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A Study Of The Prophetic Visions Of DanielLesson Eleven –Chapter Eight– Vision Of Ram And He-Goat- Part One
Daniel 8:1-5 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. [2] And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. [3] Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. [4] I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. [5] And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes.
This vision deals with only two of the kingdoms symbolized in the metals on the image of Dan. 2 and by the four beasts of Dan. 7 — the Medo-Persian and the Grecian. The purpose of this vision is to narrow down the place of the coming of the "little horn" or the Antichrist, geographically, from the ten kingdoms to four of the kingdoms, and reveal that his kingdom will be the Revived Grecian Empire instead of the Revised Roman Empire.
The Antichrist is seen in this chapter as coming out of one of the four Grecian divisions, so we can eliminate entirely the other six of the Revised Roman Empire as being the countries from which he will come.
In Dan. 7, he is seen coming out of the ten kingdoms of the Revised Roman Empire. He uses the kingdom he comes out of, to overthrow three others, which are the other three divisions of Greece. Thus he revives the Grecian Empire by coming out of one of its divisions and overthrowing the other three. The six kingdoms of the Revised Roman Empire which were never a part of the Grecian Empire will submit to him, and his kingdom will then become the eighth of Rev. 17:8-17, which immediately succeeds the seventh or Revised Rome, but which is destroyed by Christ at His coming. The Antichrist arises at the beginning of the Seventieth Week of Daniel and in three and one half years conquers and gains control of all the ten kingdoms that he will rule for the last three and one half years of the Seventieth Week. All the kings will continue to rule under him, but as subordinate kings during this short period.
The vision of the ram and the he-goat is given in Dan. 8:1-18 and interpreted in Dan. 8:19-27. Such expressions as "at the time of the end shall be the vision . . . the last end of the indignation . . . the end shall be . . . the latter time of their kingdom.... stand up against the Prince of princes.... broken without hand" prove that the vision concerns the last days just before the coming of Christ to Earth.
The Ram – The Mede-Persian Empire
Daniel 8:1-4 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. [2] And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai. [3] Then I lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. [4] I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great.
Daniel 8:20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia.
The ram symbolizes the Mede-Persian Empire the same as the silver in the image of Dan. 2 and the bear of Dan. 7. It had two horns corresponding to the two arms on the image of Dan. 2 and represents the two leaders of the Empire, Darius the Median, and Cyrus the Persian. The ram did according to its own will for a period but at the height of his power a he-goat came from the west and destroyed the ram, representing the conquests of Mede-Persia by Greece.
The He-Goat – The Grecian Empire
Daniel 8:5-26 And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. [6] And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. [7] And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. [8] Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. [9] And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. [10] And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. [11] Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down
The he-goat symbolizes the Grecian Empire the same as the brass in the image of Dan. 2 and the leopard in Dan. 7. He came from the face of the west and touched not the ground as he went, representing the swiftness of Alexander's conquests. The he-goat had a notable horn between the eyes, representing the first king or Alexander the Great. The notable horn was broken (Alexander died) and in its place there came up four notable ones (horns) toward the four winds of Heaven, representing the division of the Grecian Empire into four parts.
The Four Divisions Of Greece
Daniel predicted that the third or the Grecian Empire would be divided into four parts (Dan. 8:8, 9, 21-23; 11:4). This was fulfilled after the death of Alexander the Great when four of his generals seized upon his empire as follows:
A. Cassander took Greece and Macedon. B. Lysimachus took Asia Minor or present Turkey and Thrace. C. Seleucus took all the eastern parts of the empire including the modern states of Syria, Iraq, and Iran. D. Ptolemy took the kingdom of Egypt. The region known as Palestine became a buffer state between Syria and Egypt who waged war with each other for about 150 years ending in 165 B.C. with the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria.
The Romans conquered all these divisions except the extreme eastern part of the kingdom of Seleucus and they became a part of the old Roman Empire. These four divisions of Greece will become four of the ten kingdoms that will be formed inside the old Roman Empire in the last days.
From What Country Does The Antichrist Come From?
Daniel saw the "little horn" coming out of one of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire (Dan. 8:8-9, 21-23). He said, "And out of one of them came forth the little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." This was to be "in the latter time of their kingdom" and it must yet be in the future for these kingdoms still exist (Dan. 8:23).
These four divisions are known today as Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. In Dan. 7 we have the Antichrist coming from ten kingdoms inside the Roman Empire and if we did not have the vision of Dan. 8 we could believe that he could come from England, Holland, Belgium, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Albania, or some other part of the old Roman Empire outside of the four divisions of the Grecian Empire. But since we have in Daniel 8 the narrowing down of the Antichrist from ten kingdoms to four of the ten and definitely limiting his coming from either Greece, Turkey, Syria, or Egypt, we must therefore limit his coming from one of these four countries.
If the Antichrist is coming from either Greece, Turkey, Syria, or Egypt, then it is definite that he cannot come from Italy, the Vatican, England, America, Germany, Russia, or any other country of the world, as men have been teaching in the past for a number of years. Therefore, all the foolish speculation of the past about Mussolini, Hitler, Judas Iscariot, Antiochus Epiphanes, and many others has been unscriptural. Likewise the present speculation that the pope, or some other man is the Antichrist is unscriptural.
This much is clear, no man knows who the Antichrist will be for he has not yet come and cannot come until AFTER the ten kingdoms are formed inside the Roman Empire and until AFTER the rapture of the church. At least that is the way we see it.
