They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.
They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.
For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee:
The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;
Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;
Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah (Psa. 83:3-8).
From a prophetic standpoint, The recent buildup of military forces in the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and the Red Sea occurred for the right reason, in the right place, at the right time. This buildup occurred because of world economics, it occurred in the area where the kingdom of Antichrist will be centered, and it occurred near the end of the sixth millennium of Man's Day.
The stability of the world's economy is unalterably tied to the Middle East after a fashion which can be spelled out in one word -- OIL. The nations of the world have come into a state where the stability of their economic systems is completely dependent on an uninterrupted flow of oil at a relatively stable price. Everything is mechanized, and oil fits somewhere within almost every avenue of daily living in our present society.
Then, most of the industrialized nations of the world look to one source more than any other for this energy need -- the Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf area. And projecting this out into time immediately ahead, according to men who study these matters, world dependence on Middle East oil can only be expected to increase for at least the next ten years (the U.S. is presently the largest consumer
of Middle East oil, though most nations are far more dependent on the Middle East for their energy needs).
The coalition of nations which assembled in the Persian Gulf and in Saudi Arabia, with aircraft carriers and other ships located not only in the Persian Gulf but also in the Red Sea, provided ample evidence of this fact. Military forces from numerous nations of the world assembled themselves in and near the Gulf (a total of thirty-four nations formed the coalition at this time, though all did not send military forces); and then war broke out, primarily because of this one energy need which the world, because of its present mechanized structure, cannot do without. Everything else, though by no means unimportant, was secondary.
Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, fought an eight-year war with Iran during the years 1980-1988 when the Ayatollah Khomeini was in power. Saddam Hussein denounced a 1975 territorial agreement and sought territorial gains. And he didn't seek territorial gains through launching an attack against just any part of Iran. Rather, he attacked the oil-rich province of Khuzistan on the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
Hundreds of thousands were either killed or wounded (approximately one-half million on each side), and it appears evident that the war had a central purpose (aside from providing much-needed additional coastal land). And this central purpose was the same reason Saddam Hussein took over Kuwait and set his sights on land along the Gulf south of Kuwait, along the Saudi coast to at least Qatar and possibly farther south through the United Arab Emirates to Oman at the Strait of Hormuz -- OIL.
Slightly more than half of the world's known oil reserves (55 or so percent) lie in one part of the world. They lie beneath the desert sands of the Middle East. And these reserves lie mainly in one part of the Middle East. They lie mainly beneath the land near and bordering the Persian Gulf -- particularly the northern half of the Gulf -- in Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar (as well as beneath the shallow waters of the Gulf itself). Then there are also substantial reserves of oil inland in Iraq, away from the Gulf
When Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait, he increased his hold on known world oil reserves to about twenty percent. Had he not been
stopped at that point and been allowed to take the fields south of Kuwait, he would have increased this hold to about forty percent. And, had his war with Iran been successful, he would have held an additional fifteen or so percent. It appears evident that he could have had only one thing in mind -- a control over matters which reached far beyond the Persian Gulf.
Then, in apparent connection with the whole matter, since 1979 Saddam Hussein has worked on restoring parts of the ancient city of Babylon, while, at the same time, thinking of himself as a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar. Even the government of Iraq under Saddam Hussein printed a book to attract tourists entitled, FROM NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO SADDAM HUSSEIN, Babylon Rises Again.
Nebuchadnezzar was ruler in a world empire centered in Babylon at the beginning of that period called in Scripture, "the times of the Gentiles" (cf. Dan. 2:31-35, 38; Luke 21:24); and Saddam Hussein sought to occupy a similar role in world affairs at the end of "the times of the Gentiles." The only way he could succeed would be to control the Middle East oil supply; and, had he succeeded in doing this, he would undoubtedly have set his sights on two things: 1) a governmental and commercial center located in Babylon, and 2) the destruction of Israel, following in Nebuchadnezzar's footsteps.
Saddam Hussein, in control of Middle East oil, would have been the most powerful man in the Moslem world; and he would have possessed the potential to be the most powerful man anywhere in the world. He could have been more than a latter-day Nebuchadnezzar in that respect. And he could then have been in the best position possible to lead the Moslem world in an attack upon Israel to reclaim the land of Palestine for "Allah" (Ref. Chapter I).
Russia is a nation which is rapidly changing in practically every realm. The nation is crumbling internally because of economic problems and governmental disarray. One high ranking official in the Soviet Union recently summed up the matter when he answered the question posed by a Western journalist, "Who is calling the shots in your country today?" His reply was, "No one!"
Russia's immediate future is uncertain, but Russia's future after the Church has been removed and Antichrist appears on the scene was foretold by a Jewish prophet two and one-half millenniums ago. Russia is going to look once again toward the Middle East and militarily move down into that part of the world. The nation's interest in the Middle East, particularly the Persian Gulf area, was made clear in a pact which Russia proposed to enter into with three other nations in 1940; and Russia's interest in that part of the world has remained unchanged over the years.
