The Antichrist In Daniel

Audio Link: https://whengogcomes.com/audio/05-the-antichrist-in-daniel-wgc.mp3

Now, let’s turn to those parts of the Book of Daniel that refer to what the Antichrist does. And, these will be some of the more interesting points:

There are Five invasions of Israel by the Antichrist.
(Gog is described as invading once)

The Israel at the time of the Antichrist will not look like the Israel of today.

The Antichrist has opposition – lots of it.

The Antichrist will not be buried, but he and his false prophet will be thrown alive into Hell.
(Gog will be buried and will have a grave in a special place called Hamon Gog.)

Daniel 8 is NOT about Antiochus Epiphanes.

Daniel 8 does NOT refer to sacrifices, but the continual worship of God at Jerusalem.

Daniel 9 is about Jesus and NOT the Antichrist.

The King of the South is actually called the King of the Negev.

A massive change to Israel, points directly to Ezekiel's Fire happening BEFORE the Antichrist rises.

Gog cannot be the Antichrist, because Israel accepts Christ BEFORE the Antichrist rises, while Ezekiel and Zechariah describe the salvation of Israel AFTER Gog is destroyed.

If any of that is new to you, you're in good company. Some of it was pretty new to me as well. I'm not used to thinking of the Antichrist having organized opposition or that the actual name for the King of the South is really 'King of the Negev'. And, the kinds of changes to Israel that Daniel describes is disconcerting. The Israel of today will not be the same Israel when the Man of Sin arrives.

And that bothers me, a lot.

However, not all change is bad, and God is controlling these changes. So, let's talk about what Daniel has to say about the Antichrist.

Daniel 8

The vision in Daniel 8 begins with verse three. And, from that verse until verse nine, it’s all ancient history.

Daniel 8:3-4 – The kings of Persia and the Medes

Daniel 8:5-8 – Alexander the Great

Daniel 8:8 – Alexander’s Generals

Then, we skip more than 2000 years to the Antichrist. And no, Antiochus Epiphanes is not ‘the little horn’, and yes... this is a 'gap theory'. But, unlike the gap inserted into Daniel 9, there is no defined time frame that I need to artificially split apart to insert a two millennia gap into.

By the way, the other theory that's running around chucks out Daniel 8 into the future. The whole thing. It basically obliterates our understanding of verses one through eight. And actually, I would love that interpretation to be true. It would mean that the fulfillment of these events is even further into the future than I think, and I love the thought of that. But, we need to apply ourselves to what the truth actually is, instead of what we want it to be.

So, let's look at verse nine:

9 And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.

– Daniel 8:9 (KJV)

Wait. The word, ‘little’.

Is that correct?

No, it actually means young (מצעירה, pronounced: meh-tsa-eer-ah). Of course, a ‘young horn’ will also be a small one, so maybe this translation error doesn’t matter. Or, maybe it does… since it grows. And, since the horns are also kingdoms or empires…

…is this ‘young horn’ a young empire?

Maybe.

So, the Antichrist grows toward the south, east and into Israel – The Glorious Land. (Although, the Hebrew doesn’t actually say ‘Glorious Land’)

So, the Antichrist goes South, East and into Israel… from where?

From one of the nations, in an area that Alexander the Great once controlled.

(Seriously, the President of the United States cannot be the Antichrist!)

NOT Antiochus Epiphanes

Now, let’s deal with a question that some hold tightly to:

Is the Young Horn, Antiochus Epiphanes?

mmm…. NO.

There are four reasons. The first reason is that Antiochus Epiphanes did not grow up to the host of heaven and did not cast down any of the stars of heaven (Daniel 8:10). Sorry, it just didn’t happen.

Second, the persecution of the Jews by Antiochus IV, only lasted from 168 BC, until 164 BC. Less than four years. Daniel 8:14 says that the situation will last for 6.3 years. And, while it’s true that the Ptolemaic kingdom declared war on Antiochus IV in 170 BC, that still doesn’t give us 6.3 years.

Third, Daniel 8:19 says that this period is for the time of the very end – למועד קץ (pronounced: leh-mo-ed ketz). The word קץ (pronounced: ketz) doesn’t just mean end. It means the edge, the very end. Also, verse 26 speaks of this prophecy as occurring many days in the future – not just 270 years after Daniel.

Fourth, Jesus refers to Daniel 8:13 (and Daniel 11:31), when He mentions the Abomination of Desolation. Therefore, Jesus cannot be referring to something that has already happened (i.e., Antiochus Epiphanes). Jesus MUST be referring to an event in the future.

Fifth, the vision is sealed. If this prophecy was going to be fulfilled within 270 years, it would NOT have been sealed. Otherwise, there would be no point to this prophecy.

Yes, I understand other similarities between Antiochus IV and the ‘young horn’ in Daniel 8. But, we need to look carefully at what history actually says about this guy, and compare it to what Daniel 8 says. Remember that many Bible teachers preach things that they want to believe, because the alternative would change their world too much. Comfortable fantasies are always more popular than hard realities.