It is also clear that Antichrist cannot be any man in past history, as we shall see. These facts automatically eliminate about 90 to 95 percent of modern prophetical teaching on the Antichrist, Italy, Russia, and Germany. Antichrist will not come from any of these countries nor will he reign from any of the capitals of these countries
Daniel 8 And The Antichrist
By this term “Antichrist” we mean the one man of the future who will be the leader in opposing Jesus Christ in the last generation of this age—during the great tribulation in particular. He is the one man to whom in reality most of Daniel’s prophetic visions deal with. He will be personally destroyed by Jesus Christ as they face each other in the battle of Armageddon (2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 19:11-21; Dan. 7:11; Zech. 14:1-9; Jude 14-15). It is necessary for us to understand the scriptural facts about the time, length, and extent of the Antichrist’s reign in order to know the time period of the rapture and the Second Advent, and why we believe the church won’t have to face him. We should also know where the tribulation will be on earth. We must realize that the reign of the Antichrist and the future tribulation will not be worldwide, and that those outside the Antichrist’s kingdom won’t go through what those in his kingdom will have to endure by him.
Having said those last statements let us make it clear that the entire world WILL be affected by the Great Tribulation period. While we feel Scripture indicates the Antichrist will be limited in his efforts to dominate the entire world, it is very plain to see that the entire world will be influenced by him. Events in Europe may not directly affect us in the United States; events in Europe or the Middle East affect us. We believe the effect of the Antichrist will cause the entire world to tremble and shake.
There are six basic questions we want to look at concerning the Antichrist.
Question 1: Who is he?
At the present time this question will remain unanswered until the Antichrist personally makes the seven-year covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27).
Daniel 9:27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
We know that he will not be any man of the past, for he is yet to be “slain” at the second advent of Christ (Dan. 7:11; 2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 19:20)—and no man will die more than once (Heb. 9:27).
Therefore, he could not be Nimrod, Nero, Judas, or any of at least 35 men of history whom various Bible scholars have already chosen as the Antichrist, many of whom have ruled the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Mede-Persian, Grecian, and Roman empires in the past. Nor could he be any man of recent history—Mussolini, Hitler, Stalin, Roosevelt, or any other who has died.
Nor can he be Kissinger or any one of a new crop of Antichrists being named by some of today’s so-called prophetical scholars who are making the same mistake many others have already made.
The future Antichrist will not be revealed until after the ten kingdoms are formed inside the Roman Empire territory (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24), and after the rapture of the church, as proved by many scriptures in Chapters 10-11.
Question 2: Where does he come from?
This question is fully and clearly answered in the book of Daniel, as we can see from a brief summary of the prophecies of Dan. 2, 7, 8, 9, and 11 as follows:
The Babylonian Empire
n Dan. 2 and 7 we have two visions that cover the Gentile world powers from Daniel’s day to the second coming of Christ. The “head of gold” on the image (Dan. 2:32, 35, 38) and the “lion” (Dan. 7:4, 12, 17) symbolize Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom (Dan. 2:37-38; Jer 15:4; 24:9; 25:11-12; 29:18).
The Medo-Persian Empire
The “breast and arms of silver” on the image (Dan. 2:32-39), and the “bear” (Dan. 7:5,12,17) and the “ram” (Dan. 8:5-25) symbolize Medo-Persia, which followed Babylon in the punishment of Israel (Dan. 2:39; 5:24-31; 6:1-26; 8:1-2, 20; 10:1-20; 11:1-3; 2 Chr 36:22; Ezra 1:1-3).
The Grecian Empire
The “belly and thighs of brass” on the image (Dan. 2:39), and the “leopard” (Dan. 7:6, 12, 17) and the “he goat” (Dan. 8:5-25) symbolize the old Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great that followed Medo-Persia in “the times of the Gentiles” (Dan. 2:39; 8:20-21; 11:1-4).
The Roman Empire
The “legs of iron” on the image (Dan. 2:33-35, 40) and the nondescript “beast” (Dan. 7:7-8, 17-27) symbolize the old Roman Empire that followed the Grecian Empire and its four divisions in the persecution of Israel (Dan. 2:40; 7:23-25; 9:26; Lk 2:1; Jn 11:48; Mt. 24:1-2; Acts 16:21; 22:25-29).
The Revised Roman Empire
The “feet and toes” of iron and clay on the image (Dan. 2:33-35, 41-44) and “the ten horns” on the nondescript beast (Dan. 7:8-24) symbolize ten kings who will head ten separate governments from ten separate capitals inside the old Roman Empire territory in the days of the coming of Christ to the earth (Dan. 2:31-44; 7:23-25; Rev. 12:3; 13:1-18; 17:8-17). Men call these ten kingdoms the Revived Roman Empire, but actually there will be no such thing as a “revived” Roman Empire.
This would require the Roman territory to be formed into only one empire again and be ruled by one man from Rome instead of ten kingdoms being formed. But this the Bible does not teach. It shows that, as stated above, there will be ten kingdoms formed inside the old Roman territory ruled by ten kings (Dan. 2:44; 7:7-8, 23-24; Rev. 17:8-17). This is the next phase of the fulfillment of prophecy concerning the world empires between Daniel’s day and the Millennium.
It is better to call these ten kingdoms the “Revised Roman Empire,” for the old Roman Empire will definitely be revised from one vast empire into ten kingdoms.
Some Facts About The Coming 10-Kingdom Revised Roman Empire
1. The ten future kingdoms of revised Rome are to be a political union, not a commercial union (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; Rev. 13:1-5; 17:8-17). 2. There are presently about 25 governments inside the Roman Empire territory that must be brought down to ten kingdoms and these will take in all of that territory, not just a part of it (Dan. 7:23-24). 3. The ten kingdoms, when they are formed, will take in parts of three continents—Europe, Asia, and Africa—and not be ten nations of Europe only. 4. It is predicted in Dan. 8 that four of the ten kingdoms inside the Roman Empire would be located inside the old Grecian Empire territory. Not one of the Common Market nations is from the old Grecian Empire of Alexander the Great.
The Revived Grecian Empire
Daniel did not see a “little toe” growing out of the ten toes of the feet in Dan. 2, or one from their midst plucking out three of the ten toes. But in Dan. 7 he did see a “little horn” growing out of the ten horns, which plucked up three of the horns by the roots (Dan. 7:7-8, 20-25). It is explained in these verses that one horn from among the ten will rise to power over three of the ten. The “four wings” and the “four heads” on the leopard symbolize the four divisions of the old Grecian Empire of Dan. 7. The “four horns” and the “four winds” of Dan. 8:8 also symbolize these four divisions which today would be called Greece, Turkey, Egypt, and Syria.
It is plainly stated in Dan. 8:9 that “out of one of them came forth the little horn” or the Antichrist of the last days. The Grecian Empire will be revived whereas the Roman Empire will be revised into ten kingdoms.
After the ten kingdoms are formed inside the Roman Empire territory and have existed a “short space” independent of the Antichrist (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; Rev. 12:12; 17:10), he will then come out of Syria and in the first 31/2 years of Daniel’s 70th week will conquer Greece, Turkey, and Egypt, thus reviving the old Grecian Empire territory into one empire. By this time the other six kingdoms of the ten will submit to him without any further war (Rev. 17:8-17). This will give him all the ten kingdoms of the old Roman Empire area and they will become the eighth kingdom of Rev. 17:8-11.
This kingdom is the one head of the seven on the beast that was wounded to death, and its deadly wound (of Rev. 13:3, 12, 14) was healed. It must be remembered that it was one of the seven heads on the beast that was wounded or destroyed and that came back to life again, and not the personal Antichrist or the beast itself. The heads symbolize kingdoms, not personal kings.
It was one of the seven heads symbolizing the seven world empires, which would precede the eighth kingdom, or the kingdom of the Antichrist. The head that was wounded was one of the first five empires that had fallen before John wrote the Revelation. When it is revived it will be the eighth kingdom, or the Grecian Empire revived (Rev. 17:8-17).
In Dan. 8:7-9, 23-24 it is revealed that Antichrist will come from one of the four divisions of the old Grecian Empire, these being four of the ten kingdoms of Dan. 7. In Dan. 11 it is revealed that he is coming from the Syrian division of the old Grecian Empire. The purpose of Dan. 7 over Dan. 2 is to show additional events in the ten kingdoms of the ten toes and ten horns in the latter days, and to make it clear that Antichrist will definitely come from one of the ten kingdoms.
The purpose of Dan. 8 over Dan. 7 is to narrow down the coming of the Antichrist geographically from ten kingdoms to four kingdoms so that we can better identify the exact country that he will come from. If we did not have Dan. 8 we could teach that he will come from any one of the ten kingdoms of the Revised Roman Empire, but we would not know which one. Now with Dan. 8 we can be assured that he will come from one of the four divisions of the old Grecian Empire—Greece, Turkey, Egypt, or Syria.
If we did not have Dan. 11 to narrow down the coming of Antichrist geographically from four kingdoms to only one of the four, we would be uncertain about which one of the four he will come from. As it is now, we have no grounds for uncertainty.
Dan. 11 reveals war between Mede-Persia and Greece, and then the division of Greece into four kingdoms (Dan. 11:1-4). Dan. 11 also reveals that the only two of these four kingdoms, the king of the south (Egypt), and the king of the north (Syria) were to war with each other, off and on, over a period of years. They did war with each other for about 150 years, ending with Antiochus Epiphanes who reigned about 165 b.c. After these predictions of Dan. 11:5-34 the prophet skips over to “the time of the end,” showing the last day war between the king of the south (Egypt), and the king of the north (Syria), with the result that the king of the north will be the final victor over the king of the south (Dan. 11:35-45).
This definitely identifies the king of the north to be the future Antichrist. He is the same man as the “little horn” of Dan. 7 and 8; the “prince that shall come” of Dan. 9:26-27; the “son of perdition” and the “man of sin” of 2 Th. 1:1-12; and “the beast” of Rev. 13:1 - 17:17; 19:11-21.
We can definitely and scripturally declare with the full authority of God’s Word that the Antichrist will come from Syria—not Greece, Turkey, Egypt, the Vatican, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Russia, Poland, England, Scandinavia, China, Japan, India, the United States, or any other part of the world outside of Syria.
Question 3: When will he be revealed?
This question deals with when the Antichrist will come into prominence in world affairs. It is also clearly answered in Scripture:
1. In Dan. 7:7-8, 24 it is written that he will come “after” the ten kingdoms are formed and after they exist a “short space” or “short time” (Rev. 12:12; 17:10). 2. Antichrist cannot be revealed until “after” the rapture, as proved in 2 Th. 2:7-8, and Chapter 10, proof 1. 3. Antichrist cannot be known in the world as such until he comes after the rapture and makes a seven-year covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27). Then, and then only, can anyone be definitely sure that this is the man.
Question 4: How long is he to reign?
He will rise from Syria at the beginning of Daniel’s 70th week, and in 31/2 years will conquer Greece, Turkey, and Egypt (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; 12:7). At this point he will be given power over the whole ten kingdoms and will reign over them the last 31/2 years of the Week (Dan. 7:25; 9:27; 12:7; Mt. 24:15-22; Rev. 13:5).
Question 5: Where is he to reign?
He is called “king of Babylon” in Isa. 14:1-7 and no doubt will reign from there during the first 31/2 years of his rise to power over the ten kingdoms. Isaiah 14:1-7 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land: and the strangers shall be joined with them, and they shall cleave to the house of Jacob. [2] And the people shall take them, and bring them to their place: and the house of Israel shall possess them in the land of the Lord for servants and handmaids: and they shall take them captives, whose captives they were; and they shall rule over their oppressors. [3] And it shall come to pass in the day that the Lord shall give thee rest from thy sorrow, and from thy fear, and from the hard bondage wherein thou was made to serve, [4] That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased! [5] The Lord hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the scepter of the rulers. [6] He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth. [7] The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
He will then conquer Israel and reign from Jerusalem during part of the last 31/2 years of this Week (Dan. 9:27; 11:45; 12:1-7; Mt. 24:15-22; Rev. 11:1-2; 13:12-18). During most of this last 31/2 years he will be away from Jerusalem leading his armies personally against the vast armies in the north and east of the ten kingdoms (Dan. 11:44). This is the time—and not before—that Russia, being one of the nations north of the ten kingdoms, will come into the picture and, at that time, be at war with the Antichrist. After conquering these other nations north and east, and toward the end of this Week, Antichrist will find Jerusalem in control of the Jews again. He will then invade Israel another time hoping to exterminate the Jews, but will be defeated by Christ and Israel at Armageddon (Ezek. 38-39; Zech. 14:1-15; Dan. 11:45; 2 Th. 1:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-21).
Question 6: Will he be a real person?
The Antichrist is to be a real human being and not a system or the successive head of some system. He will be a man (Rev. 13:18). He will possess the talent and leadership of many previously gifted conquerors and leaders. In addition to these natural gifts, he will be endowed with the power of Satan in the exercise of these gifts until the world will wonder after him and even many will worship him as God (Dan. 8:22; 11:38; 2 Th. 2:4, 8-12; Rev. 13:1-18; 14:9-11; 15:1-4; 20:4-6). He will die a physical death as other men do (Dan. 7:11; 2 Th. 2:7-8; Rev. 19:19-21; 20:10).
Some Fallacies About The Coming Antichrist
Fallacy 1The Antichrist will be an incarnation of Satan. Truth: The above cannot possibly be true because the Devil is always a separate person, a third person, working with the human Antichrist, and the human false prophet. These will never be incarnated one in another, but will act as three separate individuals cooperating together in all of their activities as seen in both Daniel and Revelation. It says in Rev. 16:13,
I saw three [not two] unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon [Satan, Rev. 12:9], and out of the mouth of the beast [a man, Rev. 13:18], and out of the mouth of the false prophet [another man, Rev. 13:11; 19:20; 20:10].
They will go forth to gather the nations to the battle of Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16). In Rev. 13:2 the dragon gives to the beast—a separate person from himself—his power, throne, and great authority. In Rev. 19:20 and 20:10 the Devil, the Antichrist, and the false prophet are seen as three separate persons who will be in two different places for a thousand years.
Fallacy 2Antichrist will be Judas resurrected from the dead. He will be the mystery of iniquity—a supernatural man, a superman, the personal son of Satan, and a man absolutely different from all others that ever lived or ever will live on earth.
Truth: The theory that Antichrist will be “the mystery of iniquity” or Satan manifest in the flesh, just as Jesus was “the mystery of godliness,” or God manifest in the flesh; that the Antichrist will be “the son of perdition” or “the son of Satan” by a woman, just as Jesus was “the Son of God” by a woman; and that Antichrist will be the opposite of Christ in every detail—this is not taught in Scripture. Not one statement about him indicates mystery or teaches that he will be a supernatural or immortal man from the abyss, an incarnation of the Devil, or a natural son of the Devil, as we shall see below.
The phrase “mystery of iniquity” literally means the invisible spirit of lawlessness, or the evil spirit forces that cause men to sin (Jn. 8:44; 14:30; Eph. 2:1-3; 6:10-18; 1 Jn. 3:8; 2 Cor. 4:3-4). Those who say that Antichrist is the mystery of iniquity teach that he is the beast in the abyss and will come out again as the Antichrist, this spirit being Judas who will be reincarnated. Their main claim is that Judas and Antichrist are both called “the son of perdition” (Jn. 17:12; 2 Th. 2:1-4).
But no human being ever goes into the bottomless pit, and therefore, Judas could not be in the pit to come out later. The abyss is a special prison under the earth for demons and certain fallen angels (Lk. 8:31; Rev. 9:1-21; 11:7; 17:8; 20:1-3). The expression “the son of perdition” literally means “the son of destruction.” It refers to both Judas and Antichrist because both are destined to destruction, not because they are natural sons of Satan by women.
In the Greek text it reads “the son of the destruction” just as it reads “the man of the sin.” This last phrase does not limit the Antichrist to being the only man of sin and the former phrase does not limit him to being the only son of destruction. The Hebrews and Greeks called a man who was subject to a particular evil or thing, the son of that evil or thing, as “sons of Belial” (1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12; 25:17; 25; 1 Ki. 21:10); “child of the devil” (Acts 13:10); “children of the wicked one” (Mt. 13:33); “children of the devil” (1 Jn. 3:10); “children of wisdom” (Lk. 7:35); “children of the world” (Lk. 16:8); “children of light” (Lk. 16:8; Jn. 12:36); and “children of disobedience” (Eph. 2:1-3; 5:6-8; Col. 3:6). Also, anyone who was destined to some particular end was called the child of that destiny, as “children of the kingdom” (Mt. 8:12); “children of wrath” (Eph. 2:1-3); and “children of the resurrection” (Lk. 20:36). And so, it would be only logical to call both Judas and Antichrist “the son of perdition” or destruction, for both are destined to destruction in hell because of their sins. To call them natural sons of the Devil is not biblical.
The Greek word apoleia (destruction) is never translated “Satan,” and it is not reasonable to interpret the word perdition as Satan (Phil. 1:28; 1 Tim. 6:9; Heb. 10:39; 2 Pet. 3:7; Rev. 17:8, 11).
The Devil was not to have a natural son by a woman, as some interpret Gen. 3:15 to mean. The seed of the serpent here does not refer to natural birth but to men following Satan (Mt. 13:38; 1 Jn. 3:8-10; Jn. 8:44).
John 8:44 (which is taken by some to mean Antichrist will be a natural seed of the Devil) says, “Ye are of your father the devil . . . when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.” It is claimed the word “it” refers to one particular son of the Devil—the Antichrist, but this is erroneous. The “lie” or “it” here refers to a literal lie, not to a natural son by a woman. If telling a lie can be interpreted as a natural son in this passage then it could also be so interpreted in Acts 5:3; Rom. 1:25; Ps. 78:36, and all other places in Scripture where lies are mentioned. No person can speak a natural son into existence.
It is also argued that Judas was the only one ever called a “devil,” thus proving further that he was the Devil incarnate (Jn. 6:70-71; 17:12). It is claimed the definite article is used here in the Greek, thus making Judas “the devil,” but actually the definite article is not in the Greek here and the literal meaning is “a devil.” The Greek for “devil” is diabolos which means “adversary” or “slanderer” and is used of other men besides Judas who are “false accusers” and “slanderers” (2 Tim. 3:3; Tit. 2:3; 1 Tim. 3:11).
Fallacy 3 The Antichrist will bring world peace, world prosperity, a world labor union, world commerce, one world monetary system, united world laws, world religion, and world government.
Truth: Not one of these things will be brought about by Antichrist. As to universal peace, just the opposite is true according to the Bible. He will come in war to overthrow three of the ten kingdoms (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; Rev. 6:1-2). He will continue in war for 3 1/2 years until he conquers these three and forces the others of the ten kings to submit to him without further war (Rev. 17:8-17). He will then continue in war until he has conquered all the countries of the north and east of Revised Rome (Dan. 11:44).
He will then lead the nations under him, hoping to destroy Israel and stop Christ from setting up His kingdom. He is to be finally destroyed before he takes all of Jerusalem (Zech. 14:1-5; Ezek. 38-39; Mt. 24:29-31; 2 Th. 1:7-10; 2:7-8; Jude 14-15; Rev. 19:11-21). When the world thinks that it is going to have universal peace and they begin to say, “peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come (1 Th. 5:1-11).
1 Thes. 5:1-11 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. [2] For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. [3] For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. [4] But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. [5] Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. [6] Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. [7] For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. [8] But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. [9] For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, [10] Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. [11] Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
As to universal prosperity, not one thing is said in the Bible about it. Antichrist will control the riches of his own ten-kingdom empire and that is all (Dan. 7:23-25; 11:36-39).
Daniel 7:23-25 Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. [24] And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. [25] And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
Daniel 11:36-39 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. [37] Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. [38] But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. [39] Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain.
Nothing is said of his control of all the money and commerce of the entire world. As to the control of world labor, nothing is said about this either. The Hebrew word mirmah (translated “craft” in Dan. 8:25) means to deceive, to be subtle, and treacherous. It refers to the deceptions that Antichrist will bring, not improved labor conditions and prosperity in that field (2 Th. 2:7-12). Satan will help him deceive much of the world (Rev. 12:9).
There will be no such thing as having control of all law making in the world. All that Scripture reveals is that laws will be made by Antichrist in his own empire requiring all his subjects to worship him and take his brands or be killed (Rev. 13:16-18). He will not and cannot make laws that will affect the whole world, for he will not be a worldwide dictator. Neither will he be worshipped worldwide, or have one religion throughout the world, as we shall see in Fallacy 8 below.
Fallacy 4 Antichrist will have a computer called “the beast” in which every name of every person in the world can be listed, and he will kill every person on earth who will not list his name in the computer. This “beast” will cause the whole world to worship Antichrist or be killed.
Truth: Even if such a computer became part of the Antichrist’s program it would be impossible for him to obtain and process all the names of all the human beings upon the face of the earth in the short time the Bible allows for his complete rulership over the ten kingdoms—1,260 days or 42 months (Rev. 13:5; Dan. 7:25). And, even if he confined himself to the names of everybody in his own 10 kingdoms, he would still have big problems—getting his laws enforced and actually applying his brands to the forehead or right hand of all the persons named by his computer in the 1,260 days or 42 months.
Fallacy 5 The Antichrist will cause worldwide tribulation.
Truth: Since we believe Antichrist will not rule the entire world, then we also believe he cannot cause worldwide tribulation and martyrdom of people in all lands. Because the Roman Empire boundary line takes in only England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco, and a few other small countries, then the extent of the Antichrist’s kingdom and the tribulation is clear.
It does not take in the rest of Europe, Asia, Australia, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, the United States, Central America, South America, and other parts of the world outside the old Roman Empire area wherein the great tribulation is centered.
Martyrdom of Jews and Christians will not be worldwide, but rather confined to the Antichrist’s ten kingdoms. Neither will the plagues of the seals, the trumpets, or the vial judgments be worldwide, as we have seen above in Chapter 2. The great whore of Babylon will murder the saints of Jesus (those saved after the rapture) the first 31/2 years of the Week (Rev. 17:1-18), and the Antichrist of the old Roman Empire territory will murder the Jews and saints of Jesus in his kingdom during the last 31/2 years of this Week (Rev. 13:1-18; 14:9-20; 15:1-5; 16:1-17; 20:4-6).
What Will Happen to America?
Actually, nothing is said of America in the entire Bible. We know that the U.S.A. is not “beyond the rivers of Ethiopia” referred to in Isa. 18; that she is not the white horse rider of Rev. 6:1-2; that she is not the false prophet of Rev. 13:11-18; 19:20; 20:10; that she is not identified by the letters in the middle of the word “Jer-USA-lem”; and that she is not once identified otherwise in the entire Bible. Throughout Scripture, the main concern of God regarding nations is the final rescue of Israel from being totally destroyed and the accomplishment of her final and eternal restoration to her own land under the Messiah.
One thing is certain about America—it will have to work out its own salvation as will other countries, and those who do will exist together in the eternal kingdom of God and Christ (Rev. 11:15; 20:4-6; 22:4-5; Lk. 1:32-33).
Fallacy 6 The Antichrist will receive a fatal sword wound in the head. He will be miraculously healed and will become an immortal man. This will make the world to wonder after him and even worship him.
Truth: This is completely groundless. It was not the human Antichrist that would receive the wound by the sword and live again. It was one of the heads on the beast that was wounded to death and was to be revived again as the eighth kingdom. The seven heads on the beast are seven kingdoms (Rev. 17:9-10). The beast itself is the eighth kingdom (Rev. 17:11). Five of these seven kingdoms had already fallen before John’s day; only one was in existence in John’s day; and the seventh was yet to come.
The beast had been on earth before John and would become the eighth kingdom after him (Rev. 17:11). This refers to the overthrow of the old Grecian Empire, the fifth kingdom that had fallen before John, and to its revival again as the eighth kingdom by the future Antichrist (Dan. 8:8-25; Rev. 13:1-2; 17:11). The human Antichrist, the head of the eighth empire, will never be killed and resurrected from the dead to become a supernatural or resurrected person. It is plainly stated in Dan. 7:11; 2 Th. 2:7-8; and Rev. 19:20 that Antichrist will be killed at the second advent of Christ, and so he will be an ordinary mortal man all the days of his reign on earth.
The eight kingdoms are: Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece (the fifth that had fallen before John), Rome (the sixth that was in existence in John’s day), Revised Rome (the seventh made up of the ten kingdoms yet to come inside the old Roman Empire territory), and Revived Grecia (the eighth kingdom yet to come). The fifth was the old Grecian Empire, which was wounded to death. In its revival again as an empire by the Antichrist (Revived Grecia) it will be the head wounded to death that will be healed and not the human Antichrist (Dan. 7:6; 8:8-15; Rev. 13:1-2; 17:11).
No Seven-Hilled City Mentioned in Scripture
The very popular theory that Rome is the city of seven hills of Rev. 17 is truly unscriptural. In the first place, there is no mention of such a city in Rev. 17 or in any other scripture. As seen above, the seven heads on the beast of Rev. 17 refer to kingdoms, not literal hills on which Rome, Moscow, or any other city is built.
If the seven heads referred to literal hills on which Rome is built we would have to believe and teach that five of these hills had already become flattened out before John wrote the Revelation, for “five are fallen” (Rev. 17:10). Rome would be on only one hill at the time John wrote Revelation, for only “one is” (Rev. 17:10). And, Rome would have to be moved from this, the sixth hill, to a seventh hill sometime after he wrote Revelation, for only “one is not yet come” (Rev. 17:12). From the seventh, which would continue “a short space” (Rev. 17:10) Rome would be moved on to an eighth hill (Rev. 17:11).
Such a theory is unreasonable. But when we understand the seven heads and the beast itself as referring to eight kingdoms, we do not have such a problem. These eight kingdoms that have persecuted and will yet persecute Israel in “the times of the Gentiles” are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Revised Rome, and Revived Greece.
The beast of Rev. 13 and 17 was “like a leopard,” which in Dan. 7:6 symbolized the old Grecian Empire. This is the one of the five kingdoms that had fallen before John wrote Revelation, and when it is revived again as predicted in Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; 8:7-9, 20-25 it will become the eighth kingdom of Rev. 17:11. The seventh empire will be made up of ten kingdoms, and the eighth will be the same ten kingdoms only formed into one empire under the human Antichrist.
Fallacy 7 Antichrist is “the king of the north” who is the king of Russia of Dan. 11.
Truth: This fallacy is truly one of the most unscriptural. The popular theory that Russia will fulfill Ezek 38-39 and Dan. 11:35-45, and that Russia will invade Israel in the near future before the battle of Armageddon and before Antichrist reigns, is totally false. Instead of these two chapters being fulfilled with Russia invading Israel before the tribulation, they picture the Antichrist from Syria of the ten kingdoms of the old Roman Empire invading Israel at the very end of the great tribulation which ends at the second coming of Christ to the earth to set up a kingdom.
As we have seen, the ten kingdoms must yet be formed “inside” the old Roman Empire area before Antichrist comes. Then, in his rise to power over them, he overthrows three of the ten kingdoms (Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24). This will bring us down to the middle of Daniel’s 70th week and the time of the beginning of the reign of Antichrist over the ten kingdoms for the last 31/2 years of this age (Dan. 7:7-8, 19-25; 8:7-25; 9:27; 11:40-45; Rev. 17:8-17). At the beginning of his takeover of the ten kingdoms, 31/2 years before the second advent of Christ, there will be a war declared on him and his ten kingdoms by the countries of the north and east of the Roman Empire (Dan. 11:44).
He will then go forth against these new enemies and will conquer them in the last 31/2 years that he reigns. He will be the “Gog” of Ezekiel 38-39, and will become the new ruler of Germany, Russia, China, Japan, India, and other parts of the north and east of his ten kingdoms by conquest and not by originating in Russia, himself, or by coming from any one of these particular countries. As Gog, he will then bring all these nations down against Israel hoping to destroy the Jews, but will be defeated by Christ at His second advent in a one-day battle called Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16; 19:11-21).
Fallacy 8 Antichrist will be a worldwide dictator and literally rule the whole earth. He will kill every man, woman, and child on earth who will not worship him as God, and who will not take his name, or his mark, or the number of his name in their right hand or in their forehead.
Truth: Not one of the above claims is true. Antichrist will never rule the whole earth; he will never be a worldwide dictator; he will never cause the whole world to worship him and his image, taking his name, the number of his name, or his mark, or be killed.
Twelve Proofs Antichrist Will Not Rule America Or Be a Worldwide Dictator
Proof 1: The terms “all the world,” “the whole earth,” and “all” must be understood in a figurative sense when used of a king or a kingdom of men. The figure of speech is synecdoche by which a part is put for the whole, or the whole for a part. It is used repeatedly in the Bible when only a part is meant. It is used by men daily in such language as “the whole country (state or city) was there last night,” or “everybody in town was there.” If we meant such a statement literally we would be telling a falsehood unless it could actually be proved.
In all the passages below we must keep in mind that the making of a law and the keeping of that law are two different things. Rev. 13 does reveal that Antichrist will make a law that all in his ten kingdoms must worship him and take his brands or be killed, but the execution of that law will be impossible to bring about for several reasons:
1. Antichrist will only reign 31/2 years after he makes the law of Rev. 13:5, 16-18, and no human being could enforce such a law in such a short time throughout such a vast territory as the old Roman Empire. If he could not do so in this empire how could he do it—even if he ruled the whole world—throughout the entire earth, contacting every person of every continent and all the islands of the sea? 2. He will be too busily occupied in wars with the nations north and east of the old Roman Empire territory to concentrate on enforcing such a law even within his own empire. 3. He will be destroyed by Jesus Christ before he can literally enforce such a law throughout such a vast territory (Dan. 7:11; 11:44-45; Rev. 19:11-21; 2 Th. 2:7-12).
Examples of a Part for a Whole and a Whole for a Part
1.“I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die” (Gen. 6:17, emphasis added). If we took this as literally as men do Rev. 13, we would have Noah and his family and all the animals in the ark dead, for they were also “under heaven” and “in the earth” and yet they did not die. 2.It is said of Nebuchadnezzar that God made him ruler over “all men,” but, as king of ancient Babylon he ruled over only a part of the earth (Dan. 2:37, 38; 4:1, 11, 12, 20). He did not reign over Greece, Rome, and many other lands of that time. In Dan. 2:39, Greece is spoken of as ruling over “all the earth,” but Greece did not reign over Italy, Spain, and many other countries at that time. In Dan. 7:23, Rome is spoken of as ruling over the “whole earth,” but we know that this did not include many tribes and nations on the earth. And so, “all” in these passages simply means that only a part of the earth was ruled by the king or kingdoms. 3.In Mt. 3:5-6 we read, “Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins,” but we know that the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and many others in all these parts were not baptized by John (Mt. 21:25). Many women and children, the sick, and others of all classes never saw John, much less were baptized by him in the Jordan. The truth intended is that many people from these parts were baptized by John. 4. In Lk. 2:1-3 we read that Caesar Augustus made a decree that “all the world should be taxed. . . . And all went to be taxed, every one to his own city.” We know that a law made by a Roman emperor did not affect the many countries outside his own empire, so “all” here must be understood only in connection with the old Roman Empire that was under the rule of Caesar Augustus. 5. In Rom. 1:8 Paul said, “your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world,” but we know that he meant only that many in the various parts of the Roman Empire knew the local church at Rome. Multitudes outside of Rome, and even many inside the Empire had never yet heard of the Christian faith, much less the local church at Rome. The same is true of Col. 1:23 where we read that the gospel had been “preached to every creature under heaven”; and of Rom. 10:18 where it is reported that it was preached “into all the earth” and “unto the ends of the world.” The gospel has not yet been taken to all nations, so we know the whole world was not evangelized in Paul’s day.
Proof 2: In Rev. 13:1 and Rev. 17:8-17 the beast is shown to have only ten horns—not a hundred or so—and they are crowned. This reveals exactly how many kingdoms of the world will give their territory to the Antichrist for him to rule over during the last 31/2 years of this age. The ten horns are explained in Dan. 7:23-24 as ten kings and ten kingdoms inside the old Roman Empire territory.
The prediction is “out of this kingdom [from the inside of it, not from the outside of it also] are ten kings that shall arise.” Thus it is clear that Antichrist will reign only over the old Roman Empire territory and not over the whole world.
Twelve Facts About the Ten Toes and Ten Horns of Daniel and Revelation
1. The ten toes make the complete Revised Roman Empire (Dan. 2:38-45; 7:7-8, 19-24). 2. Three will be overthrown by the little horn in his rise to power (Dan. 7:8, 20, 24). 3. The others of the ten horns will surrender to the little horn (Rev. 17:10-17). 4. All will come from inside the Roman Empire territory (Dan. 7:7, 20, 24). 5. All will grow on the fourth head at the same time, not successively (Dan. 7:7-8, 20). 6. All will be on the head before the little horn grows (Dan. 7:7-8, 20, 24). 7. All will exist together and be succeeded by the kingdom of God (Dan. 2:44-45; 7:9-14). 8. All will rule along with the beast for 42 months (Dan. 7:25; 12:1-7; Rev. 17:8-17; 19:19-21). 9. All will be conquered by the Lamb at the same battle of Armageddon (Rev. 17:14; Dan. 2:44). 10. These, together with the beast, will destroy the whore (Rev. 17:1-17). 11. These will form the eighth and last Gentile kingdom (Rev. 17:11). 12. The ten horns on the beast of Dan. 7:7-8 are also upon the dragon of Rev. 12:1-3 and the beast of Rev. 13:1-3, and they symbolize the same coming ten kingdoms inside the Roman and Grecian empires.
Proof 3: In Rev. 12:3 the dragon or Satan has only ten horns—not dozens of them—and they are not crowned. This symbolizes that at that point in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week he will give power over these ten kingdoms to the Antichrist for 42 months or the last 31/2 years of this age (Rev. 13:1-5). It reveals that at the time Satan is cast out of heaven as in Rev. 12:7-12 he has power only over these ten kingdoms and not over all the nations of the entire earth.
Another point proving this is the fact that he will have to do miracles before certain kings of the earth to get their cooperation at Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16). If they were already under Satan and directly controlled by him, and if they had no choice whatsoever as to whether they would follow him at Armageddon, he would not need to seek their cooperation against Christ by performing the miracles mentioned in Rev. 16:13-16.
Thus, again it is clear that the Antichrist will be limited to ten kingdoms inside the old Roman Empire boundary instead of being a worldwide dictator ruling all other nations also outside the ten kingdoms. His empire will be the same “all the world” that Caesar Augustus taxed in the day of his rule of the old Roman Empire (Lk. 2:1-7). Antichrist will not rule any more of the world to begin with than Caesar Augustus did. And, it will be out of this same world that the ten kingdoms will be formed in the last days (Dan. 2:40-43; 7:7-8, 23-24; Rev. 17:8-17).
Proof 4: In Rev. 13:4 it is also revealed that there are to be nations outside the ten kingdoms of Antichrist that are not under him. The questions asked are: “Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war on him?” This surely indicates nations outside the kingdom of Antichrist to compare with him and to question the making of war with him.
Proof 5: In Rev. 13:7 and Dan. 7:21-22 it is further revealed that there will be saints on the earth who will wage war against the Antichrist and many will be killed by him, but not all. This refers only to saints inside the ten kingdoms, for it will be impossible for him to kill saints that are elsewhere in the many nations which are not a part of his ten-kingdom empire. The saints spoken of here are mainly the Jews who will flee from Judea and be protected by God the last 31/2 years of this age. Jews by that time will have experienced their contract with Antichrist broken, and will become defeated in battle, being forced to flee out of Palestine (Dan. 9:27; Mt. 24:15-22; Rev. 12:6, 14; Hos. 2:14-18; Isa. 16:1-6; Ezek. 20:33-44; Ps. 108:7-12).
The fact that not all the Jews are killed and they have a place elsewhere (reserved by God for 31/2 years where He will protect them from both Antichrist and Satan) proves that Antichrist will not be a worldwide dictator ruling all people and lands on the face of the earth (Rev. 12:6, 14). At least one-third of the Jews of Palestine will be preserved alive through this ordeal (Zech. 13:9; Rom. 11:26). Multitudes of Jews in other lands will also be preserved from death at the hands of Antichrist and will be gathered alive to Palestine from all parts of the earth at the second advent (Isa. 11:11-12; Mt. 24:31). See full proof of this in Fallacy 5, Chapter 9.
Proof 6: In Zech. 14:16-21 it is revealed that many people of all nations, including many in the kingdom of the Antichrist, will not worship him and take his brands and be killed. They will live through the tribulation and continue into the Millennium and go up to Jerusalem year by year to worship Christ and pay homage to Him as their ruler. This passage shows that Egypt will be required to do this, and yet we read in Dan. 11:40-43 that Egypt will not escape the Antichrist.
She will be one of the ten kingdoms. The passage makes it clear that some of all the nations who will be under Antichrist, as well as nations that are not under him, will at last live in the Millennium and go up to Jerusalem to worship Christ year after year. This proves that some men on earth will not worship the Antichrist and take his brands, and yet they will not be killed.
Proof 7: In Isa. 66:19-21 it is stated that many heathen left on earth in the Millennium will finally hear about Christ and the gospel. But up to the end of the reign of Antichrist, at the second advent, they will not have heard of Christ nor seen His glory. If not by this time, then they also will not have heard of the Antichrist, the tribulation, and the reign of the beast.
This proves that they will not have been in the kingdom of the Antichrist to know about his kingdom, his brands, and his worship. Had they heard about him, worshipped him and taken his brands, they would have been executed and sent to eternal hell instead of being left alive on earth to worship Christ in the Millennium (Rev. 14:9-11).
It is common knowledge that millions of heathen on earth today have never heard of Christ, or of the Antichrist. This will continue to be the case throughout the tribulation period and for some time on into the Millennium. They will |