Daniel's Beast

Commentators just love the date setting and exposing whom Daniel's beast is.  Just think of it - you can sell hundreds of thousands of books by coming up with your best guess - and people will believe you for at least a minute and a half until the next best guess out!  Of course, never mind that Jesus said you ain't gonna know until it is too late ... but that never stops those whom see the flock is for sheering, eh Hal?

Anyway, this past weekend we got into it over Daniel 8:24 - 25 ...

v24:  strong, but not by his own power

v24:  cause devastation and will succeed

v24:  destroy mighty men and holy people

v25:   deceit to prosper, thinks himself superior

v25:  when secure, he will destroy and stand against the Prince of Princes

v25:  he will be destroyed but not by human power

And, having read this list, a pig pile of commentators select this to be historical and a reference to Antiochus Epiphanes.  Make no mistake, Antiochus was a royal pain in the backside to the Jews!  He treated then with disdain as their ruler, rose a statue of himself in the Holy of Holies and when it was torn down and beheaded - he slaughtered the priests.  Then he slaughtered a pig on the altar and ended up having to kill quite a few more Jews before God struck him down!

Judah had not seen anything like him before or after!

On his death bed Antiochus even wrote that he really could not understand his treatment of the Jews and was remorseful for the atrocities committed by him against them!

All of verse 24 fits him and the history we know about him. 
All of verse 25 fits him as well!
So he IS the anti-Christ!  Right on!

Only Jesus is quoted as saying we are to "watch for the abomination which causes desolation spoken of in Daniel".

But, if Jesus said we are to be watchful, then that means the anti-Christ has not yet come!  So, Antiochus could not be the anti-Christ!

Now take the following verses and see if you can map them with Daniel 8:24 and 25 !
Rev. 13:2
Rev. 13:3-4
Rev. 13:7
Rev. 13:5, 13-14
II Thes 2:3-4, 9-10
1 Thes 5:2
Rev. 19:19
II Thess 2:8

Looks interesting when you put them together!