The Antichrist
The most mentioned end times character in the Word of God, besides the Lord Jesus Christ, is the Antichrist. The book of Daniel records the great majority of the information given about this wicked and notorious enemy of God beginning with king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who is a type of the Antichrist.
He, Nebuchadnezzar, had an image built and demanded the then known world to bow down and worship the image or be put to death:
“Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falls not down and worships shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” (Daniel 3:4-6)
This same tactic will be utilized by the Antichrist and implemented by his worship enforcer the false prophet:
“And he [the false prophet] had power to give life [spirit/breath] unto the image of the beast [the Antichrist], that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” (Revelation 13:15)
The Antichrist himself is also literally introduced in the book of Daniel:
“I considered the horns [ten horns of the fourth beast/Roman empire], and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” (Daniel 7:8)
The “little horn” who comes up among the ten horns of the fourth beast is the Antichrist. His rise, rule and subsequent ruin are thoroughly detailed beginning here in chapter seven:
“I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” (Daniel 7:11)
Daniel inquires of the meaning of what he saw in this vision, focusing upon the fourth beast, the ten horns and the little horn:
“Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast…And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows.” (Daniel 7:19, 20)
Daniel continues to look:
“I beheld and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:21, 22)
He then receives a full, specific answer to his inquiry:
“The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another [the little horn/Antichrist] shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they [the saints] shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But, the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart.” (Daniel 7:23-28)
Daniel’s first vision provides specific and detailed information concerning the three phases of the Antichrist’s time upon earth:
I. The Rise of the Antichrist (Daniel 7:7, 8, 11)
1. He rises from the fourth beast/Roman Empire.
2. He rises after the ten horns/kings.
3. He is called the "little horn" and "the beast".
4. He has eyes like a man and mouth speaking great things.
5. He comes up among the ten horns/kings.
II. The Rule of the Antichrist (Daniel 7:8b, 21, 24, 25)
1. He subdues three of these ten kings.
2. He speaks great [boastful] words against the most High.
3. He makes war [global] with the saints.
4. He prevails against them and they are given into his hand for
a time, times and dividing of time [3-1/2 years).
5. He is diverse/different than the ten kings.
6. He is more stout/opposing than the ten kings.
7. He shall think to change times and laws.
III. The Ruin of the Antichrist (Daniel 7:11, 26, 27)
1. He shall have his dominion taken away, to consume and
destroy it unto the end.
2. He is ultimately slain, his body destroyed and given to the
burning flame.
3. He is destroyed just before the kingdom and dominion is given
to the people of the saints of the most High.
Chapter seven, Daniel’s introductory vision, is global in scope, applying to both Jew and Gentile and provides the necessary framework for the end times and the remainder of the book of Daniel, with the Antichrist and his actions being the primary focal point.
Most of the first chapters of Daniel’s prophecy are written in Aramaic/Chaldee (Daniel 2:4-7:28) and are mainly historical narrative except for chapter seven, which applies to the saints worldwide who are rescued by the Rapture when the Great Tribulation is shortened (Matthew 24:21-31).
The second of Daniel’s visions in chapter eight is written in Hebrew as are the remaining two visions in chapters nine and ten through twelve. These three visions specifically focus upon Israel and her people. The vision in chapter eight begins by describing a ram and a he goat symbolizing two kingdoms. The ram is the kingdom of the Medes and Persians, being overcome by the he goat, the kingdom of Greece. The he goat having a “notable horn” refers to Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:2-7).
When he [Alexander] dies: “The great horn was broken” (Daniel 8:8a) and his kingdom is divided into four parts “toward the four winds of heaven” (Daniel 8:8b). “And out of one of them came forth a little horn [the Antichrist] which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land [Israel].” (Daniel 8:9)
“The little horn” comes “out of one of them” indicating one of the four divisions which are part of the previous ten horns and the Roman Empire. The detail of Daniel 8:1-9 is given in order to accurately pinpoint the country from which the Antichrist will rise with the choice coming from one of the “four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven”.
