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Some passages in Daniel are interpreted as history when they really refer to the time of the Anti-Christ. Some of the exploits are said to be of Antiochus IV Epiphanes and some to be of ancient leaders. Daniel 8 and 11 start with Persia as the world leader after the fall of Babylon and before Alexander the Great. While the verses prophesy of the Persian, Median and Greek leaders to come, the transition to the end days events transpires earlier in the chapters than most scholars think. Teachers need to handle accurately the word of God today and people in the tribulation should benefit from knowing what will happen.
Many people believe the desecration mentioned in Daniel 8:11 was completed by Antiochus IV Epiphanes when he placed a statute in the Jewish temple and sacrificed a pig in 167 BC. Daniel 8:11-12 says, "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. 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. " Antiochus shut down the sacrifices for a while but not for a long period of time. He may have desecrated the temple but he did not destroy it as mentioned in verse 11. Antiochus cannot be the one mentioned in Daniel. The Romans destroyed the temple in 70 AD and stopped the sacrifices. This is not the time mentioned either because the temple was not cleansed or vindicated after the 2,300 mornings and evenings. Even today, after over 1,900 years, the temple is still a heap of ruins and trampled under foot. This could not apply to the Romans. This must be a future event. What does verse 19 say? It shall be in the "last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end". In verse 26 the vision was to be shut up. Why? It was for many days in the future. It will be the anti-christ who does this.
| Daniel 8 | |
| 1 | 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. |
| 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. |
| 12 | 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. |
| 13 | Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? |
| 14 | And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. |
| 15 | And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man. |
| 16 | And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called, and said, Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision. |
| 17 | So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. |
| 18 | Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. |
| 19 | And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. |
| 20 | The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. |
| 21 | And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. |
| 22 | Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. |
| 23 | And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. |
| 24 | And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. |
| 25 | And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. |
| 26 | And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. |
| 27 | And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. |
The AC is described in Daniel 11:21 and following. Typical commentaries teach that verses before 35 apply to history before Jesus was born but they ignore the continuous description. Pronouns and names are highlighted to show that the vile person in verse 21 is discussed all the through the rest of the rapture. Daniel 12 starts by mentioning "at that time". This refers back to the end of chapter 11 and it finishes at or about the tribulation.
| Daniel 11:21-45 | |
| 21 | 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. |
| 22 | And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. |
| 23 | And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. |
| 24 | He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. |
| 25 | And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. |
| 26 | Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. |
| 27 | And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. |
| 28 | Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. |
| 29 | At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. |
| 30 | 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. |
| 31 | And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. |
| 32 | And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. |
| 33 | And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. |
| 34 | Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. |
| 35 | And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. |
| 36 | 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 honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour 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. |
| 40 | And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. |
| 41 | He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. |
| 42 | He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. |
| 43 | But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. |
| 44 | But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. |
| 45 | And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. |
| 12:1 | And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. |
Verse 38 says he will not give regard to the desire of women. The term desire of women appears only once in the Bible. It does not refer to Jewish women hoping they would give birth to the Messiah. It must be taken on face value and that means the anti-christ will not be controlled by a desire for women. Either he will not be controlled by the desire or he will not have the desire at all. For those looking this helps understand who he is.