The Army Of The Antichrist

Now, think about the army that Daniel 8 refers to. It’s here:

And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered.

– Daniel 8:12 (KJV)

Unfortunately, that’s not quite what it says. The Hebrew says:

An army was given to the daily in transgression, and he cast truth (to the) ground. And, he acted and prospered.

[John Little Version]

An army is given to the Antichrist. And, I find that to be interesting. Someone or something GIVES him an army. And, the purpose of that army will be to stop ‘The daily’ (in Hebrew, The Continual or The Always). The word ‘sacrifice’ does not appear here.

The Daily Worship

Someone made an important point about this, and I think that it's worth noting here:

There is no way that God will bring back temple sacrifices.

Jesus was the final sacrifice. To institute any other sacrifice would be an affront to the eternal righteousness and eternal forgiveness of sins that our Savior bought for us on the Cross. The Blood of Christ covers and cleanses all of God's people from their sins. All of them. Forever.

So, what could this 'daily/continual/always' be referring to in Daniel 8:12?

Actually, it's quite simple, and I'm sorry that I didn't think of it myself:

There will be continual worship services 24/7 in Jerusalem, and the Antichrist will put a stop to them.

Now THAT sounds like what will happen. There literally cannot be a better explanation for that.

(Thanks, Kris!)

The Conquest Of Jerusalem

In verses thirteen and fourteen, a holy one speaks to another holy one, asking about how long this will go on.

13 Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled underfoot?”

14 And he said to me, “For two thousand three hundred days; then the sanctuary shall be cleansed.”

– Daniel 8:13-14 (NKJV)

The answer is two thousand three hundred days. And, the Hebrew is very specific that these days are not symbolic. They are ‘evening-morning’ (ערב בוקר), and singular. And no, you can’t divide that number in half without violating the Hebrew syntax. This really is 2300 days. (A previous version of When Gog Comes used a more inaccurate translation of that verse.)

Gabriel Tries To Explain

Unfortunately, Daniel doesn’t understand anything that he sees in this vision. And, as he tries to figure it out, a ‘man’ appears and commands the angel Gabriel to give comprehension to Daniel. So, Gabriel comes over to do just that, causing Daniel to faint.

15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16 And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” 17 So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

18 Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.

– Daniel 8:15-18 (NKJV)

Please note that Daniel was a really tough guy. With all that he’d been through, I doubt that there’s very much that would scare him. But, the appearance of Gabriel knocked him flat. If a really strong guy like Daniel faints when an angel appears, you would definitely do the same. You’d probably faint AND have to change your pants afterwards.

So, Gabriel revives Daniel and proceeds to explain what he just saw. He goes through the whole vision again and adds detail.

19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. 20 The ram which you saw, having the two horns—they are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king. 22 As for the broken horn and the four that stood up in its place, four kingdoms shall arise out of that nation, but not with its power.

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes.

24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.

26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future.”

– Daniel 8:19-26 (NKJV)

Gabriel says that a king with a fierce face (עז פנים - literally: 'goat face') will stand up and have power. But, it won’t be his own power. And the Hebrew word is כח (ko-ach, ‘ch’ as in Bach), or strength. Someone gives him strength. And, this king uses it to crush the holy people (or, עם קדשים). He’s clever and deceitful and grows and destroys many through peace. He even goes after the Prince of Princes.

Then, Gabriel tells Daniel to seal (literally: plug up) the vision, since it’s a really long time in the future. And then… poor Daniel passes out again. And, Daniel just doesn’t understand the vision.

27 And I, Daniel, fainted and was sick for days; afterward I arose and went about the king’s business. I was astonished by the vision, but no one understood it.

– Daniel 8:27 (NKJV)

So, you might even say – although I wouldn’t say it very loudly – that Gabriel was less than successful in giving Daniel the understanding that he was looking for.

Furthermore, keep this last verse of Daniel 8 in mind as we briefly turn to the next chapter. Daniel does not understand the vision of chapter 8, but he understands the one in chapter 9.

Daniel 9

When the vision of Daniel 9 occurs, it’s a completely different moment in time. A completely different setting. This time, Daniel is pouring out his heart towards God, admitting the sins of his people and begging God for forgiveness. And, Gabriel arrives yet again to give Daniel a glimpse of the future – but not the same future of Daniel 8.

This inability to understand the core difference between chapter 8 and chapter 9 has led to a huge error that centers on Daniel 9:27 and the claim that it’s about the Antichrist. It’s not. Not even close.

Nowhere in Daniel 9:27 is there ANY discussion of the Antichrist.

Here’s my translation of Daniel 9:27:

And, a covenant shall be confirmed to many, for one week. And, [at] half of the week, there is a ceasing of sacrifice and offering. And, on a wing of abominations, devastation – until completeness and destruction is poured on [the] devastated.

