1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000
We talked about the first part of Daniel 11, Things to Come Which Did.

2
00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:12,000
Today we talk about Things to Come Which Will, as we look at verses 36 through 45.

3
00:00:12,000 --> 00:00:19,000
The amazing, elaborate detail of this prophetic revelation is just breathtaking.

4
00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:27,000
Daniel is given this information regarding empires and leaders that would affect the Jewish people

5
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:36,000
for the next 400 years after his lifetime and then well beyond that even unto our own day.

6
00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:42,000
So specific is the prophetic material before us that critics of the Bible,

7
00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:50,000
who do not believe in supernatural character, insist that this has to be fraudulent.

8
00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:58,000
Some other person, they say, pretending to be Daniel, had to write this stuff after the fact.

9
00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:04,000
He had to write it as history and then deceptively insert it into the book of Daniel

10
00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:10,000
as though it were prophetic and as though Daniel wrote it personally.

11
00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:16,000
But for those of us who believe in a supernatural God and a supernatural Bible,

12
00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:23,000
one that is divinely inspired, believe that fulfilled prophecy is not strange at all.

13
00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:31,000
That in fact we should expect that to be the case and that is exactly what we find in Daniel chapter 11.

14
00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:41,000
Daniel could not have foreseen, of course, the time interval between the events that were unveiled to his understanding.

15
00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:47,000
He could not know how quickly all of these things would come to pass.

16
00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:56,000
As we have already said, verses 2 through 35 have indeed already been fulfilled from our perspective.

17
00:01:56,000 --> 00:02:03,000
And with the advantage of history, we can look back to these events as Daniel had to look forward to them.

18
00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:09,000
However, as we look back, we can see the time intervals that were involved

19
00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:16,000
and the fact that these verses in the early part of the chapter covered a period of some 400 years.

20
00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:23,000
But we come now to a different time frame in the last part of the chapter.

21
00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,000
It says beginning in verse 36,

22
00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:33,000
Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god,

23
00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:37,000
and will speak monstrous things against the god of gods.

24
00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:43,000
And he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done.

25
00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:49,000
And he will show no regard for the gods of his fathers, or for the desire of women,

26
00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:57,000
nor will he show regard for any other god, for he will magnify himself above them all.

27
00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:03,000
But indeed he will honor a god of fortresses, a god whom his fathers did not know.

28
00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:09,000
He will honor him with gold, silver, costly stones, and treasure.

29
00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:15,000
And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god.

30
00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:22,000
He will give great honor to those who acknowledge him, and he will cause them to rule over the many,

31
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,000
and will parcel out land for a price.

32
00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:31,000
And at the end time, the king of the south will collide with him.

33
00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:37,000
And the king of the north will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships.

34
00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,000
And he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through.

35
00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:46,000
He will also enter the beautiful land, and many countries will fall,

36
00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:53,000
but these will be rescued out of his hand, Edom, Moab, and the foremost of the sons of Ammon.

37
00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:59,000
Then he will stretch out his hand against other countries, and the land of Egypt will not escape.

38
00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:05,000
But he will gain control over the hidden treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.

39
00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:09,000
And Libyans and Ethiopians will follow at his heels.

40
00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:13,000
But rumors from the east and from the north will disturb him.

41
00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:18,000
And he will go forth with great wrath to destroy and annihilate many,

42
00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:25,000
and he will pitch the tents of his royal pavilion between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain.

43
00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:32,000
Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him.

44
00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:42,000
The king of verse 36 is not the same as Antiochus IV, whom we have seen in the previous verses.

45
00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:49,000
The scope of what is said here was not realized in Antiochus IV.

46
00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:53,000
Indeed, some of the character traits are similar,

47
00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:59,000
but the deeds, the activities, the movements that are described here do not at all relate to anything

48
00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:04,000
that happened during the lifetime of Antiochus IV.

49
00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:12,000
Antiochus IV foreshadowed the one who is in view here,

50
00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:20,000
one who is yet future, and one who will be a great persecutor of the Jews.

51
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:26,000
For the person that is foreseen in these verses is none other than Antichrist,

52
00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:34,000
the leader who will dominate the 70th week of Daniel that we have looked at now several times.

53
00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:45,000
He will first be a man of peace, and then reveal himself as his true nature is, as a man of war.

54
00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:54,000
It is here that the latter aspect is emphasized, his true character, and his evil deeds are exposed.

55
00:05:54,000 --> 00:06:01,000
Notice first of all his designation in verse 36. He is called a king.

56
00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:05,000
That does not necessarily mean that he is royalty.

57
00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:10,000
It does not mean that he comes from a royal lineage,

58
00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:18,000
but rather it describes the autocratic nature of his rule. He will be a dictator.

