Chapter 10: The Antichrist in Bible Prophecy
The various prophecies of the last days all feature a distinct personal leader of the invaders of Israel. Daniel speaks of a little horn who speaks great things, the whole image of Daniel 2 is in the form of an individual man; Daniel 11 speaks of a “king of the north”; Ezekiel 38 has the invasion led by a rosh, a leader and price; Daniel 8 speaks of a king of fierce countenance; Revelation has a whore riding the beast, a false prophet, and a specific ‘satan’ individual. The "king of the North" throughout Daniel 11 refers to the King of Syria- so the latter day King of the North who attacks Israel and is destroyed at Christ's return, as detailed at the end of Daniel 11 and the start of Daniel 12, must refer to an individual based upon a King of Syria. Such an individual could easily be the leader of ISIS, who are taking power in Syria. We can therefore look to the, or an, Islamic State taking power in Syria and the IS leader becoming as it were the king of Syria.
The Emir of the Islamic State
The IS clearly see huge significance in their leader. And they connect him to their passion for holy war: “There is no jihad without an Emir, a leader and Imam”. So quoted ISIS spokesman Uthman bin abd al-Rahman al-Tamimi in “Informing the People About the Birth of the Islamic State of Iraq” on January 7, 2007. The significance is that Islam has not had a caliph, a leader of an Islamic state since 1924 when the Ottoman caliphate was dissolved by Ataturk. It has not a caliph since that time as well. And perhaps we could say that the first antichrist was also from Assyria- Nimrod "the mighty hunter against the Lord" (Gen. 10:9, Hebrew). The Hebrew for 'mighty one' is related to 'Gibbor', the title of Christ used in Is. 9:6. Nimrod appears to be a prototype anti-God and anti-Christ, and for this he was well known even then. We note that Mic. 5:6 speaks of the latter day invader as an Assyrian individual: “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he [Christ] deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders”. The leader of historical Assyria was Sennacherib- Sîn-ahhī-erība – The man of sin. The behaviour of the blasphemous little horn and 'Prince' of Daniel 7 and 8 is based upon the historical blasphemies of the various Kings recorded in the narrative sections of the book of Daniel. This latter day entity is to have the characteristics of previous kings of Babylon and Persia. Just as the final form of the beast is the embodiment of previous beasts who have persecuted Israel.
The IS clearly see huge significance in their leader. And they connect him to their passion for holy war: “There is no jihad without an Emir, a leader and Imam”. So quoted ISIS spokesman Uthman bin abd al-Rahman al-Tamimi in “Informing the People About the Birth of the Islamic State of Iraq” on January 7, 2007. The significance is that Islam has not had a caliph, a leader of an Islamic state since 1924 when the Ottoman caliphate was dissolved by Ataturk. It has not a caliph since that time as well. And perhaps we could say that the first antichrist was also from Assyria- Nimrod "the mighty hunter against the Lord" (Gen. 10:9, Hebrew). The Hebrew for 'mighty one' is related to 'Gibbor', the title of Christ used in Is. 9:6. Nimrod appears to be a prototype anti-God and anti-Christ, and for this he was well known even then. We note that Mic. 5:6 speaks of the latter day invader as an Assyrian individual: “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he [Christ] deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders”. The leader of historical Assyria was Sennacherib- Sîn-ahhī-erība – The man of sin. The behaviour of the blasphemous little horn and 'Prince' of Daniel 7 and 8 is based upon the historical blasphemies of the various Kings recorded in the narrative sections of the book of Daniel. This latter day entity is to have the characteristics of previous kings of Babylon and Persia. Just as the final form of the beast is the embodiment of previous beasts who have persecuted Israel.
Article eight of the Hamas Covenant states something which the IS also state in their agenda and self-perception: “Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model”. The entire shape of the intended conflict with Israel is based around a man- the prophet Mohammed. This fits with how the final entity which dominates Israel before Christ comes is presented in terms of a man, the statue of Daniel chapter 2. Rev. 16:13; 19:20 and 20:10 speak of an individual known as “the false prophet” who will be upheld by the beast of the last days. Clearly enough, Mohammed is the false prophet of the last days, upon whom the entire conflict with Israel and the Jews is to be ‘modelled’. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple (2 Thess. 2:4). So an Islamic Caliph matches the Biblical mandate for Antichrist. Antichrist is called “The Prince who is to come” in Daniel 9 and the Caliph has the title “The Prince of the Faithful”.
