The Prophecies of Daniel
Part 7: Tracing the Little Horn
We are now in week seven of our study of the prophecies found in the book of Daniel. Last week we started looking at the third vision found in chapter eight about the ram and the goat. We noticed how for the first time, God put names to two of the empires that would follow Babylon. They were the Medo-Persian Empire and the Grecian Empire.
The visions of the book of Daniel have a unique purpose. It is to reveal the Antichrist. So, today we are going to finish the vision of chapter eight by further examining the little horn described there, which we said represents the Antichrist. Specifically, we are going to concentrate on trying to determine just where this last Gentile leader is going to come from.
I. Review the Antichrist
So, before we get into Daniel chapter eight, let’s review what we already know about the Antichrist from chapter seven.
A. What We Know
1. Come From A Nation Near the Mediterranean Sea
First of all, Daniel 7:2 told us that four great beasts came up out of the great sea. These four beasts stand for the four Gentile empires that would rule the world during the period of time called the Times of the Gentiles. The great sea symbolizes humanity or the nations of the world in general, but it also refers to the Mediterranean Sea. Since the Antichrist, who is the little horn of Daniel 7:8, arises from one of the four beasts, then we know that he will come from an area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea.
2. Come From Territory Once Part of the Ancient Roman Empire
Second, Daniel 7:8 and 24 told us that the Antichrist, or little horn, would appear from among ten horns on the fourth beast that came up out of the great sea. The fourth beast we know represents the Ancient Roman Empire. And the ten horns on the beast, stand for ten nations or kings that were once a part of that empire that would come together to form another Last Days’ Empire. So, from these verses we know that the Antichrist will also come from a territory or nation that was once controlled by the Ancient Roman Empire.
Now these are the things that we can say that we definitely know for a fact, because of Scripture. But there are a few things that we can surmise, because of these facts.
B. What We Can Surmise
1. Come From the Eastern Division of the Ancient Roman Empire
We can narrow the territory down a little further by theorizing that the Antichrist will most likely come from a territory that was part of the eastern division of the Ancient Roman Empire. We surmise this because all of the previous empires that are mentioned in Daniel came from the Middle East, specifically centered around Iraq, Syria, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt. Since all of the previous empire were centered in this area it is reasonable to believe that the Antichrist will also arise from this area which was once past of the eastern division of Ancient Rome and not part of the western division like so many other scholars are teaching.
2. He May Come From the Muslim Faith
We can also surmise that it is highly likely that this last evil ruler will come from amongst the Muslim faith. Now I won’t be dogmatic about this point. I could be wrong; however, I truly believe it is the most likely scenario that I’ve come across in my studies so far.
The region that we are pointing to for the Antichrist’s origin is predominately Muslim. It seems reasonable to believe he will also be of this faith. Daniel 7:21 tells us that he is going to make war against the Jewish people. And Daniel 8:11, which we studied last week, explains that he is going to destroy the Jewish sanctuary. Both of these things are goals of the radical Muslims that live in the territories surrounding Israel. The region where the Antichrist will arise.
II. Further Clues As To the Origin of the Antichrist
So with these facts in mind let’s look at Daniel 8 and see what further information God has given us about the origin of the final Gentile ruler.
Daniel 8:8-9, “The goat became very great, but at the height of his power his large horn was broken off, and in its place four prominent horns grew up toward the four winds of heaven. [9] Out of one of them came another horn which started small but grew in power to the south, and to the east, and toward the Beautiful Land.”
We examined this passage last week when we were looking at the goat and identifying the great horn that was broken off and the four horns, which replaced it. The goat represented the Greek Empire. The large horn was Alexander the Great whose Empire was divided among his four generals at the time of his death. The four prominent horns are those four kingdoms.
A. Come From One of the Four Divisions of the Greek Empire
The four divisions of the Grecian Empire were Macedonia or modern day Greece; Thrace, which is Turkey today; Egypt and Syria, which also included Lebanon and the northern part of Iraq. I told you last week to remember these four regions because as you are about to see, they are going to help us trace where the Antichrist will originate.
Verse nine, that we just read, says that out of one of these four countries the little horn or Antichrist will arise. So, God gives us four choices. The Antichrist will either come from Greece, Turkey, Egypt, or Syria.
I want you to note that all four of these nations were once a part of the Ancient Roman Empire. So, the prophecy of Daniel seven that shows the Antichrist as a little horn coming out of the territory controlled by Ancient Rome still holds true. This has confused some scholars. They see the little horn of chapter seven coming our the Roman Empire and then here in chapter either they see the little horn coming out of one of the divisions of the Greek Empire, which was the third beast not the fourth. This has led them to conclude that the little horn in chapter seven is not the same person as the little horn in chapter eight.
