Obtain the Kingdom by Flatteries Dan 11:21 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
There has been very much public attention given to Nelson Mandela as a great man responsible for ending apartheid in South Africa. We even flew our nation’s flag at half staff in his honor from Dec 5 to Dec 9, 2013, following his death. In the month of November we flew our flags at half staff in honor of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of John F Kennedy, who has also been given much public attention as a great man. Certainly these men rose to great heights in public and in office since both served as presidents of their countries.
But these men were associated with some popular ideologies and that is one of the main reasons for their public popularity. There is much evidence to indicate that while these are men of renown in the world, they are far from heroic. Kennedy was an adulterer and Mandela was imprisoned because he was a terrorist with strong ties to communists.
As Bible-believers, we need to be very careful about following the public acclaim and honor afforded these men. We need to realize that these men represent popular worldly ideologies and that their public promotion is paving the way for the antichrist to come into power. These men were not godly men and when they are being honored in public, some of the information that would make them look bad is being ignored.
That should be no surprise to us. As an example, when breweries advertise beer on the television, they never tell the whole story. They show you the smiles, the pretty people, and the lively party, but they never show you the cirrhosis of the liver, the domestic violence, the infidelity, the broken marriages, the fights, the automobile accidents and the alcohol addiction. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 2.5 million people die each year from alcohol related causes. Compare that number with the total number of casualties in every war in the United States from 1775 until today. There have been approximately 850,000 people killed in war and approximately 470,000 more that have died in war related deaths for a total of approximately 1,320,000 war-related casualties from every war in the United States since 1775. The number of alcohol related deaths is, therefore, staggering. But you never hear about this when beer is being promoted!!
So, we have two completely different views concerning beer, cigarettes, adultery, and numerous other sins that are regularly promoted in public. The Bible gives you one view that shows the corruption and judgment associated with sin. The world gives you only the view that these sins are acceptable, desirable and worth your money and your physical dissipation.
And we have two completely different views concerning men of renown. The world leads you to believe that they are heroes worthy of your worship. The Bible shows you that they are “brute beasts” who “corrupt themselves,” [Jude 10].
Now, this introduction brings us to our text in Dan 11:21. The antichrist comes into power peaceably and will obtain the kingdom by flatteries. The world will worship him as a great hero, even greater than the men of renown that they idolize today [Rev 13:4-5]. They will gladly give him the kingdom [Rev 17:17] because he will be promoted as a man worthy of the public’s honor, praise and trust. He will espouse the world’s ideologies promising equality, peace, and prosperity [Deut 23:6]. In fact, what follows his deception is desolation, destruction and the worst war mankind has ever seen in all of its history [Matt 24:21]; one war worse than all other wars combined [Rev 16:16].
You see, the world will call the antichrist “god,” [Dan 11:36-37, 2 Thes 2:4]. That’s the flattery. But the Bible calls him “a vile person,” [Dan 11:21], “a beast,” [Rev 13:1-2], “the man of sin,” [2 Thes 2:3], and “the son of perdition,” [2 Thes 2:3]. That’s the truth. These two views of the same man are diametrically opposed.
So, as Bible believers, we cannot let ourselves get caught up in the public honor given to these men of renown by the world. Our children and our friends need to hear the “other side of the story” regarding what these men really are and what they stand for. Their ideologies are worldly and completely contrary to God. You need to be as courageous as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in your resolve to stand with the Bible and against the demagogues.
The Lord warned you that the world would hate you if you stand with him [Jn 15:19]. But remember that one day you are supposed to be riding on a white horse in the army of the Lord [Rev 19:14] when he returns to defeat the antichrist who will wage war against him [Rev 17:12-14]. You need to take your stand with righteousness with the same determination as the children of Levi who gathered themselves together with Moses against the idolatry of Aaron [Ex 32:26] and as Phinehas who executed judgment against the man of Israel and the Midianitish woman in the doctrine of Balaam [Num 25:6-8].
When appropriate, you need to speak the truth against the public honor of sinful men who promote their antichrist policies. At the least, don’t endorse them by repeating the worldly acclaim given to these men. Only the Lord is worthy of your praise and you should refrain from flattering those who are paving the way for the devil, himself.