– Daniel 9:27 (JLV – John Little Version)

You will not find that translation anywhere, because they all get it wrong. Every. Single. One. Which is why I had to do it myself.

TRANSLATION NOTE: The word for sacrifice used there is completely different than the one used for 'daily sacrifice' (התמיד) in Daniel 8:12. That word just meant 'the continual' or 'the always'. But, the word for sacrifice in Daniel 9:27 is completely different:

זבח - pronounced zeh-vach (ch as in Bach)

That literally means a 'sacrificial slaughter'. Not at all like what we saw in Daniel 8. And, Jesus really did end the zeh-vach.

Again, where is the Antichrist in that verse?

It’s not there, but that hasn’t stopped teachers and translators from inserting that idea into Daniel 9:27. And, this demonstration of an appalling lack of ability makes me hopping mad. There’s no excuse for translators to have such a poor understanding of Hebrew.

Furthermore, unlike chapters 8, 10, 11 and 12, Daniel seems to understand what he’s hearing in chapter 9. There is every indication that Gabriel was successful in helping Daniel comprehend the full meaning of this prophecy. And, history tells us that Jesus actually came, preached and died – exactly as described in Daniel 9. He ended the zeh-vach.

This means that inserting a two thousand year gap between week 69 and week 70, in Daniel 9 is just wrong at so many levels that I have a hard time understanding where such insanity comes from, and I’m not sure that I want to. But whatever the reason, it needs to stop. Daniel 9 is NOT about the Antichrist or the Last Days, at all. Period. End of Statement. It’s not in there, and no one can prove that it is. But, as someone who holds to a certain eschatology said to me:

"We put a gap in there, because we have to."

You're not a bad Christian if you believe that. But, it's a really foolish thing to do. Having said that, I've had more than my fair share of foolish ideas of my own, and I don't think that Daniel 9 will be on the final exam for getting into heaven. (And, if you believe that there is one, I have a bridge to sell you...)

Since there’s absolutely no reference to the Antichrist in Daniel 9, we’ve probably spent too much time talking about it. So, let’s move on to the rest of what we are here for, the army of the Antichrist.

Daniel 10-12

Daniel’s final prophecy takes up the last three chapters of his book. And, the core of that vision is in chapter eleven. Chapter ten is the introduction, and chapter twelve is the conclusion.

Unfortunately, the first verse of chapter ten gives us our first translation error. The King James Version says this:

In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

– Daniel 10:1 (KJV)

Here’s my translation:

In the third year of Cyrus, King of Persia, a word was revealed to Daniel – who was called [by] his name Belteshazzar – the word was true and a large army. And he understood the word and had understanding of the vision.

– Daniel 10:1 (John Little Version)

In Hebrew, ‘word’ and ‘thing’ are spelled exactly the same. So, the KJV gets a pass for saying ‘thing’ instead of ‘word’. But, there is no excuse for saying ‘the time appointed was long’. That is NOT in the original Hebrew.

The Hebrew words in question are:

וצבא גדול (veh’Tsava Gadol)

ו (veh) = and

צבא (Tsava) = army

גדול (Gadol) = large

Tsava has NEVER meant ‘appointed time’. Not ever, and I am disgusted yet again with the Anglican/Catholic translators of the KJV. Smooth move, guys.

Now, most other translations say that ‘Tsava’ means ‘conflict’ or ‘war’. That’s pretty weak, but there is some Hebrew usage that might allow them to get away with that. And, the last three chapters of Daniel do actually speak of a large conflict/war.

Oh, and your Interlinear Bible probably also gets it wrong. And, I’m amazed that a translation that is supposed to be literal can be so incorrect. It is a shameful thing for translators to make such gigantic mistakes. But, let’s move on to the next verse.

Verse two describes Daniel as mourning for ‘three weeks of days’.

Was he mourning over what he saw in Daniel 9?

No. There was nothing to mourn over. He understood the vision of Daniel 9. But, remember his response in chapter 8 – at the very end of the chapter. That’s right, he was shocked/appalled/astonished at the vision of chapter 8. He didn’t understand it. No one did.

Furthermore, we see the reason why Daniel was mourning for 21 days, when the angel appears to him. The angel says that he was sent from the moment that Daniel began his period of mourning, and the angel explains the message that he is bringing:

14 Now I have come to make you understand what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come.”

– Daniel 10:14 (NKJV)

So, this angel is talking about the same period of time that was spoken of in Daniel 8. If chapter ten was about the coming of Messiah, the angel would have said that. He didn’t, and we need to remember that.

The Seven Seals Of Revelation?

There’s not much else that we need to say about Daniel 10, other than a curious reference to a book or ‘writing’ that is not referred to anywhere else except maybe Revelation:

בכתב אמת

bee-chtav emet (ch as in Bach)

‘in a book of truth’ or ‘in a writing of truth’

It's in Daniel 10:21, and it sounds like there is a book or scroll in heaven, where the future has been written down. And, this might be the scroll that we see in the Book of Revelation that has been sealed with seven seals. And, when the seals are broken in Revelation, the book seems to open, allowing future events to unfold. But, this is speculation on my part.

