Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. 6And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.”

Daniel 12:5-7

As I have covered in detail in past posts, the majority of Daniel’s prophecies are concerning the appointed time of the end, which is expressed in the 70th Week — or final 7-year period of human history. These 7 years are split down the middle and divided into two equal halves of 3.5 years. The abomination that causes desolation is the consistent sign marker for the division of the 7 years, triggering the beginning of unprecedented trouble — called the great tribulation.

This last half of the 7 years becomes an expansion, a vivid expression and exponential culmination of the end of the age, which climaxes with the Return of Yeshua — the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here in Daniel 12, the prophet plainly asks the LORD, “how long shall it be until the end of these wonders?” To which the LORD answered … it would be a time, times, and half of time before “all these things would be finished.”

Just in case you haven’t been keeping count, this unique period of time is documented in Scripture more than any other time, and to ensure that we don’t miss it, the LORD conveys this 3.5 year time period in just about as many ways as He can for emphasis.

• Half a week — Daniel 9:27
• Time, times, and half a time — Daniel 7:25, Daniel 12:7, Revelation 12:14
• 1,260 Days — Revelation 11:3, 12:6 (see also 1,290 Days in Daniel 12:11)
• 42 Months — Revelation 11:2, 13:5

It should go without saying that this period of time prophetically is significant to God’s promises and plan of redemption. This post will delve into some of the key events, themes and characters that show up during the 3.5 years of great tribulation.

Jesus is the True Witness

Jesus is called the True Witness, and we learn that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus Christ. So when Daniel and the prophets received their visions from God, they were communicated through the personal witness of Jesus Christ Himself — pre-manifestations of Jesus in human form.

I am of the belief that the one dressed in linen — providing this vision to Daniel — is none other than the Lord Jesus Himself. Going back to Daniel 10, we are given a clue as to the identity of the One speaking with Daniel. The vision was so astounding that those who were with Daniel at the time fled away and left him alone. At that moment, Daniel received these detailed prophecies about the 3.5 years.

“I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a man clothed in linen, with a belt of fine gold from Uphaz around his waist. His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the sound of a multitude.”

Daniel 10:5-6

This is the same “man” that is still speaking to Daniel in chapter 12. Both Ezekiel and the Apostle John share similar visions that clearly identify this one like the son of man as the Lord Jesus Himself.

“And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.”

Ezekiel 1:26-28

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. 

Revelation 1:12-18

Furthermore, it is worth noting that the “mighty” angel in Revelation 10 almost perfectly fits this description from Daniel’s vision. I believe the same Person is in view because identical language is used in both places. If this is indeed Jesus Christ, then there are profound implications about the role of God the Son in revealing the prophetic word in all its forms.

Here in Daniel 12, this one like a son of man “raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time” [Daniel 12:6]. What we read in Revelation 10 must be connected. Consider all the direct links and identical images.

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. 2He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, 3and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 6and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, 7but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.

Revelation 10:1-7

The Two Witnesses

I am of the persuasion that not only are there no errors in the inspired text of Scripture but also that every last word and detail is purposefully placed by God and intentionally integrated by the Holy Spirit to testify to the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. When you realize the depth and complexity of Scripture in all its various forms and meanings, then you will never read your Bible the same.

For example, here in Daniel’s vision there are two men standing on either side of the river, bearing witness to the testimony of the one clothed in linen. Everything in God’s word is established upon the testimony of two or three witnesses, and Daniel 12 is no exception.

When we pay careful attention, we begin to see these two witnesses emerge in some of the most pivotal points in history. The LORD is telling Daniel that there will be a unique 3.5 year period preceding the appointed time of the end and the Day of the LORD. I find it interesting that there are two witnesses present to validate the LORD’s testimony to Daniel. I will go a step further and suggest that these two witnesses could be the same two witnesses revealed during the great tribulation in Revelation 11.

Let’s take a closer look.

Moses and Elijah

“And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Revelation 11:3-4

For many reasons, I hold the view that the identity of the two witnesses in Revelation 11 is none other than Moses and Elijah.

