Summary: Published October 2024; This is the last of a series of three articles exposing the evil prophetic characters destined to afflict and persecute Israel in the future tribulation time.  In the previous two articles we’ve spoken of the revived Roman empire and its end-time Caesar, as well as discussing the infamous Antichrist, a future false king/messiah in Palestine. This article will discuss the Assyrian as a future leader who will be an enemy of Israel.

 Note: These characters of evil described in these articles will be found in the future tribulation.  The saints will be raptured before the tribulation begins.  God’s purpose for the warnings involving evil in His prophetic word is so believers may understand the final form/results it will have and therefore be spiritually wise as to the growth and ripening of evil today, both in the world and in Christendom.  Rest assured, we can be confident the Lord will come for those who are “in Christ” and are His, before the full ripening of evil is manifest (1 Thess. 4:13-18).

 

A third great power for evil in the end-times is generally known in Scripture as the Assyrian.  Another title we find for him in God’s word is “the king of the north.”  This character is distinct from the end time Caesar, head of the revived Roman empire, and the Antichrist, the false king in Palestine.  We saw in the previous article that the Antichrist will be a surrogate of the more powerful Caesar, having a working alliance with him (Rev. 13:11-17).  That alliance will serve as a means of protection for the Antichrist from the aggressions of the Assyrian, who proves to be the political enemy of these two.  However, the similarity of the three is that they all will have either a destructive or morally evil effect on Israel in the end times.

The book of Daniel has two significant but different passages that predict the progression and relative unity of the four Gentile imperial world powers – Babylon, Mede-Persia, Greece and Rome.  One is Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great image in chapter two; the other is Daniel’s vision of the four beasts coming from the Great Sea in chapter seven.  The dream uses different materials/metals forming different sections of the image.  The vision uses wild beasts coming up from the Great Sea (the Gentile nations).  Below we break down both passages, showing which symbols are associated with each empire, as well as presenting their proper historical order/progression.

 

  • Babylon – the head of fine gold (Dan. 2:32, 37-38); the lion, the first beast out of the sea (Dan. 7:4)
  • Mede-Persia – chest and arms of silver (Dan. 2:32, 39); the bear, the second beast out of the sea (Dan. 7:5)
  • Greece – belly and thighs of bronze (Dan. 2:32, 39); the leopard, the third beast out of the sea (Dan. 7:6)
  • Rome – legs of iron (Dan 2:33, 40); the dreadful and terrible beast, the fourth beast to come out of the sea (Dan 7:7)

 

We also see in both passages that the coming of the Son of man in judgment puts an end to the Gentile world powers and establishes the kingdom of God over the entire earth (Dan 2:34-35, 44-45, Dan. 7:9-14, 26-27).  Since none of these four empires have existed for centuries, it necessitates that there will be a Gentile empire/power in the future that will be the object of this divine judgment.  What the two passages predict concerning this end time Gentile power is given below:

 

Revived Roman empire – feet partly of iron and partly of clay (Dan. 2:33-34, 41-45); a final form of the fourth beast, the dreadful and terrible beast having ten horns and a little horn coming up among the ten to pluck up three (Dan. 7:7-8)

 

The events predicted by these symbols have never taken place in the previous history of the Roman empire.  We must reason they point to the future and therefore a revived form of the fourth beast in the end times.

In our pursuit of some clarity about the Assyrian, it will be helpful to discuss and compare the two little horns found in Daniel’s prophecies – the one just mentioned above, found in the seventh chapter (Dan. 7:8, 11, 20-21, 24-25), and the other in the eighth (Dan. 8:9, 23-26).  The mistake of the common interpretations today is that the little horns found in Daniel both refer to the future Antichrist.  But the truth is that neither of the little horns is the Antichrist.

The little horn of Daniel seven is quite distinct from the one in Daniel eight.  The empire referenced in Daniel seven connected with this horn is the fourth beast (Dan. 7:7-8).  It is the one that has the ten horns and later a “little horn” rising among them to pluck up three.  This is unquestionably the Roman empire in a future form.  Everyone should know from a cursory review of ancient history that Rome was the last world empire in a succession of four to control and have rule over the Jewish people/nation.