59
00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:27,000
This is the same king as was called a little horn in Daniel 7 verse 8 and again verse 24.

60
00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:35,000
And he is referred to as the prince. That shall come in chapter 9 in verse 26.

61
00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:41,000
Again the word prince does not mean that he will literally be a prince, that he will be royalty,

62
00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:45,000
but he will be the leader of that day.

63
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:54,000
And Daniel in chapter 9 says it is that prince who will come, who will make a covenant for seven years with the Jewish people.

64
00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:59,000
That seven years is the same as what is called the tribulation in the Bible,

65
00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:06,000
a time of suffering and of God's wrath being poured out upon the entire earth.

66
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:16,000
And so we see him designated here as king to emphasize his absolute rule over his empire.

67
00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:20,000
Notice secondly his limitation also in verse 36.

68
00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:26,000
It says that he will do as he pleases, he will exalt and magnify himself,

69
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:33,000
will speak monstrous things, will prosper until the indignation is finished,

70
00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:36,000
for that which is decreed will be done.

71
00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:41,000
This term indignation seems to be a reference to the tribulation period,

72
00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:46,000
the seven years when he will be prominent in his empire.

73
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:52,000
It is called the indignation and it says that it will be finished.

74
00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:57,000
The time of the activity of this person will be limited.

75
00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:04,000
Now undoubtedly he will be active and becoming too prominent before the seven years begins.

76
00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:10,000
Because that which signals the start of the seven years is his making a covenant with Israel

77
00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:16,000
and he must be in a position of power and authority to make the covenant to start.

78
00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:25,000
So he will be coming to power but his greatest period will be this seven years, the time of indignation.

79
00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:34,000
And whatever he does, though he does what he pleases it says, will be limited by God's sovereign purpose.

80
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:45,000
His abilities and his time of activity has already been determined by God and he cannot go beyond that.

81
00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:50,000
Notice thirdly his characterization, verses 36 and 37.

82
00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,000
He will do as he pleases.

83
00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,000
Two words come to mind as I read these verses.

84
00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,000
The first is arrogance.

85
00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,000
Antichrist will be noted for his arrogance.

86
00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:05,000
In this sense he is very similar to Antiochus the fourth.

87
00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,000
Insolent, proud, filled with self-will.

88
00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:18,000
He will accumulate to himself unprecedented authority and power to do what he desires.

89
00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:27,000
He will be very much like the Caesars who reigned that way for a period at least in the earlier phase of the Roman Empire.

90
00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:38,000
And I just remind you in passing that Antichrist will reign over a revived, renewed form of that ancient Roman Empire.

91
00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:43,000
Now to show to you his ability to do as he pleases and his arrogance,

92
00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:55,000
I'd like you to turn to the book of Revelation, the 13th chapter, where we have another picture or a vision of this same person coming to the scene.

93
00:09:55,000 --> 00:10:05,000
Here he is seen symbolically as a beast, which describes his nature.

94
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:13,000
Now because we'll refer to this at least a couple of times in this message, let me just begin reading in verse 1.

95
00:10:13,000 --> 00:10:18,000
And he stood on the sand of the seashore. Question, who is he?

96
00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:25,000
The answer is the dragon in verse 17, the last chapter, the previous chapter. It is Satan.

97
00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:31,000
And so John in this vision sees the dragon, Satan, symbolized,

98
00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:39,000
standing on the sand of the seashore. And he says, And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea.

99
00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:49,000
And so you see the dragon is in a position of calling out from the sea this beast that now emerges from the waters that John sees.

100
00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:56,000
Having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

101
00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:05,000
And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like those of a bear, his mouth was like the mouth of a lion.

102
00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:17,000
Now if you recall the earlier prophecies in Daniel, you will see some parallels here to Babylon, to Persia, and to Greece,

103
00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:29,000
in these beasts that are described. And so there will be something of those ancient empires that will be a part of Antichrist,

104
00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:41,000
something of their nature. He will be something like Alexander the Great. He will be something like the power of the king of the Medes and the Persians.

105
00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:47,000
He will be something like one in his pride, like Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

106
00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:55,000
The dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and his great authority.

107
00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,000
And I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed.

108
00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:08,000
And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast, and they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast.

109
00:12:08,000 --> 00:12:14,000
And they worshiped the beast saying, who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?

110
00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:19,000
Now this beast, remember, is the same king we're looking at in Daniel.

111
00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:25,000
And there was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies.

112
00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:30,000
Notice both of those, arrogant words and blasphemies.

113
00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,000
And authority to act for 42 months was given to him.

114
00:12:34,000 --> 00:12:40,000
That amounts to three and one half years, which is one half of the tribulation period.

