From Daniel to Armageddon

Introduction

Background: Just to jog our memories here, chapters 10, 11, and 12 are all together as one prophetic vision from the time of Darius to the second coming of Jesus at the end of the tribulation period, to the last day. When we were in Daniel 9, we saw this referred to as the Seventieth week. That is, there are 7 years left to be fulfilled in the prophecy that Daniel gave. These final 7 years are the seven years of the tribulation period. The AntiChrist will make a 7 year peace deal with the nation Israel, and after 3 1/2 years, he will betray that peace and will begin to persecute the Jewish people. When this 7-year tribulation is over, there will be a national revival and all Israel will turn to faith in Jesus. Armageddon will take place as Jesus comes back to the earth to bind Satan and to rule for 1,000 years. After this Millennial reign, there will be one final battle where Jesus cast Satan into the Lake of Fire and judges the living and the dead who never accepted Him (Great White Throne Judgement). God will create a new Heaven and New Earth, and we will live with Him in perfection for eternity.

In Chapter 11, we get from Daniel to the battle of Armageddon when Jesus comes for the second time.

Context: The contents of Daniel 11 are so accurate that skeptics say its too accurate. Daniel lived until about 530 B.C., and the third year of the reign of King Cyrus. So, for Daniel, all of chapter 11 was prophecy. For us, almost all of Daniel is looking back through the corridors of history. Dr. Lehman Strauss says that the difficulty with this chapter is finding out where our history ends and where our prophecy begins.

I. From Ahasuerus to Antiochus - A Warning Against Revenge

Daniel 11:2–20 NKJV

And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece. Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these. “Also the king of the South shall become strong, as well as one of his princes; and he shall gain power over him and have dominion. His dominion shall be a great dominion. And at the end of some years they shall join forces, for the daughter of the king of the South shall go to the king of the North to make an agreement; but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he nor his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in those times. But from a branch of her roots one shall arise in his place, who shall come with an army, enter the fortress of the king of the North, and deal with them and prevail. And he shall also carry their gods captive to Egypt, with their princes and their precious articles of silver and gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the North. “Also the king of the North shall come to the kingdom of the king of the South, but shall return to his own land. However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife. “And the king of the South shall be moved with rage, and go out and fight with him, with the king of the North, who shall muster a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into the hand of his enemy. When he has taken away the multitude, his heart will be lifted up; and he will cast down tens of thousands, but he will not prevail. For the king of the North will return and muster a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come at the end of some years with a great army and much equipment. “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall. So the king of the North shall come and build a siege mound, and take a fortified city; and the forces of the South shall not withstand him. Even his choice troops shall have no strength to resist. But he who comes against him shall do according to his own will, and no one shall stand against him. He shall stand in the Glorious Land with destruction in his power. “He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do. And he shall give him the daughter of women to destroy it; but she shall not stand with him, or be for him. After this he shall turn his face to the coastlands, and shall take many. But a ruler shall bring the reproach against them to an end; and with the reproach removed, he shall turn back on him. Then he shall turn his face toward the fortress of his own land; but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. “There shall arise in his place one who imposes taxes on the glorious kingdom; but within a few days he shall be destroyed, but not in anger or in battle.

v. 2

In v. 2, Daniel is told that there are going to be three kings of Persia that will come to power, and then a fourth that will be richer and more powerful than all of them and will “stir up all against the realm of Greece.”

The Three Kings - After the death of Cyrus the Great who we see in the book of Daniel. This prophecy starts taking place about five years after Daniel dies.

Cambyses

Smerdis - 6 month reign

Darius “The Great” (Mentioned heavily in the book of Ezra) - This is not the Darius mentioned in chapter 6 of Daniel. This is Darius “The Great”. If you don’t remember that there is a second Darius, you’ll get tripped up on the timeline of both Daniel and Ezra.

Pointing back to 11:1, you’ll see that Daniel mentions again “Darius the Mede”. This is not the same person as this third king referred to in Daniel 11:2. Truth be told, there isn’t really any historical information of proof as of now that Darius the Mede even existed. We know he does because the Bible says so, but skeptics are having a field day with it.

The Fourth King

This fourth King is the King Xerxes, otherwise known as Ahasures in Esther 1. Now this gets tricky because there is also another Ahasures mentioned in Daniel 9 who is not Xerxes. Daniel 9 is referencing something 100 years before.

We know he is the fourth king because v. 2 says that he will stir up the realm of Greece. in 480 B.C. Xerxes invades Greece, loses in just one year, flees from Europe back to Asia, is assassinated 14 years later by one of his three sons, and Artaxerxes, his son, takes his place.

v. 3

This is talking about Alexander the Great. He would have a mighty conquest, capturing almost all of the Persian empire, but would eventually die from sickness in Babylon at the ripe age of 32, leaving his kingdom to his generals.

v. 4

This is referring to when Alexander dies, his kingdom is split into four parts that are each trying to conquer each other.

v. 5

This is where the different interpretations start coming into play, and I am just going to give you mine so that we don’t muddy the waters any more.

verses 5-35 give us a detailed prophecy of the conflicts that will arise between the Syrians and the Egyptians that takes place after Alexander’s kingdom is divided. This is an important time in history because this is how Antiochus Epiphanes comes to power, who, in my estimation, is an Old Testament picture of the AntiChrist.

