Wednesday Bible Study Fellowship, August, 2008
The Antichrist
Daniel 11:36-45
Daniel 11, Part 3
Introduction: The last three chapters of Daniel (10, 11, 12) are the fourth vision of Daniel. Chapter 10 served as the introduction. Chapter 11 spoke about such minute prophecy in verses 1-35 that it has been attacked because it is so accurate. Surely it must be written as history, say liberal commentators! We believe, however, that Daniel, in the third year of Cyrus (536 B.C.), Daniel 10:1, gives us a clear picture of the Medes and Persians, the Greeks and Antiochus Epiphanes. Starting in verse 36 we begin a look at the Antichrist since 35 states “until the time of the end.”
I. The king (36)
A. This king is the Antichrist. The Bible declares that he “will do as he pleases.” He is the little horn of Daniel 7. He rules during the period described in Revelation 6-19. He is the beast out of the
B. The king is an “absolute ruler.” He is described well in Daniel 7:23.
1. He will have a false prophet (Rev.13:11-18)
2. He will have “ten horns” (Rev.17:12)
C. The king will exalt himself above all gods. This is confirmed in Rev.13:15.
D. The king “will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place” (36).
1. Today is the time of grace.
2. God is omniscient “until the time of wrath is completed…”
3. God is sovereign “for what has been determined must take place.” God is not outside of human events!
E. J. Vernon McGee points out how different the Antichrist is from Christ:
1. The Antichrist does as he pleases. Christ did the will of His Father (John
2. The Antichrist exalts himself. Christ humbled Himself (Phil.2:5-8).
II. The king’s religion (37-38)
A. He hates God! “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers.”
1. Some believe this proves he is Jewish. However “God” here is Elohim, the name for God in general.
2. If it had been “Jehovah”, the Antichrist would be Jewish.
3. “…this statement could refer to a Protestant, a Roman Catholic, or a heathen” (McGee, pg.186).
B. He hates God’s Son! “…or for the one desired by women…” The meaning is “desired by women” (Walvoord, pg.274). All Jewish women hoped to be the mother of the Messiah!
C. He hates all gods and exalts himself above all gods.
D. His theology is quite clear:
1. He is to be worshipped as god (Rev.13:15).
2. He honors a god of fortresses. He is trusting in his military power. He trusts in the god of power- military power- whatever that might be at the time! This is humanism at its highest.
III. The king’s men (39)
A. Those who acknowledge him, he will honor.
B. Those who acknowledge him will be given different lands and people to rule over.
C. In an age of power-hungry people it won’t be hard to find many who will sign on the dotted line to have a powerful position!
D. While the king, the Antichrist, will have his men, he will also be someone’s man. As McGee points out: “Antichrist will honor the god of fortresses who had 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” (pg.188). [Note Rev.13:4; II Thess.2:4]
IV. The king’s end (40-45)
A. There is a lot of debate about these last verses, even among conservative Bible scholars. McGee, Boice and Walvoord all lean toward the final battle- the Battle of Armageddon. Let’s look at the details.
B. We know this battle occurs “at the time of the end…” (40)
C. We also know that:
1. The king of the South will engage “him” in battle. (Egypt & Africa)
2. The king of the North wil storm out against “him”. (
3. “He” will invade many countries.
4. “He” will invade the
D. Who is “he”? I believe it is the Antichrist. His world-wide control is beginning to break apart. Attacks come from the North and the South, but the Antichrist will be victorious.
E. Both McGee and Boice link this with Ezekiel 38, but Walvoord notes some differences. Remember in Ezek.38 Israel is at peace (8, 14). He also notes the invasion from the North in Ezekiel, but from the North & South in Daniel. [Ezekiel does mention
F. If Ezek.38 is the mid-point of the tribulation, Daniel could be seeing this all in a compressed vision from the mid-point of the tribulation to the end, the Battle of Armageddon.
G. As the Antichrist engages in battle three nations particularly will not fall (all of which are Arab countries!):
1.
2.
3. Ammon
H. He gains control of the wealth of
1. The Libyans (
2. The Nubians (
I. While he is consolidating his power once again he receives reports:
1. The North (
2. The East is coming against him. Walvoord believes this is the invasion of the army of 200,000,000 men who cross the
J. The Antichrist will have his headquarters between the
K. As the armies come against the Antichrist they will turn against the Lord. Jesus will return (Zech.14:1-4) and defeat the Antichrist (Rev.19:17-21).
L. The false prophet and Antichrist are cast alive into the
M. This brings to a close “The times of the Gentiles”
V. What should we do?
A. The question- Psalm 11:3. “The burning question of our day” (A.C. Gabelein, 1939)
B. The answer- Daniel 11:32. “…but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.”
1. The Antichrist may not be living or in control today.
2. Deceiving spirits however abound (I Tim.4:1)
3. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Matt.24:12,13).