115
00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:51,000
The period referred to here, most likely, is that last half of the seven years, when his true beastly nature will be exposed.

116
00:12:51,000 --> 00:13:00,000
And he opened his mouth and blasphemies against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, that is those who dwell in heaven.

117
00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:06,000
And it was given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.

118
00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:17,000
And we see here his ability to do what he wants when it says, an authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

119
00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:22,000
And so his kingdom will approach a worldwide kind of dictatorship.

120
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:28,000
There will be some distant areas that will not come under his rule.

121
00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:34,000
But he will press for that. He will seek to be the one world dictator.

122
00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:45,000
In chapter 17 and verse 13 we see once more his arrogance and his power when it says,

123
00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:51,000
These have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast.

124
00:13:51,000 --> 00:14:02,000
Who are these? Well, it is those who are conquered by him and who are ruled by his decree and his authority over parts of his empire.

125
00:14:02,000 --> 00:14:08,000
And it says that they have one purpose and they give their power and authority to the beast.

126
00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:20,000
And so you see the picture here of an arrogant dictator who will arise and who will demand and receive the following of other rulers in the world

127
00:14:20,000 --> 00:14:28,000
and many, many, many of the peoples of the world. He is arrogant.

128
00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:37,000
Now there is a second word that describes him which is seen both in Revelation and in our text in Daniel 11 and that is the word blasphemous.

129
00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:45,000
His mouth will be filled with blasphemy and Daniel says he will speak monstrous things against God.

130
00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:54,000
The word monstrous means astonishing. Unbelievable things will come out of his mouth.

131
00:14:54,000 --> 00:15:05,000
He will challenge God and speak against God in a unique and unprecedented way that is not further described to us.

132
00:15:05,000 --> 00:15:13,000
But he will be a monster in the way that he speaks regarding God. He will disregard religious heritage.

133
00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:23,000
Organized religion will have no use to him except as it allows him to magnify himself.

134
00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:36,000
And if you look in Revelation 13 you see that there is a parallel religious system that will come alongside the beast that will help him magnify himself.

135
00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:50,000
It is the final form of some kind of an eclectic, ecumenical movement that will embrace many different religions and ideas and thoughts.

136
00:15:50,000 --> 00:16:00,000
And it will come to the side of Antichrist, one who is called a false prophet who is also beastly in his nature.

137
00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:06,000
Will arise to be a partner with the Antichrist, the political figure.

138
00:16:06,000 --> 00:16:21,000
And it is the two of them who work together at least for a period of time and who bring the world into willing submission to this very charismatic, powerful dictator.

139
00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:28,000
Perhaps it would be good to look in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 just to read the verse mainly.

140
00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:41,000
But where again it affirms the fact that religion, although he will deny religion as it has historically been, he will create his own.

141
00:16:41,000 --> 00:17:01,000
In 2 Thessalonians 2 it predicts the coming in verse 3 of the man of lawlessness, the son of destruction, two other names for the same person, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship.

142
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:12,000
So that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.

143
00:17:12,000 --> 00:17:31,000
And so he will seek, it would seem, eventually to enter the temple, one that will be constructed inevitably in Jerusalem, and there in that temple he will seek to take the place of God Almighty.

144
00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:47,000
And it says in Revelation that he will have an image constructed, which will be able to seem lifelike and which will be able to do miracles.

145
00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:58,000
If you've ever been to Disney World or Disneyland and you've been to some of the exhibits there, you see former presidents who seem lifelike, don't they?

146
00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:05,000
As they speak and gesture, and yet they are simply mechanical puppets.

147
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:12,000
Well this image that Antichrist will create will be so lifelike that it will deceive people.

148
00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:17,000
And it will accomplish miracles.

149
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:21,000
And the power for all of that will come from Satan.

150
00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:30,000
And one of the reasons that people will be deceived by it is that Satan will be supernaturally blinding the minds of many people.

151
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:43,000
So that what they might have at one time seen through, they will at that time be taken in by.

152
00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:50,000
It's a very frightening picture as this happens to the masses of the world.

153
00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:59,000
Yes, even the educated intellectual scientific masses of the West and its population.

154
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:07,000
Now coming back to Daniel chapter 11, let's look forthly at his motivation, verses 38 and 39.

155
00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:10,000
Antichrist will come on first as a man of peace.

156
00:19:10,000 --> 00:19:16,000
His covenant will be made with Israel to protect the Jewish people against her enemies.

157
00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:21,000
And all of us are keenly aware of the enemies of the Jews these days.

158
00:19:21,000 --> 00:19:34,000
Not just those around them either, but people in populations like the United States and in Russia where there are rising anti-Semitic feelings.