Moses represents the law while Elijah the prophets. Both of their ministries provide multiple allusions and prefigurements to the great tribulation. Both of their ministries were accompanied by signs and wonders, like turning water to blood and calling fire down from heaven. And both Moses and Elijah were seen by the Apostles conferring with Jesus on the mountain of transfiguration. Furthermore, we know one of the clearest signs of the end times will be the return of the prophet Elijah as a forerunner to the return of Jesus Christ.

“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Malachi 4:5-6

What we often overlook, however, is the possibility that Moses and Elijah have showed up as witnesses for other key announcements. For example …

• Two men — Moses and Elijah — on the mountain of transfiguration.
• Two Olive Trees and Lamp stands that are standing by the LORD of the whole earth [Zechariah 4]
• Two men bearing witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ [Luke 24:1-7]. We have always presumed they were angels because angels often are portrayed as men [see Genesis 18-19], and this interpretation is not precluded. But the Scripture simply calls them men. Could these two men be Moses and Elijah?
• Two men bearing witness to the ascension of Christ [Acts 1:6-11].
• Two men bearing witness to Daniel’s prophecy concerning the last days [Daniel 12]
• Two witnesses during the great tribulation [Revelation 11]

The idea is that the LORD conferred with Daniel about the great tribulation in the presence of Moses and Elijah because both Moses and Elijah would be the very witnesses that God sends to prophesy and pour out judgment upon the earth.

The Beast will Shatter the Holy People

The LORD tells Daniel that the “shattering of the holy people” is inextricably linked with this 3.5 year period. So who are the “holy people and how will they be shattered and why?” Is only Israel in view? Or are all the saints of the Most High in view?

The answer is both.

On the one hand, the holy people represent the elect nation of Israel, who are promised to endure the worst time of suffering and tribulation called “Jacob’s Trouble.” We know that the Beast will direct his wrath at Israel, and God’s judgments and catastrophes will also fall on Israel in order to bring them to repentance. So this 3.5 year period certainly has direct implications and divine purposes for Jews, who have been set apart and made holy by God for His purposes.

Jesus reminds us that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be great trouble, and He warns those living in Judea and Jerusalem to flee for the mountains to escape the coming scourge of the Antichrist through the land. Although the destruction of the Beast will be extensive, Satan will concentrate his aggression in the holy land against the holy people.

“And when the dragon [Satan] saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman (Israel) who had given birth to the male child (Jesus). But the woman (Israel) was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she [Israel] might fly from the serpent [Satan] into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.”

Revelation 12:13-14

A Remnant of Israel will Find Refuge in the Wilderness

“And the woman [Israel] fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.”

Revelation 12:6

Notice that while the majority of the Jews will be slain or taken into captivity by the Beast during this time of Jacob’s trouble [see Zechariah 13:7-9], there also will be a remnant who are supernaturally carried away and protected by God in the wilderness for 3.5 years. This remnant is nourished for the same allotted time period that Daniel was given — a time, times and half a time.

The Saints also will be Overcome

The “holy people” isn’t exclusive of ethnic and national Israel, however, as also this designation clearly represents another group of people that the Bible calls “saints” — or holy ones. The same root word for saints is the word for holy — qodesh. The holy people — the saints — will also be shattered by the Beast.

The great tribulation will be the greatest mass killing of martyrs in human history. Satan’s wrath will not only target Jews, but believers in Jesus are also well within the sights of the Beast. There are so many passages that demonstrate how the saints — God’s holy people — will be handed over to be killed during this time of unprecedented tribulation. I will share some of the key passages that bring this into focus.

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

Revelation 6:9-11

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7:13-14

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. 11And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 12Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Revelation 12:10-12, 17

As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them, 22until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

23“Thus he said: ‘As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
24As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.
25He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.

Daniel 7:21-25

And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?” And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. 6It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation.”

