Endtime Ministries...
Australian Bible College Course

The Calvary Bible Fellowship of N.Z. has given permission for an Australian Diploma Course to be constructed along the needs of our Despatch subscribers.

A fitting epilogue to our study is the study of the prophecy concerning Israel and the Wilful King, as found in the Prophet Daniel's book in the Old Testament.

In chapter eleven of Daniel prophecy becomes thrillingly detailed in regard to the adversaries of Israel, in the last days. The primary interpretation of the prophecies has happened long, long ago. Yet the larger interpretation is in the future, almost certainly the near future. The prophecies of chapter eleven again show the Almighty's care over His people, Israel, despite their unfaithfulness toward Him, and their refusal to heed His Word.

The scenario stretches from Darius to the Man of Sin, the Wilful King at the endtimes. Four kings were to follow in Media-Persia. After them would come Alexander who was the "mighty king" of Grecia (V.3). In Daniel 8:22, the division of Alexander's Alexandrian empire is predicted, in four parts, as shown in chapter 11:4. The course of affairs in two of the parts, Syria and Egypt, is then traced down to v.20. Then Antiochus Epiphanes, the "little horn" of chapter 8 comes on the scene to v.36. Post-millennialists imagine that Antiochus Epiphanes is the only interpretation here, but he is a type of the final "little horn", as seen in Daniel 7:8,24-26.
 

THE POLLUTION OF THE JEWISH SANCTUARY:

In verse 31 of chapter eleven we see the desecration of the Jewish temple, in the middle of the Tribulation (compare Daniel 8:9). Four kings of Persia are mentioned, who were yet to rise, three are mentioned in Ezra chapter four - Ahasuerus, Artaxerxes and Darius (Dennet tells us this is not Darius the Mede of verse 1, but Darius Hystaspes). The fourth was Xerxes. Then these are passed over and Alexander is at once introduced, verse 3. Let us jump from there to the middle of verse 30 and on to the end of verse 35, to see the type of the Antichrist, Antiochus Ephiphanes.

Antiochus acted with profanity, diabolical wickedness, and indignation against ISRAEL, and the JEWS. In the first place he acted with indignation against "the holy covenant" V.30. Here he is the powerful type of the arch-enemy of the Jews in the Tribulation, the Beast, who will be far beyond Hitler and the Nazi in evil actions against the Jewish nation! Antiochus' profanity shadows the religious profanity of both Beasts, the Antichrist and the False Prophet, as the religious "false prophet" is a religious monstrosity.

In the first place, Antiochus shall "have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do". Secondly he had an understanding with the apostate Jews, an "intelligence". Now, we can glean a great deal about what will yet happen to the Jews, in our own future, from the reading of the doings of this evil man, as a type. He thirdly set out to bring the Jews into paganism, and compel them to worship the heathen gods - just as Nebuchadnezzar did in chapter 3 of Daniel. He had great success at this, as is seen in verses 30-32. The Antichrist will also heathenise the Jews, as we are seeing happening in Israel right now, many have turned to the esoteric religions of the New Age. Both Antiochus and the Antichrist found (or will find) that the temple would be their greatest problem, and verse 31 describes both of their conducts in regard to the Jewish temple:

"And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength,
and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate".

In verse 32 we see the words "And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people who do know their God shall do exploits." We Christians might like to apply those words at the latter part of the verse to ourselves in the Last Days, which can be used as an application, but the primary interpretation is related to the Jews in the Trib. We see a very interesting scenario here! There are shown three classes of Jews in the Tribulation:

1. Some, the Antichrist "he corrupted by flatteries";

2. But there is a faithful remnant, who will accept Christ as Messiah (after the Rapture)
"the people who do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."

3. Then in the next verse, we see another class of Jews, "And they that understand among the people shall instruct many". These will be especially taught of God in His Word, who will encourage the faithful Jews in their time of persecution.

See that the last class will "fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days." These will be publically identified with God's Word and testimony to the Truth, and of course Satan will unleash his hatred predominately against them. (See Revelation 11;12:17; 13; 14:12,13).

We see that the faithful Jews will not be left entirely without help against the enemy, "when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries." (v.34). In history, Antiochus as a typical personage, had these events actually happen to him and his contempories, but I cannot stress strongly enough that these things are typical of the endtimes. We need here to be sure of this, as the Post Millennialists often try to shoot down in flames those who hold these doctrinal truths. Here I will quote from Edward Dennet, from "Daniel the Prophet", p.182-183:

"Antiochus caused 'the abomination that maketh desolate' to be set up in the temple; in chapter 12:11 we learn that this act will be repeated in a future day. Consequently our Lord quotes from chapter 11 in Matthew 24, because He is there speaking of what had not yet taken place. If this distinction had been more accurately observed, fewer mistakes would have been made in the interpretation of these prophetic scriptures. Then again take verse 35, where we read that God will allow 'some of them of understanding' to fall to try the faith and 'to purge' the remnant, and 'to make them white, even to the time of the end.' etc; the very language used shows that what took place then is given as a sample of a similar thing in the last days."
 

THE REMNANT.

In Revelation 14, after God announces that there will be judgement unleashed upon those who worship the Beast and his Image, the remnant of the Jews are described; and then comes a command from Heaven, "Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord etc." If we compare Rev.14:9-13 with Daniel 13:5-15 we get the whole scene. It is as though God allows some things
to be rehearsed in history, and goes onto the actual performance later on, as we have seen in Daniel 11. Scriptures which are both prophetic and typical abound in the Bible. What was given of revelation to the Jews for their comfort and guidance during the Old Testament days of war between Syria and Egypt, are also for the Godly remnant in the Last Days.
Note Daniel 11:40 "the time of the end..."
 

THE MAN OF SIN, THE WILFUL KING.

That the Jews and Israel will have many dealings with the Antichrist and his regime is very clear in Scripture. See the Antichrist described, chillingly, in Dan.11:36, the "little horn" of Daniel 7. This man's own will is his only authority and law! Israel will have dealings with the incarnation of evil, who will manifest all that is wicked in mankind. He will be both totally independent of God and absolute in his own earthly power. Certainly the opposite of the authentic Christ, the antithesis, the contrast, this Anti-christ.

The most formidable enemy of the Jews is yet to come! Not Hitler, he is dead and gone, but a more horrifying enemy than the obscene killer Hitler. In Daniel 8:25 we learn that this Last Day killer will "stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." That is, human beings, Israel itself, cannot defeat this enemy, only the Lord Jesus Christ can, and the remnant Jews will gladly own that their eventual safety has come from Him alone. See also Isaiah 10:33.
 

Some say that this great enemy of the Jewish people in the Last days will be an apostate Jew himself, because of Daniel 11:37, "the God of his fathers". That proposition is ruled out, I believe, because of Dan.9:26 - the Gentile armies of Rome. The Antichrist's "people", his kin, are described as those who destroyed the Jewish Temple in AD70. Note "the people of the prince that shall come." The Bible also makes it clear that the Antichrist is an apostate from Christianity, not Judaism (1 John 2:18,19). He brings the dreaded "Force", the "god of forces", the "energies" of the New Age into prominence on the earth. This involves the Jews as well as the Gentiles, because all Old Testament prophecy has primarily to do with Israel. That the Jews eventually have to face a dictator who declares himself to be the true "god of forces" or nature, is shown in IIThess. 2:3,4.

While the Antichrist rules he will be an invincible conqueror (Dan.11:40-44). Israel will see the Middle East (and the whole globe) overrun by this monster! Until he establishes his own place in Jerusalem, as he sets up the "abomination that maketh desolate" in the temple (Dan.9:27; 12:11; Matt.24:15). IF Israel as individuals, had accepted the Lord as Saviour, they would have gone in the Rapture with the Bride of Christ, the Christian Church. Sadly, the vast majority still refuse Him as Messiah - what a sorry blunder!

See the language of the Spirit of Christ, the True Messiah, as He moves against the enemy of Israel and the nations, and destroys the evil rulers at the end of the Tribulation:

"All nations compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord will I destroy them.
They compassed me about: but in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.
They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns:
for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them" (Psalm 118:10-12).

BACK TO ISAIAH TO CONCLUDE.

Chapters 24-33 of Isaiah deal with the accounts of the judgements of God upon individual nations one after the other, including Israel. There is not a shadow of a doubt that the future events, as we approach the "Aquarian Age" in the next millennium, show Israel coming under the wrath of the Lord. These nations, including Israel, display all the characteristics of being directed by the hosts of supernatural wickedness in the heavenlies (Ephesians 6:12). ALL must experience the Divine requital in this culminating "Day of the Lord" and "Jacob's Trouble."
 

MYSTERY BABYLON.

Babylon represents a system on this earth, one which is corrupt and corrupting, the system which has oppressed and robbed the needy and weak, and mercilessly slain the helpless. This Babylon is the system which covers the whole earth. Vine tells us of the meanings of the nations' names in his book on Isaiah, p.66. These meanings give us insight as we study prophecy about the Middle East and the Jews:

...

1. Babylon represents systematised corruption and oppression;

2. Jerusalem means "mere profession";

3. Assyria symbolises "antagonism against God's people";

4. Philistia means "constant and closer hostility";

5. Moab is "human pride";

6. Damascus means "the ally of apostasy";

7. Dumah means "self-reliance';

8. Tyre means "worldly glory".

Nevertheless, Israel as a remnant is delivered, and final peace comes to the diminished nations of the world. And then there will be praise to the Lord God, and great joy, after the judgements against the Antichrist and his wicked worshippers has been justly delivered (vv 14,15,16).

In the latter portion of Isaiah 24:16 the prophet is in mourning about what he realises will happen to his people in the Last Days. He could see two horrible treacheries which would happen:

1. The treachery of the chosen nation of God, the apple of His eye, the Hebrew people with which He made such wonderful Covenants of Grace, who turn and make another covenant. Who with? The very Antichrist himself, the ultimate fake, the Satanic incarnation!!!!!

2. And the second hellish treachery, the treachery of Antichrist counting that covenant with the Jews as trash, and breaking it to try to exterminate them in the greatest holocaust of all history!!!!!

The chapter ends, and so does our study, with the climax of chapter 24 as we see the nations under the Beast and the False Prophet (Rev.13) suffering the judgement of God, and the Personal Intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes again (23).

"In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is
feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be
as God, as the angel of the Lord before them." (Zech.12:8). (Psalm 89:33-37).

THE WONDERFUL PRAISE OF ISAIAH 25.

Isaiah chapter 25 (and onto 26) contains a moving Song of Praise, which will arise from the Godly Remnant who have been delivered from the Tribulation. What a glory to God, and we can read it in the Scriptures before it takes place! These will be the nucleus of the nation of Israel in the Millennial Reign of our Lord. A few of the highlights of this amazing passage should thrill our hearts:

V.1. The Remnant give recognition to God for His faithfulness, in a specific way, because He has been faithful to His chosen, earthly nation.

V.2. Points to Babylon's overthrow, it will never be built again. Some say Babylon, when it was FIRST destroyed, would never be built again. But Scripture surely reveals that Babylon would be re-built in the Last Days (Rev.18; comp.Isaiah 13;19-22). Saddam Hussein has already re-built Babylon, the city, in these Latter Times.

V.3. God's overthrow of the hostile city of the "terrible" nations is of interest. Biblical scholars see this as Rome. V.4. Here the Remnant glorifies the One who protected them in the Great Tribulation. The Antichrist did his best to destroy every last one of them, but the Lord was
"a strength" "a refuge from the storm" "a shadow from the heat". If we remember the terrors
of the Trib., what a joy to know that surely God can be all that to us, in our relatively minor predicaments.

V.6. In the mountain of Zion all the peoples, the Gentiles and the Jews, will share the feast of the Lord.

V.7. At last, the foolish ones who follow the delusions of the Antichrist will be no more. God will remove the veil, which He Himself had sent, that they might believe the Satanic deceptions.
(II Thess.2:10-12). There will now be spiritual light as never before amongst the nations.

V.8. This verse is quoted in 1 Cor.15:54. Resurrection, and long life come with the blessings of the Lord. There were many who were slaughtered horribly in the Trib., they now know resurrection and have been raised and share the reign with Christ Jesus.
V.8. No more "rebuke" for the Jewish people. No more will God cause them to wander the earth, discriminated against by others, persecuted, and cast off by the Lord Himself. The "shame" of being Jewish will be removed forever.

V.9. The Remnant will celebrate that they have been delivered.

V.10-12. "Moab" or "human pride", with its cruelty and greed,
will be like straw trodden down under God, as straw in the dunghill.
 

ISAIAH 26.

The first eighteen verses are also the Song of Praise of the delivered Remnant of Israel. The beloved passage of verses 3,4, has a primary application to Israel, they are redeemed and now recognise the Lord Jesus Christ as Messiah, it is a "righteous nation" (vv.1,2). They have had a great deliverance, and they now understand the full assurance of being in the peace of the Lord God:

"Thou will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee:
because he trusteth in thee:
Trust ye in the Lord for ever:
for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:"

 

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