Daniel 11.38-The Prophecy of the Antichrist Honoring the God of War
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Wednesday July 9, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 11:38-The Prophecy of the Antichrist Honoring the God of War
Lesson # 359
Please turn in your Bibles to Daniel 11:36.
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.” (My translation)
Daniel 11:36 “Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. 38 But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know; he will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures.” (NASB95)
“But instead he will honor a god of fortresses” presents a contrast with the previous prophetic statement at the end of Daniel 11:37 that this unique king mentioned in Daniel 11:36 will have absolutely no respect for any god because he will magnify himself above every deity.
Therefore, the contrast is between this king not honoring any god and honoring a god of fortresses, which is an expression which personifies war or in other words, the power of make war.
“A god of fortresses” is composed of the noun ʾělôah (אֱלוֹהַּ) (el-o´-ah), “a god of” which is modified by the noun mā·ʿôz (מָעוֹז) (maw-oze´), “fortresses.”
The noun ʾělôah means “god” since it pertains a pagan deity.
The construct state of the noun means that it is governing the word which follows it and is expressing a genitive relation with this word.
The noun ʾělôah is thus governing the noun mā·ʿôz which is in the plural and means “fortifications, fortresses, strongholds” referring to a place of protection from a foreign army.
The word contains the figure of metonymy meaning that fortresses is put for the taking or capturing of fortresses.
The genitive relation between these two words is explicative which specifies a subtype or genus within the broader category of the construct noun.
This indicates that the noun mā·ʿôz specifies which god this unique king described in Daniel 11:36-37 will be characterized as honoring.
He will honor the god, which is the taking of fortresses.
This entire expression “a god, which is the capturing of fortresses” is a personification of waging war.
Thus, this king described in Daniel 11:36-37 will be characterized as honoring in the sense of esteeming the practice of waging war or in other words, he will idolize military power.
“A god whom his fathers did not know” is epexegetical meaning it identifies the relationship this god had with this king’s forefathers or ancestors indicating that the god of waging war was never a god which this king’s ancestors were aware of or had knowledge of.
“He will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones and treasures” indicates that this unique king described in Daniel 11:36-38 will honor the god of waging war in the sense that he will provide a generous budget for his military arsenal.
Daniel 11:38 “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.” (My translation)
The angelic being continues to communicate to Daniel here in verse 38 prophecies pertaining to the character and actions of the Antichrist during the seventieth week.
The angel presents a contrast with the previous prophetic statement at the end of Daniel 11:37 that the Antichrist will have absolutely no respect for any god because he will magnify himself above every deity.
Here in verse 38 the angel reveals that instead of worshipping any deity or pagan god, the Antichrist will be characterized as honoring a god, which is the capturing of fortresses which is an expression which personifies waging war.
This god which is the capturing of fortresses is in fact no god or deity at all but rather it is an expression for the personification of waging war.
Therefore, the Antichrist will be characterized as honoring in the sense of esteeming the practice of waging war or in other words, he will idolize military power.
So we can see that the contrast is between the Antichrist not worshipping any deity but honoring the power to make war.
He will not honor any god but only war.
The angel then reveals to Daniel that the ancestors of the Antichrist never had knowledge of this god of waging war.
Remember he will be a Roman (cf. Daniel 9:26) and they worshipped a pantheon of gods but they never worshipped the god of waging war, though they waged war.
The Roman emperors and generals of the Roman Empire all worshipped pagan deities whom they honored when celebrating their military victories.
However, unlike these men, the Antichrist will never worship any pagan deities but rather will magnify himself above every god worshipped by unregenerate humanity.
The Roman Emperors deified themselves but never above all other deities like the Antichrist will do.
The Antichrist will idolize military power because it is a means to an end, which is to have the world worship him.
He will view military power as the means by which he can accomplish his goals.
In fact, the angel also reveals to Daniel that the Antichrist will also be characterized as honoring this god of waging war with gold, silver, the precious stone as well as valuable commodities.
This means that his defense budget or budget for the military will be very generous or in other words, he will be the best friend to the military industrial complex.
This prophetic statement means that the Antichrist will pour vast amounts of money and materials into waging war since waging war will enable him to accomplish his goal of conquering the world and having the world worship Him as God.
This last prophetic statement also reveals that the Antichrist will be a materialist.
Daniel 7, Revelation 13, 16 and 17 also describe the Antichrist as a man characterized by war.
In Daniel 7:19-26, the Antichrist is described as waging war against God’s people up to the time of the Second Advent of Christ, which corresponds to the depiction of the Antichrist in Revelation (Daniel 7:11, 20-26; 8:25; Revelation 13:1-10; 19:20).
Daniel 7:19 “Then, I desired to know the meaning concerning the fourth beast which was different from all the others, extraordinarily intimidating, its two rows of teeth composed of iron as well as its claws composed of bronze. It devoured as well as crushed. Specifically, it violently crushed the rest with its feet. 20 Also, I desired to know the meaning concerning the ten horns which were on its head as well as the one which emerged and in addition three fell by being in the presence of it. Specifically, that horn possessing eyes as well as a mouth making it a habit of speaking boastfully. Indeed, its appearance was more distinguished than its contemporaries. 21 I was continuing to stare in a trance like state as that horn was continually waging war against the saints so as to overpower them. 22 Until the One Ancient in Days intervened. Specifically, He rendered judgment in favor of the Most High’s saints. Then, the moment arrived when the saints took possession of the kingdom. 23 Thus, he said, ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all these kingdoms in the sense that it will devour the entire earth. Specifically, it will trample it down so that it crushes it.’ 24 Also, the ten horns are ten kings who will arise from this kingdom. Then, another will arise after them. However, he will be different in comparison to the previous ones. Specifically, he will conquer three kings.’ 25 Furthermore, he will issue statements against the Most High. Also, he will make it his habit of persecuting the Most High’s saints as well as attempting to change the times, yes even the Law. Indeed, they will be given into his power for a period of a time, times and a half a time.’ 26 However, the court will be convened with the result that they will take away his governmental dominion by destroying, yes, by killing him at the end.’” (Author’s translation)
Revelation 13:5 says that the dragon will give authority to the first beast.
The dragon is Satan and the first beast of Revelation 13:5-9 is the Antichrist.
Therefore, this verse teaches that Satan, who is the temporarily the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), will give authority to Antichrist.
Revelation 13:7 says that Antichrist wages war against the saints and overcomes them, which is what Daniel 7:21 says as well.
The Antichrist becomes a world ruler because of Satan giving him the power and authority to do so.
Therefore, this war against the saints mentioned in Daniel 7:21 and Revelation 13:7 is Satanic in origin.