The Prophecies of Daniel
Part 13: The First 42 Months (Daniel 11:23-24; 39)
We are still in the book of Daniel studying the prophecies God gave to this Old Testament prophet concerning the Times of the Gentiles, and the latter days or the times of the end. We have reached our 13th week of study and are presently working our way verse-by-verse through the last half of chapter 11.
I hope you brought your map and the handout of parallel verses in Daniel 11 back with you this morning. If you weren’t here or forgot yours there are a few extra copies on the vestibule table should you need one.
Let’s briefly review so we can remember where we are at. Verses 21 through 45 of Daniel, chapter eleven are all dealing with the first 42 months or 3 ½ years of the seven-year Tribulation period when the Antichrist is going to be gaining his power in preparation to rule the earth for the last half of the seven-year Tribulation. In these verses all mentions of the king of the North are referring to the Antichrist. All mentions of the king of the South are referring to Egypt and the surrounding areas.
We have been and will continue interpreting these verses on the premise that the Antichrist will arise from within the Muslim religion. I truly believe that this fits the Biblical prophecies more accurately than the idea that he will come to power from somewhere in the west like from the EU or UN.
Two weeks ago I also showed you just a few of the parallels between the description the Bible gives us of the Antichrist and what the Muslim’s believe about their final prophet of the end times, the Mahdi. Because of their mirror descriptions, I believe that when the Antichrist does finally appear, the Muslims will believe that he is their long awaited Mahdi. So, the Antichrist and the Mahdi will be one and the same person.
You know, I’ve studied Bible prophecies for a while now, and I was always amazed at the thought that by the time the Tribulation period is over that there would still be people who did not believe in God. I couldn’t understand why after experiencing His power and wrath in the form of plagues and earthquakes and famine and everything else, they would still deny God. But when you see the Antichrist as a Muslim, coming from a religion that has its own end times beliefs that can explain away the events of Daniel and Revelation, you can begin to see how people would believe the lies of Satan instead of the Word of God.
The Muslims have an answer for the Antichrist. They call him their Mahdi. They and an answer for the prophet Elijah who appears and builds the Jewish Temple and performs miracles. They call him the Dajjal or Antichrist. The Muslims have a battle of Gog and Magog with armies coming from the north. They have an answer for the false prophet. They call him Jesus. So you see, in the context of the Muslim religion, I can now easily see how many people could live through the horrors of the Tribulation and still come through them denying the deity of Christ. It’s because they will believe the lies of Satan instead of the truth of God’s Word.
Last week we made it through five of twenty-four verses in Daniel 11. We saw the Antichrist make his appearance on the world stage from somewhere in the Middle East, most likely from the country of Iraq. We mentioned that it is the most likely place because not only does it fit all of the Bible prophecies that mention where the Antichrist is supposed to arise from, but it also fits with the Islamic apocalyptic teachings of their Mahdi arising from Iraq. He will be setting up his kingdom to rule from Babylon for the first 42 months of the Tribulation. And then we saw how verse 22 is a reference to the Battle of Gog and Magog which will set the stage for the Antichrist to step in as a great Muslim leader whose purpose is to unite the world under the banner of Islam.
Destruction of Damascus
Now before we get to the next verse this morning, I want to talk to you about another prophecy that isn’t mentioned in Daniel, but will be a part of these end times events. The reason I want to mention it here is because as we go through this I want to try to explain these events in order so that you can see how they relate to each other. By understanding the order of events you can understand why certain things happen the way they do.
Now we mentioned last week that the Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Babylon and rule from there the first 42 months of the Tribulation period. I also believe that the Antichrist will arise from among the more fanatical Shiite branch of Islam. This is important because presently the Shiite branch of Islam does not have a central headquarters or power base. They are the minority Muslim sect. Now, while they do not have a headquarters per se, they do have a major city in the Middle East that acts as a haven for their terrorist cells. And that city is Damascus, Syria – not anywhere in Iraq. So, if the Antichrist arises from within the Shiite branch and is supposed to rule from Babylon, according to Bible prophecies, then what would make it necessary for the Shiites to decided to move their base of power from Damascus to Babylon?
There’s a prophecy found in Isaiah 17 that we looked at in the summer of 206 when Israel was being attacked by Shiite Muslim terrorists from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. The entire seventeenth chapter of Isaiah talks about the destruction of the city of Damascus. This prophecy has never been fulfilled and thus it is a prophecy for the future.