The Man in the Image
The face of the image is emphasized in Dan. 2:31. The AV reads "His brightness was excellent", but the Chaldee word translated "brightness" is the same word translated "face" in describing how the face of the ruler of Babylon was 'changed' as the sequence of empires had its fulfilment (Dan. 4:36; 5:6,9,10). The entity represented by the entire image is focused upon the face of the man heading it up. That face was notable and awesome, just as the fourth beast entity was "strong exceedingly" (Dan. 7:7,19 s.w. "excellent"). The entire image stood "before you", i.e. Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:31). The Hebrew idea of q'bel suggests that the image stood there opposite Nebuchadnezzar 'on his behalf', as a reflection of himself. The image is of course a person; the entity represented by it in its complete form is a reflection of a person, modelled after the king of Babylon. This all suggests that the entity which the image represents will be a personification of someone. That individual would be the caliph or prince which governs it, to whom the IS swears loyalty. And the IS insists that loyalty be sworn to their caliph, who in turn is seen as the incarnation of the [false] prophet Mohammed. It is this individual who is the antiChrist of the last days. The appearance of the image of the man was "terrible" (Dan. 2:31), it struck fear into the heart of the viewers. And this is the effect of the IS on those beholding them. But we can expect more emphasis to be given to their leader, with greater prominence accorded to loyalty to him and an aura of fearfulness emanating from him. The same word translated "terrible" is used of how all nations "trembled and feared" before Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 5:19), and of how uniquely and unsurpassedly "terrible" was the fourth beast (Dan. 7:7,19) whose leader is an embodiment of it. The Chaldee word resh used for the "head" of the image is also translated 'the sum'. The head, the man whose face was on the image, was the sum of the image, he was the embodiment of it in a person.
The face of the image is emphasized in Dan. 2:31. The AV reads "His brightness was excellent", but the Chaldee word translated "brightness" is the same word translated "face" in describing how the face of the ruler of Babylon was 'changed' as the sequence of empires had its fulfilment (Dan. 4:36; 5:6,9,10). The entity represented by the entire image is focused upon the face of the man heading it up. That face was notable and awesome, just as the fourth beast entity was "strong exceedingly" (Dan. 7:7,19 s.w. "excellent"). The entire image stood "before you", i.e. Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:31). The Hebrew idea of q'bel suggests that the image stood there opposite Nebuchadnezzar 'on his behalf', as a reflection of himself. The image is of course a person; the entity represented by it in its complete form is a reflection of a person, modelled after the king of Babylon. This all suggests that the entity which the image represents will be a personification of someone. That individual would be the caliph or prince which governs it, to whom the IS swears loyalty. And the IS insists that loyalty be sworn to their caliph, who in turn is seen as the incarnation of the [false] prophet Mohammed. It is this individual who is the antiChrist of the last days. The appearance of the image of the man was "terrible" (Dan. 2:31), it struck fear into the heart of the viewers. And this is the effect of the IS on those beholding them. But we can expect more emphasis to be given to their leader, with greater prominence accorded to loyalty to him and an aura of fearfulness emanating from him. The same word translated "terrible" is used of how all nations "trembled and feared" before Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 5:19), and of how uniquely and unsurpassedly "terrible" was the fourth beast (Dan. 7:7,19) whose leader is an embodiment of it. The Chaldee word resh used for the "head" of the image is also translated 'the sum'. The head, the man whose face was on the image, was the sum of the image, he was the embodiment of it in a person.
The head was of "fine gold", and the equivalent Hebrew words are found in Gen. 2:12, where we read that "the gold of that land was good ['fine']". Which land? "Havilah", according to Gen. 2:11. Perhaps the leader of the entity will therefore be from Havilah. But there are various options in seeking to identify this area. Keil and Delitzsch in their commentary on Genesis opt for a location in the Caucasus mountains- and many of the IS fighters are from there, especially from Chechnaya. Other arguments would place it in Yemen or Saudi Arabia, which is where much of the financial and logistical support for the IS is currently coming from, seeing they too are Sunni Moslems. Another line of enquiry is suggested by the way that "fine gold" is used to describe what was used in Yahweh's temple (2 Chron. 3:5,8; Lam. 4:1). And where did Solomon get that from? Solomon constructed the finer details of the temple from materials prepared by his father David (1 Chron. 22:14). And David received that fine gold as a present from Tou, king of Hamath (1 Chron. 18:9,10). Hamath is in Syria. Perhaps Syria is another possible source of origin for the head of the IS image. The true Christ will be "more precious than fine gold" (Is. 13:12); He will thus stand in opposition at the last day to the head of "fine gold" which heads up the IS. The manifestation of God in Christ is presented in visual form in Daniel 10:6 "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". This vision has outline similarities with the image of a man explained in Daniel 2. The two 'men' will face off against each other in the last days; and Jesus wins. That, in the end, is the simple message of all prophecy, especially the book of Revelation.
The "head" of the image uses the same equivalent Hebrew word rosh as we find in the Ezekiel 38 description of ten nations being lead against Israel by a rosh, a leader, a prince, what the Arabs would call a caliph. Again and again, we find a specific figure being identified as the leader of the latter day invaders.