The Antichrist will come from one of these “four kingdoms...in the latter time [end of days] of their kingdoms” (Daniel 8:22, 23) being clearly interpreted by the angel. These four countries are from the kingdom of Alexander the Great when upon his death it was divided into Syria (North), Egypt (South), Turkey/Armenia (East), Greece (West). Their locations are given in respect to the land of Israel.
In chapter eleven the Antichrist is identified as “the [last] king of the north” (Daniel 11:21-45) indicating he will rise from the present-day country of Syria which should be no surprise as Assyria of old was one of Israel’s major adversaries just as it continues to be today.
Isaiah prophesied indicating this truth:
“Therefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O My people that dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian [Antichrist]: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt. For yet a very little while, and the indignation shall cease, and My anger in their destruction. And the LORD of hosts shall stir up a scourge for him [Antichrist] according to the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb: and as His rod was upon the sea, so shall He lift it up after the manner of Egypt. And it shall come to pass in that day [Day of the Lord], that his [Antichrist] burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” (Isaiah 10:24-27)
“The LORD of hosts hath sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought, so shall it come to pass, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand. That I will break the Assyrian [Antichrist] in My land, and upon My mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them [Israel], and his burden depart from off their shoulders. This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations. For the LORD of hosts hath purposed, and who shall disannul it? And His hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?” (Isaiah 14:24-26)
“For in that day [Day of the Lord] every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin. Then shall the Assyrian [Antichrist] fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the LORD, Whose fire is in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 31:7-9)
Micah the prophet, a contemporary of Isaiah, also prophesied concerning the future demise of the Antichrist:
“And this Man [Messiah] shall be the peace, when the Assyrian [Antichrist] shall come into our land: and when he shall tread within our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds and eight principal men. And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall He [Messiah] deliver us from the Assyrian, when he comes into our land, and when he treads within our borders.” (Micah 5:5, 6)
But first of all, here in Daniel chapter eight, the Antichrist’s actions are more specifically defined as they apply to Israel:
“And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. Yea, he magnified himself even to the Prince of the host, and by [from] Him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered.” (Daniel 8:10-12)
The extent of the Satanically empowered Antichrist’s greatness is described as “even to the host of heaven” when he will, as Satan’s instrument “cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground” which is also recorded in Revelation:
“And he [dragon/Satan] drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.”
(Revelation 12:4)
His self-magnification reaches “even to the Prince [the Lord Jesus Christ] of the host” as the Antichrist will stop the daily sacrifice and set up his image in “the place [the holy place] of His [the Lord’s] sanctuary”. He is given “an host…by reason of transgression” which may indicate some of the angelic host of heaven being given over to the Antichrist for a time. The first reference to the renown “abomination of desolation” occurs here in Daniel’s vision of chapter eight, with the purpose of this vision focusing upon the Antichrist, his Actions and the Actual Time his actions will have effect.
In (v.1-8) unfolds The Ascertaining of His Country, (v.9) The Ascendancy of the Antichrist, and (v.10-14) indicates The Actual Time/Actions of the Antichrist. Although the introduction of this vision includes the rise and fall of certain kingdoms from a long past era, the timeframe and emphasis of this revelation is “the time of the end...the last end [Ack-ah-reeth’] of the indignation” (Daniel 8:17, 19) indicating exactly when all of these events will take place.
The Hebrew word pronounced Ack-ah-reeth’ is found in the Old Testament over sixty times. It is used numerous times to indicate the last days/latter days/time of the end/end of days, beginning with this proclamation given by the patriarch Jacob:
“And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last days.” (Genesis 49:1)
Moses also utilized this same word:
“When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days , if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shall be obedient unto His voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God) He will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which He sware unto them.” (Deuteronomy 4:30, 31)
The prophet Isaiah describes the future time of the Millennium using this same term:
“And it shall come to pass in the last days , that the mountain of the LORD’S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it.” (Isaiah 2:2)
Ezekiel’s end times prophecy also records this word twice:
“After many days thou [Gog] shall be visited: in the latter years thou shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have always been waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them…And thou [Gog] shall come up against My people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against My land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sancified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes.” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16)
Two of the most significant instances of this Hebrew word are found in the prophecy of Daniel when this word is used to indicate exactly when the information Daniel was given in two of his visions will come to pass:
“And he [Gabriel] said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.” (Daniel 8:19)
This vision in Daniel chapter eight applies to the future “time of the end” as Gabriel also indicated earlier:
“So he [Gabriel] came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision.” (Daniel 8:17)
In Daniel’s last vision he once again is told:
“Now I [the angel] am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days.” (Daniel 10:14)
It is clear from the text that the information given to Daniel in these two visions applies to those future days at the time of the end. While some interpret much of these two important end times visions as completed history, Daniel was explicitly told without exception that these visions would come to pass:
“At the time of the end…at the last end of the indignation…in the latter days.” (Daniel 8:17, 18, 10:14)
The information given in Daniel 8:9-14, 23-26 and 11:21-45 pertains to future events which will occur during the latter days/time of the end. This is the literal and therefore the most accurate interpretation of these two visions for the following reasons:
1. The text explicitly indicates “the time of the end” as the specific
time these two visions will be fulfilled which is the only evidence
required in order to apply these visions to that future time.
2. The Word of God alone is all that is necessary to know God’s plan
for“the time of the end“ (knowledge of ancient history is not a
primary prerequisite for understanding God’s truth)
3. There is no reason to record centuries of ancient history not clearly
interpreted by the angel in order to illuminate the focus of the text
which is "the time of the end".
4. The same feature in the text divides past history from the future
"time of the end" in both visions:
a. “Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was
strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four
notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.” (Daniel 8:8)
b. “And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and
shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven.” (Daniel 11:4)
5. Both visions then unfold information pertaining to the time of the
end and the Antichrist:
a. Chapter eight immediately details specifics concerning the
Antichrist (Daniel 8:9-12, 23-26).
b. Chapter eleven includes two “king[s] of the north”
(Daniel 11:5-20) just prior to the Antichrist’s
description(Daniel 11:21-45).
6. The interpretation of the visions given to Daniel by the angel
providing the actual names of the pertinent countries is the only
ancient history necessary to understand these two visions:
“The ram which thou saw having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Greece: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.” (Daniel 8:20-22)
“And now I will show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.” (Daniel 11:2-4)
7. Both of these visions begin with and refer to this same initial
historical sequence. Their primary purpose is to clearly indicate
the Antichrist’s country of origin:
“And out of one of them [four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven] came forth a little horn [Antichrist] which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.” (Daniel 8:9)
8. “The abomination of desolation” referred to by the Lord Jesus
Christ (Matthew 24:15) is recorded only once in the Daniel
chapter eight vision indicating the end times actions of the
Antichrist at the mid-point of the 70th Week (Daniel 9:27):
“Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down.” (Daniel 8:11)
9. This same “abomination of desolation” is only indicated once
in the Daniel 11:5-45 sequence:
“And arms [forces] shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and shall place the abomination that makes desolate.” (Daniel 11:31)
a. There is only one personage recorded in Daniel chapter eight
after the introductory history. There is no break in the narrative
given in Daniel 11:5-45 in order for the three “kings of the
north” to be separated by an interval of time.
b. The country which the three “king(s) of the north” (Daniel
11 5-45) rule over, north of Israel, is present-day Syria, which is
one of those four kingdoms “divided toward the four winds of
heaven”.
c. Daniel 11:5-45, which chronicles the activities of the three
"king[s] of the north", is referring to three rulers of Syria.
10. The last “king of the north” is responsible for the only mention of
the “abomination of desolation” in chapter eleven revealing that
he, the last king of the north, is the renown time of the end
Antichrist.
The Antichrist’s involvement with the “daily sacrifice” begins after he confirms a covenant with the Jews, at the beginning of the 70th Week (Daniel 9:27), and continues 2300 days or “evenings and mornings”
(Daniel 8:14).
Just exactly what his involvement will include is not clearly specified. However, he may preside over it, possibly taking a position of authority regarding the Jews temple worship after 220 days, or a little over seven months, after confirming the existing covenant at the beginning of the 70th Week of Daniel.
After this time, the host and regular sacrifice will be given over to the Antichrist lasting for the next 1040 days with the culmination of his evil influence coming at the mid-point of the 70th Week. Then his forces stop the regular sacrifice and pollute the sanctuary by setting up his image in the holy place for the remaining 1260 days of the 70th Week which is the “abomination of desolation” indicated by the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:15).
Some apply the vision in chapter eight to the history of Antiochus Epiphanes, an historic type of the Antichrist, who desecrated the temple during his assault upon the Jews and their worship during the second century B.C. But, Gabriel, who interpreted the vision for Daniel, clearly states exactly when this vision will come to pass:
“O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision...Behold I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.” (Daniel 8:17, 19)
In addition, there are three events mentioned in this vision that were not fulfilled in the second century B.C. by Antiochus Epiphanes:
1. He did not "cast down some of the host and of the stars to the
ground, and stamped upon them." (Daniel 8:10)
2. He did not "magnify himself even to Prince of the host/stand up
against Prince of princes" (Daniel 8:11, 25)
3. He was not "broken without hand [Human agency: NASB]." (Daniel 8:25)
These three events are prophesied and will occur during the end times:
1. “And his [Great red dragon/Satan] tail drew the third part of the
stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth.” (Revelation 12:4)
2. The Antichrist will open “his mouth in blasphemy against God, to
blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven” (Revelation 13:6) fulfilling the second event.
3. The Antichrist will “be broken without hand.” (Daniel 2:34, 35; Revelation 19:20)
This passage recording the 2300 days the Antichrist is involved with the “daily sacrifice” indicates he may, early on during the 70th Week of Daniel, have an integral position of authority regarding the Jews worship and possibly preside over the “evening and morning” or “regular sacrifice”.
Daniel 8:12 gives the reason the Antichrist is given this opportunity:
“And on account of transgression the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling truth to the ground and perform its will and prosper.” NASB
This verse not only gives the cause for the Antichrist’s intrusive ability to invade these sacred areas, but it also underlines the two events that will occur during those 1040 days prior to the “abomination of desolation” which occurs at the mid-point of the 70th Week:
1. The host will be given over to the horn [During the1040 days]
2. The regular sacrifice will also be given over to the horn [During the1040 days]
These two actions occur because of sin, transgression in particular, a word that emphasizes the settled attitude of open and full rebellion against God. This is the same word used in Daniel 9:24, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and thy holy city, to finish the transgression”, describing the first reason the Lord has decreed these 70 weeks or 490 years.
The Lord Jesus Christ spoke of this last and most blatant rejection
of the Messiah and reception of the Antichrist by the Jews:
“I am come in My Fathers name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.” (John 5:43)
The majority of Jews will in fact continue to reject the Lord Jesus Christ and embrace the Antichrist, just as their Caesar of old (John 19:15). The final rejection of the Messiah, will be this transgression as the Jews: “have intelligence with” (Daniel 11:30) the Antichrist in open rebellion against God.
This transgression or rebellion by those who “forsake the holy covenant” (Daniel 11:30) will likely provide the Antichrist with the ability to intervene. The host will be given over to him, along with the regular sacrifice, eventually resulting in the stopping of the regular or daily sacrifice and his image being set up in the holy place at the mid-point of the 70th Week (Daniel 9:27).
One saint [holy one/angel] questions the length of time::
“How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:13, 14)
Daniel then receives the interpretation of the vision beginning with the time it will occur:
“Understand O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision…And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be.”
(Daniel 8:17, 19)
He is told exactly who the ram and the he goat represent
(Daniel 8:20-22), but, in the closing verses the emphasis again focuses upon the Antichrist:
“And in the latter time of their kingdom [Persia: Iran/Iraq and Greece], when the transgressors are come to the full [Have run their course], a king of fierce countenance [The Antichrist], and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [Jews]. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes [Lord Jesus Christ]; but he shall be broken without hand. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true; wherefore shut thou up the vision, for it shall be for many days.” (Daniel 8:23-26)
This second vision of Daniel uncovers additional detailed information concerning the Antichrist:
I. The Rise of the Antichrist (Daniel 8:9, 10)
1. He “the little horn” will come “Out of one of them” [The Four
divisions of Alexander’s kingdom]
2. He will wax exceeding great toward the south [Egypt], the east
[Turkey/Armenia] and toward the pleasant land [Israel]
3. He will even grow up to the host of heaven and cast some
of the host and of the stars down to the ground
II. The Rule of the Antichrist (Daniel 8:11, 12, 23-25)
1. He magnifies himself even to the Prince/Commander of the
host
2. He takes away His [Prince/Commander] daily sacrifice
3. He casts down the place of His [Prince/Commander]
sanctuary
4. He is given an host by reason of transgression
5. He casts down truth to the ground and practices and prospers
6. He causes the daily sacrifice to be stopped and implements
the transgression [abomination] of desolation
7. He treads under foot the sanctuary and the host for 2300 days
8. He is a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark
sentences
9. He shall be powerful but not of his own power [Satanic]
10. He shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [Israel]
11. He shall cause craft to prosper through his policy
12. He shall magnify himself in his heart
13. He shall destroy many by peace
III. The Ruin of the Antichrist (Daniel 8:25)
1. He shall stand up against the Prince of princes
[Lord Jesus Christ]
2. He shall be broken without hand [Human agency]
In chapter nine, after telling Daniel the truth concerning this coming one who will oppose God and end the regular sacrifice, the “little horn” of chapters seven and eight, also called the “king of fierce countenance” (Daniel 8:23), this same Antichrist “confirms the covenant for one week” (Daniel 9:27). He causes the daily sacrifice to cease at the mid-point of this week, which is the last week or seven years also known as the 70th Week of Daniel (Daniel 9:27).
The information supplied by these verses (Daniel 9:26b, 27) concerning the Antichrist appears to be minimal on the surface but in reality these few brief facts provide the information which supplies the bond of unity of Daniel’s visions and unfolds the crucial timing of the Antichrist’s actions and their key relationship to the nation of Israel at the time of the end.
I. The Rise of the Antichrist (Daniel 9:26b, 27a)
1. He is out of the Roman Empire.
2. He is "the prince that shall come".
3. He shall "confirm the covenant with [the] many [of Israel] for
one week [70th Week of Daniel]”.
II. The Rule of the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27b,c,d)
1. He shall "cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in the midst
of the week [70th Week of Daniel]".
2. He shall "make it [Holy place] desolate [because of] the
overspreading of abominations".
3. He shall "cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease...make it
[Holy place] desolate even until the consummation".
III. The Ruin of the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27e)
1. He shall come to his end
2. When "that determined is poured out upon the desolate"
After Daniel is told by the angel Gabriel of the “seventy weeks” that God “determined upon thy people [Israel] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem]” (Daniel 9:24) he was given both the purpose and the unfolding of this time period. The following three verses indicate how it would all come to God’s predetermined conclusion.
These four verses are some of the most quoted verses in Scripture dealing with eschatology, the doctrine of last things. They unfold the entire history of the nation of Israel from the day “the commandment” was given in 445 B.C. (Nehemiah 2:4-8) “to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince [The Lord Jesus Christ]” until His triumphant entry (Matthew 21:1-9) into Jerusalem.