(Go here for more on the Seven Seals.)

Let’s move on to the core chapter of this last vision of Daniel.

Daniel 11

Daniel 11 is the core of the prophecy that this angel has brought to Daniel, and this message covers all the ground that Daniel 8 describes – but with a lot more detail. However, this raises a question about what part of this is the future, and what is in the past.

The first few verses of chapter eleven are definitely historical, and the last few verses of this vision – which are in chapter twelve – are definitely in our future. In fact, let me point out the verse that makes it absolutely clear that this is a Last Days prophecy:

And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

– Daniel 12:2 (KJV)

Remember that the chapter divisions are artificial. We didn't have chapters in the Bible until a few hundred years ago. So, chapter 11 and chapter 12 are one chapter. And, those of you who know about what Jesus said about the First Resurrection, will know that this is it. This is the First Resurrection. And, since it hasn't happened yet, we know that Daniel 12 is in the future. But wait, we haven't looked at the previous verse:

“At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble,
Such as never was since there was a nation,
Even to that time.
And at that time your people shall be delivered,
Every one who is found written in the book.

- Daniel 12:1 (NKJV)

So, not only is this the First Resurrection, but it's also the Great Tribulation. But, more important for our current discussion, the words 'At that time' tell us that - at a minimum - the last part of Daniel 11 comes around the same time as this verse. In fact, there is no amount of time between the last part of Daniel 11 and the first verse of Daniel 12. Inserting a 2000 year gap between these two chapters would be a grave sin.

However, there is a two thousand year gap in Daniel 11, somewhere. It could be at the beginning, meaning that everything in Daniel 11 is in the future, or it could be somewhere in the middle. I would love to dig into the arguments for and against, but our subject is the Antichrist. It's enough that we have established that he is the one being talked about, in Daniel 11:21 and afterwards.

SIDE NOTE: Not everyone awakens. Only ‘many’ – i.e. all who were in covenant relationship with God. Unfortunately, some of those in covenant relationship with God will suffer ‘everlasting contempt’. That might not be as bad as the Lake of Fire in Hell where those who do not awaken go, but it’s still pretty bad. Eternally bad.

Oh, and remember what Jesus said about the First Resurrection – the sheep and the goats?

The passage is here:

Matthew 25:31-46

That’s what Daniel 12:2 is talking about.

And if all of that isn't enough clear, in-your-face proof, we also have confirmation that part of Daniel 11 is describing the Last Days, because of this verse:

He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end.

– Daniel 12:9 (ESV)

And, that word ‘end’ is the same one that appeared in Daniel 8:

קץ (ketz)

And, as I’ve said before, the word ‘ketz’ isn’t just the end. It’s the VERY end. The edge. Take one more teeny tiny step, and you will fall off. So, the ‘time of the end’ referred to in verse 9, really is the Last Days.

Beginning With The Antichrist In Daniel 11

Now that we have identified the point where the Antichrist begins, let's look at that verse:

And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.

– Daniel 11:21 (KJV)

Say what you want about the verses that come before verse 21, but from this verse onward, we are referring to the time of the last king – the Antichrist. And, after this king falls (11:45), the resurrection happens (12:2). There literally cannot be any other explanation.

Also, notice the reference to 'obtaining the kingdom by flatteries'. That is exactly like what Daniel 8 says, when he refers to the Antichrist as 'Who understands sinister schemes'. Someone who is good at intrigue and games of power, would also be someone who is exceptionally good at flattery.

Now, where are the invasions of Israel in this passage?

Not verse 24. Most translations get it wrong. The KJV comes close, and I’m not completely sure that I’ll translate it right. But, I’ll try anyway:

In peace and in fatness, a country he shall enter. And, he will not do that which his fathers and forefathers – distributing plunder, loot and wealth, and to strongholds, he will think thoughts and to a time.

– Daniel 11:24 (JLV, John Little Version)

That’s not exactly an invasion. That’s the Antichrist coming in with peace and handing out lots of goodies. Where he gets those goodies is hard to say. It sounds like he will have been conquering other areas in the world, but whatever the reason, he has plunder, loot and wealth to give. And, he’s a sneaky sneak, making sneaky plans.

Remember that this guy obtained his power through flattery and schemes. And, it seems that he tries that before committing troops to combat. Only when words and bribes fail, does he go to war.

He then tries to dominate the ‘King of the South’, and the King of the South responds with a huge army that gets completely defeated – destroyed from within. As a result, the Antichrist engages in dishonest peace talks and returns to the north. He only starts thinking about the ‘Holy Covenant’ in verse 28.

By the way, is verse 28 the moment he actually BECOMES the Antichrist?