159
00:19:34,000 --> 00:19:41,000
Antichrist will come to the defense, particularly of the Jews who are in Israel, will establish that covenant.

160
00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:49,000
He will seem to be a man of peace and all the while his real God within his own heart is warfare.

161
00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,000
He will worship war.

162
00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:56,000
It speaks here of the God of fortresses or the God of strongholds.

163
00:19:56,000 --> 00:20:07,000
The language that Daniel uses seems to suggest that this man will expend vast sums of money

164
00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:19,000
in order to build his war machine while at the same time coming across as a man of peace.

165
00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:22,000
Does that remind you of anybody who is in the world today?

166
00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,000
I'm not saying that that is the Antichrist.

167
00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:34,000
But what I am saying is that the same thing that is happening in Russia today with the leader who speaks of Perestroika and Glasnost

168
00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:47,000
and who at the same time is building the armaments of the Soviet Union, that that's exactly what Antichrist will be like.

169
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:58,000
And as we have seen, among those who are conquered by his treaties or eventually by his warfare, there will be great allegiance given.

170
00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:07,000
And he will reward those who give him allegiance, it says, with power over portions of his reign.

171
00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:14,000
Now let's go on to verses 40 through 45 as we talk about the reaction of Antichrist.

172
00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:22,000
The time that is in view here seems to be the final half of the seven years.

173
00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:32,000
As we have said before, a treaty will unite the interests of Israel with his empire, which will be headquartered in the Mediterranean area.

174
00:21:32,000 --> 00:21:42,000
Perhaps the city of Rome will be the head, the capital city of his empire.

175
00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:55,000
It will stretch across Europe and will take up basically what was the Roman Empire in the days of the New Testament.

176
00:21:55,000 --> 00:22:01,000
We notice that there is an invasion of Antichrist territory that will take place at the end time.

177
00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:08,000
The king of the south will collide with him, it says, and at the same time the king of the north will storm against him.

178
00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:14,000
The word there is very strong, with rage like bees that have been stirred up.

179
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:20,000
The king of the north will come at Antichrist with horsemen, chariots, and many ships.

180
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:26,000
Now of course Daniel is receiving information that he can understand in his day.

181
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:38,000
We would expect that these would not be horses and chariots today, but more the modern kinds of warfare vehicles and weapons.

182
00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:41,000
And so the king of the south, who is that?

183
00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:48,000
Well in the context of the whole chapter, the king of the south is the Seleucid line.

184
00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:52,000
It is the line of, excuse me, the Ptolemy line.

185
00:22:52,000 --> 00:23:00,000
It is the line of Egypt, and so I think that in the context it is best to understand this as being Egypt as a power.

186
00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:10,000
Will come against Antichrist, at the same time the king of the north, and in the context here that is the Seleucid or the Syrian power, will come at him.

187
00:23:10,000 --> 00:23:14,000
And so there seems to be a kind of pincer movement on here.

188
00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:30,000
With these two powers, the one to the south being Egypt and her allies, and mentioned as allies here are Libya and Ethiopia, which would be a counterpart to modern Sudan.

189
00:23:30,000 --> 00:23:32,000
They will move against Antichrist.

190
00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:37,000
To the north comes another power. Now that may be Syria.

191
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:44,000
Could be a confederation yet of Islamic powers, but that is a very fluid situation as you know.

192
00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:57,000
To the north of Israel. There are others who see the king of the north here as the same power as Ezekiel talks about in his chapters 38 and 39 of his book.

193
00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:08,000
Where a far north power comes down into Palestine, and some Bible scholars see that indeed as Russia coming south.

194
00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:19,000
I'm not as convinced of that as I used to be, but the point is that there will be a power to the north, a power to the south, and they will both come against Antichrist.

195
00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:31,000
And he will respond. And he will enter the beautiful land, verse 41. The beautiful land is none other than Palestine, the land of Israel.

196
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:44,000
And so because of this power play that is on, he will keep his treaty, and he will enter into the beautiful land, and it says many countries will fall.

197
00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:52,000
It specifically says, and this is interesting and why it says this, I cannot tell you. It will be clear I'm sure in the day when it happens.

198
00:24:52,000 --> 00:25:01,000
But the area of Jordan will not fall. Jordan will not be attacked at this time. That's Edom, Moab, and the foremost of Ammon.

199
00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:10,000
The same geographical territory. But he will stretch out his hand against other countries. The land of Egypt will not escape.

200
00:25:10,000 --> 00:25:17,000
And he will gather great riches from Egypt. Libyans and Ethiopians will follow with his heels.

201
00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:25,000
This Libya here may not be the exact counterpart to Colonel Gaddafi and Libya today.

202
00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:33,000
But the concept is an African power block there, north and east part of Africa.