Then the Messiah “shall be cut off” referring to His death on the Cross:
“The people [Romans] of the prince that shall come [Antichrist] shall destroy the city [Jerusalem] and the sanctuary [temple]; and the end shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war [A.D.70] desolations are determined.” (Daniel 9:26)
The last verse (Daniel 9:27) supplies the bulk of the information which applies to the Antichrist. Daniel 9:26 also underlines two important facts concerning the Antichrist: He is called the “prince that shall come” and is considered to be a representative of the Roman Empire [The fourth beast (Daniel 7)]. This same Roman Empire did in fact conquer all of the nations that made up the empire of Alexander the Great that was divided into four parts, from which the Antichrist eventually will rise.
The last, longest and most informative vision of Daniel is found in the last three chapters (Daniel 10-12) of the book. This vision was given to literally fill in the blanks for Daniel concerning the vision of chapter eight that he did not fully understand at the time it was given (Daniel 8:27).
Chapter ten is introductory and does not advance the vision’s timeline, but it is precious in content as it contains a majestic view of the Lord Jesus Christ and the effect it had upon the aged prophet (Daniel 10:5-9) for he is estimated to be in his late eighties at the time this last vision was given to him by God,
He speaks with the Lord during the remainder of the verses in this section (Daniel 10:10-17) and is strengthened by an angel at the close of this most informative chapter. It unveils the communication and warfare by the demonic princes of Persia and Greece against the angel and his only angelic ally “Michael your [Israel’s] prince” (Daniel 10:21).
This vision, like the two before it (Chapter 8 & 9), focuses upon Israel during the end times. The introductory information found in Daniel 10:1-11:1 is given to harmonize and couple with what had already been given in the previous visions and the prophetic truth Daniel would be given in the remainder of this great vision.
Beginning with (Daniel 11:2) the angel gives Daniel future information starting with the day the vision was given to him:
“And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all; and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece And a mighty king [Alexander] shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion that he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those.” (Daniel 11:2-4)
There would be three more Persian kings to come then the last would be conquered by Alexander and his kingdom would be divided into four parts, which is what Daniel was told in his second vision (Daniel 8:8). In chapter eight, immediately after these four divisions are recorded, the account moves to the end times, and the [Antichrist] “little horn” is introduced as coming out of one of these four divisions or countries.
In this last vision Alexander’s kingdom is “broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven” (Daniel 11:4). This repeats the same pattern of Daniel 8:8 and immediately the vision is fast-forwarded to the “time of the end”. Starting with Daniel 11:5 through the end of the chapter, this section chronicles the generations and conflicts of “the king of the south [Egypt]” with “the king of the north [Syria]”.
The last of these kings of the north (Daniel 11:21-45) is the same “little horn”, “king of fierce countenance” who is the Antichrist of the previous visions. This conclusion is based upon a comparison of the information given concerning the Antichrist in Daniel’s visions of chapters seven and eight compared with chapter eleven listed below: (7:25) “He shall speak great words against the most High”
(11:36)”He shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods”
(7:25) “He shall think to change times and laws”
(11:37) “Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers” etc.
(7:21, 22) “The same horn prevailed until the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.”
(11:36) “He shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished”
(8:9) He waxed great “Towards the pleasant land”
(11:41) “He shall enter also into the glorious land”
(8:17) “At the time of the end shall be the vision”
(11:40) “At the time of the end” etc.
(8:19) “In the last end of the indignation”
(11:36) “He shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished”
This brief comparison was taken from the commentary: “Tregelles on Daniel” pp.83 written by Dr. Samuel P. Tregelles LL.D. nearly a century and a half ago. He also records the repeated pattern in chapters eight and eleven of the four divisions of Alexander’s kingdom being immediately followed by time of the end prophecies concerning the Antichrist.
He contends that the subject matter in all of these visions is repeatedly said to be focused upon the time of the end as indicated by the text, and not merely centuries of history that have no bearing whatsoever upon the end times.
