The Antichrist
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The Antichrist is the 'man of lawlessness' described in 2 Thessalonians 2, the 'beast' of Revelation 13, and the 'prince who is to come' in Daniel 9. He will be a political, military, and economic genius who rises after the Rapture, makes a false peace with Israel, then turns to destroy her.
2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (NASB 1995)
Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.
His Profile
- Titles: Man of Lawlessness, