Verse 39: “He is going to act against the strongest powers with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and give much power. And he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for a price.”

Act against: Make war with

With a foreign god: The antichrist’s absolute power or strength is not based in himself, it is not based in his military, but is based in this foreign god i.e. satan. It is satan who is empowering him and through whom he is able to achieve all of these things.

Give much power: The antichrist is going to glorify and honour satan. In return, satan is going to give him power and cause him to rule over many things.

Divide the land for a price: Willing to make compromises that are not based upon righteousness, but rather for his own selfish desires.

Verse 40: “At the time of the end the king of the South will charge at him, but the king of the North is going to come against him like a whirlwind – with chariots, horsemen and with many boats. He shall enter the countries; he is going to sweep by and pass over.”

The end (ץ ִֵׁ֗ק): This is a word that refers to the very end of time.

South: ((בֶג ֶ֔נה) (Referred to as “the Negev”.

The king of the South will charge: As we have read, frequently, in this chapter: As soon as the Northern Kingdom establishes itself the Southern kingdom rises up against it. This will be the Southern kingdoms final attempt at war. As we have learnt, the antichrist comes from the Northern kingdom. He will lead his great military against the small nation of Israel. Israel, and the rest of the world, are going to suffer greatly at this time. But in the end G-d’s old covenant people (the remnant of the Jewish nation) will embrace the new covenant at the return of Messiah Yeshua. Messiah’s return ushers in victory and the establishment of the Kingdom of G-d.

Charge: This is the same word as the one found in Daniel 8:4.

Come against him: The implication and context of this verse is that the antichrist (king of the North) is going to be successful in this final battle.

Like a whirlwind: He is going to go against the South in a furious rage – a rage that is out of control.

Enter the countries: Not just the countries in the South, but many countries are going to be conquered by him.

Sweep by and pass over: The implication is that this king of the North is going to be victorious.

Verse 41: “And he will come into the Beautiful Land, and many are going to fall. But these will escape from his hand: Edom, Moab and the prominent people of Ammon.”

Beautiful Land: The land of Israel. Whenever the antichrist feels that he is strong, whenever he feels established, he goes to Israel in order to try to establish his kingdom. He knows that he cannot establish his kingdom unless Israel either receives him or Israel is destroyed.

Many are going to fall: Many of the children of Israel are going to fall (stumble). This is an idiom which means to be persecuted or to be put to death. This is going to be the worst time of suffering for the Jewish people ever – a time even worse than the Holocaust. Something good came after the first Holocaust – the establishment of the modern nation of Israel. Out of this second Holocaust will come the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

Edom: The descendants of Esau. These are the people that God hates (Malachi 1:3), as historically they have always been opposed to the things of God. It is no wonder, then, that they are spared the wrath of the antichrist.

Moab: This is another nation that has always stood in opposition to what God wanted to do. This teaches us that the antichrist has the exact opposite mindset of God. What God hates he loves. 

Those whom God loves he hates.