excerpts below from another insightful article by author Nelson Walters at thegospelintheendtimes blog post here:
“…Some may doubt that Dan. 11:21-35 refers to the end times. Revelation Deciphered contains extensive proof that it does. I recommend you consult Chapter Ten of that book for the evidence.
The following verses detail the career of the Antichrist up until the signing of the Covenant with the Many.
In his place a despicable person (Antichrist) will arise, on whom the honor of kingship has not been conferred, but he will come in a time of tranquility and seize the kingdom by intrigue. Then an overwhelming army will be swept away before him (Antichrist); both it (the army) and a prince of the covenant will be destroyed. After coming to an agreement with him (the prince of the covenant), he (Antichrist) will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. (Dan. 11:22-23 NIV; clarification and emphasis mine)
This passage offers us astonishing insight. After coming to power in the new kingdom, the Antichrist will defeat an overwhelming army led by an Israeli general (a prince of the covenant.) This is mind blowing. It appears that after this military victory, the Antichrist signs an agreement with the Israeli leader which I believe is the famous Covenant with Death (also called the “Agreement with Sheol” and the “Covenant with the Many” found in Dan. 9:27), which marks the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week. Is this agreement preceded and prompted by an Antichrist military victory? Does this victory and agreement then lead to the Antichrist’s rise to power?
In Isa. 28:16, God tells Israel in advance that the only true foundation of hope is Jesus, the stone laid in Zion, the precious cornerstone. Unfortunately, Israel will trust the Antichrist and learn the hard way. They will only come to faith in Jesus after suffering through the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, God’s wrath on earth (at the end of the 70th Week of Daniel), when Jesus physically returns and “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn” (Zech. 12:10 NIV).
EVENT ONE: DECEPTION BY FALSE MESSIAHS
The Antichrist’s negotiation of a treaty with Israel will probably be an enormous event world-wide and especially in the Islamic realm. It is likely he will utilize this event to promote himself, ride a “white horse,” and present himself as a possible messiah.
The Olivet Discourse doesn’t directly mention the Covenant with the Many. It simply states that we are not to be deceived by the False Messiahs (Matt. 24:4-5). An integral part of that deception will be the Covenant.
EVENT TWO (WAR, BLOODSHED, AND CHAOS)
In the Olivet Discourse, Jesus continues to expound on the signs before his PAROUSIA or coming. The second event is warfare.
You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. (Matt. 24:6-7)
In Dan. 11, we learn more about this war.
In a time of tranquility he will enter the richest parts of the realm, and he will accomplish what his fathers never did, nor his ancestors; he will distribute plunder, booty and possessions among them, and he will devise his schemes against strongholds, but only for a time. He will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South with a large army; so the king of the South will mobilize an extremely large and mighty army for war; but he will not stand, for schemes will be devised against him. (Dan. 11:24-25)
We learn from this passage in Dan. 11 that initially the Antichrist won’t be successful in his bid to become a world leader. If he was successful initially, he wouldn’t need to invade the richest parts of the kingdom or attack the King of the South (Egypt) in the Second Event of the 70th Week. These other countries would surrender peacefully if they considered him their rightful ruler. The fact that they don’t surrender shows us that the Antichrist will still be the ruler of a single nation or a small group of nations at this point in his career.Because the Islamic world does not immediately accept his rule, the Antichrist attempts to gain this position by force.
The passage of time occurs for the richest provinces to feel secure. It is then that he strikes and takes “peace from the earth.” This demonstrates that this is the Second Event of the 70th Week when the Second Seal breaks. Also notice that the term used for the areas he invades is “provinces” not nations or kingdoms. This implies to me that they are other regions close to the Antichrist’s nation. Daniel 8 supports the idea of an invasion close to the Antichrist’s home base:
Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land (Israel). (Dan. 8:9 NIV, clarification and emphasis mine)
The identity of these nations is not clear. South and east of Assyria are Iraq, Iran, the Arabian Peninsula, and Afghanistan and Pakistan. Certainly, Iraq and Saudi Arabia are rich with oil. These may be the nations involved. If the Arabian Peninsula is conquered, this would surely take “peace” (peace of mind) from the world. A Muslim leader conquering 2/3 of the Middle East and taking complete control of most of the oil fields would certainly upset the industrialized west, and with good reason!
Also we notice that the Antichrist attempts to “devise his schemes against strongholds” during the Second Event of the 70th Week. Are these the western nations?”
“…What changes, and what causes him to suddenly be successful? It is at this very moment that Michael stands up, Satan is cast out of heaven, and the Beast enters and possesses the Antichrist. It is from this moment on that he is directly assisted in his evil endeavors by satanic forces. In just a few more verses we see that he is assisted by a “foreign god” (Dan. 11:39). This is the Muslim’s god, Allah (Satan), who assists him, and it explains why in the first half of Daniel’s 70th week he is somewhat unsuccessful, and why in the second half he is much more successful, due to this satanic assistance.
A common theme in this website has been the Islamic nature of the Antichrist and his empire. Muslims are fully expecting demonic assistance in their assault on the world. They call these fallen angels “jinn” or “djinn” from which we get the word genie.
Those who think the USA and western powers will be able to resist the Antichrist with their traditional armies forget this fact: that the Antichrist forces will be demonically assisted. It will not be a fair fight. However, of course, the Lord Jesus will physically return at the end of the 70th Week of Daniel and punish all the evil doers, jinn and human. Praise God!”
much more can be read at the original article linked above
I commented – Another excellent discussion of the military and political moves of the Antichrist. I’m glad that the near term fulfillment of these events seems much less likely than when I published my last book about it; but I still agree that an Islamic Antichrist could make himself known and rise up anytime.
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