UNDERSTANDING THE CAMPAIGN OF ARMAGEDDON

III. The Invasions Of The Antichrist And The Armies Of The East

(Daniel 11:40c-45)

I. Introduction

A. Due to unsettling conflicts between nations today, many people, including some Christians, are concerned about the oft-noted military campaign of Armageddon, the Antichrist, and the roles of various nations in it.

B. We thus study the whole subject of Armageddon in Bible prophecy, what includes the invasions of the antichrist and the armies of the east in Daniel 11:40c-45 for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. The Invasions Of The Antichrist And The Armies Of The East, Daniel 11:40c-45.

A. There is a sudden shift in the text at Daniel 11:40c KJV where the angel revealing a protracted vision of future events veered from describing the actions of the northern confederacy, the Russian federation, coupled with the invasion of Israel by Egypt to the south abruptly to say " . . . and he shall enter into the countries . . ."

B. Since the preceding context (Daniel 11:36-40a) uses third person masculine singular pronouns to refer to the antichrist, by his shift to discuss a "he," the angel is describing the antichrist's response to the invasion and divine destruction of the Russian federation and Egypt. (J. D. Pentecost, Things To Come, 1972, p. 355-356)

C. [Apparently, when the antichrist makes his seven-year treaty with Israel at the start of the Tribulation Period, he puts only some of his forces in Israel to protect her, what explains his later full-scale invasion of the whole Middle East area that occurs after the invasion and destruction of the Russian federation and Egypt, Ibid.]

D. Thus, with the vacuum of power created by God's destruction of the Russian federation and Egypt, the antichrist will break his treaty with Israel, move his forces into invading Israel and many Middle Eastern nations, overthrowing their rulers and extending his rule over Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia with Edom, Moab, and Ammon east of the Jordan River escaping his dominance, Daniel 11:40c-43; Ibid.

E. At this time, an infuriated Satan will use the antichrist whom he empowers to perform his worst atrocities:

1. Since God has Satan cast out from having access to heaven halfway through the seven-year Tribulation period, Satan will know that his time is short, with only 3 ½ years left before he is cast into the bottomless pit at the start of the Millennial Kingdom, Revelation 12:7-12 with 20:1-3. Satan will thus try to destroy the Hebrew people to keep God from being able to provide a Millennial Kingdom that requires the existence of a Hebrew people on the earth, cf. Genesis 12:1-3 with Amos 9:11-15.

2. Satan will then lead the Satanically endowed antichrist to desecrate the Jewish temple by causing people to have to worship him in the temple as foretold in Daniel 9:27b and Revelation 13:1-12, and he will cause people worldwide to get his number "666" on their right hand or their foreheads to have the right to buy or sell or otherwise be beheaded (cf. Revelation 20:4). The antichrist will also pursue the nation Israel, trying to annihilate her people (Matthew 24:15-22). However, God will provide a safe place for Israel's people in the wilderness that Bible scholars think might be Petra in ancient Edom as foretold in Revelation 12:13-17.

F. Since Satan seeks to kill all people who are made in the image of God Whom he hates, he will motivate rulers from the far east and north (possibly Siberia) to react to the antichrist's invasion of the oil-rich Middle East by approaching the antichrist to fight against his forces, news of which will trouble the antichrist, Daniel 11:44a.

G. Revelation 16:12-16 predicts that God will also cause the Euphrates River to dry up to prepare the way for the "kings of the east" to invade the Holy Land in preparation for the final scene of the "Armageddon" campaign!

H. The antichrist in great fury will seek to destroy many people, moving his headquarters from Europe to Jerusalem's holy mountain that is located between the Mediterranean and the Dead seas, Daniel 11:44b-45a.

I. However, the angel giving this vision to Daniel then abruptly ends his account of the antichrist in Daniel 11:45b KJV, saying, "he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." Christ's Second Coming is the reason for the antichrist's sudden end (Revelation 19:11-21), and we will cover that subject in our next lesson!

Lesson: The campaign of Armageddon is fueled by an angry Satan when God casts him out of having access to heaven 3 ½ years into the seven-year Tribulation Period. Satan thus motivates the Russian federation and Egypt to invade Israel with God miraculously destroying them, so Satan will spur the antichrist to break his treaty with Israel to invade the Middle East and commit great atrocities against all who do not worship him and against Israel. However, Satan will then move millions of soldiers from the Far East and north to fight the antichrist, and just as West squares up to fight East, Christ invades to deliver humanity from self-destruction.

Application: May we not fear Armageddon, for we Christians will be raptured well before that campaign occurs.