Its ten horns and the little horn indicate a revived form of this fourth beast in the end times.  But how are we justified in saying this?  The decline and fall of the Roman empire are a fact of history.  By 500 AD the western part had lost its political and military power.  Everyone can see it “is not” (doesn’t exist today) and has been nonexistent for hundreds of years (Rev. 17:8, 11).  But the ten horns are integral to this beast, seen in Daniel seven as well as in the Revelation (Rev. 13:1, Rev. 17:3).  To this point in history those horns have never existed.  And it should be obvious these ten kings/kingdoms will be a critical conglomeration of political power in reviving the empire in the future tribulation times.

Another pertinent observation which proves the point of the empire’s future revival is that it will meet its end in judgment and destruction from God at the time of the coming/return of Jesus Christ, the glorified Son of Man.  Both Daniel and Revelation predict this outcome (Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45, 7:7-14, 19-26, Rev. 17:12-14, 19:11- 20).  The empire must be revived and present in order to be judged by Him when He returns.

All this evidence proves that the 4th beast of Daniel seven is Roman (Dan. 7:7).  Further, in comparing the little horn in Daniel seven to the little horn in Daniel eight, we see significant differences.  As said above, the horn in chapter seven is connected with the Roman empire; the little horn in chapter eight isn’t.  There is nothing in Daniel eight that remotely references the Roman empire, whether we speak of its form in the time of Christ’s first coming or its form when revived during the future tribulation.

Daniel eight speaks of the 2nd and 3rd empires seen in Daniel seven – the bear (Mede-Persia, Dan. 7:5) and the leopard (Greece, Dan. 7:6).  However, in chapter eight these two powers are depicted in the vision using different beasts – a ram (Mede-Persia, Dan. 8:3-4, 20) and a male goat (Greece, Dan. 8:5-8, 21).  What is the explanation for this change?  The ram and the goat were clean domesticated beasts used as sacrifices in Jewish worship.  Correspondingly, of the four empires, Mede-Persia and Greece were the most benevolent and friendly toward the Jewish people.

The vision of this chapter gives us greater details of these two empires than we get of them in the previous chapter.  However, the main emphasis is on the predicted history of the Grecian empire, beginning with its spectacular brilliance under Alexander the Great (Dan. 8:5-7), then its division into four parts after his early death (Dan. 8:8), and finally the meddling of one of these divisions with the Jewish people in its final days (Dan. 8:9-12).

The male goat’s “notable horn” is Alexander (Dan. 8:5, 21).  The speed of conquest of the Grecian empire is depicted by the goat’s charging “without touching the ground” and by the leopard having “four wings of a bird” (Dan. 7:6).  The goat attacking and casting down the ram was Alexander’s conquest of the Mede-Persian empire (Dan. 8:6-7, 11:3).  When he died at an early age (33 yrs.), the empire was divided between his four generals (Dan. 8:22, 11:3-4):

 

  • Cassander – the land of Macedonia and Greece
  • Lysimachus – the area of Thrace and Asia Minor
  • Ptolemy I – Egypt, Palestine, Celicia, Petra, and Cyprus
  • Seleucus I Nicator – Mesopotamia, Levant, Persia, and part of India

 

These are known as the Diadochi, the successors of Alexander. They are the “four notable ones” that came up toward the four winds of heaven after “the large horn was broken” (Dan. 8:8).  This four-fold division is also symbolized by the four heads of the leopard (Dan. 7:6).

For many years the Ptolemaic kingdom of the south (Egypt – south in relation to Israel) warred with the Seleucid kingdom of the north (Syria and Persia, north of Israel).  Amazingly accurate details of the years of these struggles are prophetically narrated in Daniel eleven (Dan. 11:5-35), including reference to historical battles and characters like Ptolemy Philadelphia (v. 5), his daughter Bernice (v.6), Antiochus III the Great (king of the North, v. 11-19), the battles of Raphia (v. 11) and Panium (v. 15), and even the well-known Cleopatra IV, the last ruler of the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt (v. 17, BC 51 to 30).

For most of this time the Jews and Judah were on the periphery and unaffected.  But with the rise of Antiochus IV Epiphanes as the king of the north from the Seleucid kingdom (170 BC), things changed (his activities are predicted in detail here: Dan. 11:21-31).  He forced upon the Jews the practices of Hellenistic culture, including the worship of Zeus and the Parthenon.