If Damascus, Syria is destroyed in the future, then Babylon, Iraq, would be the most likely future headqueater for the Shiite since the nearby city of Baghdad has served as a power base for past Islamic leaders. Babylon also makes perfect sense if this is where the Islamic Mahdi is supposed to appear.
So, if Damascus is going to be destroyed in order for Babylon to rise to prominence, the next logical question would be, when will it be destroyed? After this study in Daniel 1, which is walking us through the first 42 months of the Tribulation, I believe Damascus will be destroyed during the Battle of Gog and Magog described in verse 22, which we talked about last week as occurring right before the Tribulation.
There are two reasons why I think the destruction of Damascus is connected to the Battle of Gog and Magog. One reason I believe this is because one of the areas the Battle of Gog and Magog is supposed to take place in is the Golan Heights region. Ezekiel 39:18, mentions the area of Bashan, which is an ancient name for the Golan Heights area. This is a region in northeastern Israel that the Syrians claim belongs to them. Israel captured it from Syria during the Six-Day War in 1967. It is less than 50 miles from Damascus. So if a battle is raging in the Gold Heights, you can bet Damascus will be effected by it is some way.
The other reason I believe Damascus will be destroyed during the Battle of Gog and Magog is that if ou read the description of its destruction in Isaiah 17 and then read the description of the destruction of the armies of Gog in Ezekiel 38 and 39 you will see that they are both accomplished by what appears to be a nuclear weapon as well as other things. With the Golan Heights being so close to Damascus, if the Israelis were to detonate a nuclear bomb in that area, both would be destroyed by one blast.
So this is what we know so far. The Antichrist or Mahdi makes an appearance in Iraq after the United States and its allies pull their troops from the Middle East. He will begin to set up his base of power in Babylon. While at the same time an Islamic confederacy led by Russia or one of the previous Russian states, will decided it’s the perfect time to attack Israel, especially with the absence of Western troops in the region. This will be the Battle of Gog and Magog in which 5/6 of the Islamic army will be destroyed along wih their leader and the ancient city of Damascus as predicted in Isaiah 17.
Peace Treaty or Hudna
That brings us up to verse 23 of Daniel 11. “After coming to an agreement with him [the Antichrist], he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power.”
This verse is directly related to the prophecy given in Daniel 9:27 which tells us that the Antichrist will make a strong covenant with many for one week or seven years and then break the covenant 42 months or three and a half years later.
So, lets look at the order of events here. The Muslims have just suffered a major defeat at the hands of the God of Israel. A nuclear weapon decimated 5/6 of their armies. Their leader, Gog, was killed. Political instability in the Middle East is threatening to throw the whole world into chaos. The UN, EU, United States and whatever other western world organizations or power there are, step in and immediately demand that Israel be disarmed. The Muslim world that is left is looking to their end times prophet from Iraq, their Mahdi, to step up and lead them.
A peace treaty is forced upon Israel and the Muslim world. The economy, the price of oil, the use of nuclear and biological weapons, the fear of Islamic retaliation around the world, not to mention the sudden disappearance of the world’s Christians at the rapture of the church, will all be factors that the world will use to force these two ancient enemies to the bargaining table. And a seven-year peace treaty will be signed between Israel and the new Islamic leader from Iraq, the Antichrist or Mahdi. Thus the Tribulation period begins.
Verse 23 tells us that even from the time the agreement is signed, the Antichrist will act deceitfully. In other words he doesn’t plan on keeping up his end of the bargain. In essence he is declaring what is known in the Muslim worlds as a ‘hudna’. In Islam, when you are militarily at a disadvantage you declare a ‘hudna’ or a cease-fire or peace agreement. But a hudna only lasts until you are militarily strong enough to discard it and win the war. This is a Muslim tactic that has been used throughout history. To the Antichrist and his followers, this seven-year peace treaty with Israel will be nothing more than a tactical interlude after the Battle of Gog and Magog until they can regroup and gain enough strength to come back and annihilate the Jews.
The Richest and Fattest and Oiliest Places
Now let’s look at verses 24 and 39. Again these are parallel verses that are describing the same events.
Daniel 11:24 (NIV), “When the richest provinces feel secure, he [the Antichrist] will invade them and will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did. He will distribute wealth among his followers. He will plot the overthrow of fortresses – but only for a time.”