He was undoubtedly against any form of faith in Christ before this. And, there have been people throughout history who have been against Christ - i.e., anti Christ. My neighbors here in Taiwan are antichrist. But, this King of the North doesn't seem to become THE Antichrist at least until verse 28. Or, maybe he becomes the Antichrist a couple verses later.

The Ships Of Chittim

In verse 30, the Antichrist tries to return and fight again, against the King of the South, but a fleet of ships stops him.

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

– Daniel 11:30 (KJV)

The word for Chittim (כתים) doesn’t correspond with any group of people that we know of, except one. In Genesis, Chittim is the son of Javan. And, Javan (actually Yavan) is the word that we use for Greece. So, this fleet would seem to be Greek in one form or another.

Now, why would ships be able to oppose an army marching on land?

Very simple: Logistics

If you spend enough time reading about war, you’ll hear a phrase that has been common for thousands of years, in many different languages:

An army marches on its stomach.

Without a steady and dependable supply of food, an army quickly falls apart. And, the most normal way to supply a big army is by water – ships. But, if those supply ships are stopped and/or sunk by the ‘ships of Chittim’, you have to abandon your invasion plans.

So, to be extra clear, the ships of Chittim aren’t stopping the army of the Antichrist directly. These ships are just stopping the ability of the Antichrist to supply his army with food.

By the way, this also indicates a radically changed world. Today, our advanced technology allows large military forces to be supplied over land. But, when the Antichrist rises, it looks like something will have reduced our access to the kinds of rapid transport that we have today. And all you need to do, to find out one of those reasons is read Ezekiel's Fire.

The King Of The Negev And A Badly Damaged Israel

Notice also who the Antichrist is fighting against:

The King of the South

Yes, he eventually turns against the ‘Holy Covenant’, but that’s only AFTER he starts his war against the King of the South.

Where is Israel’s military in all of this?

Seemingly nowhere.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) does not appear to be anywhere in this story. The IDF – if it still exists – seems unable to oppose the Antichrist as he moves up and down the eastern shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea. And, it should be absolutely clear that his army is also marching back and forth through the choke point at Har Megiddo – where the Battle of Armageddon will eventually be.

Unless you can find some way to prove that the King of the South is Israel, the Land of Israel that we know today, will not be the Land of Israel that we will know when the Antichrist rises. This doesn’t mean that Israel has ceased to exist, but it does mean that she is not strong enough to stop the Antichrist from moving through the Galil (aka, Galilee) and the coastal plain where Tel Aviv, Herzliya, Netanya and Caesarea are located.

This is pretty strong proof that something bad happens to Israel BEFORE the Antichrist arrives. And, we see an indication of terrible tragedy, before the Antichrist, here:

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith Jehovah, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

– Zechariah 13:8 (ASV)

That would certainly make Israel unable to stop the Antichrist from attacking the King of the South. We’ll get into more detail about this when we talk about Zechariah 12 and 13, but the fact that northern Israel cannot oppose the Antichrist is strong evidence that Gog and Magog has happened BEFORE the rise of the Antichrist.

Oh, and who is the King of the South?

I once thought that this was Egypt, but that is definitely not the case. Later in Daniel 11, Egypt is referred to in a way that is different from this ‘King of the South’. And, in Hebrew, this ‘King of the South’ actually says:

מלך הנגב

Melech haNegev (ch as in Bach)

King of the Negev

The word for ‘south’ in Hebrew is normally דרום (pronounced: dah-rome). Negev is also used in the Bible to mean ‘south’, but it literally means ‘dry’. Nagav is the root, and it means ‘to dry’. And, the driest part of Israel, is the wilderness area of southern Israel that everyone calls The Negev.

Is it possible that the political center of Israel shifts southwards?

When Gog and Magog comes, there will be a massive earthquake that knocks everything down. The cities along the Mediterranean Sea will be destroyed. Every building of any size in Jerusalem will be knocked down. And, Ezekiel’s Fire will knock out all the electricity. We will discuss that earthquake described in Isaiah 30:25, when we get to the chapter on Isaiah 30.

The point is that all the infrastructure that currently exists along the Mediterranean coast will be useless for a long time after Ezekiel’s Fire hits the Earth. And, it might be that areas in southern Israel like Be’er Sheva actually survive this cataclysm better than areas farther north. There is even some indication that weather patterns will shift, bringing more rain to the south, turning the Negev into a fertile plain. But whatever the cause, the Israel that we see today, will not be the Israel that the Antichrist will invade multiple times.

Something drastic will change the political face of Israel, and even the geography.

And, with the increased agriculture in the Negev...

Could it be that the political capital of Israel shifts to Be’er Sheva?

Remember that Isaiah also talks about an extreme political event that happens in Isaiah 19. Egypt will one day join in a confederation with Israel and a new entity called Assyria. So it might make sense for the political center of this new confederation be located in The Negev. You can read more about that, here:

Isaiah 17 And 19
https://whengogcomes.com/13-isaiah-17-and-19.html

My hope is that you will begin to realize that the world at the time of the rise of the Antichrist, will look a lot different than the world that we see today. And, that is a key point of this book. Not only do you need to be ready for the time when the Antichrist comes, you also need to be ready for the massive devastation that will happen BEFORE the Antichrist comes. I call that massive devastation, Ezekiel’s Fire. And, you really, Really, REALLY need to be ready for that. But, let’s get back to Daniel 11.

Again, this massive change to Israel, points directly to Gog and Magog happening BEFORE the Antichrist rises.

Gog CANNOT Be The Antichrist

So again, in verse 30, the Antichrist makes a second attempt to invade the King of the Negev, and the Chittim navy stops him. As a result, the Antichrist gets mad at the Holy Covenant. And this is when he makes a serious investment in conspiring with those who leave the Holy Covenant - the apostates.

Here’s verse 30 again:

For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant.

– Daniel 11:30 (KJV)

The KJV uses the word ‘indignation’, but the Hebrew word is much stronger than that. It’s זעם (zah-am), and it means ‘wrath’ or ‘rage’. Also, the word ‘intelligence’ is also a little bit incorrect. The word is יבן (yah-ven), and it’s a part of the same root as the Hebrew word for ‘understanding’ – מבין (mah-veen).

So, when the ships of Chittim block his invasion, he flies into a rage and starts conspiring with those who are apostates. And, these apostates have forsaken…

Wait…

…The Holy Covenant.

There’s a Holy Covenant in Israel BEFORE the Antichrist?

BEFORE the Antichrist rises, there will be a Holy Covenant. That means there are followers of God in Israel, who are obedient in every way.

Again, this is BEFORE the Antichrist.

And no, this will NOT be Judaism. Judaism is a synthetic religion formulated after the fall of the second temple as a way to get around the inability to properly sacrifice, AND to keep Jewish men and women from becoming Christian. If you live in Israel long enough, you'll figure this out.

The Rabbinic Judaism that sprang up in the first and second century AD, is not anything close to a ‘holy covenant’. But, it’s bigger than that.

Is it possible to have a holy covenant that is different than the one paid for by Jesus on the cross, and sanctified by His Blood?

Let me make this point as clearly as possible:

JESUS IS THE ONLY COVENANT!!!

If you think that there is any other way to salvation, except through faith and obedience in Jesus Christ, you are not a Christian. There is only one eternal sacrifice that paid for all the sins of the world. That covenant was made in His blood and sacrifice. Adding the blood of bulls and goats would be blasphemy.

Therefore, the Holy Covenant in Daniel 11:30 is faith in Christ.

That’s right, Christians. These are followers of Christ, like you and me. Israeli Christians that are faithfully worshiping God in the area of the Middle East where the Antichrist will run around in. These Israeli Christians do not begin their Life in Christ after the Antichrist. They begin their Life in Christ BEFORE the Antichrist. And, I can’t help but point out here that Ezekiel 38 and 39 show that Israel doesn’t join the Holy Covenant until AFTER Gog and Magog has been destroyed. Not before.

Gog and Magog is destroyed.

After that, Israel accepts Christ as their Lord and Savior.

It’s that simple, and it is absolute and undeniable proof that:

Gog is NOT the Antichrist.

With that completely obvious conclusion, we could stop this book right here and move on to the next book, Ezekiel's Fire. There is literally no other way to interpret what the Bible has said here.

So, let me say again - Gog just cannot be the Antichrist, especially, since Gog DIES during the Battle of Gog and Magog and is buried. The Antichrist is NOT buried, but is cast alive into the Lake of Fire. Nor have we seen any battles that look like the coming of Gog and Magog in Daniel 11. So, let’s keep going.

To summarize this point:

Gog cannot be the Antichrist, because Daniel describes an Israel that has accepted Christ BEFORE the Antichrist rises.

Ezekiel and Zechariah describe the salvation of Israel AFTER Gog is destroyed.

For more on that, jump ahead to this chapter:

Why Israel Must Be Saved BEFORE The Great Tribulation
https://whengogcomes.com/10-why-israel-saved-before-great-tribulation.html

Some BAD Arm Seeds

Here is what appears to be the best translation for the next verse:

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

– Daniel 11:31 (NASB)

However, the phrase ‘forces from him’ is interesting:

וזרעים ממנו (oo-zro-eem mee-meh-no)

When I first saw that phrase, I thought “SEEDS!” And yes, זרע (zeh-ra) means seed. But… not in this case. I was looking at the wrong Hebrew root for this word. Here’s the correct root:

זרוע

(zro-ah)

It means arm, and everyone has two of them – unless you’ve had an accident. It also means tentacle, so any octopus that is reading this will have a lot more than that. (Just sayin’)

So, these arms will come from the Antichrist, defile the building of the holy place, stop whatever worship of God that is happening there and then set up the Abomination of Desolation. And, this isn’t the Antichrist doing it directly. It is these ‘arms’, plural that are doing it.

