THE BOOK OF DANIEL
Part
9
Daniel’s Vision
of the Antichrist
“The
little horn” that came up from among the horns in Daniel 8, is the antichrist,
and the three horns plucked out, are 3 kingdoms (or kings) that will be
defeated by him in war. In this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man. And it
speaks pompous words. (ref. Dan.8:9; Rev. 13:5, 6).
“The
little horn which grew exceedingly great,” grew toward the South [the Arab
States], the East [nations of the Eastern bloc] and the Glorious Land [the
Beautiful Land]—Israel (Dan.8:9).
Verse
10 reveals a “mystical-plot” of this “little horn” which rose out of littleness
and small beginnings. It rose even against “the host of Heaven,” which in this
context are “the tribulation saints” as revealed in several Bible prophecies.
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.
Dan 8:10 KJV
According
to Daniel’s vision of “the little horn” an host [GOD’s people] was given to the
wicked horn [the antichrist] together with the daily sacrifice [the continual
burnt offering] because of rebellion—the transgression of GOD's people — their
abounding irreverence, and ungodliness. And righteousness and truth were cast
down to the ground, “the little horn” [the antichrist] accomplished this by
divine permission and prospered [vv. 11-12].
Watch
very closely, in Daniel 7:21 there are Christians who will be killed by the
antichrist—he will make war against them and prevail. But on the other hand,
there are saints who are called and chosen to fight in The Lord’s battle
against “the beast”, and they will be faithful to the Call (see Rev 17:14).
He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer
them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
Rev 13:7 NIV
Shortly,
after the time of the Great Tribulation, God will vindicate His people who
though missed the Rapture, but kept their testimony and faith unto The Lord,
even to the point of death. In fact, then, The Lord of Hosts would have to
intervene just at the end of the 3 ½ years distress in the world. If not for
His intervention, no soul would have been saved—none could have been redeemed
any longer!
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.
Dan 7:21-22 KJV
Understand
that the interpretation of “the little horn” is stated in chapter 8 verses 23
to 25.
"In the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become
completely wicked, a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He
will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding
devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men
and the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider
himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his
stand against the Prince of princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human
power.
NIV
Prophet
Daniel prophesied an occurrence that will take place, which will signify the
rise of the antichrist on a global scene—he will rise to power when: “the
transgressors are come to the full.”
He
is the king that will rise “having fierce features (countenance),” who
understands sinister schemes.
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when
the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences,
shall stand up.
Dan 8:23 KJV
He
shall destroy fearfully (extraordinarily).
He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will
cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will
destroy the mighty men and the holy people.
Dan 8:24 NIV
The
saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time (7:25).
In
his cunningness, will cause deceit to prosper. He will magnify himself (8:25).
Chapter 11 verse 36 states that he shall prosper and thrive. He will declare
himself to be God—“when the power of the holy people has been finally broken,
all these things will be completed" (12:7). He will be destroyed, but not
by human power (8:25). Right from the days of the ancient, “the mighty are
removed without human hand” (see Job 34:20).
Daniel
fainted and was sick, after he had these visions (8:27).
In
Daniel's Vision of the Ram and Goat in chapter 8 verse 5, the beast's kingdom
rose as "he goat" over the nations of the earth. The “he goat” with a
prominent horn between its eyes came from the west on the face of the whole
earth; crossing the whole earth without touching the ground.
This
is exactly how the antichrist will seize power:
"He will be succeeded by a contemptible person who has not
been given the honor of royalty. He will invade the kingdom when its people
feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue.”
Dan 11:21NIV
This
“little horn” which came up among three of the first had eyes like the eyes of
a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully (7:8). He shall pervert and seduce many
with flatteries, but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do
exploits (11:32).
He will present
himself as a god to the nations, and claim to be above all the idols of all the
religions in the world.
He will show no respect for the gods
his ancestors worshipped, or for the god women worship — he won’t show respect
for any god, because he will consider himself greater than all of them.
Dan 11:37 CJB
The
Bible reveals that “the antichrist will be a “Jew” and will posses knowledge of
Jewish custom and Hebrew. He will
be a rebel—he will come out of the midst of rebels—he will rise from the midst
of ‘the apostate Jews.’
And at the latter end of their
kingdom, when the transgressors [the apostate Jews] have reached the fullness
[of their wickedness, taxing the limits of God's mercy], a king of fierce
countenance and understanding dark trickery and craftiness shall stand up.
Dan 8:23 AMP
He will be a “king
of terror”—a mastermind of terrorism (Dan. 11:40-43; Isa.21:1).
Daniel 11:36-45 is
“Prophecy of the vile king”—the antichrist.
Daniel 12:1 speaks
of “the Great Tribulation”—figuratively, “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer.
30:7).
‘The
horn with eyes’ that will make war against the saints is “the beast out of the
sea” in Revelation 13:7.
Both
“the fiery red dragon” in Revelation 12 and “the beast out of the sea” in
chapter 13 have ten horns with seven heads and seven crowns.
This
is how the formation of the beast government will be: it will be of two
segments; one strong and the other, unstable.
Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay
and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of
the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay.
As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom
will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed
with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united,
any more than iron mixes with clay.
Dan 2:41-43 NIV
“The
iron part” of this empire will be Germanic, and “the clay part” Western. Its
political and economic influence will thrive as both earthen and maritime
accomplishments. But it will all come to a total ruin and desolation.
"Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words
the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body
destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.
Dan 7:11 NIV
The
meaning of the fourth beast with ‘teeth of iron’ and ‘nails of bronze’ is
written in verse Daniel 7:19
"Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth
beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its
iron teeth and bronze claws — the beast that crushed and devoured its victims
and trampled underfoot whatever was left.
NIV
As the kingdoms and
empires of the world are uniting to form a ‘one world government’, only those among
the people who have discernment will cause the rest of the people to understand
what is happening—even as they are challenged by sword, famine, plunder,
captivity and death (Dan 11:33).
Both
Prophet Daniel and Apostle Paul in their days saw the defeat and total
destruction of “the beast.”
I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the
horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and
given to the burning flame.
Dan 7:11 KJV
And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that
wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
Rev 19:20 KJV
The
Lamb of God Who will Return to the earth as ‘King of kings and Lord of lords’
will ultimately vanquish the dragon, the beast and the false prophet.
They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome
them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings — and with Him will be His
called, chosen and faithful followers."
Rev 17:14 NIV
The antichrist will
come to his terrible end (Dan.11:45; Rev 19:20).