Revelation 13:4-7

Conclusion

So Daniel is told by the LORD in the presence of the two witnesses to seal up the prophecy until the time of the end because it pertains to the appointed time of the end. This time of great tribulation and Satanic persecution. This time of great witness but great suffering and martyrdom. This time of great judgment and yet greater salvation.

As I close this final chapter, I will bring attention to the necessity the LORD places on the white robes of the righteous. Without being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, there is no hope. Only those of faith will be saved in the end, and that is Daniel’s final reminder.

“Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. 11And from the time that the regular burnt offering is taken away and the abomination that makes desolate is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. 12Blessed is he who waits and arrives at the 1,335 days. 13But go your way till the end. And you shall rest and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.”

Daniel 12:10-13

This admonition is quite similar to the words of Jesus in Revelation 16, which describes the final outpouring of God’s wrath on the wicked in conjunction with the Return of Jesus to wage war with the Antichrist.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”

Revelation 16:15

Next time I will wrap up this amazing study with a general conclusion.

“At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

The Prophet Daniel — 12:1

It is worth taking closer look at Daniel 12:1. Here we read two contrasting outcomes in this one verse. On the one hand, there will be unprecedented tribulation and distress resulting in the hardship, persecution, and death of many faithful saints, but on the other hand God makes a promise to deliver His people “at that time” — those whose name is written in the book.

So which is it? Does God allow His people to suffer through the great tribulation or are they delivered out of it?

The answer is both. That is the essence of what it means to be delivered — redeemed — ransomed — rescued — saved! God is our Deliverer in every respect of the word, and He has promised to deliver His people from peril, bondage, evils, dangers, and great distress.

Obviously we must acknowledge the multiple layers, concepts, and applications of deliverance. Clearly the core of our Christian faith emphasizes the spiritual application, such as being saved from the wages of our sin and death and from the satanic bondage of this present age. Our spiritual deliverance is an immediate reality to all who believe in Christ. We possess eternal life the moment we trust Christ and are “saved.” This is only one form of deliverance, however, as salvation also is a process that plays out in real time!

We cannot forget that the Biblical accounts of Scripture did not take place in a vacuum, but rather in literal space and time. The Bible provides true eye-witnesses testimony about God’s mighty acts of deliverance for His people within the bigger story of redemptive history. These serve both as examples and foreshadows of things to come in the last days. Consider …

1. Noah delivered through the flood
2. Lot saved from Sodom
3. Joseph delivered from captivity
4. Moses and the Israelites protected from the plagues and delivered from Egypt
5. Joshua at Jericho and his long-day at Gibeon [Joshua 10]
6. David delivered from Goliath
7. Daniel saved in the Lions Den
8. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saved through the fiery furnace
9. Paul rescued from all his trials and tribulations

“If by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;7and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8(for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard);9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.”

2 Peter 2:6-9

Our ultimate deliverance, therefore, is the completion of our salvation on THE Day of deliverance — a Day yet future — a unique Day when Christ returns from heaven to wage war against the wicked and simultaneously rescue His glorious bride in triumph!

This is the Day of deliverance that Daniel and all the prophets ultimately envision and emphasize. All things prophetically culminate on this Day — aka the Day of the LORD — a Day both of fierce vengeance and sweet deliverance.

“For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come.”

Isaiah 63:4

There is no contradiction here in Daniel 12:1. It is a broad brush stroke of the last 3.5 years of Daniel’s 70th Week, which is also known as the great tribulation.

And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” 7And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.“

Dan 12:6-7

There will be great tribulation and trouble for God’s people followed by great deliverance and salvation at the coming of the Son of Man. Many of God’s people — both Jew and Gentile alike — will suffer and die during the great tribulation as faithful witnesses for Christ, while also a believing remnant will be preserved and endure to the end. So whether we endure and remain faithful to the end of our lives or we endure to the end of the age — it remains true that God’s people will be saved, or delivered, in the end.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved.“

[Matthew 24:9-13]

OUr DELIVERANCE IS ALREADY HERE and NOT YET

We know that Jesus says, “whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” [John 5:24], which means that salvation is an immediate reality and possession for those who believe. We also know, however, that the God’s ultimate plan of redemption will not be accomplished until Christ returns from heaven to establish His eternal kingdom on earth.