But they are the same person and there is no contradiction, because the territories being discussed in these two chapters are the same. All four of the Greek division were also territories controlled by Rome. Greece, Turkey, Egypt and Syria were all parts of both empires. Even more specifically, you should note that they were all a part of the eastern division of the Ancient Roman Empire – NOT the western division.
So you see, with each successive vision, God is giving us more detail and getting more specific about where the Antichrist will come from. Therefore, our theory that the Antichrist will come from somewhere in the Middle East, and from an area near the Mediterranean Sea still holds true. In fact, this theory is supported by Scripture more so than the theories that claim he will come from Europe, Rome, or even New York City.
By the way, since the Antichrist will come out of ten nations, according to Daniel seven and according Daniel eight he will come from either Greece, Turkey, Egypt or Syria – do you think it would be reasonable to conclude that these four nations may be four of those ten nations? I think at least one of them, the one from which the Antichrist arises will be one of these ten.
B. Which One of the Four?
So, let’s see if we can figure out which of the four nations the Antichrist is most likely to come out of.
While trying to figure this out I decided that it may be wise to search elsewhere in the Bible for further clues. Because although Daniel gives us the most detailed information about the origins of the Antichrist, other Old Testament prophets mentioned him as well.
1. The Assyrian
The prophet Isaiah saw the Antichrist and called him by two different names that will help us figure out where he will come from. The first name Isaiah called him was “the Assyrian.”
The Assyrian Empire was the empire that was in power right before Babylon. They controlled the same Middle Eastern region as Babylon and the other three empires mentioned in Daniel. They were the first empire to attack and conquer the Jews by taking the northern tribes captive, but the Assyrians were later defeated by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who took the remain two southern tribes of Jews captive, thus beginning the Times of the Gentiles.
Let’s read what Isaiah has to say about the Antichrist whom he calls “the Assyrian.” Isaiah 10:5-7, “Woe to the Assyrian [Antichrist], the rod of my [God’s] anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath! [6] I [God] send him [the Antichrist] against a godless nation [Israel], I dispatch him against a people who anger me [the Jews], to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets. [7] But this is not what he [the Antichrist] intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.”
I can’t think of a better description of the Antichrist and what is truly happening behind the scenes of some future events that this. God is clearly saying that he will use the Antichrist to discipline and judge the Jewish people. God is going to send him amongst His children to trample them down. The echoes passage of Daniel 7, 11 and Revelation 11:1-2, which talk about the Jews and the Temple begin trampled under foot.
It also explains to us that even in this time of great trouble and suffering God is the One who will be in control. Even though the Antichrist is intending to destroy and put an end to many people and nations, he doesn’t know that he is being used by God to serve a purpose. He is the club in God’s hand. He can only do what God allows him to do, and he can only do it for as long as God allows him to. Because God is the one wielding the club.
Now, another passage in Isaiah that mentions the Antichrist as “the Assyrian” is chapter 14: 24-25, “The Lord Almighty has sworn, ‘Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand. [25] I will crush the Assyrian [Antichrist] in my land [Israel]; on my mountains I will trample him down. His yoke will be taken from my people [Jews], and his burden removed from their shoulders.’”
Once again you see that the Lord is going to control what the Antichrist will be allowed to do. It is all a part of God’s plan or purpose for the Jewish people because of their sin and denial of Him.
So, you can clearly see that Isaiah gives us one clue to consider when trying to determine where the Antichrist will originate. He calls him “the Assyrian.”
2. The King of Babylon
Let’s see what other clues we might be able to find before we put them all together. Again in Isaiah 14 we see another reference to the Antichrist, only in these verses he is referred to as the king of Babylon who will oppress the Jews in his wrath.
Isaiah 14:3-6 and 16-17, “On the day the Lord gives you [Jews] relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage, [4] you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon [Antichrist]: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended! [5] The Lord has broken the rod of the wicked [Antichrist], the scepter of the rulers [ten kings who rule with him?], [6] which in anger struck down peoples with unceasing blows, and in fury subdued nations with relentless aggression…(sounds like Muslim domination, doesn’t it?)
[16] Those who see you [Antichrist] stare at you, they ponder your fate: ‘Is this the man who shook the earth and made kingdoms tremble, [17] the man who made the world a desert, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?’”
There never has been an Assyrian or king of Babylon who fits these descriptions given by the prophet Isaiah, so they must be referring to a future man who can be called both “the Assyrian” and the “king of Babylon.”