Russia, for the most part, sat on the sidelines watching the latest Middle East conflict. The nation contributed nothing to the war effort, but immediately prior to the Allied invasion of Kuwait, Russia sought to gain influence in the region through trying to stop the war short of a clear-cut Allied victory. Then, beyond trying to gain influence in the region (along with seeking to prevent the U.S. from, instead, gaining similar influence through a military victory), Russia knew from past experience what was about to occur. The outcome of a Middle East conflict was about to, once again, negatively reflect on Soviet military science and technology through the defeat of a Russian equipped nation whose training had come more from Russia than anywhere else. And, along with this, billions of dollars worth of Soviet equipment was about to be lost, equipment which the Russians knew they would have to eventually replace.
Russia had followed a similar course of action eighteen years earlier toward the end of the Yom Kippur War of 1973. After little more than two weeks of fighting, when a Jewish victory appeared inevitable once again, Russia stepped in and tried to stop the war. Russia had done everything the nation could do to foster the war through helping the Arab cause (resupply of arms, etc.) so long as it appeared that the Arabs could win; but when the tide of battle turned, Russia did everything the nation could do to stop the war, even threatening to directly intervene militarily.
And today another Arabic nation has added an additional chapter to the overall Soviet failure in the Middle East (a failure dating back to particularly the 1967 Six-Day War). And though the Gulf War was somewhat different than past Middle East wars, Russia undoubtedly now knows, as never before, that if the nation's Middle East aspirations
are to be realized, direct military intervention will have to be involved.
Everything points to the day being very near at hand when Russia, accompanied by four Moslem nations and one non-Moslem nation, will militarily move against Israel. Russia will attempt to help the Moslem nations accompanying her do what she has been trying to do through all the Middle East Moslem nations for years -- destroy Israel for the Moslems and allow them to reclaim the land of Palestine for "Allah." This would, in turn, allow Russia to gain the type foothold in the Middle East which she needs; and the nation could then set her sights on the Persian Gulf, where the cure for every known ill in her present ailing economy lies.
Russia, through achieving such a goal, could be catapulted almost overnight from a country in economic and governmental chaos to a country in a position to rule the world. When Russia comes down and the coalition of nations (particularly the U.S.-U.K.-Saudi coalition, identified as such by Ezekiel) asks Russia the question in Ezek. 38:13, these nations will know exactly what Russia is attempting to do. Russia will be attempting to take that which these other nations have fought so hard to defend; and not only this, but Russia will be attempting to do it at the expense of Israel.
This will be the day of Russia's madness, for no nation could possibly become more insane than to use a pagan religious system in an attempt to destroy the people of God for the reason at hand. Nor could this particular nation become more insane after another fashion, for Russia, with its atheistic governmental system, will be moving against God Himself residing in the midst of the ever-burning fire with Israel.
Russia will not only fail in her attempt to destroy Israel but will, in the process, be destroyed herself by the God of Israel. Russia's cup of iniquity will have become full at this time (cf. Gen. 15:16), and Russia will then be destroyed by the very One Whose existence the nation denies (see Chapters II, III). It will then be left to Antichrist to establish a power-base in the Middle East and lead the Moslem nations in their final attempt to bring about Israel's destruction.
God has provided a wealth of information in His Word concerning Antichrist. He is first introduced as "thy seed [the seed of the serpent]" in Gen. 3:15, 6,000 years before his appearance, and he is last seen when cast into the lake of fire at Christ's return and 1,000 years later when Satan is cast into the same place (Rev. 19:20; 20:10). And between God's announcement concerning Antichrist following Adam's fall and his being cast into the lake of fire 6,000 years later, Scripture is replete with information about this man.
He is seen in type, for example, in the persons of Nimrod (the founder of Babel [Babylon]) and the Assyrian Pharaoh in Egypt during the days of Moses, and he is mentioned numerous times by the prophets and New Testament writers (cf. Gen. 10:8-10; 11:1-9; Ex. 1:8ff; Isa. 16:4; Jer. 6:26; Ezek. 21:25-27; Micah 5:5, 6; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:3-9). The two sections of Scripture which supply the most information concerning this man though are the Books of Daniel and Revelation. Daniel centers on the history of the kingdom of Babylon from the beginning to the end of "the times of the Gentiles," and Revelation centers on the last seven years of this time, particularly the last three and one-half years. And both books outline in minute detail numerous things concerning Antichrist and his kingdom.
He will be the last king of Babylon and the central figure on earth during the last three and one-half years of "the times of the Gentiles." He is the man whom the world is presently waiting for to bring about peace in the troubled Middle East, though the world has no knowledge of this fact. All peace efforts by the nations are doomed to eventual failure, but this man will come up with a seemingly workable plan. At least it will work for a time, and then...
