Daniel 11.39-The Prophecy of the Antichrist Taking Military Action Against the Strongest of Fortresses and Honoring Those Who Support Him
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Thursday July 10, 2014
Daniel: Daniel 11:39-The Prophecy of the Antichrist Taking Military Action Against the Strongest of Fortresses and Honoring Those Who Support Him
Lesson # 360
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. 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)
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. 39 He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.” (NASB95)
“He will take action against the strongest of fortresses” is referring to the unique king described in Daniel 11:36-38 taking military action against fortified cities.
“With the help of a foreign god” is best interpreted by the adversative clause, which is that appears in 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.”
As we noted, the expression “a god, which is the capturing of fortresses” is a personification of waging war.
Thus, 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.
Therefore, the reference to the foreign god here in Daniel 11:39 is a reference to the Antichrist’s idolization of waging war or his obsession with military power which will help him rule the world.
Therefore, the angel is telling Daniel that the Antichrist will take military action against the strongest fortified cities with the help of his military industrial complex or in other words his military power.
“He will give great honor to those who acknowledge him” is composed of the verb nā·ḵǎr (נָכַר) (naw-kar´), “to those who acknowledge” and then we have the verb rā·ḇā(h) (רָבָה) (raw-bow´), “will give” which is followed by the noun kā·ḇôḏ (כָּבוֹד) (kaw-bode´), “great honor.”
The verb nā·ḵǎr means “to cause one to receive recognition” indicating that certain individuals will cause this king described in Daniel 11:36-38 to receive recognition.
The verb rā·ḇā(h) means “to cause to be increased” in honor since it pertains increasing someone’s power, authority, responsibility and status in life.
It is indicating that this king will cause honor to multiply to those who cause him to be recognized by others in the sense that this king will increase their power, authority, wealth and status in life.
The noun kā·ḇôḏ means “honor” in the sense of receiving from a person of authority, power, authority, wealth, responsibility and a greater status in life.
Therefore, this word indicates that the king described in Daniel 11:36-38 will bestow honor upon those individuals who cause him to receive recognition from others.
This honor will come in the form of power and authority, as well as wealth, responsibility and status in life.
“And will cause them to rule over the many” presents the result of the previous prophetic statement that the king described in Daniel 11:36-38 will reward with considerable honor those who cause him to be recognized.
Therefore, this statement indicates that this king will bestow considerable honor upon those who cause him to receive recognition “with the result that” he will cause these individuals to rule over many people.
This result clause indicates that this king will reward with great honor those who cause him to receive recognition by delegating authority to them to rule or govern.
“And will parcel out land for a price” indicates that this king will distribute land into parts for a price.
Daniel 11:39 “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 angelic being continues to communicate to Daniel here in verse 39 prophecies pertaining to the character and actions of the Antichrist during the seventieth week.
The first prophetic statement in this verse reveals that the Antichrist will take military action against the strongest fortified cities with the help of a foreign god during the seventieth week.
The reference to the foreign god here in Daniel 11:39 is a reference to the Antichrist’s idolization of waging war or his obsession with military power which will help him rule the world.
Therefore, the angel is telling Daniel that the Antichrist will take military action against the strongest fortified cities with the help of his military industrial complex or in other words his military power.
The second prophetic statement in Daniel 11:39 reveals that the Antichrist will cause honor to be increased to those individuals who cause him to receive recognition.
He will honor these individuals in the sense that he will bestow upon them money, power, authority resulting in a higher status in society.
So in other words, if someone scratches his back, he’ll scratch theirs.
Undoubtedly, those who are being referred to as causing him to receive recognition would be of course those in the media.
It will be extremely important to have these individuals in his camp since they have the power to propagate his lies and deception and program for planet earth.
Satan is the prince of the power of the atmosphere (Ephesians 2:2) and thus the media is a tool that the devil uses to spread his lies and propaganda against Christianity, the Bible and Jesus Christ.
Those in government will be helpful to the Antichrist since they will the power to advance his political agenda throughout the various governments on planet earth.
One of the ways the Antichrist will honor those who cause him to receive recognition is that of delegated political authority over groups of people.
Thus, those who cause him to receive recognition, he will delegate authority to rule over the masses.
The third prophetic statement in Daniel 11:39 reveals that the Antichrist will distribute land for a price meaning if you give him a large sum of money, he will give you land, which implies that he will already have land in his possession to distribute to others who pay him.
Of course, he will have this land because of his military conquests of various nations.
Therefore, these three prophetic statements in Daniel 11:39 reveal that the Antichrist will be a politician and a corrupt one at that whereas Daniel 11:38 indicates he will be military man.
He will be a warmonger or a man of war.
These two verses also reveal he will be the greatest materialist in history.
These verses both reveal that he will love money since money allows him to accomplish his lofty goals of ruling the world.
He will use money to get what he wants.
Daniel 11:36 and 37 reveal that the Antichrist will be an absolute world ruler during the last three and a half years of the seventieth week.
These verses reveal he will deify himself which will demonstrate the fact that he is totally and completely arrogant and full of himself.
He will be the greatest megalomaniac and egomaniac in all of human history.
He will also be against the organized religions of the world as a result of his desire to be worshipped as God by the entire world.
Thus, these verses reveal he will totally oppose God which will manifest itself in his public statements.
This character sketch of the Antichrist in Daniel 11:36-39 reveals that he will reflect the character of his father the devil.
This world today reflects the standards of Satan and what he values.
This world is marked by war, materialism, the love of money, selfishness, self-centeredness, greed, corruption of all types, hypocrisy, and egomania.
Antichrist will perfectly embody the character and standards of Satan and his cosmic system.