Daniel Chapters 7, 8 and 11 describe the career of Alexander the Great and his successors so vividly they constitute some of the most remarkable prophecies in the Bible. We also find that Alexander's four generals--Lysimachus, Cassander,Ptolemy, and Seleucus--divide the empire after his death just as the passages indicated. 2

As Israel is sandwiched by the subsequent tensions between Ptolemy (Egypt) to the south and Seleucus (Syria) to the north, it is also amazing to note the precision with which Daniel records their respective successors in Chapter 11.3

Antiochus Epiphanes

The Seleucid ruler that figures so prominently in Biblical studies is, of course, Antiochus IV, who also adopted the label Epiphanes or Coming One. Committed to crushing Judaism, he outlawed the keeping of the Torah, persecuted the Jews, and confirmed his place in history by having a sow sacrificed on the sacred altar in the Temple in Jerusalem and placing an idol to Zeus inside the Holy of Holies itself. This desecration is known specifically as The Abomination of Desolation.

The consequent outrage led to the famed Maccabbean revolt which success fully threw off the yoke of the Greek rulers and ushered in the Hasmonean period of Israel's history. On the third anniversary of the Temple's desecration, on the 25th of Kislev, 165 b.c., the Temple was rededicated. This rededication is celebrated to this very day as Hanukkah.4

This historical event took on additional prophetic significance two centuries later when four disciples received a private briefing by Jesus Himself on the Second Coming, in which Jesus alluded to a future reoccurrence of a similar desecration as the key to all end-time prophecy.5 This repetition of the Abomination of Desolation is the central milestone in the middle of the climactic seven-year period comprising the Seventieth Week of Daniel Chapter 9.6

However, as so often occurs in Biblical prophecy, many times the immediate, local application of a passage clearly transcends the context to yield a glimpse of a larger, more climactic application.7 While the passage in Daniel 11--up to verse 35--has clearly been historically fulfilled, verses 36-45 seem to strangely overlap both the career of Antiochus Epiphanes of the past and also the final world ruler, portrayed as the Willful King.8

After the horrible reign of Antiochus IV, the Seleucid line continued under the same title, with Antiochus V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XIII. The Seleucid dynasty came to an end in 63 b.c. when Pompey declared that Syria would become a Roman province. However, the descendants of the Seleucids continued in importance and became intertwined with the Herodians and the royal houses of Rome.9

The Prince That Shall Come

The Coming World Leader--commonly known as the Antichrist --has 33 titles in the Old Testament and 13 in the New Testament. One of these, The Prince That Shall Come, comes from Daniel 9:26-27 in which the people of the Prince that shall come would destroy the city and the sanctuary. The fulfillment occurred in history when the Roman legions under Titus Vespasian destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 A.D.10

This reflexive reference to the Romans in Daniel 9:26 is one of several reasons why most Bible scholars view the future Prince that shall come as a Roman, or European.

A Continuous Genealogy?

A genealogical link between the original Antiochus Epiphanes and Titus Vespasian would not be surprising, and yet it is very provocative. But there may be more.

In the fifth century the royal line of the Franks intermarried with the Merovingian dynasty, which ultimately links with the family trees of the Habsburgs, the House of Lorraine, Plantard, Luxembourg, Pont‚zat, Montesquieu, Sinclair, Stuarts, and most of the royal families of Europe. Among contemporary luminaries are Otto von Habsburg of Austria11 and his son, Karl, and King Juan Carlos I of Spain and his son, Felipe.

[It is from this type of background that some consider King Juan Carlos of Spain or his son Felipe as possible candidates. The lineage of the son includes 2 German emperors, 8 kings of Denmark, 5 kings of Sweden, 7 Czars of Russia, 1 king and 1 queen of Norway, 1 queen of England and 5 kings of Greece.]

The Magdalene Blasphemy

There are a number of occultic groups that hold to the outrageous suggestion that the Merovingian line is directly linked to offspring from Jesus and Mary Magdalene.12 While obviously a blasphemous lie, it is interesting that there are people who take this seriously. Could this Satanic delusion have an end-time purpose?

A Candidate on the Horizon?

History is littered with speculations as to the identity of this final Coming World Leader. While there still remains a 378-year void in the span between Vespasian (69 a.d.) and the reign of Merovee (beginning in 447 a.d.), there may be dusty documents lying in some library that might validate the implied linkage. Let's watch and see.

The more one studies the numerous references to this Man of Destiny in the Scriptures, and the more one examines the many details of the scenario that surrounds his career, the more it appears that the world is plunging into the period in which he will become the man of the hour. Many of the most knowledgeable commentators believe he may be alive today.

He will be the master of deceit (even more than the politicians who presently dominate the District of Corruption!). Jesus warned us that if it were possible he would deceive the very elect.13 Our protection must be spiritual, not just intellectual.

However, we don't believe that the Coming World Leader will be revealed until after the Rapture of the Church.14

It certainly is an exciting time to find out what the Bible really says about the times in which we live! Scripture tells us not to be ignorant of Satan's devices,15 so for more see our Briefing Package, The Coming World Leader.

But let us remember to focus our attention on our Blessed Hope, our reigning King, and not on the imposter who is destined for destruction.

Sources (Recommended):

1. Missler, Chuck, The Coming World Leader Briefing Package, Koinonia House, 1995.
2. Missler, Chuck, Expositional Commentary on Daniel (16 tape cassettes plus extensive notes), Koinonia House, 1994.
3. Pink, Arthur W., The Antichrist, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI, 1988.

Sources (Without Recommendation):

1. Baigent, Michael; Leigh, Richard; & Lincoln, Henry; The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, Corgi Books, London, UK, 1988.
2. Taylor, Charles R., The Antichrist King--Juan Carlos?, Bible Prophecy for Today, Huntington Beach, CA, 1994.

Notes:

1. His physical description is given in Zechariah 11:17. For more background, see our Briefing Package, The Coming World Leader, on page 27.
2. Daniel 7:6; 8:8, 22; 11:4; et al.
3. See our Expositional Commentary on Daniel for details.
4. The Holy Spirit includes an allusion to Hanukkah in the New Testament: John 10:22.
5. Matthew 24-25; Mark 133-14; Luke 21-22.
6. The Seventy Weeks of Daniel are the principal foundation in understanding all end time prophecy. This passage also includes the most amazing prophecy in the entire Bible. See our Briefing Package Daniel's 70 Weeks on page 14 for more information.
7. The references to the origin and career of Satan in Isaiah 14:12-17 and Ezekiel 28:12-19 are well-known examples. The allusions to Antiochus Epiphanes are another.
8. The Willful King has been identified by Ibn-Ezra with Constantine the Great; Rashi and Calvin understood him to represent the Aroman Empire; Jerome, Theodoret, Luther, J.N. Darby and most Pre-Tribulation scholars see him as the Antichrist.
9. In The Histories of Tacitus, we find the son of Antiochus IV, King of Commagene which is located on the West Bank of the Upper Euphrates). This Prince Epiphanes in the first battle of Cremona is carrying an official title in honor of the man who had desecrated the Temple 238 years before. Vespasian, Herod Agrippa II, and Queen Bernice are portrayed as close confidants. Numenius, of the Seleucid dynasty, was a member of the Roman senate. (Josephus, Antiquities, xiii, 5.8.)
10. Some confuse the destruction of the Temple with Jesus prediction that it would receive the idol in the Holy of Holies (the Abomination of Desolation ). During the ferocious siege of 70 a.d., the Temple caught fire and was subsequently dismantled to retrieve the gold. There was no opportunity to establish the desecration fitting the Biblical specifications.
11. For background on Otto von Habsburg, in his present role as a member of the European Parliament, and his comments over lunch last year, see our Iron Mixed With Clay Briefing Package.
12. The Prieur‚ de Sion is among the elusive secret societies that traces its interests from the Knights Templar and is believed to have global government ambitions.
13. Matthew 24:24.
14. 2 Thessalonians 2. See our From Here to Eternity Briefing Package on page 14 for a more complete discussion.
15. 2 Corinthians 2:11.

This article was first published in the September 1995 edition of Personal Update.

Chuck Missler is an internationally recognized authortiy on Bible Prophecy, He is Founder and President of Koinonia House Ministries.

Chuck is also a member of the Pre-Trib Research Study Group, and He has written many books on Bible Prophecy.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.
Please send your Email to: Chuck Missler

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