203
00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:43,000
But as he is cleaning up there in Africa, and he will do that very quickly, it says he will come in like a flood across the land.

204
00:25:43,000 --> 00:25:50,000
If you have seen any of the pictures from Texas and Louisiana in recent days, you know the power of a flood.

205
00:25:50,000 --> 00:26:00,000
The water power is just amazing, isn't it? As it flows through these normally dry riverbeds and washes away bridges and homes and everything in its way.

206
00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:07,000
Well that is the way Antichrist armies will go across the beautiful land and down into Egypt and northern part of Africa.

207
00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:14,000
Something like Hitler's troops in World War II as they just swept across Africa with Ramel.

208
00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:21,000
But suddenly something will happen and his attention will be drawn in another direction.

209
00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:30,000
For there will be some rumors that will get to him from the east and it says from the north and these will disturb him.

210
00:26:30,000 --> 00:26:37,000
Well now once again it is difficult for us to be precise in identifying what these rumors will be.

211
00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:45,000
It is possible that these rumors from the east would refer to that army that is suggested in the book of Revelation.

212
00:26:45,000 --> 00:26:55,000
For in the book of Revelation it speaks in chapter 9 about an army from the east that will arise.

213
00:26:55,000 --> 00:27:00,000
It describes it in rather amazing terms.

214
00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:05,000
You see horses that have tails with heads on them like serpents.

215
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:09,000
And it is very difficult to imagine what that must have looked like to John.

216
00:27:09,000 --> 00:27:16,000
But keep in mind that he did not know at all how to describe or what to call modern armaments.

217
00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:20,000
He would not know what to call a tank for example.

218
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:27,000
How would he describe a tank? How would he describe a helicopter if he saw that in his vision?

219
00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:31,000
So keep that in mind as you read his descriptions.

220
00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:40,000
The number of the army is given to us later in the book of Revelation. It is said to number 200 million soldiers.

221
00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:45,000
And many people for years have laughed and scoffed and said well now that is absolutely impossible.

222
00:27:45,000 --> 00:27:50,000
There is no one in the whole history of the world that could ever pull together that kind of an army.

223
00:27:50,000 --> 00:28:01,000
And yet I have a clipping somewhere in my files that talks about a boast of one of the leaders of Red China

224
00:28:01,000 --> 00:28:07,000
that they were able to field a total army of 200 million people if anybody attacked them.

225
00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:15,000
Their standing army plus their militias they said would number and they gave that exact number 200 million.

226
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:23,000
And so where is China from Palestine? Remember that is the direction orientation here.

227
00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,000
Well you look to the east.

228
00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:30,000
And so it may be that as Antichrist is making his move in northern Africa consolidating his power

229
00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:37,000
that from the east and the north comes the word that there is this vast army that is gathering to the east of the Euphrates

230
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,000
and it is about to march upon Palestine.

231
00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:50,000
And so he turns around and he comes back into Israel and he pitches his tents it says between the seas and the holy mountain.

232
00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,000
Now the holy mountain must be Jerusalem.

233
00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:58,000
The seas would refer to the Mediterranean Sea undoubtedly perhaps the Dead Sea.

234
00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:07,000
So somewhere in that region around Jerusalem between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea he is going to establish his field headquarters.

235
00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:12,000
So that is as much information about all of this as Daniel receives.

236
00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:19,000
There is other information given in other places like the book of Zechariah for example

237
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:26,000
where the result of all of this is laid out for us but we don't have time this morning to look at that.

238
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:31,000
The point is that he will occupy Israel and will establish his presence there

239
00:29:31,000 --> 00:29:42,000
and it is probably at this same time that he will go up to the temple and have himself placed there as God in the temple.

240
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,000
Coronated that way.

241
00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:49,000
But Daniel is given one final bit of information at the end of verse 45

242
00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:56,000
and it is interesting that whenever Antichrist is mentioned in the Bible it always concludes with something like this.

243
00:29:56,000 --> 00:30:05,000
It says, Yet he will come to his end and no one will help him.

244
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:09,000
Now what is it that brings Antichrist to his end?

245
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:17,000
He attacks Jerusalem, conquers the city, but just as he does that in Revelation chapter 19

246
00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:23,000
his attention is immediately drawn to yet another sound, another sight

247
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:29,000
and it is the sound and the sight of the return of Jesus Christ from heaven with his armies.

248
00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:34,000
And the armies of heaven go forward and they fight against the armies of Antichrist

249
00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:40,000
and those of the world gathered and Antichrist is defeated.

250
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:47,000
And in the Revelation chapter 19 it tells us that he, the beast, the Antichrist,

251
00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:53,000
and the false prophet, this religious counterpart who has helped him build his empire,

252
00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:59,000
will both be taken alive and cast into the eternal lake of fire.

