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Prophecy 3 – The Antichrist

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The Antichrist – Daniel 8:1-12

Beginning Point in Time: About 538 B.C.
Ending Point in Time: Second Coming of Jesus

Summary:
The essence of this prophecy can be summarized in three sentences: When the 2,300 days expire (1844), Jesus will begin to cleanse Heaven’s temple of guilt. Later, Lucifer (the horn power) will physically appear and eventually lead all of the wicked to commit the unpardonable sin. The work of Jesus in the temple (the daily) will end when Lucifer completes his work. By that point in time, every sinner will have reached the point of no return and there is nothing further Jesus can do to save them.

Introduction:
We saw how God used the technique of “repetition and enlargement” in Daniel 7 to expand our understanding of Daniel 2. In the same way, this prophecy uses repetition and enlargement to expand our understanding of Daniel 7. As we proceed through the seventeen prophecies, you will see how they work together to tell one harmonious story. The information provided in each prophecy is additive in nature, which means you need to understand the entire prophetic story before you completely understand any part of it! From the beginning, God designed the seventeen prophecies in Daniel and Revelation to work together so that when the time came for the book of Daniel to be unsealed at the time of the end, the mystery and ambiguity encasing apocalyptic prophecy over the past twenty-six centuries would disappear. Look at figure 3.1. You will see how the prophecies in Daniel 2, 7, and 8 align. Notice the list under 457 B.C. The ram, bear, and silver align. This alignment is important to the final generation because these three prophecies provide a historical setting for two prophetic time periods that are very important. Knowing that most people have little interest in matters of antiquity, God moves our understanding of His plans in very large steps in the book of Daniel. For example, in Figure 3.1, one prophetic time period moves us forward in time 2,300 years and another moves us forward 1,260 years.

The alignment of these three prophecies is important to the final generation because there is an intimate relationship between 1798 and 1844. We learned in Prophecy 2 that the courtroom scene in Daniel 7:9,10 occurred in 1798. We will discover in this prophecy that the opening of the books of record occurred in 1844. Daniel 7:10 says: “The court was seated, and the books were opened.” Because Prophecy 3 overlays Prophecy 2, and Prophecy 2 overlays Prophecy 1, God is building a stack of prophecies to help us understand that even though the plan of redemption is huge, His timing is perfect, always on track. God may seem to be slow, but He is moving with deliberate haste. The problem of sin will not last one day longer than absolutely necessary.

The longest prophetic time period given in the Bible is found in this prophecy. It lasts for 2,300 years. In terms of chronological progression, this is one huge step forward! In fact, it is more than twice the length of the 1,000 year prophecy in Revelation 20. To make sure that people understand when this time period ends, God placed the origin of this time period within a well documented historical setting. By clearly establishing the beginning date of the 2,300 years there can be no mistake about the ending date. Moreover, the ending date is directly linked to a very important event in Heaven’s temple. This event is “Judgment Day.” The court was seated in 1798, and in 1844 Jesus began to judge the dead so that He might determine the eternal destiny of each person who has lived.

One final point. As we progress through these prophecies (more so in the prophecies of Revelation), we will discover that God sometimes inserts an odd element within a prophecy. For example, this prophecy concerns a ram, a goat, and a horn power. Since all three elements are in the same prophecy, the horn power must have something to do with the ram and goat. At first glance, there also appears to be some “disconnected discussion” in this prophecy about Heaven’s temple. For example, verse 14 appears to have nothing to do with the ram, goat, or horn power! Verse 14 says, “It will take 2,300 evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary will be reconsecrated.” This verse has created all kinds of problems in the past. However, if we understand the essential doctrine of parallel temples[1] and the use of valid rules of interpretation, we can make sense of this vision. It aligns perfectly with the timing in Prophecies 8 and 11.


The Sequence:


Daniel 8:1-4

In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. 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.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. 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.{1} In the third year of King Belshazzar’s reign, I received a vision.
{2} I was in the city of Susa, located in the province of Elam. I was standing beside the beautiful Ulai Canal.
{3} I looked up into the sky and I saw a powerful ram with two great horns growing out of its head. One horn was longer than the other and the longer horn grew out last.
{4} I watched as the ram came from the east. He charged toward the west, the north, and the south. No one could stand against him, and none could escape his awesome power. He did as he pleased and he became great.


