By Ken Blue
“And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Daniel 11:45.
We have stated in recent articles that the nations surrounding Israel will consolidate into a ten nation alliance. Syria will be one, and from there the Antichrist will arise. He will take control of the alliance, and remove three of them. Through craft and policies he will deceive multitudes. Israel and the others sign a seven year peace agreement. This is the “white horse” aspect of the Tribulation. Israel will then have some security.
Other nations outside his kingdom will make war with the Antichrist. He will be busy fighting, and will handily defeat them. Egypt will come up against him, and he will come down from Syria against Egypt. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. 41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. 45 And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Daniel 11:40-45.
Verse 45 states, at that time, Antichrist will set up his headquarters in Jerusalem. The next 3 ½ years Jerusalem will be ruled and crushed under foot of their enemies. “Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. 12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” Daniel 8:11-14.
During that time, two thirds of the Jews in the land will be killed. “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. 9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.” Zechariah 13:7-9.
Therefore, Jerusalem will be under the heel of Antichrist for the last half of the Tribulation. His objective will be total destruction of all Jews, and unless those days should be shortened, none would be left in the land. “And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” Matthew 24:22.
How does God describe the sins of Jerusalem? “…the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” Revelation 11:8.
However, God will deliver them. “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins.” Isaiah 40:1-2. This prophecy looks forward to the Second Advent of Christ. The hopelessness of their situation will bring true repentance and the New Birth of the remnant. The nation will be “born again.” Antichrist, who ruled over Jerusalem for 3 ½ years, will be destroyed by armies led by Jesus Christ, and Jerusalem will be delivered. Pray for Israel.
Pastor Ken Blue was born in Boswell, Ark. In 1955 he accepted Christ as his Savior. He and his wife Joyce were married in 1955. They have 5 children. He graduated from Midwestern Baptist Bible College in 1969 and started the Open Door Baptist Church in Lynnwood, Wa. where he pastored for 39 years. Because of health issues (ALS) he was forced to resign as pastor. It is his desire to continue to be used of God to help pastors and believers through this ministry.