This is why we must acknowledge our salvation as being already here in one sense but at the same time not yet! We have been saved. We are being saved. We will be saved in the end.

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-2

“Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.”

1 John 3:2

And it is that Day — the Day Jesus appears in all His glory — that we will be changed and will receive resurrected bodies and become like Christ, seeing Him as He truly is!

I will leave you with some foundational passages that speak of this Day of Deliverance and provide some details to Daniel’s prophecy.

“For these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written … And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

[Luke 21:22, 25-28]

“Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—6since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.”

2 Thessalonians 1:4-10

Next time we will discover more about the book of life and how it ties into the prophetic word and the end of the age. Until then, I will leave you with Isaiah’s mention of the book of life.

“In that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. 3And he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, 4when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.”

Isaiah 4:2-4

“And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.”

Daniel 11:45

Daniel chapter 11 provides one of the most detailed accounts of the political and military campaign of the Antichrist — aka the King of the North. So far we have learned that the Antichrist will emerge as a little horn, on the periphery, but will grow in power and advance through intrigue and deception.

We learned that the King of the North will begin expressing his dominance in the Middle East, specifically targeting Egypt — the King of the South. After dealing an initial military blow to Egypt, the King of North will return a second time only to discover that Egypt has called for reinforcements, forcing him to retreat in a fit of rage.

At this point the King of the North will vent his anger against the holy covenant and the people of Israel, setting up the abomination that causes desolation in the Temple. This blasphemous act of self-exaltation will trigger the Great Tribulation and the final 3.5 years of history. Many of God’s people, who know their God, will be trampled and persecuted by the Antichrist by fire, sword and captivity. This will be both the time of Jacob’s trouble and a call for the endurance of the saints and those who hold to the testimony of Jesus.

Other Scriptures confirm that the saints — the true believers and followers of Yahweh and His Anointed Yeshua — will be worn out by the Antichrist for this appointed time of 3.5 years.

“He shall speak words against the Most High,
and shall wear out the saints of the Most High,
and shall think to change the times and the law;
and they shall be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time.”

Daniel 7:25

And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a time, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished.“

Daniel 12:6-7

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, “Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months.“

Revelation 11:1-2

“And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.“

Revelation 12:13-14

“And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation …”

Revelation 13:5-7

One Last Clash with Egypt

“At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.”

Daniel 11:40

At the time of the end … certainly speaks of the latter portion of the Great Tribulation [3.5 years], which culminates with the Day of the LORD.

Apparently Egypt will be one of the few Middle Eastern nations that is able to initially resist the Antichrist. As the King of the North continues to grow in power, Egypt will make one last desperate attempt to attack him but to no avail. The language here clearly shows a shift in dominance from their previous encounter, when the King of the North was forced to retreat. By this time, the Beast will have amassed a significant army, as he is able to “come into countries and overflow and pass through.“

Other prophecies concerning Egypt align well with this scenario.

“I will give over the Egyptians
into the hand of a hard master,
and a fierce king will rule over them,
declares the Lord GOD of hosts.”

Isaiah 19:4

Back to Ground Zero

“He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train”

Daniel 11:41-43

After the Antichrist decimates Egypt, he will easily take Put and Cush — Sudan and North Africa — as they will surrender and throw in with the fierce king. Once Egypt and Northern Africa is subdued, the Beast will refocus his attention to the glorious land of Israel, set up his headquarters right outside of Jerusalem, and gather his armies there for the final battle of Armageddon [Revelation 16-17] — aka the war of Gog of Magog [Ezekiel 38-39].