Daniel 8:5-8

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. 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. 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. 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.{5} While watching this powerful beast, suddenly a goat with a big horn between his eyes came out of the west. He was traveling so fast that he did not appear to touch the ground.
{6} He charged the two-horned ram with enormous fury.
{7} The goat struck the ram and shattered its two horns. The ram was hurled to the ground and trampled. No one could rescue the ram from the goat’s attack.
{8} The goat became a great kingdom, but something unusual happened. At the height of its power, the goat’s mighty horn was broken off and in its place four substantial horns grew – one toward the north, the south, the east, and the west.


Daniel 8:9

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.{9} As I watched, I saw another scene. Out of the north I saw a horn approaching. This horn did not have an animal host.[2] It was not related to the ram or the goat or any earthly kingdom.[3] As I watched, it started small, but it quickly grew in power and popularity toward the south, east, and the west (my homeland, the Beautiful Land).


Daniel 8:10

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.{10} This horn grew until his fame was known and honored all over the world. When he became able, he threw down the starry host (various gods that mankind worships) and trampled on them.[4]

Many people make the mistake of thinking the horn in Daniel 8 and the little horn in Daniel 7 are one and the same. There are several reasons why this is not possible. First, this prophecy completely “leapfrogs” the time periods of the fourth beast (168 B.C. – A.D. 476) and the little horn (538 -1798). The fourth empire in Daniel 7 (Rome) is not mentioned in this prophecy because the horn in Daniel 8 is not attached to any beast. This horn does not rise out of a world empire. It appears from out of nowhere, “out of the four winds,” specifically, out of the north. The north is prophetically important because it is often said in Scripture that divine wrath comes out of the north.[5] Second, within the context of this vision, a beast is a symbol of an empire and a horn is a symbol of a king. The mighty horn on the goat (verse 21) represents the first king of Greecia (Alexander the Great). Similarly, the horn that just appears out of the north represents “a stern-faced king” that will appear and overtake the world “when rebels have become completely wicked” (verse 23). Third, Gabriel told Daniel (verses 17 and 19) that this vision concerns the appointed time of the end which occurs after the 2,300 day/years expire in 1844. In other words, the horn in this vision will appear on Earth after 1844 – at the appointed time of the end. Prophecies 8 and 11 will further explain why this horn represents the physical appearing of Lucifer, the dreaded Antichrist.

Jesus will permit Lucifer to physically appear before the people of Earth during the Great Tribulation. Jesus will release the devil from the Abyss at an appointed time to lead the world into destruction.[6] Lucifer will deceive the wicked and his followers will be like the sand on the seashore. Lucifer will astonish Earth’s inhabitants with his miracles, boldness, and assumed authority. At the sixth trumpet, the devil will abolish all of the religions of the world and trample on them. He will claim to be Almighty God[7] and as such, he will demand that religious diversity be eliminated.[8] He is The Master of Deception. He will deceive Moslems, Jews, Catholics, Atheists, Protestants, Eastern Mystics, and the Heathen by performing great signs and miracles – even calling fire down from Heaven.[9] He will eliminate the starry hosts – an ancient term used for various “gods” or whatever is worshiped as “God”[10] and he will demand that everyone honor and worship him as God Almighty.[11]


Daniel 8:11

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.{11} Lucifer will masquerade as Almighty God. He will bring to an end the daily ministry Jesus does on behalf of sinners by forcing everyone into a decision. Near the end of the Great Tribulation, everyone on Earth will have either the seal of God or the mark of the beast. With lies and deceit, Lucifer will trample on the honor and respect that belongs to man’s Creator.

The 144,000 will lead many millions of people to receive Jesus as their Savior (see Prophecy 7), but the work of the 144,000 will eventually stall. At the appointed time, Jesus will release the devil from the Abyss and his horrific actions will cause many of the undecided wicked to repent and embrace the gospel. Lucifer will lead the defiant wicked into rebellion[12] against the gospel of Jesus Christ and those who embrace it. The wicked will ridicule and reject the ministry and intercession that Jesus offers for individuals at Heaven’s Altar of Burnt Offering. Lucifer will lead the world into rebellion because he knows that no sinner can be saved on his own merits. Lucifer knows why Jesus died and he knows that salvation comes only through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Masquerading as Almighty God, Lucifer will demand that everyone on Earth obey him or be killed.[13] The choice will be simple: Submit to the laws of our Creator/Redeemer and face death, or submit to the laws of Lucifer and live a few months longer. (See Prophecy 12.) When every person has made a firm decision, Jesus’ daily intercession on behalf of individuals will close and God’s generous offer of salvation will end.


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