Every time I have heard or read about this passage it is always said to be about the fall of Satan. Why isn't it about the death of the anti-christ? First of all, Isaiah 14 covers four topics, not one. It is easy to divide or split off the last two. The last five verses, 28 to 32, are about the future destruction of the Philistines in Gaza. See The Future of Gaza. Verses 24-27 discuss the yoke Assyrian departing from the land. The remaining two sections are related. They are about the restoration of Israel in the last days and the death or fall of the anti-christ or Satan. How can you understand which one it is? Start with Israel. Isaiah 14:1-3 speaks of Israel. "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. 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. 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 wast made to serve. God chose Israel and set them in their land when he brought them out of Egypt, when they returned from Babylon and when they were restored as a nation in the last century. The next point to focus on is in verse 2 where God promises "they shall rule over their oppressors". After leaving Egypt they did not rule over Egypt. Also, the Exodus from Egypt occurred before the prophecy in Isaiah. God had Isaiah prophesy about the future not the past. After leaving Babylon they did not rule over Babylon who destroyed Jerusalem and the temple mount. They did not rule over Assyria, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks or the Romans. While free to return to their land, the Hebrew nation did not rule over others. While there was a return of some to the desolate land of their fathers in 1888 there was not a formal place for them until the Balfour declaration giving them a land under British rule. Israel was recognized as a nation in 1948 and regained the option of full control of Jerusalem in 1967. The Philistines in the Gaza strip are not an autonomous nation. The Ammonites and Moabites in the West Bank may have a place formally recognized for them now called Jordan but they have not wished or insisted on returning to their heritage. Instead they live under the control of Israel. What verse two describes is Israel today. Therefore, this is not about an event that happened in the past, it is in the future.
Isaiah 14:4
That thou shalt take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How hath the oppressor ceased! the golden city ceased!
Verse four notes they shall take up a proverb against the king of Babylon. In the last days, Babylon is a reference to the Roman power structure that existed in the days of Jesus Christ. That power is currently manifested in a religious system. The golden city is a reference to Rome, the seat of governmental and religious power. Revelation 17 and 18 discuss it. It says the oppressor ceased. When Satan fell he did not cease from evil, he began to do it.
Isaiah 14:5
The LORD hath broken the staff of the wicked, and the sceptre of the rulers.
When Satan fell their were no wicked on the earth. Rulers had not come about yet and the idea of a sceptre had not crossed the mind of man.
Isaiah 14:6
He who smote the people in wrath with a continual stroke, he that ruled the nations in anger, is persecuted, and none hindereth.
Satan fell before Adam and Eve. When he did no people were smitten or struck. Adam and Eve were protected from wrath. Nations did not exist to rule over anyone. People were not persecuted.
Isaiah 14:7
The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing.
It does not makes sense that people or nature would sing as a result of anyone turning against God.
Isaiah 14:8
Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us.
Nature would not rejoice at Satan choosing to sin. Instead it rejoices when sin ceases. Lebanon did not exist when Adam and Eve were in the garden. Wood cutters or lumberjacks were not around in those days.
Isaiah 14:9
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
Satan was the first to fall. No one was in hell to him. It did not exist before him. There were no chief ones on the earth, no thrones, no kings and no nations.
Isaiah 14:10
All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?
When Satan fell there were no weak and none were like him.
Isaiah 14:11
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
Worms and the grave apply to the body of a man and not spiritual being.
Isaiah 14:12
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
The Hebrew word for Satan is Satan. This word is not found in Isaiah 14. The Greek name Diabolos is translated devil. This name is obviously not used in the Hebrew passage. The name Lucifer used in the King James Version comes from the Latin meaning light bringing or morning star. The Lord Jesus Christ is the bright and morning star, not Satan. The actual word found in 14:12 is heylel or heylale. Both vowels are pronounced as long a's resulting in hay-lale. This does not resemble the name Lucifer. The Hebrew word for morning, boqer, is not in this verse. The Hebrew word for star, kokav, is not used. The name certainly appears to be translated wrong. Also, note clearly that when this event happened nations had been weakened by whoever was referred to as heylale. When Satan fell there were no nations and nothing had been weakened in the earth.
Isaiah 14:13
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
If Satan fell why would he say I will ascend into heaven if he were already in it? There was not a congregation on earth at that time. Scholars have suggested the sides of the north refers to were heaven is or a place in heaven. The Bible does not say this. It is not placed with heaven but instead where the congregation of people meet. Psalm 48:2 recites, "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King." This is a place in Jerusalem. Matthew 24:15-16 warns, "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: The anti-christ will place himself where he should not be.
