Daniel 8B Antiochus and Antichrist

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

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In Daniel 8:15-27, the angel Gabriel provides the prophet Daniel with the interpretation of the vision given to him. It is unnerving as we can imagine because Daniel clearly did not understand much of it at all. Because of that, he needed help. As we’ll see, even when he is provided an explanation, he still does not fully grasp the intended meaning. I submit that he does not because much of what he sees is not meant for him during his earthly life. In fact, at least some of it won’t happen until the very end of this current age leading up to the physical return of our Lord Himself.

If we stop to consider it, there is really no way Daniel could understand a good deal of what he saw. Yes, after Gabriel explains to him the meaning of the ram, the goat, the little horn and other things, Daniel grasps that much. But overall there is much he simply cannot grasp because of the age in which he lived, devoid of the level of technology that is foundational to society today. We have smart phones, smart appliances, Wi-Fi, the Internet, television signals, vehicles that run on gas or electricity that move much faster than horses or chariots. We have supersonic bombs that can be deployed by using hyper-sonic jets. We have tanks that can shoot armor, destroying buildings or even underground bunkers.

Warfare today is far different from warfare during Daniel’s day. I cannot imagine how confusing it must have been for the prophets (including the apostle John with Revelation), to see the future from their perspective and try to understand what it all meant, when they had little to nothing to connect it to. Such was the case with Daniel as well, in spite of how loved he was by God and in spite of how intelligent he may have been. Prophesy is best understood after it happens and then we can clearly see all the pieces of the puzzle neatly fit together.

In the second half of Daniel 8, Gabriel comes alongside Daniel to explain to him the meaning of the vision.

• Daniel sees a Ram w/two horns in his vision (Medo-Persia)
• Daniel then sees a fast-moving Goat
• Goat had one horn between its eyes – normally goats have two horns
• The goat w/horn represents Alexander the Great coming from the West (Greece)
• The Goat attacked the Ram, broke his two horns and trampled him
• Goat overcame Ram and swallowed up its kingdom
• Eventually, Alexander dies – his kingdom divided into four parts
• The new four horns were:
  • Lysimachus (northern part of Grecian Empire)
  • Cassander (western part)
  • Seleucus (eastern part)
  • Ptolemy (southern part)
  • “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.” (v9)

This little horn in verse 9 is normally seen as Antiochus IV in history, who also referred to himself as “Epiphanes” meaning “God manifest.” So clearly, he referred to himself as God. This and other attitudes he held and the types of things he did make him a type of Antichrist. The actual Antichrist is the subject of the second half of Daniel 8. Some commentators believe the second half of Daniel 8 focuses only on Antiochus IV, while others (like me), view the second half of Daniel 8 as focusing first on Antiochus but ultimately looking to the final man of sin Paul speaks of in 2 Thessalonians 2.

Like previous visions, Daniel was unable to know what this particular vision meant. He needed help to understand it, so God tells Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel. As we would also likely do, Daniel bowed out of great fear and respect for the angel.

Gabriel essentially tells Daniel that the vision is for the times of the end or the end times. This was far into the future from Daniel’s perspective and it remains in our future as well. It seems clear that God revealed this to Daniel way ahead of time but it was not meant for Daniel during his lifetime.

There could also be a near/far interpretation in which the vision could refer to the “indignation” perpetrated by Antiochus IV soon (168 BC) and also foresees the very end times when Antichrist does the same thing to the newly built Tribulation Temple. These types of double fulfillments occur throughout Scripture (Moses fulfilled something partially that Jesus fulfilled fully, etc.).

In Daniel 8:18-22, Gabriel provides the interpretation Daniel needed to hear. Daniel learns that the ram with two horns represents the two nations of Media and Persia coming together as one nation. Eventually, this empire is overtaken and conquered by Alexander’s Grecian Empire, represented by the shaggy goat with one horn. Normally, goats have two horns but this one had just one and this goat was ferocious, conquering one area after another including the Medo-Persian Empire. Eventually, Alexander absorbed the Medo-Persian Empire into the Grecian Empire.

After Alexander’s death, four generals split Alexander’s kingdom into four sections:

• Macedonia and Greece
• Thrace and Asia Minor
• Egypt and Palestine, and
• Syria and Persia

Antiochus Epiphanes IV is also discussed in Daniel 8 and if we compare that chapter with Daniel 7, which speaks of the Antichrist, we get an even better picture of how these two individuals compare. ” data-medium-file=”https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=300″ data-large-file=”https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=455″ class=”size-medium wp-image-8843″ src=”https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=300&h=226″ alt=”" width=”300″ height=”226″ srcset=”https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=300 300w, https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=600 600w, https://modres.files.wordpress.com/2015/09/daniel-7-and-8-little-horn-comparison.jpg?w=150 150w” sizes=”(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px” />

Antiochus Epiphanes IV is also discussed in Daniel 8 and if we compare that chapter with Daniel 7, which speaks of the Antichrist, we get an even better picture of how these two individuals compare.