The Antichrist will pitch his palatial tents between the Mediterranean Sea and the “glorious holy mountain” — Zion in Jerusalem. This will be the last stand of the Antichrist as he prepares to make war with the Lamb — the King of kings. Everything comes back to Zion, which is why that will be the battle ground for the final war to end all wars.

Many passages are connect the Day of the LORD with the judgment of Egypt, Magog, Cush, Put etc…

The word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’
For the day is near,
the day of the LORD is near;
it will be a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
A sword shall come upon Egypt,
and anguish shall be in Cush,
when the slain fall in Egypt,
and her wealth is carried away,
and her foundations are torn down.

Cush, and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya, and the people of the land that is in league, shall fall with them by the sword.“

Ezekiel 30:1-5

“Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 4And I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great host, all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords. 5Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;6Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.”

Ezekiel 38:3-6

Interestingly, modern-day Jordan (Edom/Moab) will be delivered out of the hand of the Antichrist, apparently of some divine purpose, and there will be some news from the east (possibly China) and the north (possibly Russia) that will alarm the Beast. Perhaps he knows his time is short and therefore he will “shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction” [Daniel 11:44].

Yet when King Jesus returns from heaven in power and great glory, He will slay the Beast and decimate the armies of evil. His end will come and there will be none to deliver him from the wrath of the Lamb! Jesus is coming to deliver His people, liberate Jerusalem, and crush His enemies with a rod of iron and trample them in the fury of God’s wrath.

Perhaps no one describes the end of the Antichrist better than the Apostle Paul.

“Since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you,7and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed …

And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.”

2 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 2:8

Next time I will begin to unpack the last chapter of Daniel.

“And some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.“

Daniel 11:35

I left off my last post in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week, as the King of the North — aka the Antichrist — retreats from Egypt only to invade Jerusalem and sets up the abomination that causes desolation. This demonic act of defiance in the holy Temple will be the primary sign of the end of the age, triggering the final 3.5 years of the great tribulation.

The remaining portion of Daniel 11 & 12 is the foundational Old Testament description of the career of the Antichrist during the great tribulation. As “there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time” [Daniel 12:1].

I will continue on a verse by verse exposition of Daniel 11:32-39.

“He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”

Daniel 11:32

The Antichrist — emulating his father the devil — will be a master of the arts of seduction and deception. Once he shows his true colors and profanes the Temple in Jerusalem, he will quickly convince many surrounding nations to join him in his elimination of God’s people. All the initial players in this “covenant” will align themselves with the Beast against Israel, which is why Jesus makes it imperative that His people flee the city at that time.

“But when you see the abomination of desolation standing where he ought not to be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 15Let the one who is on the housetop not go down, nor enter his house, to take anything out, 16and let the one who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak. 17And alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! 18Pray that it may not happen in winter. 19For in those days there will be such tribulation as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, and never will be.“

Mark 13:14-19

In contrast to those who are seduced by the Antichrist to attack Israel, the remnant of believers on the earth “who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” This is why repeatedly in the book of Revelation Jesus gives a call for the endurance of the saints. Anyone who desires to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted by the Antichrist and his forces.

“And the wise among the people shall make many understand, though for some days they shall stumble by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder.34When they stumble, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery, 35and some of the wise shall stumble, so that they may be refined, purified, and made white, until the time of the end, for it still awaits the appointed time.”

Daniel 11:33-35

The great tribulation will serve many purposes in God’s ultimate plan of redemption — not the least of which will be to refine, purify, and identify the true remnant of God’s people. It will be through the fires of persecution and tribulation that God’s people will be given the privilege to suffer with Christ, testify of Christ, depend upon Christ, and be made pure for the glory of Christ.

We have seen that the Antichrist will be given authority to conquer the saints for 3.5 years and will wear out God’s people in relentless persecution [see Daniel 7:21-25, Revelation 13:1-8]. In these last days, our primary ministry will be to evangelize the lost and make many understand how God’s prophetic word is unfolding before our very eyes. By resisting the Beast and his satanic system, the saints will be declared public enemy #1. This is precisely why the spirit of antichrist always manifests in hatred and hostility toward Jews and Christians.

