One of the clearest teachings of the Bible is what it teaches about the ANTICHRIST, yet it appears to be one of the most misunderstood and mistaught. The Book of Revelation is NOT — (contrary to popular prophecy teachers) — the best place to learn about the Antichrist. The most complete, down-to-earth description is in Daniel 11:21-45. Just read it like you would read your morning newspaper... it's that simple.

But to do that, you'll have to FORGET Scofield's notes, Ryrie's notes, Clarence Larkin's charts, "Late Great Planet Earth" and Lindsey's continual rewrites, Van Impe's perpetual videos, Jerome's commentary (and those who copy it), the European Common Market, Russia, the "New World Order," the Restored Roman Empire, Antiochus Epiphanes, King Juan Carlos of Spain, the "A.D.70 theory," Grant Jeffreys, Tim LaHaye, Peter Ruckman, Walter Price, Pat Robertson, J R Church, "Rapture Guessers" ...ETC.

None of these sources will give any "LIGHT" beyond what you can read and understand in Daniel 11:21-45. In fact, if you try to make Daniel 11:21-45 "fit" with the foregoing views you will be off up in Russia and Europe when you should be in the Middle East. Daniel says "ZILCH" about Russia and Europe but he does write about the Middle East, and names countries and locales.

Daniel 11:5-20 is a broad sketch of post-Grecian Empire history [Daniel 11:2-4] which leads right up to the time of the Antichrist ("Little Horn") in Daniel 11:21. You say, "I thought Scofield, Ryrie, etc said Daniel 11:5-20 referred to the wars between the Ptolemies & Seleucids?" That's the "detour" that gets the unsuspecting reader on a "dead-end" path. The "wars" between the "north" and "south" are tied-in as preceding history to Daniel 11:21-45 leading right up to the Antichrist who becomes king in the "north." This "north" is NOT Russia, Europe, China, or the North Pole. It's the "north" area discussed in this context, the Middle East area. The Middle East has always been occupied by the Arabs, so this "north" refers to "northern" Arabs.

If you don't know about the Arab Empire, it's probably because you weren't taught that history in school. And you weren't taught because somebody back in the past decided that the Western world would be better served by "burying" Arab history in the desert. Better not to know about the Muhammedans and Islam or so someone seemed to think.

The Arabs became a "great dominion" (Arab Empire) in the 7th century A.D. [Genesis 17:20, "I will make him (Ishmael) a great nation"], but it became divided between "north" and "south" as the leaders fought over the position and power of "caliph." The "dividing line" was probably the Basra (Iraq) vicinity, as the southern Ishmaelites occupied the huge Arabian peninsula where Mecca and Medina were located. The Arab conflicts are broadly sketched in Daniel 11:5-20.

In Daniel 11:21 the man who develops as the Antichrist comes on the scene in the north. "I thought that man was Antiochus Epiphanes," you object. You "thought" that because the Jewish writer of the Maccabees said so, and the Roman Catholic Jerome, Scofield, Ryrie, and 10,000 other writers believed him. But Daniel didn't say it, and Jesus blasted the whole thing to smithereens in Matthew 24:15 when he placed Daniel 11:31 into the FUTURE. He put the Antichrist and his "abomination of desolation" BEFORE His second coming, not in the Maccabean period prior to His first coming. So Daniel 11:21-45 is not Antiochus, but the ANTICHRIST.

After the Antichrist takes control in the northern area in the Middle East, he struggles to the top of the heap. He fights a major war with the "south" which is settled by negotiations which leave him in power and with "great riches" [Daniel 11:25-28]. Afterwards, he makes another move "toward the south" but is thwarted by "ships" sent by the Western Gentiles [Daniel 11:29-30].

His next major move focuses on Jerusalem [Daniel 11:31]. He takes advantage of the weak leadership in Israel — "them that forsake the covenant" — and in the course of time and events he desolates the place of Jewish worship [Daniel 11:31].

After this, he becomes emboldened to persecute [Daniel 11:32] and to "magnify himself" above everything, man or God [Daniel 11:36]. He will become militant in his aggression against others in the Middle East, such as the southern Arabs [Daniel 11:40], Israel [Daniel 11:41], Egypt, the "east" and the "north" [Daniel 11:44]. After becoming undisputed "king" in the Middle East and having power over the "gold and silver," he will build his "palace" at Jerusalem [Daniel 11:45]. There he will await his judgment at the second coming of Christ [2 Thessalonians 2:8].

Now that brief exposition of Daniel 11 should not be hard to understand. But if you get "detoured" by the illusions presented by the "normal" premill prophecy expert, you'll wind up in a "Euro/Russian" maze of confusion which necessarily sets aside Daniel 11:21-45.

* "BOB'S LIST" — UPON REQUEST, Bob will add you to his E-MAIL LIST to receive his regular articles, many featuring comments on Preterism. Several recent refutations of the Preterism advocated by both the "Part-Preties" and "Full-Preties" are available in our email Files. At your request, we will add your name to our mailing list. "Back articles" are also available on request.

Author: Bob L. Ross

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