Most conservative Bible scholars believe verses 20-22 have been completely fulfilled in history. The sticking points of disagreement occur with verse 23 and following. In my opinion, verses 23-25 could represent a near/far view. The near fulfillment sees Antiochus IV as the historical persecutor as in vv 9-14 (MacArthur). Antiochus as king in 164 BC was “in the latter period of their rule.” Rome conquered Greece in 146 BC and Antiochus died “broken without human agency” from insanity and disease of the bowels.

The far fulfillment (vv23-25) illustrates the actions of Antichrist during the final Tribulation period.

There are numerous similarities between Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the coming final man of sin, the Antichrist. Some of those are listed on the included chart.

I was reading a recent article from Daymond Duck who also talked about Satan’s Kingdom (the one that is being built now through the WEF, WHO and other globalist agencies). This kingdom of Satan’s will be ruled over by Antichrist but he and Satan will be literally of one mind. Because of their union, anyone who worships the Antichrist during the coming seven year Tribulation period will actually be worshiping Satan himself.

But Daymond listed several things that I believe are cogent to the coming kingdom of Satan and how it is actually being built now.[1] Some of the things he points out include the following:

• Satan’s kingdom is coming, allowed by God
• Here is a partial list of signs God revealed about Satan’s earthly kingdom: (from Daymond Duck at Rapture Ready)
• It will last for 7 years (Dan. 9:24-27)
• It will be a global kingdom, aka world government, New World Order, Great Reset, a borderless world (this is shaping up now; the World Economic Forum, World Health Organization, etc., exist now; Dan. 7:23; Rev. 13:7)
• Evil will be unrestrained during Satan’s 7-yr earthly kingdom (2 Thess. 2:5-12)
• Satan’s earthly kingdom will be ruled by a wicked man called the Antichrist (I Jn. 2:18)
• Satan’s earthly kingdom will be supported by a corrupt religious leader (Pope Francis or someone like him; Rev. 16:13; 17:1-6)
• It will be ruled by a Satan worshiper from a revived Roman Empire (the EU; Rev. 13:1-6; Dan. 2:40-44; 9:24-27)
• It will begin just before Israel is ready to rebuild the Temple (everything has been pre-fabricated; Israel has a red heifer, etc.; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:3-4; John 5:43)
• It will begin after Israel has come back into being (after May 14, 1948) and Jerusalem has been rebuilt (it has). Israel’s army has become immensely powerful (it is), Israel is surrounded by enemies (it is), Jerusalem is a global problem (it is), Israel is still partially blinded, etc. (Isa. 11:11; Jer. 30:3, 7; Ezek. 37:10; Psa. 83; Zech. 12:2-3; Rom. 11:25)
• It will begin after Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others have become allies and gathered in Syria to attack Israel from the north (they are there now; Ezek. 38-39)
• The signs will be converging like birth pains when it is shaping up (get closer together and more destructive; they are happening faster than we can keep up with them now; Matt. 24:3-8)
• When it is approaching, people will deny that anything has changed and say everything is the same as it always was (2 Pet. 3:4)
• Deceit (Covid-19 vaccinations will keep you from getting Covid-19; there are dozens of genders; Climate Change is destroying the world; Matt. 24:4, 5, 11, 24), wickedness (Days of Noah; Gen. 6:5; Matt. 24:7), and sexual deviance (Days of Lot; LGBTQ; Gen. 19; Luke 17:28-29) will be great (they are now)
• Witchcraft, drug abuse, and murder (abortion, etc.) will be rampant, and people will refuse to repent (Rev. 9:20-21)
• Knowledge will be great: men will be able to make statues that talk (Artificial Intelligence; Dan. 12:1-2; Rev. 13:15); men will be able to identify everyone and track all buying and selling (quantum computers, a digital ID, a central bank digital currency are coming on the scene now; Rev. 13:16-17)

Next time, we hope to start Daniel 9, but we need to go over Daniel 8:23-27 first, which we did not get to this time.

[1] https://www.raptureready.com/2024/04/06/satans-kingdom-by-daymond-duck/

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective