Andy Almendarez
AAre We in the End Times?@
Daniel 11:36-12:3
We will be studying the final vision recorded in the book of Daniel. This vision pictures
what will affect Daniel’s people? Describing the events in the last days, for this vision refers to many days that are to come. In the introduction of the opening of this vision, there is a glimpse of spiritual warfare. Angelic forces standing together, Angelic forces helping each other, such forces affecting the nations of Persia and Greece. As the vision unfolds, a series of future conflicts involving nations is described between the Persians and the Greeks. Between kings of the South (Egypt) and kings of the North (Syria). In this conflict, Israel would be caught in the middle. Israel would suffer extreme blasphemies by one Syrian king (Antiochus Epiphanes).
Beginning with Dan 11:36, there is a large diversity of opinion. Regarding the identity of the king described in Dan 11:36-45. The time in which events described in Dan 11:36 12:13 would be fulfilled. In this study, on the Book of Daniel, I will offer what I believe is a good explanation of the text.
I. THE KING WILL EXALT HIMSELF (vs. 11:36-39)
The time of the end leaps forward in the prophecy from Antiochus Epiphanes to the Antichrist. We move now from the history of that day into that which is yet in the future. The entire prophecy was in the future when Daniel gave it. Some of it lies now in history and some lies yet in the future.
At this point history ends and prophecies begin. The text passes from a vile person to a vicious character, moving over a bridge of unmeasured time. Antiochus Epiphanes was certainly a contemptible person, but he could not measure up to the king described in verses 36-39. Antiochus was a foreshadowing of Antichrist.
There will be a political Antichrist, the one who is mentioned here, a Gentile raised out of the Roman Empire. There will also be a religious Antichrist who will pretend to be Christ and who will arise out of the land of Israel. He will be like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Antichrist is given many names in Scripture. He is also portrayed in a number of different ways.
This king will do whatever he wants. Antichrist is self-willed. This is the exact opposite of our Loving Jesus Christ who said, ABy myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me@ (John 5:30). This king will lift himself up above all others. The little horn (the name given to Antichrist in ch. 7) tries to be a big horn. Again, how unlike our Loving Jesus this is! Paul wrote of him: AYour attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!@ (Phil. 2:5-8). This king will think he is the king of kings and the lord of lords. In 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Paul wrote of the Antichrist: AHe will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.@
It is blasphemous rebellion against God which marks the willful king as the final and logical expression of humanism. He is the typical representative of that which is against God and that which is our old nature: Athe sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.@ (Rom. 8:7-8). The carnal mind of men will turn to the Antichrist. When men choose their own rulers and leaders, what kind of man do they choose? Generally it is one who is like they are, and that is the reason we are getting such sorry leaders in the world today. The leadership of the world is frightful it is the kind of leadership we picked out. God told us early on that he would give us what we wanted when it came to those whom we wanted to govern our earthly affairs.
This king will not worship the gods of his fathers. It has been assumed from this statement that Antichrist would have to be an Israelite. However, this statement could refer to a Protestant, a Roman Catholic, or a pagan. Wherever he comes from, he will not regard the God of his fathers. We have examples of this in history. A man named Smith. The head of the now defunct organization, the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, was the son of a Methodist minister, and Stalin at one time studied in a theological seminary.
Many believe that the fulfillment of the Antichrist will come in the guise of one person. However, in my studies, I believe that it takes two men to fulfill this office, and they are both presented in chapter 13 of Revelation. This first one is a political ruler who comes out of the Roman Empire. He is the one who doesn’t have to be an Israelite at all. The second beast that arises is a religious leader, and he imitates Christ, this is that man that I and many commentators believe to be an Israelite.
This king will have no desire for anything to do with the Messiah. In the second part of verse 37 it says "or for the one desired by women." This refers evidently to the desire of Hebrew women to be the mother of the Messiah. Not only will the Lord Jesus Christ be absolutely rejected, He will become the enemy. Antichrist leads a rebellion against God and Christ. Psalm 2 put it: "The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. ALet us break their chains," they say, Aand throw off their fetters@(Ps. 2:2-3).
This king will become the god of all. That means very plainly that he will oppose all religions and worship, except worship of himself. He is not only a believer in the ecumenical movement, but he promotes it; in fact, he is it. One religion for one world will be his motto, and he is that religion.
When he exalts himself as king of kings and lord of lords, this is the final fruition of the selfish will of this willful king. His total ambition is self-adulation.
This is the frightful prospect of the final days of the Great Tribulation Period: "He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." (Rev. 13:15-17). You will not be able to go to a restaurant to eat or buy a ticket on a plane or train without the mark of the beast. I tell you that it is going to be dictatorship with a vengeance!
His god will be a god of fortresses. It is true that we are living in a day, in which man is increasingly making gods out of forces, but that is not what Daniel is saying here. AWe know from pagan mythology that both Cybele and Diana are variously represented as crowned with multi tiered crowns, plainly setting forth the idea of fortification with turrets, battlements, and so forth@ (Newell 178). I=m sure you have seen pictures of these pagan idols with their multi tiered crowns with all kinds of fortresses on them which represent the kingdoms of this world. Antichrist will honor the god of fortresses who has the kingdoms of the world. Who is that? Well, it was Satan who offered to Christ. The kingdoms of this world, and our Lord rejected his offer. Apparently, Satan had a right to make that offer. Antichrist will accept the offer and become the world’s dictator. We are told in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13:4 that Antichrist will accept worship and will have the world worshiping Satan in that day. All the kingdoms of the world will be under his rulership, the first truly worldwide dictatorship.
This is going to be Satan’s hour. He will make the most of it, as he knows his time is short. "Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." (Rev. 12:12). Antichrist will be the pliant tool to completely do the will of Satan in that day. He will rule over many people and dispose of property as he pleases. He is the willful king and the final world dictator.
II. THE EVENTS AT THE END (vs. 11:40-45)
This is the time of the end not the end of time. It is the end which Daniel has had in mind throughout this section. The last days of the nation Israel. Which, Jesus labeled the Great Tribulation. The time right before Jesus returns.
The king of the south more than likely means one of the rulers of Egypt, but it is impossible for us to identify him. Actually, Egypt has not had a native ruler for years. God has done a very good job of putting over that nation the most evil rulers. However, this one who is going to arise at the time of the end will probably unite all of Africa as no leader of Egypt has ever been able to do, and he will come against Antichrist.
The king of the north that is mentioned is more easily identifiable. This will be the one who takes the place of the Seleucidic dynasty. Most commentators equate this to be Gog and Magog mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39. If this view is true then the king of the north is Russia. Russia will open the campaign of The Armageddon which will not be just a battle, but an entire war. At the very beginning, the king of the north will be eliminated as God moves in judgment upon that nation.
The entrance of Russia into Palestine precipitates the great crisis and conflict of the Great Tribulation Period. When Antichrist enters Palestine, that is, Athe Beautiful Land@ he will find that, he is going to have trouble with Edom, Moab, and Ammon. That is the territory where the sons of Ishmael, the Arabs, are today. He is going to have trouble with them, for a while at least. Egypt and the king of the south will yield to the Antichrist.
The Antichrist will have control of the wealth of the world. He will control the money markets of the world. Libya and Ethiopia will surrender to him and he will control Africa.
The east will begin to make noises that trouble the king. This is an allusion to the great hordes that are expected to come out of China. The multibillion man armies. The entire world will tremble and there will be none left in this world. Those believers who are here at the time will have only the hope of Christ.
The king will set himself up between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. He will be in the shadow of Mount Zion. He thinks he will be able to bring about victory and continue his rule from this vantage point. Yet this is where he will meet his demise.
Evil will have taken over, and only in the personal coming of Christ to establish his kingdom will any on this earth be delivered and saved.
III. THE ULTIMATE VICTORY (vs. 12:1-3)
Chapter 12 now concludes the vision which began back in chapter 10. This is all one vision, and everything about it must fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The problem is that some people dip into this prophecy here and there, making applications as they see fit. We need to remember that this is all one vision, and we were told concerning it: "Now 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" (Dan. 10:14). There are three important things that we note from this verse:
1. "Your people" means that it concerns the nation Israel after the church is removed from the earth.
2. It is "in the future." The latter days of the Old Testament are identified with the last days of the New Testament which the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period and which commentators believe corresponds to the Seventieth Week of Daniel.
3. "For the vision concerns a time yet to come." That it is there will be a long time before all of this is worked out and before you come to the latter days. It has been a long time since Daniel had these visions, in fact, at least twenty-five hundred years have gone by. Whether we are moving into these days or we are in the midst of them I do not know. Some commentators believe the church will have to be removed first. That is the next happening in the program of God. We have no date set for that or no sign set for that. This would lead me to believe from my studies that the church is not removed as some would think in the Word of God there is more evidence for the church universal to play a large part in this time of history.