Hebrew is specific when it comes to word agreement. Plural nouns have plural verbs. Singular nouns have singular verbs. So, this isn’t the Antichrist (singular) doing this. It’s these arms (plural) that are setting up the Abomination of Desolation.

The Abomination Of Desolation

Now, notice that phrase, Abomination of Desolation. The Hebrew is this:

השקוץ משומם (ha-shee-koots meh-sho-mem)

Where did we hear of this before?

Right here:

15 “So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let the one who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house, 18 and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak.

– Matthew 24:15-18 (ESV)

And, right here:

Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, “For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?”

– Daniel 8:13 (ESV)

Here’s Daniel 11:31 again:

Forces from him will arise, desecrate the sanctuary fortress, and do away with the regular sacrifice. And they will set up the abomination of desolation.

– Daniel 11:31 (NASB)

It’s clear that Daniel 11 and Matthew 24 are talking about the same moment in time. And, Daniel 8 is so close that you need to assume that it is also the same moment in time. The only difference for Daniel 8:13 is that Gabriel says ‘transgression’ instead of ‘abomination’. But, abomination is always transgression, and transgression is always an abomination.

So, I think that we must conclude that…

Jesus was talking about BOTH Daniel 8:13 and Daniel 11:31!

SIDE NOTE:

WHAT is this Abomination of Desolation?

We are used to assuming that this is the Antichrist himself, but now that I’ve looked at Daniel 11 more closely, I don’t think so. Remember that the Book of Revelation talks about an ‘image’ that people are required to worship. The setting up of a statue or image seems to fit better than just having the Antichrist stand there. Ultimately, we’ll see it, when it happens.

Whatever this Abomination of Desolation is, it means that verse 31 is at the beginning of the persecution phase of the Great Tribulation, and verses 32 to 39 confirm that with a description of persecution – as well as a discussion of what the Antichrist does. And, it all conforms to the description of Revelation.

The Great Tribulation

Daniel 11:32-39 is a terrible account of betrayal, persecution and great suffering. Apostate Christians will betray those who follow Christ. Christian men and women will be imprisoned and killed. The Antichrist will blaspheme God and place himself above Yehovah and all other gods. He even places another god, a god of fortresses, above other gods. And, he will use this god against the strongest fortresses.

What is this new ‘god of fortresses’ that the Antichrist will use as a tool to defeat those who continue to stand against him?

I could give you theory after theory about what all that could be, but that would be meaningless. I would undoubtedly get all of those theories wrong, and divert your attention from the main point. All that we know is that it's new, and useful.

Oh, and one more thing. And, this extra bit is important. This passage in Daniel about the Great Tribulation describes an important outcome for all Christians who go through this time and stay faithful:

Purification

Given enough time and enough prosperity, Christians become corrupted. The history of Christianity is full of churches that started out well, and ended up falling from grace. And, right now, Christians in the developed world are a horrifying mess. We have corrupted ourselves so badly, that I wonder how many of us are still in Christ.

We need to be purified. And, if we don’t choose purity now, God will impose it upon us. I believe that Gog and Magog will be a time of purification. The coming of the Antichrist will be the last one.

But, let’s get back to looking at the Army of the Antichrist.

The Place Of Escape

Then, in verse 40, the King of the Negev attacks again and loses badly.

40 “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. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon.

– Daniel 11:40-41 (NKJV)

In response to the attack by the King of the Negev, the Antichrist hits back, invading Israel in verse 41 and taking over Egypt and lots of Africa in verses 42 and 43.

But, who escapes from being conquered by the Antichrist?

Most of what we call the Kingdom of Jordan

After rushing about and capturing so much territory, the one place that he doesn’t get to, is the mountainous area to the east and southeast of the Jordan River. And, one reason why he can’t, is that he runs out of time, in verse 44:

But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction.

– Daniel 11:44 (ESV)

All of the above adds detail to what we see in Revelation 12:

14 And there were given to the woman the two wings of the great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness unto her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. 15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth after the woman water as a river, that he might cause her to be carried away by the stream. 16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon waxed wroth with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, that keep the commandments of God, and hold the testimony of Jesus:

– Revelation 12:14-17 (ASV)

So, the news that the Antichrist hears from 'the east' and 'the north' in Daniel 11:44, might be a message from his people, saying that there are Christians that are defying and even rising up against him. And, this news happens just at the right time, before he can destroy the Christians fleeing from Jerusalem and Judea. The Israeli Christians escape to a place of safety, and the Antichrist can’t do much about them.

Now, claiming that verse 44 is about Christians defying him, is speculation. There could be any number of reasons for why ‘news from the east and the north would alarm him’. It could be a disgruntled political faction. It could even be a group that’s upset over Allah or Muhammad or Buddha being blasphemed. But, since the Antichrist hates Christians more than any other group of people, I feel like the best explanation would be one that points to Christians defying the Antichrist in the north and east. But, as always… we’ll see when it happens.