Daniel 11:39 (NIV), “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.”
Okay, let’s do some Hebrew word studies on a few of the key words in these verses and see if we can determine what God is revealing to us about the Antichrist’s actions.
In verse 24 we see that after he signs a peace treaty with Israel, that he is going to turn his attention to the richest provinces or countries. The English Standard Version of this verse says, “he shall come among the richest men.” And the King James Version says, “he shall enter even upon the fattest places.”
So, we need to ask ourselves, what are the richest, fattest provinces or places and how will the Antichrist gain control of them?
First, let’s look at the word translated “fattest” or “richest.” In the Hebrew, this word is mashman (mash-mawn). It means “fat, rich, or fertile.” It comes from the root word shaman (shaw-man) which means “oily.” So, if we put these ideas together we need to ask ourselves, what areas or provinces of the world are known for being rich with oil? The oil-rich countries of the Middle East – Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Libya, etc.
This verse is telling us that after signing the peace-treaty with Israel the Antichrist is going to begin building up his power by taking control of the oil-rich countries surrounding his power base in Iraq.
Remember, he has come to power with a small following of supporters. Verse 23, “…with only a few people he will rise to power.” And the Muslim world has not been completely wiped out, but it has just suffered a major setback by losing a massive amount of men in the Battle of Gog and Magog. So it should be easy for the Antichrist or the Muslim Mahdi to step in and begin to take control of the oil-rich countries of the Middle East. Many of these countries’ armies were decimated. And by taking them over he will also gain control of the world’s economy.
What we are experiencing today with rising fuel costs is just a taste of what the Antichrist will do when he gains control of the Mideast oil. And in the book of Revelation we find that controlling the world’s economy is one of the things the Antichrist is going to do.
Revelation 13:16-17, (ESV), “Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, [17] so that no one can but or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”
Another clue that further helps our understanding of this verse is in the word “province.” That word in Hebrew is mediynah (med-ee-naw) which means “a region or jurisdiction.” But listen to that Hebrew word again, mediynah. From that word we get Medina. There is a very famous city called Medina in one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries of the world, Saudi Arabia. Medina is also the second holiest city to the Muslim religion. It is where their founder, Mohammed, is buried.
Invade or Not to Invade?
So, I think it’s highly probable that both verse 24 and 39 are not only saying that the Antichrist is going to take control of the oil-rich nations of the Middle East, but they very well may be pointing to a very specific country, namely Saudi Arabia.
Now, if you’re like me, you may be wondering, as I did, why a Muslim Antichrist would need to invade and take over another Muslim country? Well, first of all, I’m not sure he will have to invade Saudi Arabia or some of the surrounding countries or as verse 39 calls them, fortresses. The NIV translation of this verse is the only one that says he will actually invade the richest provinces, or as in the case of verse 39 that he will attack the mighty fortresses.
The KJV of these passages say, “he shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province.” And the ESV of verse 24 says, “and without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province.” And in verse 39, “He shall deal with the strongest fortresses.”
So it may be that after this new dynamic Islamic leader who claims to be their long awaited Mahdi signs a peace treaty with Israel, that those living in Saudi Arabia and the other oil countries of the Middle East will gladly hand over their countries to this new leader.
But it would make sense that the Antichrist would have to invade at least some of them as well. Because even though Saudi Arabia is the homeland of the Islamic religion, it is controlled by moderate Arabs. They expelled Osama bin Laden from their country because he was creating too much contention and was seen as a threat to the royal family. Also Saudi Arabia is not a country who tool part in the Battle of Gog and Magog so they will still have their armies intact.
“The fanatical segments of Islam found in Iran, Iraq, and Syria [which the Antichrist/Mahdi will arise from among] would love to see the royal family [of Saudi Arabia] and the oil wells cut from the hand of the moderate Arabs and given over to the power of fanatics who would the hold the West hostage” (Unleashing 180-181).
So, whether or not the Antichrist will have to invade the oil countries of the Mideast, he will gain control of them and thus gain control of the world’s economy at the same time.
What Dad Didn’t Do
The next phrase in verse 24 that we should make note of says that the Antichrist, “will achieve what neither his fathers nor his forefathers did.” That word “achieve” is the Hebrew word asah, which means “to do, achieve, or build.” So what is it that the Antichrist will do, achieve, or build that none of the Arabs or Muslims of the past have been able to do?