Why do we call this period the Great Tribulation Period? This is what Jesus called it. He used the same language in speaking of the Great Tribulation that Daniel uses here. He said that this would be a brief period, a time of trouble, and that there would never be a time like it before or afterward. This is the time the Lord Jesus called the Great Tribulation Period. He knew what he was talking about, so how can we argue with what he said (Matt. 24:15-26).
"At that time" identifies the time frame as the time of the end (Dan. 11:35, 40; 12:4) and the latter days (Dan. 10:14). This is now the end of the vision given to Daniel, and it ends with the Great Tribulation Period. Dr. Robert Culver believes that this seems to indicate eschatological times (166). I do not feel that this evidence, taken by itself, can be pressed too far, for obviously the end of whatever series of events is in the mind of the author is designated by the expression, "time of the end. This is not necessarily a series reaching onto the consummation of all time. However, it is quite clear from 10:14, which fixes the scope of the prophecy to include the latter days’, that the ’time of the end’ in this prophecy is with reference to the period consummated by the establishment of the Messianic kingdom."
"Michael" is identified for us here. He is the only angel, given the title of archangel (Jude 9). His name means "who is like unto God?" He is the one who is going to cast Satan out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9). He is the one who protects the nation Israel and stands in her behalf, as Daniel makes clear here. His strategy is outlined by John in Revelation 12:14-16.
"Protects your people." This is positively the nation Israel. Otherwise, the language has no meaning whatsoever.
"There will be a time of distress." This is the Great Tribulation Period as our Lord has spoken of in Matthew 24:21.
The believing remnant of Israel will be preserved (Matt. 24:22; Rom. 11:26; Rev. 7:4). "Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel."(Rev. 7:4).
"Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt"(Dan 12:2). The remnant of Israel living in the Great Tribulation Period will be preserved, and many Gentiles who are to be saved during that time also will enter in with Jesus. Those of the Old Testament who died belonging to the remnant and the Gentiles saved during the Old Testament will be raised to everlasting life at the end of the Great Tribulation.
The Old Testament saints are not raised at the Rapture of the church. Scripture clearly states that at the Rapture those "We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him@ (1Thess. 4:14). Only, AFor the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thess. 4:16). We are in Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit which began on the Day of Pentecost and will end at the Rapture. This particular body of believers is called the church. We are told in 1Corinthians 12:12-13, "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body
whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." Christ told his disciples who were members of the nation Israel that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit and put into the body of believers, the church AFor John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit@ (Acts 1:5).
When the church is raptured out of the world, the Old Testament saints will not yet be raised. Why? Because the time to enter the kingdom is at the end of the Great Tribulation Period when Christ comes to establish his kingdom on the earth. Then the Old Testament saints will be raised. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will all be raised to enter the kingdom on this earth at that time. However, this theory only works if you believe that the church will escape the "time of distress." However, Scripture makes it clear that they will be raised at the end of the Great Tribulation. Whatever that time frame may be.
"Others to shame and everlasting contempt" refers to the lost of the Old Testament who are raised for the Great White Throne judgment at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:11-15).
God’s servants in the dark days of the Great Tribulation will shine as lights. Believers are to do the same thing today, by the way. ASo that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe@ (Phil. 2:15). The remnant in that day will be God’s witness in the world, and they are going to bring many to salvation. That salvation is Christ, the only way which men can be saved.
Works Cited
Butler, Trent C. Holman Bible Dictionary. Nashville: Holman, 1997.
Culver, Robert Duncan. Daniel and the Latter Days. Chicago: Moody, 1979.
Douglas, J. D. Zondervan=s New International Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
Gregg, Steve. Revelation Four Views A Parallel Commentary. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2001.
Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study Bible (NIV). Chattanooga: AMG, 2000.
Longman, Tremper III. ADaniel.@ The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001.
Pentecost, J. Dwight. ADaniel.@ The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Colorado Springs: Eds. Walvoord, John F. & Roy B. Zuck. Chariot Victor, 1997.
- - - Things to Come. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1965.
Radmacher, Earl. ADaniel.@ Nelson=s New Illustrated Bible Commentary. Nashville: Nelson, 2000.
Reflecting God Study Bible (NIV). Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.
Ryken, Leland ed. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2000.
Shepherd, David R. ADaniel.@ Shepherd=s Notes. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2000.
