Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.” So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me,”Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.” Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright. And he said, “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. (vv.15-19)
Daniel was still in the midst of his vision when he saw himself on the shores of this Persian river. He heard someone instruct Gabriel to "explain the vision to Daniel." Gabriel assured Daniel that this vision had to do with end times, a latter time of the indignation. The terms "time of the end" and "latter time of the indignation" commonly refer to what we think of as the end times, not events fulfilled more than a 100 years before the birth of Jesus (in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes).
Though this prophecy was fulfilled in Antiochus Epiphanes, it also has a later fulfillment in the Antichrist, referring to "the time of the end." Antiochus Epiphanes is sometimes called the “Antichrist of the Old Testament.” He prefigures the "Antichrist of the New Testament." Just as Antiochus Epiphanes rose to power with force and intrigue, so will the later Antichrist. As Antiochus persecuted the Jews, so will the Antichrist. As Antiochus stopped sacrifice and desecrated the temple, so will the Antichrist. And just as Antiochus seemed to be a complete success, so will the Antichrist.
For us, Daniel’s prophetic vision of the “time of the end,” draws nearer every day. His vision prefigures the rule of the Antichrist in the coming end of days. He shall come to power through flattery (a smooth talker), striking a covenant with Israel (Daniel 9:27), deceiving many, looking like the man of peace, having the power of Satan to do signs and lying wonders. He will exalt himself, he will sit as God in the temple of God, showing himself to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). But he will eventually be defeated by the hand of Christ (Revelation 19:20).
Daniel’s vision will have it’s ultimate fulfillment in the not so distant future. Therefore, let every man who has an ear to hear, hear this, and keep your eyes on Israel, the center of all this future action.
The Truth: “ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” (Revelation 19:20-21)