1. As Presented in Daniel
God's revelation through Daniel centers around a history of the kingdom of Babylon, beginning with Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar and ending with Babylon under Antichrist. This book outlines the complete history of the Babylonian kingdom, which extends over twenty-six centuries within the scope of "the times of the Gentiles"; and Daniel is the only book in Scripture to so do.
Daniel begins his revelation with that time when Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came against Jerusalem in the first of three invasions (about 605 B.C.), which began the Babylonian captivity for the Jewish people (1:1); and he concludes his revelation with that time yet future when the last king of Babylon will be put down, after he comes against Jerusalem, followed by the Jewish people being raised up to live in God's sight (11:45; 12:1ff). Between these two points in the Book of Daniel, all of the revelation, after some fashion, has to do with the kingdom of Babylon.
The history of Babylon in Daniel is presented in four parts, depicted by the four parts of the "great image" which Nebuchadnezzar was allowed to see in a dream (Dan. 2:31ff) and by "four great beasts" which Daniel was allowed to see in a dream and in visions (Dan. 7:2ff). Then, when the first part of the image was about to become history, additional things were revealed to Daniel in a vision about the last three parts through depicting "a ram," "an he goat," and "a little horn" (Dan. 8:1ff; cf. Dan. 7:8); and to conclude revelation concerning Babylon through these four divisions, chapter eleven is taken up with additional things about the last three divisions, particularly the last of these three. And interpretations are provided for the dreams and visions, leaving no room for error concerning their meaning.
The dreams and visions all refer to the same thing -- the history of the kingdom of Babylon, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar (or the succeeding Medo-Persian rulers) and ending with Antichrist. And the emphasis at every point is always the same. The emphasis is on the fourth part of the image (2:40-45; cf. vv. 37-39), the fourth beast (7:7, 8, 19-26; cf. vv. 4-6, 17), the little horn (8:9-14, 23-25; cf. vv. 3-8, 20-22), the vile person (11:21-45 [also vv. 5-20]; cf. vv. 2-4). The emphasis is always on the final form of the Babylonian kingdom during the days of Antichrist, and more space is given to this final form than all the other three forms combined.
One thing above all else must be kept in mind when studying these dreams and visions in the Book of Daniel: The matter at hand is about the kingdom of Babylon alone. It is not partially about a history (and corresponding revival) of the Roman Empire nor about any other sequence of historical events separate from the Babylonian kingdom.
The Roman Empire, though the world empire following the king
dom of Babylon under Alexander the Great (corresponding to the third part of the image, or to the third beast), has no connection with the fourth part of the Babylonian kingdom in the Book of Daniel. The Roman Empire was a kingdom separate from the kingdom of Babylon. All of that part of the Babylonian kingdom depicted by the fourth part of Daniel's image or the fourth beast has yet to appear (see the author's book, PROPHECY ON MOUNT OLIVET, pp. 63-65).
And any prophecies concerning events by individuals or nations throughout the book (such as Dan. 8:9-14; 11:5-45) must have to do with the kingdom of Babylon. They cannot be understood as events occurring apart from this kingdom.
Note that in the interpretation of the dreams and visions nothing ever lies between the end of the third part of the kingdom and the beginning of the fourth part (2:39, 40; 7:17-19; 8:20-23). The third part ends with the death of Alexander the Great and the division of his kingdom among his four generals, and revelation then goes immediately into the fourth part, into that part having to do with the kingdom of Antichrist.
(Revelation concerning Babylon in the Book of Daniel is very much like revelation concerning the Seventy Weeks prophecy in this same book [9:24-27]. There is an unrevealed time-break between the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks, and there is also an unrevealed time-break between the third and fourth parts of the Babylonian kingdom. Daniel though did not see either break; and, consequently, he did not prophesy of events during either.)
(In Rev. 6:2, Antichrist is seen wearing a stephanos, not a diadem, when he appears at the beginning of the Tribulation. A stephanos would indicate one not occupying a regal position. However, the word could be used in this passage strictly in relation to his anticipated position as "world ruler," realized in Rev. 12:3 near the middle of the Tribulation.)
(Dan. 11:30 refers to Antichrist having "intelligence ['an affiliation'] with them [an apparent reference to the surrounding Moslem nations] that forsake the holy covenant," immediately before the covenant is broken [v. 31].)
(In Revelation, chapter seventeen, The harlot is identified as "Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth," and also as "that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth [the city of Babylon]" [17:5, 18]. All false religions, after some fashion, can be traced back to Babylon; and Islam, the religion of the Middle East, would have to possess a direct association with Babylon in order to be called "the Mother of Harlots," which is exactly the case. The harlot is identified in synonymous terms with Babylon [v. 18] in the same sense that the bride of Christ [the "chaste virgin" (II Cor. 11:2)] is identified in synonymous terms with the New Jerusalem [Rev. 21:9, 10].)