Antiochus Epiphanes
A Type of The Coming Antichrist
Daniel E. Woodhead Ph.D.
Introduction
The Bible gives a prophecy about the development of a world empire out of which a man called Antiochus Epiphanes would emerge. In this clear example of Bible typology God is giving us an example of the coming Antichrist and what he will do in the middle of the Great Tribulation. He along with the False Prophet who will be the leader of all the heretical pagan world’s religions will place an image of the Antichrist in the rebuild Jewish Temple. Because of the Antiochus typology we assume it will be placed in the Holy of Holies where it will come alive. The Abomination of Desolation was prophesied by The Lord Jesus (Matthew 24:15) and will be carried out by the Antichrist and the False Prophet (Revelation 13:14-15). Jesus wants His children to realize what is coming. We have the example of The Lord Jesus telling His inner circle; Peter, James John and Andrew of future end time world events in His Olivet Discourse. He said to them, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4). Jesus also wants to strengthen our belief by telling us events long before they occur.
John 14:29
And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe (KJV).
Alexander’s Generals
We see the prophecy of the vision of the coming Hellenistic empire (also called the Greek Empire) from Daniel 7:6 where this empire is described as one beast that is leopard-like with four wings and four heads. With leopard-like swiftness, Alexander the Great conquered the Medo-Persian Empire and greatly extended the Hellenistic Empire. In 323 B.C. Alexander dies, and when asked who should succeed him, he says to leave his empire to “the strong.” The empire is split into four kingdoms. The four wings represent the four kingdoms rising out of Alexander’s Empire and the four heads represent the four generals who took control of the four kingdoms, and who would fight with each other continually over these territories. The generals and their areas were:
- Ptolemy, who ruled over Egypt, Israel and Arabia Petrea
- Seleucus, who ruled over Syria, Babylonia, and as Far East as India
- Cassander, who ruled over Macedonia and Greece
- Lysimachus, who ruled over Thrace and Bithinia
Here is a map showing the divisions in 301 B.C.:
Source: Retrieved March 28, 2013 from
http://etc.usf.edu/maps/pages/6800/6811/6811.htm
Notice the position of Israel is in between the areas claimed by Ptolemy and Selucis, and would be a an area of constant turmoil as these two powers fought with each other. The successors of Seleucus and Ptolemy are all prophesied in Daniel 10 and 11. Out of the Seleucid line came the leader, Antiochus Epiphanes, who eventually exerted control over the Holy Land and imposed extreme persecutions to the Jews as described in Daniel chapter 8. Here is the line of succession that preceded Antiochus Epiphanes:
323 B.C. Alexander dies. He says to leave his empire to “the strong.”
312-280 B.C. Seleucus I Nicator succeeds as ruler over the Israel region.
280-261 B.C. Antiochus II Soter assumes leadership over Israel.
261-246 B.C. Antiochus II Theos replaces Soter.
246-226 B.C. Seleucis II Callinicus assumes control.
226-223 B.C. Seleucis III Keroneos rises.
222-187 B.C. Antiochus III The Great took control.
187-175 B.C. Seleucis IV Philopator plundered the Temple and raised taxes to the Jews.
175-164 B.C. Antiochus IV Epiphanes is the brother of Philopator and he begins a very severe persecution of the Jews, which causes a revolt led by the Maccabeans, and creates a turning back to God by the Jews for a short while.