The brief historic content of Daniel’s visions interpreted by the angel was given only to illuminate, magnify and verify the future events concerning the nation of Israel and the actions of the Antichrist during the end times:
I. The Rise of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:20, 21)
1. He shall be a vile person
2. He shall not be given the honor of the kingdom
3. He shall come in peaceably
4. He shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries [intrigue]
5. He shall have the arms [forces] overflow from before him and
they shall be broken including the prince of the covenant
6. He shall work deceitfully after the league [covenant] is made
with him
7. He shall come up and become strong with a small people
[force]
8. He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest [richest] places
of the province [realm]
9. He shall do that which his fathers/ancestors have not done:
scatter the prey, and spoil and riches
10. He shall forecast his devices against the strongholds
II. The Rule of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:24-45)
1. He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of
the south with a great army, the king of the south shall be
stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army, but the
[King of the south] shall not stand for they shall forecast
devices against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his
meat shall destroy him, his army shall overflow: and many
shall fall down slain.
2. And both these kings’ [King of the north & king of the
south] hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak
lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall
be at the time appointed.
3. He [king of the north] shall return into his land with great
riches; and his heart shall be set against the holy covenant
4. He shall do exploits, and return to his own land [Syria]
5. He shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be
as the former, or as the latter
6. He shall be grieved for the ships of Chittim [Cyprus] shall
come against him
7. He shall return, and have indignation against the holy
covenant; so shall he do
8. He shall even return, and have intelligence with them [Jews]
that forsake the holy covenant
9. And arms [forces] shall stand on his part, and they shall
pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily
sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that makes
desolate
10. He shall corrupt by flatteries [smooth words] such as do
wickedly against the [holy] covenant
11. He shall do according to his will
12. He shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god
13. He shall speak marvelous [monstrous] things against the God
of gods
14. He shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for
that is determined to be done
15. He shall not regard the god of his fathers
16. He shall not regard the desire of women
17. He shall not regard any god
18. He shall magnify himself above all
19. He shall honor the god of forces
20. He shall honor with gold and silver and precious stones, and
pleasant things a god whom his fathers knew not
21. He shall honor this strange god in the most strong holds
22. He shall acknowledge and increase with glory this strange god
23. He shall cause them to rule over the many
24. He shall divide the land for gain
25. At the time of the end shall the king of the south push at
him and the king of the north shall come against him [king
of the south] like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with
horsemen, and with many ships
26. He shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass
over
27. He shall enter also into the glorious land [Israel] and many
countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of
his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the
children of Ammon
28. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and
the land of Egypt shall not escape
29. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver,
And over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans
And Ethiopians shall be at his step [follow at his heels]
30. He shall be troubled by tidings out of the East, out of the
North
31. He shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly make
many away
32. He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas
[Dead Sea & Mediterranean Sea] in the glorious holy
mountain [Mt. Zion/Jerusalem]
III. The Ruin of the Antichrist (Daniel 11:45b)
1. He shall come to his end
2. And no one shall help him
This vision unfolds the most detailed information concerning The Rise, Rule and Ruin of the Antichrist as Daniel 11:21-45 is wholly focused upon this notorious end times character.
He does not receive the kingdom honorably as those before him. Instead this despicable despot through intrigue in a time of peace seizes the throne. He practices deception; he devises schemes; he speaks lies; he turns on the Jews and the holy covenant; he utilizes smooth words to gain his way; he does as he pleases, magnifying himself, speaking blasphemous things against God; he shows no regard for the god of his fathers but instead magnifies himself above all gods; he is constantly in the midst of warfare, destroying and annihilating many. He is a formidable foe indeed, but, thank God, he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
While the book of Daniel definitely supplies the most detail concerning the Antichrist, the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ also provides many parallels to Daniel’s prophecy and much new information:
I. The Rise of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:1, 2a)
1. He shall rise up out of the sea. [Mass of people/Mediterranean Region]
2. He shall have seven heads. [Seven previous beast kingdoms]
3. He shall have ten horns [kings] and upon his horns ten crowns.
4. He shall have upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
5. He shall be called the beast.
6. He shall be like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of
a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.