 

Daniel 11:31-32 (NKJV)

“And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.  32Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”

 

Many of the Jewish leaders capitulated to his desires and Palestine with Jerusalem were Hellenized. The writings of the Maccabees speak of the Jewish resistance to his rule, as does this phrase in the narrative (Dan. 11:32), “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”   

In review of Daniel eight, we know the male goat is the Grecian empire and Alexander was the first horn.   After his death the kingdom was divided into four parts.  Eventually a little horn came out of one of these divisions – the Seleucid kingdom.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes is the “little horn” of this chapter:

 

Daniel 8:9 (NKJV)

“And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land.

 

What is interesting, but possibly confusing for those not giving enough attention to details, is that this “little horn” in Daniel eight is both a type and an antitype.  The type has already been fulfilled in the historical accounts of Antiochus IV Epiphanes – he ruled the Seleucid kingdom from 175 – 164 BC.  He was one of the last kings of the Seleucid empire, which was mainly the territories of Syria and Persia.  As we said above, the historical events surrounding him are well documented in the prophetic interpretation given by the angel in Daniel eleven (Dan. 11:21-31).  He is notable for nearly conquering Ptolemaic Egypt, for persecuting the Jews in Judah and Samaria, and for stimulating the consequent revolt of the Jewish Maccabees.

However, the antitype is a character of the future tribulation time.  He will be the final Assyrian, the last king of the North, the mortal enemy of both the end time Caesar and his surrogate, the Antichrist, the willful king in Palestine.  The prophetic interpretation of Daniel eleven ends any further referencing of events associated with Antiochus IV in verse thirty-two.  The next three verses (Dan. 11:33-35) involve a big gap of time, as well as completely passing over Jesus Christ’s first coming.  We see clear evidence of this gap in the phrases “to the time of the end” and “for it shall yet be for the time appointed.”  Everything before this is accomplished history; everything after it is unfulfilled prophecy.

The next four verses speak of the Antichrist among the Jews during the future tribulation (Dan. 11:36-39).  The prophetic narrative of chapter eleven ends with details about the Assyrian, the king of the North, enemy of the Antichrist at that future time:

 

Daniel 11:40-45 (NKJV)

“At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 

41He shall enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 

42He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.

43He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.

44But news from the east and north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.

45And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.”

 

Chapter eleven clearly separates the type (Antiochus IV) from the future antitype (the Assyrian, the king of the North).  In the beginning of the passage above, the “him” being attacked by the kings of the South and North is the Antichrist, the willful king in Palestine from the previous verses (Dan. 11:36-39).  None of these are historical figures like Antiochus IV, but individuals who will play these infamous roles in the future tribulation.

In Daniel eight we find a greater difficulty in separating things.  The “horn” is the prophetic symbol requiring a proper interpretation (Dan. 8:9).  But the difficulty is in distinguishing between the type, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and the antitype of the future tribulation:  

 

Type – Antiochus IV Epiphanes; the type represented by the little horn of Daniel eight (Dan. 8:9-10); the vile and evil king of the North in Daniel eleven (Dan. 11:21-31)

Antitype – the Assyrian of the end times; the antitype represented by the little horn of Daniel eight (Dan. 8: 11-12, 23-25); the king of the North at the end in Daniel eleven (Dan. 11:40-45); the Assyrian in Isaiah 30:30-32

 

Some of the descriptions of the little horn in chapter eight cannot be applied to Antiochus IV.  Verse twenty-four says he shall be mighty, but not by his own power – this must refer to the little horn in the future tribulation, who will be fierce because of Satanic backing.  Verse twenty-five speaks of his cunning and deceptive craft – all historical accounts say Antiochus was a buffoon and heavy drinker.  We’re also confident these descriptions of the little horn are of the future Assyrian because they are prefaced by the angel telling Daniel (Dan. 8:19): “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be.”  All the visions in Daniel bring us to the end – to the time when the glorified Son of Man will return from heaven to exercise divine judgment on this world and to establish the kingdom of God on the earth in power and glory.  The end of verse twenty-five tells us that this little horn “will be broken without human hand” – always a reference to direct divine judgment from God in the end times (see Dan. 2:34, 44-45).