The interpretation that Nebuchadnezzar was a "king of kings" (Dan. 2:37) was surely understood by him to mean that he was in some sense king over the other kings which featured in the image. Perhaps God graciously inserted this element in order to preserve Daniel's life before the king. But it will come true in the final erection of the image upon earth, in that the component nations of the image will be headed up by an individual who is effectively a Nebuchadnezzar-like figure for them all, Babylon personified in a single man.
The Beasts Embodied
The entire vision of the beasts of Daniel 7 is summed up in Dan. 7:1: "the rosh of the words" (AV "sum of the matter"). And the rosh surely refers to the individual of Ezekiel 38:2 who will lead the latter day armies against Israel. The whole system of beasts is summed up in an individual rosh or leader, just as the metals of the image in Daniel 2 are in the form of a man with the face of Nebuchadnezzar.
The first beast, representing Babylon, had "the heart of a man" (Dan. 7:4). It was the emobodiment of an individual person- Nebuchadnezzar. The latter day Babylon likewise will be centered around a person- the antiChrist figure of the last days, who in turn will profess to be the incarnation or embodiment of the false prophet Mohammed. Nebuchadnezzar in his madness became as a beast- with a body like a beast, hair like an eagle, and nails like those of a beast (Dan. 4:33). This language is all used about the beasts in the later prophetic parts of Daniel's prophecy. They had features of eagles (Dan. 7:4), bodies of beasts (Dan. 7:11), and remarkable nails or claws (Dan. 7:19). Nebuchadnezzar became like such a beast because the latter day beast would be the embodiment of him, just as the image of Daniel 2 had the face of Nebuchadnezzar and was in the form of a man.
A Fake Kingdom of God
The dream of Daniel 2 ascribes to Nebuchadnezzar "the Kingdom, power, strength and glory" (Dan. 2:37), but this is exactly the language of God'skingdom. The emphasis of passages like 1 Chron. 29:11 is that Yours is the Kingdom, power, strength and glory (as in Ps. 145:11; Mt. 6:13). Nebuchadnezzar is thus presented as an anti-Christ and the Kingdoms of men as a fake imitation of God's Kingdom.
The animals and birds were even under Babylon's control according to Dan. 2:38. But it is the beasts and birds of the sky who later are prophesied as feasting upon Babylon (Rev. 19:17). This is the equivalent of the horns on the beast hating the whore of Babylon who rides it (Rev. 17:16); the destruction of the Babylon system will ultimately be more by Moslem infighting than direct bolts of destruction from God. Indeed, this was historically God's preferred method of destroying Israel's invaders in Old Testament times.
Article 5 of the Hamas Covenant presents the envisaged Moslem state of Palestine in terms which the Bible uses about the Kingdom of God which is to be established in the same area: “…it extends to the depth of the earth and reaches out to the heaven. "Dost thou not see how Allah putteth forth a parable; representing a good word, as a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed in the earth, and whose branches reach unto heaven; which bringeth forth its fruit in all seasons, by the will of its Lord? Allah propoundeth parables unto men, that they may be instructed." (Abraham - verses 24-25)”. The envisaged Moslem state is therefore a fake, imitation Kingdom of God- just as the Assyrian empire was described by Rabshakeh in the very language of contemporary prophecies of God’s Kingdom on earth.
The King of Daniel 8
This manifestation of a Kingdom in its leader is to be found in the way the antiChrist is called "the king of fierce countenance" in Dan. 8:23. But the entire nation or entity which persecute Israel in the last days is a "nation of fierce countenance" (the same words are used- Dt. 28:50). Their leader is an embodiment of them. The fierce king of Dan. 8:25 "by peace shall destroy many". This certainly sounds like the result of jihadist Islam, the [supposed] religion of peace. The Semitic consonants S-L-M are at the root of the words Islam and also Shalom, Salaam [Hebrew and Arabic for 'peace']. There were no vowels in ancient Hebrew and Arabic. The connection is in that peace ['salaam' in Arabic] is believed to come from 'islam', submission. Moslem apologists frequently justify their religion by claiming that Islam is a religion of peace [even if they believe in murdering anyone who disagrees]. As we survey the attrocities being performed in the name of Islam today in the territory of the IS... we are seeing this being fulfilled. By peace / salaam / islam, many are being destroyed. What however we are still waiting to see is more focus upon the leader of the IS. The Biblical prophecies focus upon 'kings' and 'horns' [kings] more than more abstract 'kingdoms'. This may partly be because God attaches much importance to the responsiblities of leaders, but also because there must arise prominent leaders, especially an antiChrist figure who is the "fierce king" orchestrating this destruction of many by his religion of 'peace'.