II. The Rule of the Antichrist (Revelation 13:2b-8, 16:13, 14, 17:3-13)
1. He shall receive his power, seat [throne] and great authority
[right to rule] from the dragon [Satan].
2. He shall have one of his heads wounded to death; and his
deadly wound [miraculously] healed.
3. He shall be wondered after by all the world
4. He shall be worshipped by all the world
5. He shall be worshipped because of his warfare
invincibility.
6. He shall have a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies.
7. He shall have power [authority] given to him [by Satan] to
continue forty and two months [3-1/2 years].
8. He shall blaspheme the name of God, and His tabernacle, and
them that dwell in heaven.
9. He shall make war with the saints.
10. He shall overcome them.
11. He shall have [worldwide] authority given him [by Satan] over
all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
12. He shall be worshipped by all that dwell upon the earth, whose
names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain
from the foundation of the world.
13. He shall be one of the sources of unclean spirits as they
proceed out of his mouth during 6th vial judgment for they
are the spirits of devils, working miracles which go forth unto
the kings of the earth of the whole world to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty. [Armageddon]
14. He is the scarlet colored beast upon whom the woman, Mystery
Babylon [false religion/Romanism] sits.
15. He was and is not and yet is.
16. He shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition.
17. He shall be wondered at by them that dwell upon the earth,
whose names were not written in the book of life from the
foundation of the world.
18. He shall be the 8th in the series of kings of which five are
fallen, and one is [John’s day: Nero, the 6th], and the other
[Hitler, the 7th] is not yet come; and when he comes he must
continue a short space [approximately 7 years].
19. He [Antichrist] shall be given the power and strength of the
ten kings for one hour [brief period].
The False Prophet
I. The Rise of the False Prophet (Revelation 13:11)
1. He shall come up out of the earth
2. He shall have two horns like a lamb
3. He shall speak as a dragon
II. The Rule of the False Prophet (Revelation 13:12-18, 16:13, 14)
1. He shall exercise all the power [authority] of the first beast
2. He shall cause the earth and them that dwell therein to worship
the first beast whose deadly wound was healed.
3. He shall do great wonders making fire to come down from
heaven on the earth in the sight of men.
4. He shall deceive them that dwell on the earth by those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast.
5. He shall have an image of the beast made by them that dwell
on the earth.
6. He shall have the power to give life [spirit/breath] unto the
image of the beast that the image should both speak, and cause
that as many as would not worship the image of the beast
should be killed.
7. He shall cause all both small and great, rich and poor, free and
receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: that no
man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name
of the beast, or the number of his name which is 666
8. He shall also be one of the sources of unclean spirits as they
proceed out of his mouth during the 6th vial judgment for they
are the spirits of devils, working miracles which go forth unto
The kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them
to the battle of that great day of God Almighty [Armageddon]
III. The Ruin of the False Prophet & Antichrist (Revelation 19:19,20)
1. The beast [Antichrist] was taken and with him the false
prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he
deceived them that worshipped his image.
2. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with fire
and brimstone.
The information God supplies in His Word concerning His two end time archenemies, the Antichrist and the False Prophet, is unfolded in a certain pattern for our understanding. Although they will have supernatural authority and power given them by Satan, they are merely men whom Satan possesses having turned themselves over to him in order to perform his wicked purposes against God and all of humanity.
However, the bottom line concerning these two wicked characters is pronounced upon them repeatedly in the infallible Word of God:
1.“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Daniel 2:44)
2. “I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spoke: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.” (Daniel 7:11)
3. “But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.” (Daniel 7:26)
4. “He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.” (Daniel 8:25)
5.“And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate [desolator/Antichrist].”
(Daniel 9:27)
6. “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” (Daniel 11:45)
7. “And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him…These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Revelation 19:20)
Their end has been clearly prophesied in the inspired Word of God seven times over…they shall not escape their deserved judgment.