253
00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:07,000
Which is God's prepared abode for all of the wicked and they will be the first two inhabitants of that place.

254
00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:12,000
And will be alone there as a matter of fact for a thousand years at least.

255
00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:15,000
Just the two of them in that lake of fire.

256
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:19,000
And so his destruction comes in a moment.

257
00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,000
He will face the loss of all that he has gained.

258
00:31:21,000 --> 00:31:32,000
There will be none who will be able to deliver him from these armies, the armies of angels, and he will be destroyed.

259
00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:39,000
Now there are some final observations that I want us to make before we leave our text this morning.

260
00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:45,000
The first is this, that we should be alert to the times.

261
00:31:45,000 --> 00:31:50,000
Yet avoid becoming prophecy freaks.

262
00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,000
Now please bear with me as I use that term.

263
00:31:53,000 --> 00:31:59,000
We are expected by God to be aware of world events and conditions.

264
00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:03,000
That is why God gave us the information that he did.

265
00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:12,000
For example, turn to Matthew chapter 24 for a moment and look at the words of our Lord.

266
00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:17,000
Jesus has been answering here the question his disciples posed to him.

267
00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:21,000
What are the signs of your coming at the end of the age?

268
00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:24,000
So he has given them signs.

269
00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:27,000
And then he says in verse 33, verse 32,

270
00:32:27,000 --> 00:32:37,000
Now learn the parable from the fig tree when its branch has already become tender and put forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.

271
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:44,000
In other words, you know summer is coming because your plants at home are greening out and leaving, right?

272
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,000
They are blossoming.

273
00:32:46,000 --> 00:32:48,000
And so you know summer is approaching.

274
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:50,000
The signs are there that spring has come.

275
00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:55,000
Even if you live in Minnesota, spring eventually comes and so does summer.

276
00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:57,000
It may be brief, but it comes.

277
00:32:57,000 --> 00:32:59,000
Now it goes on to say in verse 33,

278
00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:16,000
Even so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that he is near right at the door.

279
00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:21,000
Now I don't expect to be here in the tribulation period to see all of these things that he's talked about.

280
00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:31,000
But the fact is that we are seeing the preparations, we are seeing the foundation being laid right now for the things that will take place in the tribulation period.

281
00:33:31,000 --> 00:33:37,000
Now Jesus expects us to notice these things.

282
00:33:37,000 --> 00:33:42,000
We are not to stick our heads in the sand and be ignorant.

283
00:33:42,000 --> 00:33:50,000
He says we are to exhort one another and all the more as you see the day approaching.

284
00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:57,000
So we are expected by God to be alert to the times in which we live.

285
00:33:57,000 --> 00:34:02,000
But we have to be careful not to become what I call prophecy freaks.

286
00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:07,000
We do not want to be among those who set dates.

287
00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:13,000
We do not want to be among those who are identifying the Antichrist with the certainty.

288
00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:19,000
Nor do we want to read into events prematurely.

289
00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:24,000
But we want to be alert.

290
00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:32,000
Someone brought to my attention an investment opportunity that I called and got some information on.

291
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:37,000
I will not name the company, but this attractive brochure says across the top of it,

292
00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:43,000
Europe 1992 puts opportunity on the map right now.

293
00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:50,000
And in here it describes the advantages of investing in Europe because of the common market.

294
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:56,000
And it says, the new unified Europe is envisioned as one wide open marketplace

295
00:34:56,000 --> 00:35:03,000
where goods, people, services and capital are able to move swiftly and freely between countries.

296
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:10,000
And it will be the world's largest single market with a population of 320 million people

297
00:35:10,000 --> 00:35:21,000
and $4 trillion of purchasing power, surpassing both the United States and Japan.

298
00:35:21,000 --> 00:35:24,000
Well, the Bible said 2000 years ago that Europe was going to be

299
00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:32,000
the dominating economic power in the world in the end time.

300
00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:36,000
The book of Revelation says that, but here this investment company is admitting it and saying,

301
00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:40,000
if you want to be a good investor, then understand what's happening in Europe in two years

302
00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:47,000
and get your money in there ahead of time to make a good deal.

303
00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:53,000
Someone clipped this article out of The Economist for me, April 21, 1990.

304
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,000
It's an article on the elephant and the hawk.

305
00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:04,000
It is an article that talks about the possibility of Armageddon.

306
00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:08,000
Now this is no Christian magazine in any sense of the term,

307
00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:13,000
but it is interesting that in here they pose the question,

308
00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:22,000
what would happen if Iraq, for example, who is quite hostile to Israel as you know,

309
00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:28,000
moved into Jordan, not against Israel directly, but against King Hussein.