If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:9-10

Daniel reminds us that God always has and always will preserve a faithful remnant of martyrs until the appointed time of the end. During the Great Tribulation, we will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony, and our robes will be made white in the blood of the Lamb.

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

Revelation 7:13-14

The Proud Act of Self-Exaltation

“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. He shall not pay attention to any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.”

Daniel 11:36-37

These two verses provide the clearest Biblical description of the literal act of abomination that causes desolation. The very moment that the King of the North [Beast] enters the holy place in Jerusalem and exalts himself and magnifies himself above every god — especially the God of gods — he will unabashedly be spitting in the face of the Almighty. Daniel emphasizes this brash act of blasphemy as the sign of the end of the age.

He shall magnify himself above all in self-exaltation. He will rage against the LORD and His Anointed — Jesus Christ — only to be destroyed in the end.

“Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4

The God of Fortresses

“He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god.” 

Daniel 11:38-39a

The Antichrist on one hand will magnify himself above the One True God and claim supremacy over all other “so-called” gods, but on the other hand he will pay tribute and honor the “god of fortresses” and receive help from a “foreign” god. This seems contradictory on the surface, which has given interpreters some challenges in understanding the theology of the Antichrist.

This apparent contradiction goes away, however, once we understand and apply the Islamic context to the profile of the Antichrist. The foundational teaching of Islam is that there is no other god but Allah and that Mohammed is his prophet. Any recognition of any other God or gods is utter blasphemy in Islam and the highest offense to Muslims.

Of course, at the time Daniel wrote this prophecy, the creation of Islam was still over 1,000 years removed in the future. So to Daniel’s original audience, the god of fortresses would be a “foreign” god who the fathers did not know. Allah was unknown in Daniel’s day and therefore foreign.

But as the Islamic Caliphate emerged and spread like a ruthless beast across the Middle East in the 7th Century A.D., Islam established itself using terror and total subjugation. In other words, I believe the Muslim god Allah provides the best explanation for the “god of fortresses,” which only reinforces the certainty that the Antichrist will come from a Muslim context.

So while the Antichrist will exalt himself above Yahweh and the Lord Jesus and all other pagan gods, he will at the same time honor the foreign god Allah — the god of fortresses.

Divide the Land for a Price

“Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.”

Daniel 11:39b

One of the recurring descriptions of the end-times Antichrist is that he will divide the land of Israel for financial gain. Satan’s motivation is not primarily monetary, however, but spiritual. As God has laid claim to the Promised Land as His eternal dwelling place and given it to His people as an inheritance, the Evil One is motivated to steal the land and parcel it out to the enemies of Israel. This is one way the Antichrist will attempt to defy God because he knows how significant the land of Israel is in God’s ultimate plan of redemption.

As the Antichrist takes Jews and Christians into captivity and plunders the land, he will distribute the land among the hostile Muslim nations. The Scriptures echo this travesty in several places.

O God, do not keep silence;
do not hold your peace or be still, O God!
2For behold, your enemies make an uproar;
those who hate you have raised their heads.
3They lay crafty plans against your people;
they consult together against your treasured ones.
4They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;
let the name of Israel be remembered no more!”
5For they conspire with one accord;
against you they make a covenant—
6the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,
Moab and the Hagrites,
7Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8Asshur also has joined them;
they are the strong arm of the children of Lot. Selah

Who said, “Let us take possession for ourselves
of the pastures of God.”

Psalm 83:1-8, 12

This is what the Lord GOD says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will come against a tranquil people who dwell securely, all of them living without walls or bars or gates— 12in order to seize the spoil and carry off the plunder, to turn a hand against the desolate places now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and possessions and who live at the center of the land.’

Ezekiel 38:10-12

“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land.”

Joel 3:1-2

In my next post, I will finish the 11th chapter of Daniel.

“And the king shall do as he wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. He shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done.”

Daniel 11:36

What if I told you that the Bible provides intricate details about the characteristics and career of the coming Antichrist?

