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Antiochus Epiphanes: Forerunner of Trouble to Come

The Spanish-American philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” No doubt you have heard it said that “history repeats itself.” What does this mean?

Often, patterns of history play out time and again as the centuries and millennia pass. The reason for this is that human nature remains essentially the same. Leaders tend to make similar decisions again and again, from generation to generation. There is value in understanding this principle because such understanding can help us comprehend what is going to happen in the future.

The focus of this article is a historical figure who serves as an archetype of a future, more powerful leader. The name of this man is Antiochus Epiphanes – a name that may be unfamiliar to you. Devout Jews readily recognize this ancient Syrian king. He inflicted great harm upon the Jewish nation 150 years before Christ walked the earth.

Bible prophecy reveals that Antiochus Epiphanes was simply a forerunner of a future leader who will bring great suffering upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the land of Israel. The prophesied leader-to-come will follow in the footsteps of this despotic king of history. An ancient pattern of taking people captive, committing atrocities, and instituting pagan rites will impact Jerusalem, affecting the entire world and pushing nations toward world war.

Duality in Prophecy

Before proceeding further in studying this individual, it is important to understand what prophecy is. To put it simply, prophecy is history written in advance. God alone can reveal future events to us. In the book of Isaiah, God tells us He declares the great events of the future: “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done…” (Isaiah 46:10).

An essential key to understanding future events as outlined in prophecy is the principle of duality. There is a duality – a pattern of recurrence of events – as God works out his plan for mankind and all his creation. The principle of duality applies to the study of prophecy; and recognizing duality is a key to understanding prophetic events. Let’s take a brief look into the Bible to see how duality is used.

Duality has to do with repetition or the recurrence of things. Duality can be seen in the following examples: There was the first man Adam, and the second Adam, who was Christ (I Corinthians 15:45-47). There is the Old Covenant, and the New Covenant (Hebrews 9:15). There was the old Jerusalem and there is a new heavenly Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2). There was the physical nation of Israel and there is the “Israel of God” a spiritual nation today – God’s church (1 Peter 2:9).

As already indicated, many prophecies in your Bible are dual. Duality implies that prophetic events can have more than one fulfillment. Often, there is an initial, partial, historical fulfillment followed by a latter day, complete fulfillment of the prophesied event.

Just one example of the dual fulfillments of a specific prophecy can be found in Matthew, chapter 24. In this chapter Jesus answered his disciples’ questions concerning the end of the age. His comments foretold the coming destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and they also foretold the terrible end time calamity yet to befall Jerusalem, just before Christ returns.

The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by Roman armies was only a TYPE of what will happen during what the Bible calls the "times of the Gentiles" (Luke 21:20-24). This period will bring the world into another world war. The Roman legions that conquered Jerusalem during the first century killed over a million Jews. This Roman invasion was only the precursor of a future "Roman" army that will once again surge through the Holy land – an event most likely to occur in your lifetime!

The captivity of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was just one of many captivities this ancient city has had to endure. Jerusalem has been ravaged and overrun by her enemies many times throughout history. However, one, particular captivity stands out as a painful reminder of what is prophesied to occur in the near future. This unique story focuses upon Antiochus Epiphanes and the horrible “abomination of desolation” associated with him.

The Brutal Dictator Antiochus Epiphanes

In Matthew 24, Christ referred to the book of Daniel the prophet when he said, “…when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place…flee to the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15-16). The Jews in Christ’s day understood very well the image of an abomination standing in the holy place. Previously, in ancient history, the Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes had taken control of Jerusalem. He and his armies desecrated the holy place by setting up an abomination – an idol – in the temple that had been dedicated to God and by sacrificing swine’s flesh on the temple altar.

We can learn more about this man by studying the Jewish festival known as Hanukkah. This Jewish holiday arose in celebration of the triumph of the Jews over the forces of Antiochus Epiphanes and their corresponding rededication of the temple. The following is taken from the Microsoft Encarta Reference Library:

“Hanukkah commemorates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem by Judas Maccabee in 165 bc. Rededication was necessary because Antiochus IV Epiphanes, king of Syria and overlord of Palestine, had profaned (defiled) the temple. In 168 bc, on a date corresponding approximately to December 25 in the Gregorian calendar, the temple was dedicated to the worship of the pagan god Zeus Olympius by order of Antiochus, who forbade the practice of Judaism. An altar to Zeus was set up on the high altar. When Judas Maccabee recaptured Jerusalem three years later, he had the temple purged and a new altar put up in place of the desecrated one. The temple was then rededicated to God with festivities that lasted eight days (see 1 Maccabees chapters 3 and 4). According to tradition, only a one-day supply of nondesecrated olive oil could be found for the rededication, but that small quantity burned miraculously for eight days. Jews commemorate this event by lighting candles for the eight nights of Hanukkah. The principal source for the story of Hanukkah is the Talmud.”

Antiochus desecrated the temple by offering swine’s flesh on the altar and setting up a statue of Zeus in the temple. The statue is sometimes called Jupiter Olympus. Jupiter Olympus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Zeus. Another book, the historical book of 1 Maccabees, as recorded in 1 Maccabees1:41-61, graphically describes the heinous acts perpetrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, including hanging dead babies around the necks of Jewish women who circumcised their children:

“Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, and that each should give up his customs. All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, to forbid burnt offerings and sacrifices and drink offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and feasts, to defile the sanctuary and the priests, to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and unclean animals, and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, so that they should forget the law and change all the ordinances. "And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die." In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. And he appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the cities of Judah to offer sacrifice, city by city. Many of the people, every one who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.

“Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year, they erected a desolating sacrilege [setting up a statue of the god Jupiter Olympus in the temple] upon the altar of burnt offering. They also built altars in the surrounding cities of Judah, and burned incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. The books of the law which they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. Where the book of the covenant was found in the possession of any one, or if any one adhered to the law, the decree of the king condemned him to death. They kept using violence against Israel, against those found month after month in the cities. And on the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar which was upon the altar of burnt offering. According to the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, and their families and those who circumcised them; AND THEY HUNG THE INFANTS FROM THEIR MOTHERS’ NECKS.”

Antiochus Epiphanes attempted to terminate the worship of the true God. He ruthlessly persecuted all Jews who kept the law of God including those who kept the weekly Sabbath and annual holy days such as Unleavened Bread and the Feast of Trumpets (Leviticus 23). He killed thousands who disobeyed his pagan edicts. Most offensive to those loyal to the law of God was the placing of an idol in the very temple of God. This was the worst possible abomination in the eyes of the religious Jews.

What is the Abomination of Desolation

What is the "abomination of desolation" that Christ prophesied about in Matthew 24? Putting the Bible and historical facts together, we can understand what the abomination that is to "stand in the holy place" (Matthew 24:15) will be. Anciently, as already stated, the abomination Antiochus placed in the Temple, with the help of his army, was the image of Zeus. The "abomination of desolation," therefore, was a FALSE GOD -- an IDOL – placed in the very seat of Godly worship – the temple, and set up by armed troops who had been sent to occupy Jerusalem.

Christ spoke of a yet final prophetic fulfillment of a ‘holy place’ being defiled. He prophesied in Matthew 24 that a short time before he returns, armies will once again surround Jerusalem and an "abomination" will be set up in the city. At that time, those in Jerusalem are told to flee to the mountains (Matthew 24:16; Luke 21:20-21). In Luke 21, this event is referenced as "Jerusalem compassed with armies" (verse 20).

Prophecy reveals that a future European super state – in a brief resurrection of the Roman Empire – will take over the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2). Gentiles are prophesied to trample Jerusalem under foot (Revelation 11:2). This European power will set the palace of its headquarters in the Holy Land (Daniel 11:41-45).

Prophecy reveals that two men, a military leader and a religious prophet, will guide this evil revival of the Roman Empire. The book of Revelation speaks of both the military leader and the empire he leads as a ‘beast.’ The religious leader of this beastly empire is called a ‘False Prophet’ (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). When Christ returns, both the beast and false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire burning with brimstone (Revelation 19:20).

Other prophecies in the book of Daniel (chapter 8:11 and 12:11) speak of the daily sacrifices in Jerusalem being taken away. Portions of Daniel, chapter 8, speak of the abomination of desolation placed by Antiochus Epiphanes as causing the temple sacrifices to cease. Daniel 8:19, 26 tell us the first abomination of desolation will also have an end time fulfillment: “He said, ‘Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath; for it refers to the appointed time of the end—verse 19.’” NRSV

Remember that inherent in these scriptures is the principle of duality. The daily sacrifices were taken away under the reign of Antiochus, but they SHALL be taken away one final time, just before Christ returns to this earth to set up the Kingdom of God.

End Time Fulfillment

Some say the abomination of desolation has already been fulfilled and that there is no future fulfillment at the time of the end. But this conclusion is a dangerous fiction. Read Matthew 24:15 again: “Therefore when you see the’ abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the HOLY PLACE…” The holy place Christ refers to is not the holy place of the past, but a holy place that exists in Judea at the time of the end! Daniel 12:9-13 describes the “abomination of desolation” as taking place at “the time of the end,” just as Jesus Christ said it would in Matthew 24. Remember, Jesus Christ gave this prophecy in response to the disciples’ question: “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”—verse 3.

The end-time political-religious power dominating Jerusalem will cause daily sacrifices to come to a halt! Historically, Jews have not offered animal sacrifices since the Roman general Titus destroyed the temple in 70 A. D. We know from prophecy that there will once again be sacrifices taking place in the Holy Land (Daniel 12:11). At present, there are certain groups in Jerusalem who are making a serious and studied effort to resurrect this practice. In order for end-time sacrifices to be halted, they must begin at some point in time. Many will not believe it until it takes place, but the Jews will sacrifice on a daily basis in Judea one final time before Christ returns. Scripture is clear on this! When they begin to offer DAILY sacrifices at a ‘holy place’ in Jerusalem, you will know that the return of Jesus Christ is only a matter of a few years away!

So far we have seen that end time events impacting Jerusalem will mirror both the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the actions of Antiochus Epiphanes against the Jews in 168/167 B.C. Invading armies will trample Jerusalem, and an abomination of desolation will be set up that will desecrate the holy place.

Prophecy is not just a series of random ‘predictions’ made by God. The latter-day fulfillments of prophecy are often rooted in past events. Understanding the use of duality in prophecy helps us to study the history of ancient Israel so we can understand what will happen in the future. With this in mind, we can watch international events with a more discerning eye.

God tells us that as the end time events near, the “wise” will be keenly watching world affairs – discerning the times they live in. On the Wonderful World Tomorrow website and radio program, we will keep you informed of the changing tides in Europe and the Middle East. Stay tuned and visit us often; and NEVER forget Christ’s admonition in Matthew 24:42 to “WATCH”, because you do not know what hour your Lord is coming! Tell your friends about us.