3. The King of Tyre
The prophet Ezekiel also gives us a clue through a vision he has of both Antichrist the man, and Satan, who will take possession of him halfway through the Tribulation Period. In Ezekiel 28 both the Antichrist and the Devil are referred to and described.
Ezekiel 28:11-12 and 18-19, “The word of the Lord came to me: [12] ‘Son of man, take up a lament concerning the king of Tyre [Antichrist and Satan]…[18] By your many sins and dishonest trade you have desecrated your sanctuaries. So I made a fire come out from you and it consumed you, and I reduced you to ashes on the ground in the sight of all who were watching. [19] All nations who knew you are appalled at you; you have come to a horrible end and will be no more.’”
So we can see that the Antichrist will go by at least three other names: the Assyrian, the king of Babylon, and the king of Tyre or Tyrus. Let’s compare these names with the map that I gave you of the modern day Middle East.
Assyria is modern day Syria. Babylon is Iraq, and Tyre is a city in Lebanon. Now compare this to the four divisions of the Ancient Greek Empire: Turkey, Greece, Egypt, and Syria, one of which the Antichrist will arise from. And you can see which of them is the most likely area of origin. It would be Syria, which we said also included Lebanon (king of Tyre) and northern Iraq (king of Babylon.) Because remember the Syrian division of the Ancient Greek Empire also included Lebanon and northern Iraq. All three names for the Antichrist put him in this section of the world.
III. More Support For Muslim Connection
We also speculated that it is possible that the Antichrist will be a Muslim. Now knowing more specifically the territory from which he will come, it seems even more likely that he will come to power from within the Islamic religion.
A. 2006 Lebanese War
The recent attack on Israel by fanatic Islamic factions in Lebanon during the summer of 2006 showed us some of the connections and anti-Semitic feelings of this area. When Hezbollah started firing missiles into northern Israel we watched on the television. We learned that these Islamic extremists were being supplied with weapons from none other than Syria and Iran. And to transport those weapons from Iran they had to travel through northern Iraq. This area of the Middle East is controlled or highly influenced by the more extremist Shiite Muslims. Since the Antichrist is to arise from this area, it’s reasonable to assume that he would be a Muslim.
B. Start Out Small
Daniel gives us further supporting evidence for this theory in verse 9, “Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south, and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land.”
Here Daniel says that the Antichrist [the other horn] will start out small and then grow in power. In Daniel 11:23 it reads, “…he will act deceitfully and with only a few people he will rise to power.”
These two passages tell us that he is going to start out small or with a small group of people and then grow in power. This leads me to theorize that the Antichrist may be a Muslim terrorist leader who controls only a small group or cell, but will grow in power and popularity because of what he accomplished in the name of Islam.
This could further explain the description of him in Daniel 7:24, which says that he will be a king or leader different from the ten he will control. If the other ten kings are political leaders of their respective countries, but the Antichrist is a terrorist, this may explain the reason why Daniel says he is different.
C. Directions of Power
Now let’s look at those three geographical directions Daniel mentions. He says that the Antichrist will gain power and control in the south. If you look at the area from which the Antichrist is going to originate (Syria) and look to the south, you will see the countries of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. All of these nations have strong Muslim ties and are likely to back a powerful leader who is determined to destroy Israel and unite the world under the banner of Islam. They have in the past.
Verse 9 also claims that the Antichrist will grow in power to the east. Again, if we are in Syria and look to the east, you see northern Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the former southern Russian states. These territories are strongholds of the more militant and radical Shiite Muslims.
And finally, Daniel says he will grow in power toward the Beautiful Land, which is another name for Israel. Here you will find the extremist Islamic groups of Hezbollah, Hamas and the PLO, all of which would eagerly back an Islamic leader who finally is able to attack and suppress the Jews and divide their land.
This is where I’m going to end the teaching on chapter eight of Daniel. There is more description of the Antichrist and what he will do in verses 23-25, but I believe that they are fairly easy to understand without going into detail. Next week we are going to continue with chapter nine and the seventy weeks. If you have time you may wish to read chapter nine in preparation.
Sermon Sources:
Larkin, Rev. Clarence. The Book of Daniel. Clarence Larkin Estate, Glenside, PA. Copyright 1929.
Lindsey, Hal. Study of Daniel. Series on CD.
Stone, Dr. Perry. The Antichrist Fact File. Video Tape. Voice of Evangelism. Cleveland, TN. Copyright.
Stone, Dr. Perry. Preparing the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Two-hour CD teaching. Copyright 2007. www.perrystone.org. Voice of Evangelism.
Stone, Dr. Perry. Unleashing the Beast. Book. Voice of Evangelism and Pathway Press. Cleveland, TN. Copyright 2003.