In v. 5-20, what we are seeing is the actual record of the wars between Syria and Egypt.

Look in v. 5.

The King of the South is the King of Egypt which is south of Palestine.

The King of the North is the King of Syria which is north of Palestine.

Everything following v. 5 is a detailed prophecy of what will take place between these two nations. This relationship and war between Egypt and the Seleucid takes place over the course of 130 years.

v. 6

v. 6 tells us that there will be peace between these two after these initial years because there will be a marriage take place.

Antiochus who ruled the North, not Epiphanies, but another, was married to a woman named Laodice, divorces her to marry the Egyptian princess to earn peace….

But v. 6 says this, “but she shall not retain the power of her authority, and neither he his authority shall stand; but she shall be given up, with those who brought her, and with him who begot her, and with him who strengthened her in this time.”

Now, here’s what happens…Bernice’s father dies, Antiochus puts her away and brings back his first wife, the first wife comes back but ain’t happy, and murders the king, the other wife, and all their kids.

That’s why v. 6 says “she shall not retain power.”

Now, Laodice, the first wife, crowns her son king.

v. 7-8

We’re here in v. 7, and we are seeing this endless cycle of revenge, and there is an entire message here about revenge and forgiveness. It is a vicious cycle. Sometime we want to take matters into our own hands, we want justice for the things that have happened to us and we cannot wait on God to do it, or we don’t believe there is a God to do it, and we start fires that we can’t put out. Revenge is a nasty thing. And it doesn’t have to be killing, it can be words, or attitudes…feeling like you are taking revenge by cutting off communication or what have you, but taking that revenge traps you more than it traps the other person, that I can promise you.

Bernice’s brother from Egypt sets out to get revenge. Ransacks the port of Antioch, takes back all the spoils, and that is what Daniel predicted there in v. 7-8.

v. 10

Daniel 11:10 NKJV

However his sons shall stir up strife, and assemble a multitude of great forces; and one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through; then he shall return to his fortress and stir up strife.

The son of the north, whose mamma murdered his daddy’s new wife, has two boys of his own, and they vow that they are going to defeat Egypt because their daddy got whooped.

One of these boys fell off and couldn’t get the job done, the other is the one where it says, “one shall certainly come and overwhelm and pass through.” This boy, whose name is Antiouchus III is becoming a power house.

v. 11-12

And this endless cycle of revenge is still going. I told you that revenge is a fire you can’t put out…this one is still burning after years and years.

in v. 11, it says “the king of the south was moved with choler.” It’s saying that he became bitter, which is the ultimate fruit of revenge and family drama, and it means that his entire disposition, temperament, and life revolved around this incessant need to get revenge. This is an entire generation removed, and all these people are dying because these royal families don’t have the strength to forgive.

The Bible tells us in v. 12 that he killed 10,000 men, his heart was swollen with pride, but his strength would fail.

That’ us when we take revenge. We want to get our power and our dignity back. We want the world to know that we are tough, we are mighty, and we won’t be treated that way, talked to that way, or looked at that way ever again…and our hearts swell with pride when we justify our revenge. When we slay the emotions and the feelings of the one that hurt us…

but just like the Bible says, we will not be strengthened by it.

Revenge, bitterness, warring and waging wars, leaves us bitter, powerless, and exhausted, and when we think we are the ones going into the fight, we forget that we are bringing sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, wives and husbands into the fight with us. You cannot wage a war alone, even if you feel like you are.

v. 13-19

Guess what…the Northern army is stewing because they lost…there again the cycle continues.

v. 16 is a prophecy concerning Israel, where it says “Glorious Land” it is referring to the Holy Land, and those who are reading the prophecy of Daniel as this is happening real time are shuttering at the reality they are about to be living.

From here and in v. 17, history tells us that Antiochus wanted to win the war and pledges his daughter to the infant son of the Egyptian king to get a peace deal, and to manipulate his daughter into giving him rule over Egypt. but v. 17 ends with, “but she shall not stand with him.”

This need for revenge and victory has cost this man his daughter. He used her for a tool…he was so set on victory that he ignored the feelings and humanity of his own child.

and in v. 20 its revealed that Antiochus left the nation in such bad shape that they were hopelessly in debt to the Roman empire…this is the beginning of the iron legs predicted by Daniel’s statue. The son of Antiochus raised the taxes to the point where there was a great revolt, and he was killed.

I’m telling you, there is great perversion and war that will last generations after you are dead and gone if you do not find the strength to forgive. Bitterness will eat you alive, and it will rip your family apart. Your family will be forever indebted because of bitterness and will eventually be overthrown by it.

II. From Antiochus to the anticipated AntiChrist

Read Daniel 11:21-35

Daniel 11:21–35 NKJV

And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land. “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits. And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

We have moved from revenge and bitterness to creating a lineage of war and perversion. The offspring of those who were at first offended have been fighting so long that not fighting each other seems counter productive. The original hurt is long gone, but a bitter disdain for the other people is solidified and active in their life.