What if we could accurately identify the son of perdition — the man of lawlessness — simply by studying the details in an ancient prophecy?

The 11th chapter of Daniel provides one of the most detailed descriptions in all of Scripture of the character and exploits of the “little horn” — aka the Beast or the Antichrist. In this vision, the fierce end-times enemy of God’s people is called “the King of the North.”

This particular title is significant in many ways, especially when comparing the career of Syrian tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes as one of clearest historical typological examples of the final Antichrist at the end of the age. In other words, Antiochus provides a basic template, a foreshadow, but the Antichrist will be the ultimate “King of the North.” He will descend upon the land of Israel from the north in the last days and lay siege to Jerusalem.

Like most of Daniel’s prophecies, there is disagreement about how to interpret the 11th chapter. Most scholars and Bible teachers agree that Daniel 11 has been partially fulfilled in history, but at the same time still looks to the future for its ultimate fulfillment. Such dual fulfillments are not uncommon in the prophet word, but it can be a daunting task in determining what is a foreshadow of the future and what is history.

I have written extensively about Antiochus Epiphanes being one of the primary types of the Antichrist [READ HERE], but I will not go into those details here. Instead, I aim to provide an interpretive perspective to Daniel 11 that helps divide the chapter up into history, typology, and future prophecy.

My basic outline of Daniel 11 is as follows …

• Daniel 11:1-20 — History fulfilled in the past primarily through the years of conflict between the Seleucid (king of the north) and Ptolemy (king of the south) dynasties.
• Daniel 11:21-34 — Typology partially fulfilled by Antiochus Epiphanes that also bleeds into the future career of the Antichrist.
• Daniel 11:21-45 — Future prophecy that applies to the end-times Antichrist.

For more details about the historical fulfillment of Daniel 11, you can read this helpful article here. For the purpose of this post, however, I will focus on the typology and future fulfillment of this prophecy, which is contained in the details of Daniel 11:21-45.

Diving into the Details

Working through Daniel 11 requires attention to detail but is well worth the time. The following is a verse by verse examination of Daniel 11:21-31. I will conclude the chapter next time in part two of this post.

“In his place shall arise a contemptible person to whom royal majesty has not been given. He shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom by flatteries.”

Daniel 11:21

Antiochus was a vile, contemptible person who assumed control of the Seleucid dynasty to carry out despicable things against the Jewish people. His territory was to the north of the Beautiful Land — hence the King of the North.

We can expect the coming Antichrist to be significantly more vile and contemptible a person than Antiochus. The end-times King of the North will be demonically charged with Satan himself — the very incarnation of the devil.

Interestingly, Daniel tells us that the King of the North will not emerge from a royal blood line or from a ruling family of great fame and notoriety. Rather, he will most likely be a man of no reputation who works his way up through the ranks of political and military hierarchy. He will remain on the periphery of the primary power brokers, awaiting his opportunity to seize control when the power vacuum is created in the unstable Middle East. He will do this “without warning,” and obtain his kingdom with flatteries, lies, intrigue, and deception. We would expect nothing less from the father of lies.

“Armies shall be utterly swept away before him and broken, even the prince of the covenant. And from the time that an alliance is made with him he shall act deceitfully, and he shall become strong with a small people.”

Daniel 11:22-23

As the King of the North rises to power, he will form military alliances with other Middle Eastern nations, and yet all who resist him will be “utterly swept away before him and broken.” He will grow in strength with only a small but fierce army, and continue to deal deceitfully with the bigger players on the world stage. Much like Adolf Hitler was able to quickly strike Europe early in his campaign, the Antichrist will have military success on a regional level before becoming emboldened to expand his dominance.

There is debate about the identity of the “prince of the covenant.” My best guess is that there will be another national leader that is involved in arranging the initial “covenant with many” [Daniel 9:26], perhaps from Israel or another prominent Middle Eastern nation. The Antichrist will strengthen and confirm this covenant at first, but eventually will break faith and turn against those who make the covenant.

