Persecution by the Major Antagonist (Pt 1): The Actions of the Antichrist DANIEL 11:36-45
The Structure of Dan 10-12 A: A Spiritual Warfare behind an Historical Event (10:1-21). B: A Brief History before the Hellenistic Kingdoms (11:1-4): B1: A Truncated History of Medo-Persia (11:1-2): B2: A Brief History of Macedonian Greece (11:3-4). C: A Detailed History of 2 Hellenistic Kingdoms (11:5-34): C1: The Kings of the North vs. the Kings of the South (11:5-20). C2: The Actions of the Minor Antagonist (11:21-35). D: The Actions of the Major Antagonist (11:36-45). E: The Last Days Prophesied and Sealed(12:1-13).
A Portrait of the King 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. (Dan. 11:36 NAU) The king Is Not Specified as: Antiochus IV, as One of the King of the North (11:21-35). Alexander the Great, as a Mighty [Warrior] King (11:3) He Does Not Need to Be Specified, for the Author Assumed that the Readers Will Know Whom He Is by the Context. Dan 8-12 Is Using the Minor Antagonist (Antiochus IV) to Illustrate the Major Antagonist (the Antichrist).
A Portrait of the King Do as he pleases: The King Will Be Known by His Extreme Arrogance, Authoritarianism, and Petulant Temper. Exalt and magnify himself above every god: He Will Accept Polytheistic gods in Concept, but Exalts Himself Above Them. Speak monstrous things against the God of gods: He Also Accepts the Monotheistic God in Concept, but He Will: Speak Monstrous (Heb: pala, surpassing, extraordinary) Things against the True God. (KJV: Marvelous; ESV: Astonishing; NIV: Unheard-of; NET: Presumptuous; NKJ: Blasphemous; NRS Horrendous; TNK: Awful; YLT: Wonderful). The Same Was Said in 8:24 by Antiochus IV. It Seems that He Will Identified Himself as God, and Might Do Miracles in the Name of God.
A Portrait of the King He will prosper until the indignation is finished: The Indignation (Heb: tza am, indignant anger) Is the Wrath of God. In 8:19 It Was the Wrath of God against Antiochus IV. In the Context of the Tribulation at the End Time, the Wrath of God Could Be against the Sins of His People Israel, or of the Whole Humanity. That which is decreed will be done: The Word for Decree Here Is in Hebrew charats (cut, sharpen, decide), Which Was Used in 9:27, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate. (NAU)
A Portrait of the King 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. (Dan. 11:37 NAU) The gods of his fathers (Heb: elohi abtaiv): The Word Elohim Means God (Plural of Majesty) or gods (Literal Plurality). The God of His Fathers (KJV/NKJ, YLT): the King Is Jewish. The gods of His Fathers (RSV/NRS, NAS/NSU, ASV/ESV, NIV): the King Is Pagan. Throughout Bible, the God of Fathers Refers to Yahweh (the LORD), the Covenant God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Exod 4:5; Duet 1:11; Judg 2:12; 1 Chr 5:25; 2 Chr 14:4; Ezra 7:27; Dan 2:23; Acts 3:13; 5:30; 26:6).
A Portrait of the King The desire of women: If It Means the General Desire of Women, which Is Love and Family, then the King Would Not Have any Love for Women. This Perhaps Means that He Is a Homosexual. And the Whole Sentence of He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women Means That He Is Neither Religiously Pious (Orthodox), Nor Socially Just (Normal, Good). If It Means the Special Desire of Jewish Women, Which Is the Become the Mother of the Messiah, then the King Would Not Care for Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This Means that He Care Neither for the God of OT (Biblical Judaism) Nor NT (Christianity). Any other god: Unbiblical Divinity: e.g. Polytheistic gods, or the Islamic A llah, a Moon god Elevated to Be the Sole god.
A Portrait of the King 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. (Dan. 11:38 NAU) A god of fortresses: Fortress (Heb: ma uz) Is a Place or Means of Safety and Protection. If Interpreted Metaphorically, Honoring Such a god Means Materialism and Militarism; gold, silver, costly stones and treasures Will Mean General Wealth (Big Military Budget?). If Interpreted Literally, There Are gods Worshipped by People Who Used to Live in Mountainous Fortresses, Like the Moabites or Edomites gods, Moloch or Baphomet; then gold, silver, costly stones and treasures Would Be Literal Gifts to the Idol, Too.
The Action of the King 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. (Dan. 11:39 NAU) The strongest of fortresses: Military Objects of Conquest. All the Enemies of the King and His Nation with Be Subdued. With the help of a foreign god : Either Spiritually by the Demonic Power behind an Idol. Or Physically by the Military Power of a Foreign Nation (e.g. US). Or Both, Doing the Latter by the Power of the Former.
The Action of the King Give great honor to those who acknowledge him: He Is in the Position of Authority over Many Nations (UN? UK?), and Could Give Honor (Reward? Knighthood?). He Will Divide All Humanity into Two Kinds: Those for Me, and Those against Me. Will cause them to rule over the many: He Is in the Position to Decide Who Is Elected the Ruler of Other Countries. I.e. He Controls the Global Media; and All Nations Are Democratic, Not Autocratic; therefore Controlled by Media. Will parcel out land for a price: He Is in the Position of Giving Lands to People, either by Privatizing Public Land, or by Moving Population Groups (Such as Refugees) to Other People s Land.
The Last Struggle 40 "At the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them and pass through. (Dan. 11:40 NAU) The End time (Heb: et qets): Shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. The Time of the End Appeared in 8:17, 19. The End Time Appeared in 11:35, 40; 12:4, 9. King of the South: Leader of Egypt by the Context in 11:42-43. King of the North: Seem to Be a Leader of Syria by the Analogy to 11:5-35: KS = Egypt; KN= Syria. Him: the King, Not the Same as KS or KN.
The Last Struggle The king of the North will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen and with many ships: KN = Syria, or Its Supporters from the North (Turkey or Russia?) Chariots, horsemen, ships: Either Symbolically Meaning Military Power, or Literally Warring in Pre-modern Weaponry. He will enter countries, overflow them and pass through: He Is the King. He Will Defeat Many Nations. Pass through: He Will Not Be Able to Occupy the Conquered Nations; He Simply Made them Humiliated for a Time, Maybe Put under Tributary (?).
The Last Struggle 41 "He will also enter the Beautiful Land, and many countries will fall; but these will be rescued out of his hand: Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon. (Dan. 11:41) The Beautiful Land: Beulah Land = Judea = Modern Israel. Enter: Either (1) the Regular Residence of the King Is Not in Israel; or (2) the Source of His Army at the Time of the Last Battle Is Not from Israel. Many countries will fall: Nations around the Greater Israel. Edom, Moab, Ammon: Modern Nation of Jordan Will Be Delivered Out of His Hand, Where True Jews Could Escape
The Last Struggle 42 "Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 43 "But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels. (Dan. 11:42-43 NAU) Egypt, Libyans, Ethiopians (Cush: Sudan): Natural Allies of Egypt, All South of Israel. the land of Egypt will not escape the hidden treasures of gold and silver and all the precious things of Egypt: He Will Obtain Control of Egypt and Its Resources.
The Last Struggle 44 "But rumors from the East and from the North will disturb him, and he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many. (Dan. 11:44 NAU) The East: It Could Mean Arabia, Persia, India or China. It May Be Related to the 200 Million Soldiers Crossing over Euphrates in Rev 9:16, to Kill 1/3 of Humanity. The North: It Could Mean Syria, Turkey, or Russia, or the Combined Forces of Them. To destroy and annihilate many: He Did Not Aim for Victory, but for Maximus Destruction in the Number of Souls.
The Last Struggle 45 "He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain; yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. (Dan. 11:45 NAU) Tents of his royal pavilion: He May Have Obtained Royalty. But This Just Means His Head Quarter. It Was in Somewhere Else (NY for UN? Brussels for EU?), but Now in Israel. Beautiful Holy Mountain: Jerusalem, where the Temple Mt Is. The seas: The Mediterranean Sea. Between the seas and the Mountain: Tel Aviv. He will come to his end: Slain by the Second Coming Christ. No one will help him: No Human That He Bought Could.