Isaiah 14:14
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Ascending above the heights of the clouds is a reference to someone on earth not heaven.
Isaiah 14:15
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
This speaks of the death of a man.
Isaiah 14:16
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
When Satan fell there were not any kingdoms. The Hebrew 'iysh used here means man and not Satan. This whole section is about a man.
Isaiah 14:17
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
God made the earth a wonderful place. There was not a wilderness. We have wildernesses now but the whole world is not that way. The whole world will not be a wilderness until the tribulation. There were no destroyed cities in the beginning and neither were there any prisoners. This is the work a man called the Anti-Christ.
Isaiah 14:18
All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
Again, there were no nations when Satan fell.
Isaiah 14:19
But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.
In the beginning there were no graves, abominable branches, slain, swords or carcasses trodden under feet.
Isaiah 14:20
Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evildoers shall never be renowned
We see here burials had taken place, lands had been destroyed, people had been slain and evildoers existed. None of this occurred in the beginning.
Isaiah 14:21
Prepare slaughter for his children for the iniquity of their fathers; that they do not rise, nor possess the land, nor fill the face of the world with cities.
Cities did not exist before Adam and Eve. No slaughter was prepared in the beginning.
Isaiah 14:22
For I will rise up against them, saith the LORD of hosts, and cut off from Babylon the name, and remnant, and son, and nephew, saith the LORD.
Babylon did not exist in the beginning but was built after the great flood in Noah's day.
Isaiah 14:23
I will also make it a possession for the bittern, and pools of water: and I will sweep it with the besom of destruction, saith the LORD of hosts.
Destruction did not come to the earth until after Adam and Eve sinned which was after Satan fell.
How do we know when verses 4-23 occur? Based on how the clues are grouped there are over thirty to forty items or phrases which were not present in the beginning. This absolutely did not occur when Satan fell. Based on the whole world being a wilderness and the destruction mentioned is has to be at the end of the tribulation. Verse 16 lets us know this is a man. Based on his role as a destroyer it is most likely the Anti-Christ. Revelation 19:19-20 says, "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone." In verse 19 the Anti-Christ will gather his forces together. It does not say he will make it to the end of the tribulation. Verse 20 says he will be cast alive into the lake of fire. The Greek word used here is zontes. It comes from zao. This is the same word Jesus used in Mark 12:27. Referring to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Jesus said, "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err."While these three men did not have working bodies pumping blood. They were, however, aware of what was going on. They were not annihilated, in soul sleep, oblivious, unaware or unconscious.
People have started using Ezekiel 28 to reinforce their teachings on Isaiah 14. They try to make a case based on select verses but they do not read the passage in context. Good rules of prophetic interpretation tell us that if this straightforward meaning of the passage or word makes common sense use it. This is not done. The straightforward meaning of this passage would refer to a very arrogant king of the city of Tyre. Verse 2 refers to a man and it means a man who is a king, not Satan. Looking back in history we see that this is actually what did happen. It is really about a king of Tyre, not about Satan. Look at verse 6. This entity got rich by his traffick or business. This is not possible in heaven. 1 Corinthians 2:9 lets us know, "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Money is not necessary in heaven. In this verse they draw their swords against this entity. Revelation 20:2 says, "And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,". Man will not draw swords against Satan in the future. He will not die by the hand of strangers like it notes in verse ten.
| Ezekiel 28 | |
| 1 | The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, |
| 2 | Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God: |
| 3 | Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee: |
| 4 | With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures: |
| 5 | By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:. |
| 6 | Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; |
| 7 | Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. |
| 8 | They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. |
| 9 | Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee. |
| 10 | Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. |
Going back to Daniel 11:45 it says, "And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." The most important part is about the end of days. The Anti-Christ will set up for battle against Jesus Christ at the end of the tribulation but he will die before the battle. The focal events are in the future. We need to teach people correctly so they can be aware of what will happen in the tribulation. If they think that once the Anti-Christ is dead the tribulation is over, they will be greatly mistaken.
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