“Without warning he shall come into the richest parts of the province, and he shall do what neither his fathers nor his fathers’ fathers have done, scattering among them plunder, spoil, and goods. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great army. And the king of the south shall wage war with an exceedingly great and mighty army, but he shall not stand, for plots shall be devised against him. 26Even those who eat his food shall break him. His army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. 27And as for the two kings, their hearts shall be bent on doing evil. They shall speak lies at the same table, but to no avail, for the end is yet to be at the time appointed. 28And he shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. And he shall work his will and return to his own land.“

Daniel 11:24-28

Every military campaign needs money, so the next step taken by the King of the North will be to invade the “richest parts” of the region and take plunder, spoil, and goods to finance his campaign. Perhaps this is oil or gold or other natural resources. After securing some funds, the Antichrist will start to plan strategically to determine which military strongholds to pursue next.

But before he can act on his strategy, his heart is stirred up against the King of the South, which represents Egypt. Just as the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties clashed for years, there will be a replay of military conflict between the King of the North (Turkey/Syria) and the King of the South (Egypt).

The prophecy reveals that the Antichrist initially will deliver a considerable blow to Egypt, as the Egyptian army will be “swept away, and many shall fall down slain” [Daniel 11:26]. Apparently the two kings will meet at the negotiating table following the conflict but to no avail, as both men will be bent only on doing evil and speaking lies to one another.

Once the Antichrist acquires more wealth from Egypt, he will turn his heart toward the “holy covenant” and return to this own land for a season. The holy covenant primarily refers to the Abrahamic covenant, including God’s everlasting promise to bless and secure the nation of Israel in their own land. The covenant with many could also be in view, which likely will be some type of security agreement between the leaders of Israel and the Antichrist.

“At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but it shall not be this time as it was before. 30For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall be afraid and withdraw, and shall turn back and be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay attention to those who forsake the holy covenant. 31Forces from him shall appear and profane the temple and fortress, and shall take away the regular burnt offering. And they shall set up the abomination that makes desolate.”

Daniel 11:29-31

The King of the North eventually will return to attack Egypt, but apparently the King of the South will be prepared by securing backup from the ships of Kittim. Traditionally Kittim refers to the island of Cyprus but can also include all the coastlands of the Mediterranean Sea. So we aren’t sure who the ships of Kittim represent — possibly Greece or other European nations — but we know that these naval reinforcements are strong enough to frustrate the plans of the Antichrist and force him to retreat in a fit of rage.

This is interesting in that the early military campaign of the Antichrist will be met with some resistance, which demonstrates that there will be opposition to the Beast kingdom — at least initially.

Enraged and possibly embarrassed by his retreat, the Antichrist channels his anger toward the people of the covenant and “takes action against the holy covenant.” The Antichrist will “pay attention” to those who forsake the holy covenant, which I interpret as those who share the same desire to wipe Israel off the map and eliminate the Jewish nation once and for all. Also, if there is to be some peace agreement — a covenant with “many” — in the last days, it will likely include Israel and many surrounding Muslim nations. At the appointed time, all of these nations will forsake and violate their end of the covenant, leaving Israel all alone with no one to help.

Then those who forsake the covenant will form an alliance of armies led by the King of the North — aka Antichrist — and they will invade Israel, surround Jerusalem, lay siege to the city, put a stop to the regular sacrifices, and profane the Temple by setting up the abomination of desolation. This is precisely what Jesus predicted.

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.”

Luke 21:20

The abomination that causes desolation is the key turning point in the career and military campaign of the Antichrist. Jesus and Paul both pointed to this event as the primary sign of the end of the age and the trigger that starts the clock for the Great Tribulation [Matthew 24:15-28, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8].

From this point, both Daniel and the book of Revelation tell us that there will be 3.5 years, or 1260 days, until the appointed time of the end and the Day of the LORD.

As we will see next time, this is a call for the endurance of the saints.