
Antichrist — The Lawless Man
In recent days, France was hit with an incredible terrorist attack. Three terrorists murdered seventeen people who were quietly working in an office building. They had no idea it was coming. Interestingly enough, the policemen in France do not carry guns or weapons. So the terrorists had total control. They had no problems doing what they wanted to do.
Also, this past week I was listening to a news program and I heard a commentator ask a counselor why this happened. The counselor gave a couple of reasons, but the basic reason the counselor settled on was that environmental social influences and external factors caused these terrorists to do what they did.
Others made the comment that the real problem was the religion of Islam. These terrorists claimed they were following the Koran and listening to imams who were encouraging them to do this. To some degree, all of the above is somewhat accurate, and today something like a million people in the nation of France are protesting and rallying against the radical terrorists.
But God actually has a different perspective on what motivated the terrorists. Did you know that God says it was not Islam or their environment. God says it was not their parents or money. God says it is not all the external influences that is really the problem. God says the real problem is that man is a sinner living in darkness. In Matthew 4:15-16, we are told that people walk in darkness. We are told that when Jesus came to earth, Naphtali and Zebulon in the northern part of Galilee suddenly saw a great light. The message is very clear that people are living in darkness. I believe that the terrorists do not understand that they are walking in darkness. They thought they were walking in the light. That is their problem.
In Genesis 8:21, God says this about men,
The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Genesis 8:21 (NASB)
Think about that. God says that the intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth. He is not talking about man’s environment or the influences of your parents. He says from your youth. And when he says “intent,” it is an interesting Hebrew word. It actually has the idea of your make-up. So God is saying that the heart of man is evil from his youth. That is our bent. We are inherently evil people.
In Genesis 6:5, God says that our thoughts are evil continually. Now think about that one! Our thoughts are evil continually. In my own life I find that I am studying the word of God and all of a sudden some evil thought enters my mind. Where did that come from?! I am just studying the word of God. That is a sign that I am still a sinner. God says our thoughts are evil continually. You may ask, “How can this happen?!”
Consequently, in Romans 1:32 we discover that unbelievers want other people to sin just as they do. They want believers to behave the way they behave. Do you want other people to behave like you? We tend to be controllers. We want control of everybody and everything—some of us to a lesser degree, some of us to a greater degree.
God says that the world is getting worse. Did you know that? Do you think that the world is getting better? If you listen to many people in our country, they think the world is improving. They think they are improving the United States. We are getting better and better. We are moving towards Utopia, and someday if they can just enact the right laws, have the right politicians with the right philosophy, the world will be wonderful.
But 2 Timothy 3:1 says this,
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 Timothy 3:1 (NASB)
Right here we discover what is going to happen. One would think that the difficult times were in the past. No, the difficult times are not in the past. They are coming.
For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal . . . 2 Timothy 3:2-3a (NASB)
“Brutal” means that men will not be tame but savage. Men will be brutal.
. . . haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure . . . 2 Timothy 3:3-4b (NASB)
That describes our culture very well. Lovers of pleasure: that includes much of what we see on TV, in the movies, what we drink, what we eat, why we insist on our rights, and what we want.
. . . rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness . . . 2 Timothy 3:4b-5a (NASB)
We make a good show. We are like the Pharisees. We want people to think we are godly. In fact, some of us are involved in ministry because it is really all about us and not about God. Our ministry is about what we get out of it. What we want whether we are a good person or not, and whether or not God is using us. Then it says,
. . . although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:5b (NASB)
Our world is becoming worse, not better. The first part of 1 Timothy 4 has the same message. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2 tells us that Christ is coming someday. Paul wrote,
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first . . . 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a (NASB)
Paul said apostasy is coming first and is going to get a lot worse. If you think that people are rejecting God, rejecting Christ now, you have not seen anything yet! It is going to become much worse. Paul then said,
. . . and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. 2 Thessalonians 2:3b (NASB)
Now those are two important descriptions made in this verse of a man who appears in the future. He is first called the man of lawlessness who will reject all authority. He will not be bound by any law at all, whether it is God’s law or human laws. He will consider himself to be above all laws. The son of destruction is the second important descriptor of this individual. This means that he destroys everything—secular and sacred. He is the antichrist. This is an individual who is coming in the future. He will be above human law and will reject God’s law. He will destroy anybody who opposes him.
Verse 4 adds,
Who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 (NASB)
Paul is talking about something that has not happened yet. So, I have a question for you: “Is there a temple in Jerusalem today?” The answer is no. So the author is speaking of something that is yet to happen. The message is that the world is going to get a lot worse, not better. So the terrorist activities that we have seen in Paris and elsewhere are nothing compared to what is coming. What I just did is introduce you to a man called the antichrist. He is what our study is about.
Characteristics of the Antichrist
That is the introduction to our study in Daniel 11. Our study is about the antichrist. He is a lawless individual who ignores every law he does not like, and he is the son of destruction. He is the epitome of the ultimate example of man’s sin. He is the ultimate example of a man who does whatever he wants. His desire is for total freedom to do whatever he wants to do, and he will do that.
Daniel 11:36 is the beginning of our study that will conclude with verse 45. This passage has two key components. The first section is from verse 36 through verse 39. It is about the character of the antichrist. The next section is verses 40 to verse 45. It is about the last conflict of the antichrist, the battle of Armageddon. So the outline of this section is rather simple. It just has those two points to it, his character and his conflicts. In verses 36 through verse 39 we will discover ten characteristics about the antichrist.
Verse 36 states,
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. Daniel 11:36 (NASB)
The first characteristic that we are given about the antichrist is that he will do as he pleases. He will have no constraints. Remember Job was an individual about whom God had put a hedge? Satan wanted to get at Job, and what did God tell Satan? God said that He would remove the hedge about Job. God had prevented Satan from getting to Job. God had protected Job from Satan. So God said, “I will remove the hedge and you can do anything you want to him, but you cannot touch his body.”
Next, remember the Apostle Paul in the New Testament who asked for a hedge of protection from demons who were attacking him. 2 Corinthians 12 describes that event. So the message from both the Old and New Testaments is that God puts a hedge about us. God constrains Satan. But in the end times, God will remove the constraints from Satan and allow the man of lawlessness to do whatever it is that he wants to do.
In 2 Thessalonians 2:5 we are told,
Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 2 Thessalonians 2:5 (NASB)
If you check verse four, you will see that this is about the Antichrist. Verse 6 then says,
And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:6b-7 (NASB)
The message is at some point God is going to remove the constraints. If we keep reading, we discover that Satan is actually empowering the antichrist. The constraints are removed from the antichrist. He can do whatever it is that he wants to do, and Daniel 11:36 says, “He will do as he pleases.” That is his first characteristic.
His second characteristic is given in verse 36 of Daniel 11. He will exalt and magnify himself above every God. That means that he will ignore every other god. He will think that he is like God or a god himself. In 2 Thessalonians 2:4 that is exactly what it says about him, “Who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship” The antichrist will ignore the true God and display himself as being God.
When we are told that he will oppose and exalt himself, the Greek words for these two verbs are present participles. A present participle refers to something that is continuing. You might steal on one occasion, but that does not mean that you are a robber. But someone who steals on a regular basis is a robber. We give them the characteristic of being a robber. The antichrist will keep exalting himself as if he were God. I have to admit that there are some politicians today who appear to think they are gods—at least they act like it. They think they are the savior of the world. They act like it. They function like it. The people in our country at times treat our politicians as though they are gods. Some of our politicians think they are in total control, or at least they wish they could be.
The third characteristic of the antichrist in Daniel 11:36 is that “he speaks monstrous things against the God of gods.” When it says the God of gods, this refers to the true God, Yahweh in the Old Testament. The antichrist will speak monstrous things against the God of gods. What monstrous things will he speak against Yahweh? 1 John 2:22 says,
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 1 John 2:22 (NASB)
The apostle John is saying that a liar denies that Jesus is the Christ or the Messiah. That is the antichrist. Notice that he said, “This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.” In other words, the antichrist not only denies that Jesus is the Messiah, but he also denies that Jesus is God! How do you know that? Notice that 1 John 4:1 says,
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God . . . 1 John 4:1-2a (NASB)
Now watch what follows. It is a test.
. . . every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God. 1 John 4:b2 (NASB)
Now what is the test. The test is not that a man became a man. That occurs in hospitals every day around the world. Males are born each day. That is not a test. There is nothing special in that. But to say that God became a man is a real test. The test is that the spirits say that Jesus is God in human flesh and blood. Now notice verse 3,
And every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist. 1 John 4:3a (NASB)
So those who claim that Jesus was not God in eternity past are of the spirit of the antichrist. 2 John 7 adds this,
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. 2 John 7 (NASB)
Once again we see the test. The test is that the person who claims Jesus is not God in human flesh is actually of the antichrist. So what do you think the antichrist will do? He will deny that Jesus is God! “Jesus was just a man,” will be his claim.
In Revelation 13 we discover that there will be two individuals in the tribulation period, a beast who symbolizes the antichrist and the dragon, who symbolizes Satan (Revelation 12:9). The term “beast” is a good description for the antichrist. He will be empowered by Satan. Verse 5 says,
There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. Revelation 13:5 (NASB)
What it tells us is very simple. The antichrist will speak monstrous things against God. He will blaspheme God. So, the third characteristic is that the antichrist will speak monstrous things against the God of gods.
The fourth characteristic is given in Daniel 11:36. It says, “He will prosper.” That is, he will do exactly what he wants because God will have removed all constraint against him. The antichrist will be able to do whatever he wants. He will have ultimate authority. Daniel 7:25 adds
He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One. Daniel 7:25a (NASB)
He will not only speak against the Most High, but he will kill Christians, Jews, and Gentiles. He will try to change laws.
Verse 37 of Daniel 11 now gives us three more characteristics of the antichrist. The fifth characteristic is that,
He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers. Daniel 11:37a (NASB)
This means that he will totally ignore the god or gods of his forefathers.
The sixth characteristic is that he will not have any
. . . desire of women. . . . Daniel 11:37b (NASB)
There is much debate as to what this means. Some Bibles state, “the one beloved by women.” The actual Hebrew is much different than that. The Hebrew meaning is that he has no desire of women. The Hebrew word “desire” has the idea of longing. So the antichrist will have no longing for women. Now, there are two possibilities to explain this. First, he will be just totally indifferent to women. He will be a single man. He will not care about women. He will not love or have any affection for women. The other possibility is that he will be a homosexual.
The rest of the verse gives us his sixth characteristic It says,
. . . nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all. Daniel 11:37c (NASB)
This antichrist will be a real egotist. The seventh characteristic is that he will magnify himself above the God of gods, Yahweh.
Everybody agrees that verse 38 and verse 39 have not yet been fulfilled. Verse 38 says,
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. Daniel 11:38 (NASB)
Verse 38 gives us the eighth characteristic of the antichrist. I will summarize it this way: He will worship the god of military might, of fortresses. The word “fortress” appears in this chapter in verses 1, 7, 10, 19, 31, and here in verse 39. Every time it refers to military power, military might. The message is the antichrist will worship the god of military power. The antichrist will be like a worm who is in a gym trying to bench press 500 pounds. The worm engages in a contest bench pressing 500 pounds. If his opponent is God, who do you think will bench press the 500 pounds? That is a good picture of the contest between the antichrist and God. The antichrist will think he can defeat God with the god of fortresses. He will trust in his military power.
Verse 39 now gives us the last two characteristics of this man. We are told,
He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Daniel 11:39 (NASB)
Now notice what it says. “He will take action against the strongest of fortresses.” That is trust in a foreign god and get help from the god. That so-called god will be Satan himself. For example, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 says,
Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming. 2 Thessalonians 2:8 (NASB)
Now watch verse 9.
that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 (NASB)
The ninth and tenth characteristics of the antichrist are that he will be empowered by Satan and be able to perform signs and false wonders.
Remember that in Revelation 13:1 there are two individuals in the verse: the dragon, who is Satan, and the beast, who is the antichrist. Then in verse 4 we are told that Satan gives the antichrist power. That explains the antichrist’s behavior in verses 36 – 39.
So, we have discovered ten characteristics of the antichrist. This man is lawless and the epitome of evil when God removes all the constraints. Man will want freedom to be able to do what he wants. We talk about freedom in this country. The antichrist is the man without constraints, and he is in control of the world. This is an incredible picture of what will happen when an evil man can do whatever he desires.
What we saw in Paris, France, is nothing compared to what is coming. Some day the antichrist will take control of this world, and he is going to make what happened look like a birthday party.
Is The Antichrist Antiochus IV Epiphanes?
At this point I would like to make an important comment. There are some Bible teachers who will say that this individual is not the antichrist. They will tell you that the man described in this passage in Daniel 11 is Antiochus IV Epiphanes. They claim that he was a Greek king of the past, and what is described are historical events of the past, not the future. But there is a problem with their conclusion. First, they deny it because they do not believe this passage is prophecy. Second, the events described in verses 36-39 never occurred in the past. They can only be events yet to occur in the future.
Other groups include Roman Catholics, amillennialists who embrace replacement theology, and postmillennialists. They interpret the passage symbolically to make details fit into their theological system, rather than make their theological system adhere to Scripture.
I believe verses 36-39 are about the antichrist; let me give you several simple reasons. The first point would be that archaeology and history indicate that Antiochus Epiphanes did worship the gods of his fathers. He took the idol of Zeus and put it in the temple! Zeus was the Greek name, Jupiter is the Roman name for this god. He also put Zeus on the front and back side of his coins. But Daniel 11:37 says that the antichrist will not respect the gods of his fathers. That should be enough to say that Antiochus Epiphanes is not described in verses 36-39.
The second reason to believe that Antiochus IV Epiphanes is not described in verses 36-39 is that Antiochus loved women. He had many women in his life. A third reason is that verse 40 refers to the king of the north, the king of the south, and then it refers to the individual described in this passage. He is simply called the king in both verses 36 and 40. Since we know from history that Antiochus IV Epiphanes was the king of the north, he cannot be the “king” in verses 36 and 40. Antiochus IV Epiphanes is called “despicable in verse 21. He was never called just the “king.” He was not the antichrist. So these are some important reasons to reject Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the king described here.
Battle of Armageddon — 1st Attack
When we come to verse 40 in Daniel 11, we are introduced to a conflict. This is the battle at Armageddon. We are now at the end of the tribulation period. We discovered in Daniel 7:25 and 9:27 that the tribulation period is a seven-year period. It begins with 3.5 years of peace. The antichrist will come on the scene and offer peace to Israel. It could be that the world is in total pandemonium—maybe over terrorists or a Middle East war. This man will establish peace at the beginning of the tribulation period. Then in the middle of the tribulation period, he will sit in the temple and declare that he is God. We already saw that in 2 Thessalonians 2. We are told that he will enter the temple in Jerusalem and declare that he is God. Jesus also referred to this in Matthew 24:15. At this point the 3.5 years of peace will become 3.5 more years of absolute horror. Jesus calls the next 3.5 years the great tribulation in Matthew 24:21. The book of Revelation describes the tribulation from chapters 6-19. The battle of Armageddon occurs at the end of the tribulation, and it is described in Ezekiel 38-39; Joel 3:1-17; Zechariah 12; 14:1-8; and Revelation 19:11-19.
The events in Daniel 11:40-45 are the military maneuvers of the battle at Armageddon. Here is verse 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. Daniel 11:40 (NASB)
In the first study of this chapter, we discovered that the king of the North ruled Syria, Asia Minor, Mesopotamia, part of India, and the southern part of Russia. The king of the South ruled Egypt and some of the African countries. In verse 40, we are told that the king of the North and the king of the South storm against the antichrist with chariots and horsemen.
Then verse 41 adds,
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. Daniel 11:41 (NASB)
So, when the antichrist is attacked, we are told he will enter the Beautiful Land, that is, Israel. This means that the antichrist will not be in Israel or will have a small military foree in Israel when the attack occurs. However, we are not told where the antichrist will be located when this attack occurs. This means there are two options for verse 40 when the attack occurs. The antichrist could be located east of Jerusalem or west of Jerusalem.
In the book of Revelation, the River Euphrates is mentioned twice (Revelation 9:14; 16:12). It is possible that the city of Babylon is where the antichrist will be located initially when the attack in verse 40 occurs. That is the first option. The second option is that the antichrist might be located offshore on the west side. He could be based on the Mediterranean Sea or in Europe. If so, the king of the North will attack him, and the king of the South will attack him from the south. The antichrist will defeat both armies, and then pursue the army from Egypt back down into Egypt. Verse 41 says that in his pursuit against the king of the South, Edom, Moab and the foremost of the sons of Ammon will escape attack. Today, these ancient territories are occupied by Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This is a very exacting description of the final battle at the end of the tribulation period.
Verses 42 and 43 say,
Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape. 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. Daniel 11:42-43 (NASB)
Now we are told again that the antichrist will pursue the king of the South down into Egypt and then on into Africa.
Battle of Armageddon — 2nd Attack
Verses 44 and 45 now describe the final maneuvers of the battle of Armageddon. Verse 44 states,
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. Daniel 11:44 (NASB)
We are told that while he is attacking Egypt and African nations, all of a sudden the antichrist learns there are armies coming down from the North and from the East. Many people believe that the army from the East will be the 200,000-man army described in Revelation 9:16. They believe the army will come from China, or at least a collection of eastern armies. So, the antichrist will hear rumors that they are coming. He will race back up to Israel, and place himself in the Plain of Megiddo. It is the place where Armageddon occurs. There he sets up a tent.
Ezekiel 38 and 39 give us another description of this same event. There we are told the northern army will invade Israel. In fact, Scripture states that all the nations of the world will attack Jerusalem (Joel 3:2, 8-9; Zephaniah 3:8; Zechariah 14:1-2), so Ezekiel 38-39 must be included in this attack. In verse 45 we are told the antichrist will position his military force between the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Zion, the mountain on which Jerusalem sits.
He will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful Holy Mountain . . . Daniel 11:45a (NASB)
In ancient time, a military force would set up its command headquarters, not in a building, but in a tent. Here it is called the royal pavilion. The antichrist would position the military between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain. That is, in the Valley of Jezreel, which is also known as the Valley of Megiddo (Zechariah 12:11), or Har-Magedon (Revelation 16:16).
Valley Jezreel – The Armageddon
The basic message is the antichrist will prepare for the battle of Armageddon. What happens? He will lose and be destroyed when Jesus comes and rescues the city of Jerusalem.
Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. Daniel 11:45b (NASB)
Zechariah 14:1-8 teaches us that when the second coming of Christ occurs, Jerusalem will be saved from total destruction. Revelation 19:20-21 describes the antichrist’s destruction by Jesus Christ, Himself, in more detail (Daniel 7:26-27).
Revelation 19 describes the battle of Armageddon beginning in Revelation 19:11. We are told that Jesus will arrive on a white horse. Then in verse 14 the saints come with Him. In verse 19 we see the following,
And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. Revelation 19:19 (NASB)
The antichrist is the beast. The kings of the earth would include the armies of the North and East. When Christ arrives, every nation will attack Him.
Verse 20-21 concludes the battle scene.
And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh. Revelation 19:20-21 (NASB)
What does Jesus do? He defeats the antichrist and annihilates the false prophet and throws them into the lake of fire. The armies of the world will also be destroyed. Then Christ will establish His millennial kingdom as we have discovered in our previous studies.
Conclusion
What can we learn from our study? First, we learn Daniel 11:36 says,
. . . for that which is decreed will be done.Daniel 11:36b (NASB)
That says everything. God has decreed that this will happen; so IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN! Who is in control? God. The antichrist will think he is in control. Our politicians think they are in control. But God is the one who is in control. Our confidence and our comfort is in God, not in our politicians. That is where our confidence needs to be. God has total, absolute control of everything.
Suggested Links:
Book of DanielProphecy of Daniel’s Seventy Weeks – Daniel 9:24-27
Thy Kingdom Come — Daniel’s Seventieth Week
Daniel’s 69 Weeks Prophecy About the Death of Christ
Daniel’s Seventieth Week and the Tribulation
Amazing Detailed Prophecies in Daniel 11
he Antichrist — The Past & The Future
Prophecies of the Persian and Grecian Wars 530 – 163 B.C.