I think this may be a reference to his rebuilding of Babylon, either the city itself or the Empire of Babylon, by controlling the countries that were once a part of the ancient Babylonian Empire. Rebuilding Babylon is something that none of the Arabs or Muslims have ever been able to do. Even though many have tried, the most recent of which was Sadaam Hussein, no one has ever rebuilt the city or the empire, but the Antichrist will.
And the final point we want to look at this morning is in verse 24 and says, “He will distribute wealth among his followers.” In verse 39 it reads, “[he] will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price.”
This point is pretty self-explanatory. Those who support the Antichrist and help him gain power and control over the world will be rewarded with wealth and land and leadership positions. These supporters are the ten kings that have been mentioned throughout Daniel and the book of Revelation as the little horns who gain power and rule for a time with the Antichrist.
Revelation 17:12-13 (ESV), “And the ten horns that you saw are the ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast [Antichrist]. [13] These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast.”
Putting It Together
Okay, so let’s put everything we’ve learned this morning together in the context of our Muslim Antichrist theory and present a possible scenario of the end time events that fit these prophecies.
Sometime in the near future the western world is going to end up pulling its military presence from within the country of Iraq and perhaps the Mideast as a whole. In this void of support the new democratic Iraqi government isn’t powerful enough to retain control from the radical Islamic groups within its borders or from across the border in Iran. Into this void appears a man who is not an elected official, but likely has a military background – probably a terrorist or Muslim extremist from within the Shiite branch. This man is viewed by the Muslims as their long awaited prophet of the end times, the Mahdi.
At the same time that he is establishing a power base in Iraq, the other Muslim nations decide to take advantage of the absence of the western military presence in the Mideast as well. The push for a Palestinian State will come to a head. Under the leadership of one powerful man, believed to come from wither Russia or one of the previous Russia states to its south, a confederacy of Islamic armies sees it as the perfect time to attack Israel and destroy her. After all, Israel’s chief ally, the U.S., is no longer near enough to help.
This massive army comes against Israel only to have 5/6 of their numbers wiped out and their leader destroyed. Probably because Israel will be forced to use nuclear weapons. This paves the way for the Antichrist of Mahdi to appear on the world’s center stage.
The rest of the world will demand that Israel and the Arabs make a peace treaty to cease-fire. More than likely, Israel will be forced to disarm and maybe even give up portions of its land. The Antichrist will be the Muslim leader who steps forward to make this treay with Israel that is suppose to last seven ears, but as we know will only last three and a half years. Because even as the Antichrist signs this treaty he has no intention of keeping it once he has gained enough power to come against Israel and destroy her.
After signing this peace treaty the Antichrist is then going to turn his attention to gaining more control and power in his region of the world and over the world in general. He will do this by building up his power base in Babylon as well as either invading or taking over the oil-rich countries of the Middle East and Saudi Arabia in particular. This will five him and his followers control of the world’s economies.
We’re going to stop there this morning and next week we will pick up with verse 25 and continue from there.
Sermon Sources:
The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, King James Version. Edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. AMG Publishers. Chattanooga, TN. Copyright 1991.
The Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible, New International Version. Edited by Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D. AMG Publishers. Chattanooga, TN. Copyright 1996.
The Holy Bible. English Standard Version. Wheaton, IL. Crossway Bibles. Copyright 2002.
Larkin, Rev. Clarence. The Book of Daniel. Clarence Larkin Estate, Glenside, PA. Copyright 1929.
Stone, Dr. Perry. The Antichrist Fact File. Two-hour VHS teaching. Copyright 2003. www.perrystone.org.
Stone, Dr. Perry. Israel and the Battle of Gog and Magog. Two-hour VHS teaching. Copyright 2007. www.perrystone.org.
Stone, Dr. Perry. Daniel:Unlocking the Secrets of the Scroll. Two-hour VHS teaching. Copyright 2007. www.perrystone.org.
Stone, Dr. Perry. Unleashing the Beast. Book. Cleveland, TN. Pathway Press and the Voice of Evangelism. Copyright 2003.
Strong, James. Abingdon’s Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible with the Exclusive Key-Word Comparison. Nashville, TN. Copyright 1980.