310
00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:37,000
They moved their troops in there because Hussein and the leader of Iraq are good friends.

311
00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:43,000
So let's just suppose that Jordan said to Iraq, come on over and you join with our army and we'll be together.

312
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,000
Here's what this secular magazine says.

313
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:50,000
What would happen if Iraqi tanks moved into Jordan?

314
00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:57,000
That would be the moment to take Armageddon, the Armageddon possibility, seriously.

315
00:36:57,000 --> 00:37:02,000
It goes on to say, the desert which history thoughtfully put between Israel and Iraq

316
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:08,000
could then become one of history's grizzlier killing grounds.

317
00:37:08,000 --> 00:37:14,000
Well, the Bible predicts exactly what the killing ground will look like in that day and where it will be.

318
00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:22,000
And it's exactly where The Economist suggests it's going to be too.

319
00:37:22,000 --> 00:37:28,000
Another one other than the distinguished Dan Rather of CBS,

320
00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:39,000
a number of months ago now was talking about the benefit of what's happening in Russia with Gorbachev.

321
00:37:39,000 --> 00:37:43,000
And he said because of what's happening there and what's happening in Eastern Europe,

322
00:37:43,000 --> 00:37:47,000
we're living in a brand new world. And of course that's true.

323
00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:54,000
And he said really there are three considerations in light of these world events that we have to address as Americans.

324
00:37:54,000 --> 00:38:00,000
Number one, what will we do with the quote, peace dividend, close quote.

325
00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:04,000
Now you've heard the same thing or read the same thing.

326
00:38:04,000 --> 00:38:06,000
What will we do with the peace dividend?

327
00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:11,000
Well, the Bible says that in the last days the main theme is going to be peace and safety.

328
00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:13,000
We've finally arrived.

329
00:38:13,000 --> 00:38:19,000
And now we're wondering what we're going to do with the great benefit of peace that's breaking out all over.

330
00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:26,000
Secondly, he says we are living in a time when global regulations are required.

331
00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:29,000
It's not enough anymore to have national laws,

332
00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:38,000
but because of what's taking place we need global, one world kinds of systems and laws, he says.

333
00:38:38,000 --> 00:38:48,000
And he says, thirdly, future wars from this time will no longer be military, but will be economic wars.

334
00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:52,000
Well, he's wrong on the first account, but he's right on the second account because the two will go together.

335
00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:58,000
The Bible says plainly that Antichrist will wage economic warfare,

336
00:38:58,000 --> 00:39:02,000
especially against the saints of God during the tribulation period.

337
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:10,000
He will be able to put a stranglehold on anyone who will not accept his line and follow his steps.

338
00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:15,000
And so it is just interesting. We are to be alert to the times in which we live,

339
00:39:15,000 --> 00:39:20,000
and yet at the same time be balanced.

340
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:28,000
Secondly, we should act strong in faith and not be deterred by unbelieving mockers.

341
00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:35,000
There are those, of course, who are mocking today the kind of a message I'm giving to you this morning.

342
00:39:35,000 --> 00:39:41,000
And they say, well, you know, at the end of every century and at the turn of every millennium, this happens.

343
00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:45,000
There are people who rise up and say, this is the end time, and so on.

344
00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:50,000
And they mock, and they say things have really continued on like they always have.

345
00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,000
And when they do that, knowingly or unknowingly they are,

346
00:39:53,000 --> 00:39:57,000
but paraphrasing what Peter said in the third chapter of 2 Peter,

347
00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:02,000
that these very people would arise at this period of time and say, where is the promise of His coming?

348
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:08,000
Everything has always continued like it always has. God has never intervened.

349
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:12,000
And they willingly will overlook the flood.

350
00:40:12,000 --> 00:40:18,000
It would be very interesting that if in the last days God did allow the discovery of Noah's flood,

351
00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:23,000
just so that those who wanted to reject it would have to really reject it.

352
00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:29,000
Overlook the whole presence of a boat on Mount Ararat and say, well, it didn't even happen.

353
00:40:29,000 --> 00:40:32,000
That would be very interesting. I'm not predicting that.

354
00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:37,000
However, we are to be strong in faith despite the presence of those who mock.

355
00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:46,000
And finally, we should live godly lives and not be compromised by immoral behavior.

356
00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:55,000
Turn with me to Romans chapter 13 in closing.

357
00:40:55,000 --> 00:41:01,000
Verse 11 says, And this do what?

358
00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:05,000
Well, the commands that he's talked about to love and so on.

359
00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:12,000
Do this, he says, knowing the time that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep,

360
00:41:12,000 --> 00:41:16,000
for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.