Why Jezreel

Then, in Daniel 11:45, the last verse of the chapter, the Antichrist is destroyed.

And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

– Daniel 11:45 (NKJV)

In the original Hebrew, ‘plant’ is literally a verb that you would use when describing how you would insert seeds into the ground for the purposes of growing a plant. So, the Antichrist PLANTS his tent between two seas and TO the glorious holy mountain.

Not ‘in’.

‘To’.

The Antichrist firmly places his tents – yes, tents – BETWEEN two seas and TOWARDS the ‘glorious holy mountain’. Most translations garble this verse badly. They say that the Antichrist puts his tents in/on/at Jerusalem, but that’s not what it says.

A careful look at the original Hebrew – along with a little triangulation – makes it pretty clear that the tents of the Antichrist are in the Jezreel Valley, which is where the Battle of Armageddon will be fought in Revelation 16. And, the destruction of Damascus would be one of the reasons why he would choose Jezreel. I get into what happens to Damascus, here:

Isaiah 17 and 19
https://whengogcomes.com/13-isaiah-17-and-19.html

Damascus has always been the best location for a regional capital for the Levant - the area of land directly east of the Mediterranean Sea. Conquerors of Syria, Jordan and Israel have always placed the regional capital for the area, at Damascus. There was plenty of water. It was at the crossroads for what is modern-day Turkey, Iraq, Egypt, Arabia and Africa. Everything going back and forth overland between Europe and Asia and Africa, had to go through Damascus. Yes, there were other routes, but you had to be insane to use them.

The other thing about Damascus is that it was a great place to put an army. It was the perfect staging area for invading other provinces, or defending the provinces that you had. But, when Damascus is destroyed with its source of water eliminated, you can't put your army there. You have to put it in a similar location.

And, that's why the Antichrist chooses to put his palace in the Jezreel valley.

Armageddon is at the entrance to the Jezreel valley, and it will be the place that the ‘Kings of the East’ will rush to, in hopes of rescuing the Antichrist from the armies of heaven.

Summarizing What We’ve Seen So Far

Up to this point, we’ve done our very best to look at the invasion(s) of Israel by the Antichrist. And, we’ve had a chance to look at identifiers that are unique to the Antichrist, that Gog would not have.

There are Five invasions of Israel by the Antichrist
(Gog is described as invading once)

The Israel at the time of the Antichrist will not look like the Israel of today

The Antichrist has opposition – lots of it

The Antichrist captures Jerusalem.
(Gog does NOT capture Jerusalem.)

Israelis need to run away from the Antichrist
(Israelis do not need to run away for Gog)

The Antichrist will not be buried, but he and his false prophet will be thrown alive into Hell.
(Gog will be buried and will have a grave in a special place called Hamon Gog.)

The Antichrist assembles ALL NATIONS – even though God is the one really doing it.
(Gog assembles a specific set of nations to invade Israel.)

There are merely hours or maybe days between the destruction of the Antichrist and the Millennium
(After Gog is destroyed, there cannot be less than seven years.)

When the Antichrist invades Israel, the context of spiritual salvation is absent.
(With Gog and Magog, the children of Jacob accept Jesus as their savior.)

Daniel 8 is NOT about Antiochus Epiphanes

Daniel 8 does NOT refer to sacrifices, but the continual worship of God at Jerusalem.

Daniel 9 is about Jesus and NOT the Antichrist

Daniel 11 is about the Antichrist – NOT Antiochus Epiphanes

The King of the South is actually the King of the Negev

The massive change to Israel, points directly to Gog and Magog happening BEFORE the Antichrist rises.

Gog cannot be the Antichrist, because Israel accepts Christ BEFORE the Antichrist rises, while Ezekiel and Zechariah describe the salvation of Israel AFTER Gog is destroyed.

Again, I need to reiterate this to be absolutely clear for everyone:

Israel must be Christian long before the Antichrist invades Israel.

That statement alone should be all the proof that anyone would need that Gog comes years before the Antichrist rises. There just cannot be any other conclusion. No other conclusion is possible.

Anyway, those are a lot of points, and some of those require evidence from other books in the Bible, and we will get to those. And, we will go to Ezekiel, Zechariah and Isaiah to pull out the details that describe Gog and Magog directly and then compare them to what we know about the Antichrist.

By the time that we are done, we should have a clearer understanding of the wars of the Last Days. Most important of all, we will be able to accurately place the Return of Jacob on this timeline of events.

Having said all that, don't get distracted from a vital conclusion that you should not miss:

If Gog and Magog and the Return of Jacob happen BEFORE the coming of the Antichrist...

...you need to be ready for Ezekiel’s Fire.

So, let’s turn our attention to Gog and Magog.

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Click Here For Ezekiel 38