END TIME STUDY--Pt.22

Chapter 11 of Daniel continues the dialogue between Daniel and the Messenger. Jesus tells Daniel about the near future then He takes Daniel on a journey to the rise of the Antichrist and the end of the age culminating with the gathering (rapture) of all those found in the Book of Life.

Messenger begins to disclose the power kingdoms that soon would rise to power. He states that there would be three more Kings rising up in Persia. The first of these would be Cambyses II who rose to power six years after Daniel received this prophecy after Cyrus dies in a battle in 530BC. Cambyses II would rule until 522BC when Darius I would rise to power, and he would rule until 486BC. Then Xerxes I would reign until 464BC. Then the Messenger speaks of a fourth King rising up who would be "far richer than" all the others. This king was Darius IV. His great wealth, great power and his lust for more power led to a delusion of grandeur which led him to "stir up all against the realm of Grecia" which would be against Alexander the Great.

Verse three is speaking of Alexander the Great who would rout the Persian army. He was the male goat with the "conspicuous horn" that would rule the world in Daniel chapter 8. He would rule from 334BC to 333BC until his untimely death due to a great fever. Then, as Daniel eight states, his empire was divided into four kingdoms, and none of his own would rule the empire. "His kingdom shall be broken and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven."(v.4) All of this happened some 200 years after the Messenger reveals it to Daniel. This proves the accuracy of Scripture. Everything happened just as Daniel recorded it would.

Verses five through twenty of chapter eleven deal with the nations of the South; Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia, as well as the nations of the north Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey. These verses also follow various intermarriages and wars between Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire. Since our subject matter is focused on the end times we will not go in depth in looking at these verses. But may I say that Daniel recorded these events that history has proven them to be exactly as he stated hundreds of years before they occurred. If he was accurate on these events, it only leads one to believe the end-time events he spoke of will occur with the same accuracy.

Old school thought attributes verses 21 through 34 to the reign of Antiochus IV (175-163BC)who obtained his rule by flattery (v.21). He desolated the Temple by boiling a pig and sprinkling the broth throughout the Temple in Jerusalem. He sacrificed a pig on the brazen altar. He then consecrated the Temple to Jupiter Olympious (v. 31). Now that "knowledge has been increased" (12:4), theologians now understand that these verses are referring to the end of the age and the Antichrist. We see in verses 21 to 24 that the Antichrist will come to power while speaking peace and safety--flatteries (v.21). Remember, I Thes.5:3 tells us that one of the signs of the end time is that there will be those who are proclaiming peace and safety when destruction is at the door. "For when they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with a child, and they shall not escape (I Thes.5:3)."

As we have seen in Daniel 9:27 the Antichrist will make a seven-year treaty with Israel which begins the Tribulation period, and he breaks this treaty 3 1/2 years after it is ratified. He then will stop the daily sacrifices at the Temple in Jerusalem (v. 31).

When verse 24 says, "he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father's fathers," I believe we are given another hint as to where the Antichrist shall come from. The language used here referring to "his fathers" is a terminology used almost exclusively among the Jewish people and the direct descendents of Abraham. For example, the Middle Eastern people always refer to the religious actions of their "fathers" by such terms as, "Return to the land of thy fathers." My fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." "The God of your fathers has sent me." "The Lord God of your fathers." "Which the Lord swore unto thy fathers." "For I spoke unto your fathers." "Which I commanded your fathers." "Covenant which I made with your fathers." "Because your fathers have forsaken me." "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus." Etc. etc.

Because of Jewish traditions, as well as those who descended from Ishmael, of referring to their "fathers" of their faith, the Antichrist is here referring to at least three generations in verse 24 and even further back in his family tree. This is a terminology of the descendants of Abraham, including those of Ishmael. We must remember that Israel is still looking for her Messiah to come and establish His kingdom on earth. A Messiah who will come from the root of David, from the tribe of Judah (Gen.49:10; Is.11:10; Rom.15;12; Rev.5:5;&22:16). Before they acknowledge someone as their Messiah he must prove that he is of the lineage of David, the tribe of Judah. Does this mean that the Antichrist will be Jewish? Not necessarily. This only means that he must have the ancestry of a Jew from the tribe of Judah. And remember this could be centuries back in his family tree. The Jewish Messiah not only has to prove his ancestry but he must also be perceived as a prophet sent by God.

"The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethern. Him you shall hear.---I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethern, and will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him." (Deut.18:15,17,18)

The Antichrist will appear to be speaking on behalf of God with great wisdom and signs, miracles and wonders confirming his words. The Jews will see this as proof that this is the long-awaited Messiah. He will speak flattering words to the Jews and with his ability to broker peace in the Middle East he will be received as the Prince of peace (Is.9:6). The Jews will see the "government upon his shoulders" (Is.9:6) as he becomes recognized as a world political leader. The Antichrist will appear to fulfill the prophecies pertaining to the Messiah right down to his establishing his kingdom on earth. He will convince the Jews that he wants only the best for them while all along plotting their demise.

For the Jews to accept the Antichrist as their Messiah he must also have a forerunner. "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a highway for our God." (Is.40:3) "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." (Mal.4:5).In these sriptures we see where a forerunner is prophesied to come before "the dreadful day of the Lord." In John 1:19-28 we see where the priests and the Levites questioned John as to whether he was the one prophesied to lead the way for the Messiah. He said he wasn't Elijah nor the Prophet but he said he was, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord." (John 1:23) John was the one sent to prepare the way for the Lord's ministry among men. But since the Jews did not accept Jesus as their Messiah,they are still looking for a forerunner as well as their Messiah. Thus enters the false prophet (Rev.13:11-17; 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). The false prophet will lead the way for the Antichrist to be worshipped and followed. Then the real spirit behind Antichrist will be revealed and the Jews will see him for what he is, but it will be too late. They have no recourse but to "flee to the mountains." (Matt.24:16)

Verse 37 of Daniel 11 further substantiates this line of thought pertaining to the Antichrist. "Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers." The word "God" is from the Hebrew word, "Eloyiym" which is the plural for God or gods. It is the name used for God in the creation story in the book of Genesis, "let us make man in our image." (Gen. 1:26). Again, this is language used among the descendants of Abraham. The Antichrist will respect no God, especially the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, "for he shall magnify himself above all."

So we see from the book of Daniel that the Antichrist will most likely come from, or come to power from, Shushan (Dan.8:2), which is modern-day Susa in Iran. He will be a direct descendant of Abraham. His family tree will include the tribe of Judah. Although he has Jewish roots he will be a follower of the Islamic faith. He will use Islamic radicals as his enforces. The Islamic faith will see him as their Messiah, the long-awaited twelveth Iman--the Madhi. The Jews will see him as their long-awaited Messiah. The true followers of God will know him as the Antichrist. Keep your eyes on the Middle East for this leader to rise up. I believe he is alive right now!