I have already published many articles on the person and ministry of the Antichrist and the False Prophet. They are in fact spiritual beings ruling a hidden kingdom in this world. Paul while writing his epistle II Thessalonians, during the first century, says very clearly," For the mystery of iniquity doth already work….." (II Thes. 2:7). It is not something that happens in the last century of this world. However, the mystery of iniquity will reach its zenith during the last of last days. Paul says about the time of the revelation of the Wicked in verse 8 of this chapter. "Then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming". "Then" the Antichrist will be revealed. Before his revelation, he would oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. In the spiritual realm, the Antichrist, the invisible king ruling his kingdom, is exalting himself above the God of the universe, and the people of this world are worshipping a god other than the God of the Bible. He is a god of materialism; a god of all religions; a god of power. One day, he will be revealed. The Wicked will be revealed "whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth……"
The book of Daniel is a sealed book. Even Daniel was not given the key to open the seal of this book. The seal of this book was opened by Paul in his epistle to Thessalonians. These days, there are many interpretations of the revelations in the book of Daniel. Some people describe the Antichrist as the Pope of Rome, etc. Till the time of his revelation, we would not know who he is.
In Mathew 24:15, Jesus refers to the prophetic book of Daniel and speaks about "the abomination of desolation" that would stand in the holy place. This expression occurs three times in Daniel. In Dan.9:27 and 12:11, the reference is to the "Beast", "man of sin" (2 Thes.2, 3, 4) and is identical with Mt.24:15. In Dan.11:31, the reference is to the act of "Antiochus Epiphanies, the prototype of the man of sin, who sacrificed a sow upon the altar, and entered the holy of holies. The spirit of prophecy here returns to that which more immediately concerned Daniel and his royal masters – the near future of the empire in which he was great a personage. Four kings were yet to follow in Media-Persia. Then will come Alexander the "mighty king" of Grecia (Dan.11:3). The division of Alexander's empire into four parts (11:4) as already predicted (Dan.8:22) is foretold. The troublous course of affairs in two parts of the disintegrated Alexandrian empire, Syria and Egypt, is then traced down to Dan.11:20. Here Antiochus Epiphanies, the "little horn" of Chapter 8 occupies the vision down to verse 36. His pollution of the sanctuary is again mentioned. From verse 36, the interpretation is of the final "little horn" (Dan.7:8, 24-26). Here the prophetic fore view, having traced the history of the two parts of Alexander's empire which had to do with Palestine and the Jews, viz, Syria and Egypt, to the time of Antiochus Epiphanies, and having described his career, overleaps the centuries to "the time of the end," when he of whom Antiochus Epiphanies was a type, the "little horn" of Dan.7:8, the "Beast out of the sea" of Rev.13:4-10 shall appear.
Prophecy does not concern itself with history as such, but only with history as it affects Israel and the Holy Land. Antiochus Epiphanies was insignificant as compared with historical personages whom the Bible does not mention, but he scourged the covenant people and defiled God's altar, thus coming into prophetic light. From verse 36 the "little horn" of Dan.7:8, 24-26 fills the scene. His propensity lasts until "the indignation" (the time of trouble of Dan.12:1 and Mt.24:21) is accomplished (Vs.36).
The "little horn" here is a historical event fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanies, B.C.175, who profaned the temple and terribly persecuted the Jews.
What I want to stress here is that the historical events concerning the "little horn" had already been fulfilled in the person and rule of Antiochus Epiphanies. But the prophetic events concerning "the little horn" are taking place in the spiritual realm which we do not see with our physical eyes. In other words, though the historical part of the book of Daniel has already taken place, the prophetic part which needs to be interpreted allegorically has been taking place in the spiritual realm. The final manifestation of the "little horn" or the Wicked or the Antichrist is yet to take place.
- Job Anbalagan