Rebellion That Causes Desolation - Antiochus Epiphanes Great Abomination

The Rebellion That Causes Desolation

Daniel 8:1 Most bible reading people agree that Daniel chapter 8 is a vision providing greater detail concerning the Greek empire that will follow Persia in the succession of gentile kingdoms.  So it expands upon  Neb's dream of the metal statue [focusing on the transition from the arms and chest of silver to the belly and thighs of brass... and Daniel's own vision of the 4 savage beasts where the bear gives way to the leopard.

The details provided concerning the Greek empire line up with the records of history. They line up so well that some say they are a remarkable proof of the divine origin of scripture... whereas others say the vision must therefore have been written after the events happened.

The bible itself says the vision is recorded in 550 BC. [long before the events]. Skeptics say because its so accurate the prophecy must have been written around 150 BC. [shortly after the events prophesied].

« The skeptic argument begins with the assumption "prophecy is not possible" then proceeds to nitpick at supposed historic errors and linguistic matters. Almost all of these have been disproved based on findings in archaeology and ancient manuscripts. I have gone through a few of these [but not all] in previous messages.

« Daniel says he recorded the vision about 11 years before the Persian conquest of Babylon... the third year of king Belshazzar... 550 BC. That would be 220 years before Alexander the Great conquers Persia and 380 years before Antiochus causes desolation in the temple.

Who Cares?

You might think our time better spent on matters of faith, love, moral behavior. Yet, all the Church has to say on these matters is based on the scriptures as the authoritative revelation of the Creator. Without scriptural authority you have no good reason to listen to the Church over and above your own feelings or intuition.

The book of Daniel is our largest collection of fulfilled prophecy [other than the various prophecies of Christ's first coming]. Daniel's visions are verifiable by cross-referencing with the history books of human record. Therefore, Daniel contains essential proofs establishing the divine origin of scripture and therefore its authority to speak on matters of morality.

Medo-Persian Empire

Daniel 8:2-4 Susa is the future administrative center of Persia. The ram with two horns is explicitly identified with Persia in verse 20. Details: after Cyrus the Persian dominated the Medes, hence one horn is larger that the other. No country, north, south, east, or west appeared able to resist Persian power.

Alexander The G.O.A.T.

Daniel 8:5-8 the goat is explicitly identified as Greece in verse 21. The 1st and greatest king is Alexander [he is the prominent horn]. Greece is west of Persia and the goat attacks from the west.

Across the earth - would be the known earth of the time [from Israelite perspective]. The goat moves so fast its feet don't even touch the ground... indicating the tremendous speed with which Alexander conquered such a huge territory []show map]

Alexander carved out an empire of over 1.5 million sq. miles His conquests spread the Greek language and culture all over the world. This accomplishment prepared the world for the 1st century Church of God and the rapid spread of the gospel. Most of the known world now had a common speech, Koine Greek. This is the language used to record the new testament. Greek was well adapted to expressing highly nuanced, abstract ideas and concepts.

Ephesians 1:10 / Galatians 4:4 hard and desperate times for Israel but working toward God’s purpose. We should consider the same big picture perspective on our own times...

The goat attacks the ram with great fury... history records that there was an intense hatred for Persia among the Greeks had grown after the time of Cyrus because of constant attacks and warfare between the two.

Alexander [the prominent horn] dies suddenly in 323 BC. at the height of his power. After his death the empire was divided into 4 territories ruled by his top 4 generals [these are the 4 prominent horns that grew towards the 4 winds]. This parallels the 4 heads of the leopard found in Daniel 7... the 3rd of the 4 savage beasts. The bible’s does not dwell on Alexander the Great… the real focus is on a man named:  

Antiochus the 4th

Daniel 8:9 one of these 4 empires grew to be the most powerful and controlled the lands of Israel [the beautiful land]. This is the Seleucid empire [312 BC] and it will have a significant impact on the history of Israel. It becomes a biblical model for state sponsored persecution against the people of God.

The horn which started small is a man named Antiochus the 4th. Through various intrigues and nasty business Antiochus gains control of the Seleucid empire. He is the 8th king of the Seleucid's and rules from 175 BC until 164 BC. 11 pivotal years in the history of Israel.

 Key Point: Jesus will point back to this man as a template for the future persecution immediately preceding His second coming.

Daniel 8:10 Details: the people of God are often referred to as His army [host] and their numbers compared to the stars, hence the phrase “starry host”. Exodus 12:41 [KJV], Jeremiah 33:22 [KJV].

Note: when we move past the events of the 2^nd century into the end-time scenario indicated by Jesus … then the people of God would be referring the Church… although Israel is in for some rough treatment in the end time scenario as well.

Trampling = persecution... in his day, Antiochus had a goal to his persecution. He envisioned a vast powerful empire united by a common culture, language, and religion... Greek culture, Greek religion. Conquered people could keep some of their culture as long as it fit in with the larger goal of a unified Greek culture. Within this grand scene, the Jews were a problem... they resisted integrating specific Greek elements into their worship of YHWH. Antiochus got mad... and he got vicious.

God’s people always must resist absorption into the culture, religious teachings, and traditions all around us.  It is always thus for God’s people, come out of her my people!

Daniel 8:11-12 Antiochus set himself up to be the equal of God himself. He would rule over the Jews as if he were the Prince of the heavenly host. Antiochus desired total allegiance, and worship. He gave himself the title Antiochus Epiphanies [God made manifest] In this way he gives us a foretaste of the persecuting end-time ruler  2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 [man of sin], Revelation 13:4 [the beast].

Some other interesting details about Antiochus:

· Antiochus prohibits the daily sacrifice to YHWH in the temple

· He steals all the gold and treasure from the temple to pay his army

· To circumcise your son became punishable by death

· To own a copy of the bible became punishable by death [truth is thrown to the ground]

· Antiochus is noted for sacrificing a pig on the altar in the temple, and for putting up a statue of Zeus in the temple

His goal was to crush them as a a separate and distinct people… Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, or Cyrus's Persia were content let the Jews continue with their unique forms for worship seeking to blend them in with the larger culture. Antiochus was different. Provoked by their stubbornness, he sought to obliterate worship of YHWH and totally replace them with Greek forms of worship. No accommodations or legal protection like we saw Daniel secure with Babylon or Persia.

This is perhaps another insight into the nature of the final persecution… mixing, blending, compromising is no longer an option, the goal is complete obliteration.

What purpose does musing on grim details of persecution serve? Is it to scare you? Manipulate you? John 14:29 it is to reassure the generation of people this happens to.

Daniel 8:13-14 the rebellion that causes desolation is an important phrase since Jesus warned us that "when we see the the abomination that causes desolation... spoken of by Daniel" end-time events will begin moving quickly and His return is not far off. He uses this phrase to point us back to these prophecies in Daniel!

The meaning of the 2,300 evenings and mornings is not fully understood but the reconsecration of the temple certainly is. The Jews created a peasant army and defeated the Greek army of Antiochus. The temple was reconsecrated [purified] in 164 BC. [1 Maccabees 4:52, John 10:22]. The persecution lasted just over 3 years.

Clarification About the Vision is Given

Daniel 8:15-17 the one who looked like a man is a member of the God family... which would therefore be the one who later became Jesus in the flesh.

· this "one like a man" is clearly superior to Gabriel the cherub and issues instructions to him.

· when Dan sees this “one like a man” his response is to fall prostrate before Him in fear [Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 1:17]

What God wants Daniel to know is that the vision is for the "time of the end". Wait... What?

All the events I have been telling you about took place between 167 and 164 BC. They provide compelling proof of the divine origin and authority of scripture... Yet we are told all this relates to the final years before Christ’s return.

 Jesus pointed back to this particular prophecy as events that had not yet taken place... events that would signal the time of His return was near. So, Jesus himself is where we get the understanding that prophecy is dual in nature. It can be fulfilled in more than one way. The past fulfillment gives us insight into the future fulfillment. The details of the first fulfillment in 167-164 BC. are God-given proof of scripture's certainty... which should convince you of the certainty of what scripture says in still yet to come.

Daniel 8:18-22 what I am telling you about Persia and Greece, and This man named Antiochus is for the appointed time of the end. What follows is a clear explanation of the vision that ties in quite accurately with human history.

Daniel 8:23-25 toward the end of the Greek empire a certain ruler will arise and what I say about him also pertains to the time of the end [this is getting interesting]. He will:

· Rebel against the laws of YHWH [see verse 12]

· He will be allowed to do his thing up to the point where God deems punishment of destruction appropriate.

· The description "master of intrigue" fits Antiochus’ political actions well [see Daniel 11 which is another vision more specifically about Antiochus].

· He succeeds not by his own power... but by Satan {Revelation 13:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:9]. 

· The overweening pride exhibited by this person also fits the Antiochus of history. He minted coins with his own image ... Antiochus God Manifest. This is a signature arrogance of the lawless one of end time 2 Thessalonians 2:4, Revelation 19:19-20.

· He is destroyed but not by human power. In 163 BC Antiochus dies mysteriously .... the final lawless persecutor will be destroyed not by human power but directly by God 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 19:11-21].

Humans cannot overcome Satan by their own power, God has to save them from Satan’s destructive influence.  

Daniel 8:26-27 this is a vision of the final trial and test upon the people of God. The truth is outlawed, the people of God appear to be overwhelmed, some of them are trampled into the dirt, so some of them are not... "pray that you be accounted worthy to escape these things".

Thinking about end-time persecution is scary, those who have to live through it will need help. So here are a few things God offers: the fact that He has told you about it in advance assures you that He allows it and therefore has a purpose for it. He has given you an indication of its duration which assures you it lasts a short set amount of time until it accomplishes the purpose he has for it.

The events of the end will demonstrate that human beings are helpless to overcome the forces of spiritual wickedness at work in the world through our own virtue, knowledge, or intellect. We are incapable of having a right relationship with the one true God on our own terms. Our traditions, theories and self proclaimed ways of approaching our Creator [reality of the universe] do not work. The only answer is to trust and obey… YOU CAN DO THAT RIGHT NOW!