The Character and Actions of the Antichrist Described in Daniel 11:36

Daniel 11:36-39 presents a description of the character and actions of the Antichrist during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.

Daniel 11:36 “Then, a unique king will do according to his desire. Consequently, he will exalt himself so that he will magnify himself above every deity. He will also issue extraordinary statements against the true God. However, despite this, he will succeed until the righteous indignation related to the end is completed because that which has been decreed must take place. 37 Also, he will have absolutely no respect for the gods of his ancestors as well as the one desired by women, likewise he will have absolutely no respect for each and every god because he will magnify himself above all. 38 But instead of this, he will be characterized as honoring a god, which is the capturing of fortresses, which is a god his ancestors never had knowledge of. He will be characterized as honoring this god with gold, with silver, with the precious stone as well as valuable commodities. 39 Furthermore, he will take action against the strongest fortified cities with the help of a foreign god. To those who cause him to receive recognition, he will cause honor to be increased so that he will cause them to rule the masses. Also, he will distribute land for a price.” (My translation)

The elect angel continues to communicate to Daniel this prophetic revelation from God regarding His prophetic program for Israel during the Times of the Gentiles.

Here in verse 36, the angel’s first prophetic statement is that a unique king will do according to his desire.

This language was used to describe Alexander the Great in Daniel 11:3 and Antiochus Epiphanes IV in Daniel 11:16.

In each instance, it refers to the absolute political and military power of these two individuals.

Here in Daniel 11:36, this first prophetic statement speaks of the absolute political and military power of this unique king.

The character and actions of this king described in Daniel 11:36-45 do not correspond to any king in history but rather corresponds to the descriptions of the character and actions of Antichrist during the seventieth week which are recorded in Daniel 7, Matthew 24-25, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13.

In other words, the description of the character and actions of this king in Daniel 11:36-45 correspond to the prophecies of the Antichrist in Daniel 7, Matthew 24-25, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13.

“The king” in Daniel 11:36 does not refer to Antiochus Epiphanes IV.

Those who believe that this king in Daniel 11:36 is a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes IV in the second century B.C. argue that by stopping the sacrifices and offering a pagan sacrifice Antiochus fulfilled the prophecy in Daniel 11:36 that this king will magnify himself above every god and speak monstrous things against the god of gods.

Some argue that when Antiochus gave himself the title “God Manifest” he fulfilled this prophecy in Daniel 11:36.

However, Antiochus did not set up an image of himself to be worshipped or demand the world worship him as will be the case with Antichrist according to Revelation 13.

Antiochus simply set up an image of Zeus.

The prophecy in Daniel 11:37 that “he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers” was not fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes IV since his policy was to compel the Jews to worship the god of his fathers or be executed.

The prophecy in Daniel 11:38 that “he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know” was not fulfilled by Antiochus since he was devoted to the god of his country Zeus who was the god of his fathers.

Furthermore, the king mentioned in Daniel 11:36 is clearly distinguished from the king of the north who is mentioned in Daniel 11:40 and we know from history that Antiochus Epiphanes IV in Daniel 11:21-35 is the despicable king of the north.

In Daniel 11:36, the angel communicates a second prophetic statement which presents the result of this unique king achieving absolute military and political power.

The angel declares that this unique king will exalt himself so that he will magnify himself above every deity.

Therefore, he will become arrogant as a result of achieving this power.

Also, he will deify himself as a result of becoming arrogant as a result of achieving this power.

In other words, the angel is telling Daniel that this unique king will become arrogant as a result of possessing such enormous power which will lead him to deify himself.

This second prophetic statement in Daniel 11:36 corresponds to the prophetic statements in Daniel 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13:14-15 that the Antichrist will deify himself.

So this second prophetic statement is actually the second time that the book of Daniel prophesies that the Antichrist will deify himself.

The third prophetic statement in Daniel 11:36 continues to describe the character and actions of the unique king.

The first prophetic statement reveals that this unique king will achieve absolute power for himself militarily and politically.

The second reveals that as a result of this power he will exalt himself so that he will magnify himself above every deity.

Based upon a comparison of the prophetic statements recorded in Daniel 7, Matthew 24-25, 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13, we can conclude that the first prophetic statement in Daniel 11:36 that “a unique king will do according to his desire” is a prophecy of Antichrist’s absolute power over the world during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.

The second prophetic statement corresponds to the prophetic statements in Daniel 9:27, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and Revelation 13:14-15 that the Antichrist will deify himself.

The third prophetic statement in Daniel 11:36 corresponds to the prophetic statements recorded in Daniel 7:8, 20, 25 and Revelation 13:5-6 since these passages reveal that the Antichrist will issue statements against God.

The fourth and final prophetic statement reveals that this wicked king who will oppose God will succeed until the righteous indignation related to the end is completed because that which has been decreed by God must take place in history.

Since we have already determined that this wicked king is the Antichrist, we can conclude that this righteous indignation related to the end is referring to the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.

This corresponds to the prophecy in Daniel 7:25 which also prophesies that the Antichrist will issue statements against God and will persecute God’s people for three and a half years.

This righteous indignation refers to the exercise of God’s legitimate holy anger toward the inhabitants of planet earth for rejecting His Son Jesus Christ as Savior.

Righteousness indignation speaks of God’s wrath, which is an expression of His holiness.

The difference between righteous indignation and anger is that the former is based upon concern for the holiness of God whereas the latter is emotional, selfish, self-centered, vindictive and intent on harming another.

God’s righteous indignation is the legitimate anger towards evil and sin since both are contrary to His holiness or perfect character and nature.

In fact, God’s righteous indignation expresses His holiness.

The completion of this righteous indignation will take place at the Second Advent of Jesus Christ.