. The Hebrew root word
for Holy or Saint as used in Daniel 7:25 and 8:24 is qados which
means pure and devoted, separated unto God. This same form is used in
Zechariah 14:5. These are clearly sanctified Jews. Also note that these
descriptions are not used of committed Jews during the reign of terror by
Antiochus Epiphanes (Daniel 8:9-12; 11:21-34). Instead, those who serve
God during those days are called "those who understand."
The Jews are neither sanctified nor holy. Why? Because Jesus had not yet
come to sanctify by His blood. But this is not the case during the last
3½ years of the Tribulation. The Jews are sanctified. They are holy. Why?
Because they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Messiah! How this happens
will be discussed in Lesson 7.
There can be only one
interpretation of these verses-- the Antichrist is persecuting Christians;
specifically Jewish Christians who have found their Messiah in the
middle of the Tribulation! As we shall see, only this
interpretation has the fewest conflicts.
Those who insist the Jews do not
accept Jesus as their Messiah until the end of the Tribulation, often
claim that the Jews in Daniel 7:25, 8:24 and 12:7 are called Saints and
Holy Ones because they are either 1) the Church, or 2) God's chosen
people, therefore saints and holy by default. We have already demonstrated
that Daniel is writing specifically about the Jews, so he
could not be referring to the Church. In answer to the second theory, if
the Jews are saints and holy because they are God's chosen people, then
why did Jesus tell Nicodemus (a Jew), he and everyone else needed to be
born again (John 3:5-8)? There is only one way that a Jew can be
sanctified and made Holy--by accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. This is why
Jesus first came to the Jews--He was a Jew himself. Jesus came first to
the Jews so that they might receive their promise. It was not until after
the Jews rejected Him that salvation was given to the Gentiles and the
Church was born!
Finally, Zechariah Chapter 12
only makes sense if the Jews accept Jesus as the Messiah in the middle of
the Tribulation. Those who put their salvation at the end of the
Tribulation either completely ignore Zechariah 12:1-9, or attempt to jam
it into the discussion of Zechariah 14:1-5. This attempt, however, results
in all kinds of scriptural conflicts, as we shall discuss in Lesson 6.
The 1,290 and 1,335
Days--Daniel 12:11-12
Daniel's vision concludes with a
prophecy that has puzzled theologians for centuries:
11From the time
that the daily sacrifice is abolished and the abomination that causes
desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is
the one who waits for and reaches the end of the 1,335 days.
This time period is 30 and 75
days longer than the 1,260 day 3½ year Great Tribulation. Though I have
read the interpretation of many expositors, none is satisfactory. Some
expositors attempt to symbolize them. This is unlikely, though, because
the 1,260 days of the Great Tribulation define an exact time that is
clearly spelled out in other prophecies. Further, the 2,300 days of Daniel
8:14 exactly define the period of Antiochus Epiphanes's rule. Why would
1,260 and 2,300 be real life time periods and the 1,290 and 1,335 merely
symbols? Besides, the time periods are simply too close together to be
taken symbolically. It may be, as verse 9 implies, the meaning of these
verses is locked up until the time that they occur.
If we are meant to understand the
meaning of these time periods, the most meaningful explanation is provided
by Wood:(9) "A clue as to how they fit
this week is found in Matthew 25:31-46, which describes a time of
judgement by Christ immediately after He comes in power at the close of
this period. The purpose of the judgement is to determine those who will
be permitted to enter into and enjoy the blessedness of the millennial
period. The passage shows that those so honored will be only the people
who have treated the Jews properly, and have thus demonstrated a true
relation to Christ through personal salvation. The added thirty days in
question would seem appropriate. ...Judging will begin, apparently, soon
after the defeat of the Antichrist and could, indeed, continue for those
thirty days." As for the 1,335 days, Wood continues that "there
will be blessing for those who attain to it. The thought is thus suggested
that it will be the actual starting point of the Millennium. ...What will
be the need of these forty-five (additional) days? It may be the time
necessary for setting up the governmental machinery for carrying on the
rule of Christ."
The last of the four astounding visions of Daniel
is concluded. These visions have provided much information a structure for
proper understanding of what will happen in 'the last days.' In fact,
Revelation and other prophecies cannot be properly understood without the
structure provided by Daniel. Attempts to use Revelation to provide
prophetic structure will usually lead to conflict between various
prophetic events and confusion.
The historical accuracy of Daniel's prophecies
already fulfilled are so astonishing that the reader is left with only two
options. Either these are true prophecies given to Daniel supernaturally
from God, or they were written after-the-fact from a historical
perspective, as some liberal theologians demand. The answer is important
not only to our understanding of the last days, but also in demonstrating
the absolute power of God in directing events in the course of human
history. If God is involved in our day-to-day lives, and his truth is
revealed through scripture, then we had better pay attention to
what is expected of us! Therefore, before continuing on with
Ezekiel, Zechariah, and Joel, let's turn our attention to what Jesus had
to say about the last days. Does He accept the prophecies of Daniel as
absolute truth, or does He qualify Daniel's accounts?
1. For further information see: Wood,
L. 1990. A Commentary on Daniel. Zondervan, Gand Rapids, MI, pp
283-294.
2. Harton, G.H. "An
Interpretation of Daniel 11:36-45." Grace Theological Journal
4, no. 2 (Fall 1983):205-31.
3. Wood, pp 309-310.
4. Whitcomb, J.C. 1985. Daniel:
Everyman's Bible Commentary. Moody Press, Chicago. pp 157-161.
5. John Whitcomb (page 156) argues
that the 'he' in verse 40 cannot be the Antichrist because: "1) Rev.
13:4 seems to contradict the idea that the Antichrist will require
forty-two months to subdue his enemies; 2) the 'rumors' he hears are from
Palestine ('the Beautiful Land'), east and north of Libya and Ethiopia,
not from the Euphrates River as generally understood (cf. Rev. 16:12); 3)
if the king in 11:45 were the Antichrist, 12:1 would seem to be
anticlimactic, whereas the Antichrist is the climax of all evil forces
until the Second Coming of Christ; 4) it is not primarily Israel, but
rather the Antichrist who is attacked by both the king of the south and
the king of the north in this passage."
In answer to Whitcomb's
concerns, verse 45 can be interpreted as the Antichrist being killed in
the middle of the Tribulation, then being brought back to life (Revelation
13:3) to begin the Great Tribulation as is described in Daniel 12. This
will be discussed in more detail in the next section. But if so, then
Whitcomb's argument is moot. Finally, Daniel 12:1 can be equally
translated as a continuation of the same period. Wood (pages 315-316)
contends that "it should be realized, then, that the period in view
will not follow the demise of the Antichrist, mentioned in 11:45, but will
be the same as that in which he is active in bringing his oppression. For
this reason, the translation 'during' for the be
prefix here used is preferable over 'at,' which is sometimes
employed".
6. Wood, pp 208-210.
7. Many, if not most expositors
interpret this verse to mean the death of the Antichrist at the time of
Armageddon, and this very well may be. The text allows either
interpretation. See Chart 10 and 11b.
8. The New International Version and
others translate this as distress, while the King James, New American
Standard and others translate it tribulation. In any event this last 3 1/2
year period is commonly known in the Christian community as the Great
Tribulation.
9. Wood,
pages 328-329.
|