This is where we see that picture of the AntiChrist move against the nation Israel and commit the abomination of desolation. He gives us a picture of who we are looking for as the AntiChrist of the Seventieth week.

The Many Names of the AntiChrist

Now, who we are dealing with at this particular time in history is the man names Antiochus Epiphanes. He is a foreshadow or a type of AntiChrist. And the AntiChrist goes by many different names in the Bible.

Little horn (Dan 7:9)

Coming Ruler (Dan 9:26)

Man of Lawlessness (2 Thess 2:3)

Man doomed to destruction (2 Thess 2:3)

and Beast (Rev 13:1-10)

6. AntiChrist (1 John and in 2 John).

Daniel 11:36 NKJV

“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.

Now these verses up to verse 35 are not about the AntiChrist but about Antiochus, he is just a picture of what the AntiChrist will be.

The Abomination of Desolation

The most important thing you need to know about Antiochus is that he foreshadows what is called the abomination of desolation.

Here are the circumstances that led to this abomination.

Antiochus was embarrassed by the nation of Rome, where he was forced to flee back to Antioch. There in his room he concocted a scheme to redirect his hatred towards the people of God, sending a general in his army to Jerusalem on the promise of peace, but instead massacred the Jewish people on the Sabbath and plundered the city.

He then began to reward Apostate Jews with shares of the spoil and with kind words to get them on his side and turn away from God.

One year later, Antiochus forced the Jewish people to stop observing circumcision, made it to where they could not possess the Scriptures, forbade them to make sacrifices, and gave the death penalty for observing the feasts of Moses.

Later that year, they erected and statue of Zeus in the temple, and poured out the blood and the broth of swine out on the altar of God.

As much of an abomination this was, it is nothing compared to what is going to take place by the hand of the true AntiChrist.

When Jesus speaks of the abomination of desolation, He is talking about at the end of time when the AntiChrist comes on the scene.

Do you see how Antiochus did this? By sweet talking…now we have already talked about this issue of revenge, but even more deadly is to give into flattery. Wicked, and evil men will make promises of prosperity and happiness, but to take up counsel with the man or woman that flatters is a death sentence.

What does the Bible say concerning the end times? That they will, “heap up for themselves teachers that will tickle their ears.”

Proverbs 5:3–8 NKJV

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey, And her mouth is smoother than oil; But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, Sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death, Her steps lay hold of hell. Lest you ponder her path of life— Her ways are unstable; You do not know them. Therefore hear me now, my children, And do not depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her, And do not go near the door of her house,

Proverbs 29:5 NKJV

A man who flatters his neighbor Spreads a net for his feet.

2 Tim 3:6 says this about the immoral and deceiving man

2 Timothy 3:6 NKJV

For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

These are all the ways that flattery seeks to seduce us, not for our benefit, but for the benefit of the one who is doing all the talking.

III. AntiChrist to Armageddon (The Great White Throne Judgement).

Beginning in v. 36, we now make a switch from our history, to our prophecy. That the AntiChrist is coming.

First, look there in v. 35….

Daniel 11:35 NKJV

And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

That is, that the Jewish people will suffer refinement until the very end of time. This is where we know that it switches from Antiochus to the AntiChrist. What you are going to see is that the language is similar, but that just solidifies for me that Antiochus Epiphanes was a picture of the AntiChrist.

Daniel 11:40 NKJV

“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.

We will go over these things in more detail, but..

The AntiChrist will come to power in a 10 nation federation

He will make a 7 year peace deal with Israel

He will betray Israel in 3 1/2 years

He will conquer Jerusalem, and he will encamp himself in Palestine, commit the abomination of desolation, and seek to to make war against his enemies one last time.

What v. 40 describes is Russia coming from the north, in an alliance with Egypt coming from the South, they will defeat the AntiChrist, and seek to once and for all destroy the Jewish people…

And at that point, Christ will step in, and He will reign judgement down on Egypt and Russia that make the 10 plagues in Exodus seems all too small.

Jesus will reign for 1,000 years, and those Jews who have faith in Christ will be risen from the dead to rule with Him.

The Jews who died in their sins will stay buried until the millennial reign is over, they will be physically raised and judged by Christ at the Great White Throne Judgement.

Conclusion

Finding Jesus in all of this:

To find Jesus in all of this…

Revenge belongs to the Lord, He is the final judge, and He has the victory…we don’t have to defend our pride or seek to gain power, Jesus has already won that battle for us.

When we give into flattery, we are being carried away by the lusts of this world. The Bible time and time again calls us to sober living, and we must live soberly, we must live according to the word of God and not according to the flattering words of immoral men and women.

When you hear about this war, when you read about all the end times, when you consider what Russia is doing in Ukraine, how China is gearing up to invade Taiwan, the world seems pretty hopeless doesn’t it?

Well, it seems hopeless because the world is hopeless. But Christ, He is our hope, He is our victory. On Him we must stand and into His presence we must go.