I have never attempted to run through the Book of Daniel in one night before. It was truly a fast paced study, but it gives us great insight into who the “man of sin”, the “little horn”, the “beast”, the antichrist is.
I am also thankful that the Bible gives us clear understanding that the antichrist and the tribulation occur after the Bride has been taken into seclusion for preparation for one week before the marriage supper of the Lamb. This occurs when she is called away by the trumpeting voice of God.
1Co 15:52-54 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Th 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
The last thing we hear, in this church age, is the trump of God, raising the dead in Christ from their graves, and changing our corruptible, mortal bodies into incorruptible, immortal bodies to meet the Lord in the air. The trump of God is the voice of God saying “Come up hither!” The same voice of God that spoke the world into existence, is the voice that reanimates the dead into immortal beings, and raises them to reunite with their eternal spirits, that have been in perfect fellowship with God in heaven, waiting to come back and complete the salvation process of redeeming their bodies. May that day be today!
In Daniel, we saw the kingdom of the antichrist destroyed in Daniel 2:41-45. The great image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was a picture of world history. It depicted Babylon – the head of gold – v.32; Persia – breast and arms of silver – v.32; Greece – belly and thighs of brass – V.32; Rome – legs of iron and feet part iron and part clay – v.33. Then 10 toes of the final kingdom pictured the kingdom of antichrist. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands destroyed the final kingdom and the entire image, prophetically, could be no one else but the Lord Jesus Christ himself!
In Daniel 4:15-16 Nebuchadnezzar is pictured as the antichrist. He is given a “beast’s heart” for seven years. He pictures the beast of Rev. 13.
In Daniel 7 we see the world kingdoms again, in Daniel’s vision. Babylon is the lion with eagle’s wings – v.4; Persia is the bear – 5; Greece is the leopard – v.6; Rome is the terrible beast with teeth of iron and 10 horns – v.7-8. The judgment throne of God is described and the Son of Man is given dominion, and a kingdom, picturing the millennial kingdom. Ch. 7 takes us all over the prophetic map, but gives a good understanding of the person of the little horn, the antichrist, and his ultimate destruction.
In Daniel 8, the little horn is described again in v.9-14 and v.23-25. He moves into Jerusalem 7 months & 10 days after the tribulation begins.
In Daniel 9:21-27, Daniel’s “70 Weeks” is described.
In Daniel 11:31, the antichrist ceases the daily sacrifice of Israel.
In Daniel 12:11-12, the timeline of the cessation of the sacrifice and the erecting of the “abomination of desolation” established in the temple. Jesus gave this sign to the Jews of the tribulation in Matt 24:15, during his Olivet Discourse. The Olivet Discourse is Christ’s explanation of the end times to Peter, Andrew, James, and John.
The next three weeks we will will walk through the Seal, Trumpet, and Vial judgments of the tribulation. Stay in the Word and study to show yourself approved unto God…