361
00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,000
The night is almost gone, he says, and the day is at hand.

362
00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:25,000
Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

363
00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:32,000
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness,

364
00:41:32,000 --> 00:41:38,000
not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy,

365
00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:44,000
but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lust.

366
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:50,000
We are living in a time when the flesh is just told to express itself.

367
00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:54,000
Just let it all hang out and fulfill your desires.

368
00:41:54,000 --> 00:41:59,000
Man or woman, just fulfill everything you want and get it while you can.

369
00:41:59,000 --> 00:42:01,000
That's the day we're living in.

370
00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:07,000
But the Bible says that those of us who are of the day need to recognize the hour it is

371
00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:11,000
and despite the pressures from the world, the temptations that confront us,

372
00:42:11,000 --> 00:42:17,000
we are to put on Jesus Christ and we are not to partake of that immoral lifestyle

373
00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:20,000
of the society in which we live.

374
00:42:20,000 --> 00:42:23,000
We are not to be compromised.

375
00:42:23,000 --> 00:42:29,000
The idea of the end of time reduces every question and issue just to the basics, doesn't it?

376
00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:34,000
Am I right with God?

377
00:42:34,000 --> 00:42:39,000
Is there any question that's more basic as we think about the end of time than that?

378
00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:43,000
Am I right with God?

379
00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:49,000
Am I helping others to know God?

380
00:42:49,000 --> 00:43:00,000
Am I investing my life and my gifts for things that will matter eternally?

381
00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:06,000
Those are the kinds of questions we need to face in light of a chapter like Daniel 11.

382
00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:10,000
Let's pray.

383
00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:21,000
Father, may we not be ignorant, uninformed regarding the times in which we live.

384
00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,000
Awaken us from drowsiness and from sleep.

385
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:35,000
Awaken us to be awake as children of the day, living purely and godly in this present age,

386
00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:47,000
looking for that blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ.

387
00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:52,000
Before I finish praying, are you right with God?

388
00:43:52,000 --> 00:43:56,000
Have you trusted Jesus Christ as your Savior?

389
00:43:56,000 --> 00:44:02,000
Are you living with Christ as the Lord of your life? Are you?

390
00:44:02,000 --> 00:44:07,000
What are you doing to help others know Him?

391
00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:15,000
How are you investing your life and the gifts that God has put into your hands

392
00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:21,000
so that it will count for eternity?

393
00:44:21,000 --> 00:44:31,000
May the Spirit of God enable us to face those questions and answer them in a way that would be pleasing to the Lord.

394
00:44:31,000 --> 00:44:35,000
Father, thank you for this study of your Word this morning.

395
00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:42,000
May it be more than simply stimulating to our minds, but may it be stimulating to our wills

396
00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:58,000
that we might choose to live godly in Christ Jesus and be faithful to occupy until you come. Amen.

397
00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:08,000
I'd like for us just to sing the verse that you know, with our heads bowed perhaps. Let's sing.

398
00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:37,000
I have decided to follow Jesus.

399
00:45:37,000 --> 00:45:47,000
No turning back.

400
00:45:47,000 --> 00:46:15,000
Amen. No turning back.

401
00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:32,000
Amen.

402
00:46:47,000 --> 00:47:02,000
Amen.

403
00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:17,000
Amen.

404
00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:47,000
Amen.

405
00:47:47,000 --> 00:48:02,000
Amen.

406
00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:17,000
Amen.

407
00:48:17,000 --> 00:48:32,000
Amen.

408
00:48:32,000 --> 00:48:47,000
Amen.

409
00:48:47,000 --> 00:49:02,000
Amen.

410
00:49:02,000 --> 00:49:17,000
Amen.

411
00:49:17,000 --> 00:49:32,000
Amen.

412
00:49:32,000 --> 00:49:47,000
Amen.

413
00:49:47,000 --> 00:50:02,000
Amen.

414
00:50:02,000 --> 00:50:17,000
Amen.

415
00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:32,000
Amen.

416
00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:47,000
Amen.

417
00:50:47,000 --> 00:51:02,000
Amen.

418
00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:17,000
Amen.

419
00:51:17,000 --> 00:51:32,000
Amen.

420
00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:47,000
Amen.

421
00:51:47,000 --> 00:52:02,000
Amen.

422
00:52:02,000 --> 00:52:17,000
Amen.

423
00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:32,000
Amen.

424
00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:47,000
Amen.

425
00:52:47,000 --> 00:53:02,000
Amen.

426
00:53:02,000 --> 00:53:17,000
Amen.

427
00:53:17,000 --> 00:53:32,000
Amen.

428
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:47,000
Amen.

429
00:53:47,000 --> 00:54:02,000
Amen.