This manifestation of a Kingdom in its leader is to be found in the way the antiChrist is called "the king of fierce countenance" in Dan. 8:23. But the entire nation or entity which persecute Israel in the last days is a "nation of fierce countenance" (the same words are used- Dt. 28:50). Their leader is an embodiment of them. The fierce king of Dan. 8:25 "by peace shall destroy many". This certainly sounds like the result of jihadist Islam, the [supposed] religion of peace. The Semitic consonants S-L-M are at the root of the words Islam and also Shalom, Salaam [Hebrew and Arabic for 'peace']. There were no vowels in ancient Hebrew and Arabic. The connection is in that peace ['salaam' in Arabic] is believed to come from 'islam', submission. Moslem apologists frequently justify their religion by claiming that Islam is a religion of peace [even if they believe in murdering anyone who disagrees]. As we survey the attrocities being performed in the name of Islam today in the territory of the IS... we are seeing this being fulfilled. By peace / salaam / islam, many are being destroyed. What however we are still waiting to see is more focus upon the leader of the IS. The Biblical prophecies focus upon 'kings' and 'horns' [kings] more than more abstract 'kingdoms'. This may partly be because God attaches much importance to the responsiblities of leaders, but also because there must arise prominent leaders, especially an antiChrist figure who is the "fierce king" orchestrating this destruction of many by his religion of 'peace'.
The Lord Jesus is called "Messiah the Prince" in Dan. 9:25 in order to contrast with how the anti-Christ, the fake Christ, is also called "the prince of the host" in Dan. 8:11. "It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host" (ESV). This prince "shall stand up against the Prince of princes", the Lord Jesus (Dan. 8:25). There will be a final showdown between these two princes, and their respective followers and Kingdoms.
The Little HornThe little horn seeks "to change times and laws"; but we go straight on to read that God's people are given into his power for "a time and times and the dividing of time" (Dan. 7:25). It could therefore be that the time period of time, times and half a time [three and a half years?] is in fact defined and chosen by the little horn, as part of him seeking to establish "times". This could explain why there is some variableness in this period- Daniel 12 mentions 1260,1290 and 1335 days. If Israel repent, or other preconditions are met, then the time of intended abuse is changed. It may be that the little horn power or ruler decrees a time of abuse for the remaining Jews.
The IS Will Treat Jesus Christ as AntiChrist
In Islam, Masih ad-Dajjal (the False messiah in Islam) is an evil figure (similar to the Christian concept of Antichrist), who will appear to deceive humanity before the second coming of Jesus . Islam believes that the antiChrist will be a false Jewish Messiah, one falsely claiming to be the Messiah of Israel. They call him "the deceiving Messiah", literally- so when Islam observes Jesus returned and claiming to be Messiah, they will immediately identify Him with the antiChrist, the false claimant to be the Jewish Messiah. According to the Hadith, Mohammed claimed: "While I was sleeping, I saw myself (in a dream) performing Tawaf around the Ka’ba. Behold, I saw a reddish-white man with lank hair, and water was dropping from his head. I asked, "Who is this?' They replied, 'The son of Mary.'- Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:88:242 . He will travel the whole world preaching his falsehood- Sahih al-Bukhari, 3:30:105 – and this will have been fulfilled by the Gospel of the Kingdom going into all the world before the end comes. “the Dajjal will gather an army of 70,000 Jews… and lead them in a war against … an army of the righteous, along with Imam Mahdi” . The leader of the Islamic State claims to be such a Mahdi.
In Islam, Masih ad-Dajjal (the False messiah in Islam) is an evil figure (similar to the Christian concept of Antichrist), who will appear to deceive humanity before the second coming of Jesus . Islam believes that the antiChrist will be a false Jewish Messiah, one falsely claiming to be the Messiah of Israel. They call him "the deceiving Messiah", literally- so when Islam observes Jesus returned and claiming to be Messiah, they will immediately identify Him with the antiChrist, the false claimant to be the Jewish Messiah. According to the Hadith, Mohammed claimed: "While I was sleeping, I saw myself (in a dream) performing Tawaf around the Ka’ba. Behold, I saw a reddish-white man with lank hair, and water was dropping from his head. I asked, "Who is this?' They replied, 'The son of Mary.'- Collected by Muhammad al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari Sahih al-Bukhari, 9:88:242 . He will travel the whole world preaching his falsehood- Sahih al-Bukhari, 3:30:105 – and this will have been fulfilled by the Gospel of the Kingdom going into all the world before the end comes. “the Dajjal will gather an army of 70,000 Jews… and lead them in a war against … an army of the righteous, along with Imam Mahdi” . The leader of the Islamic State claims to be such a Mahdi.
No comments:
Post a Comment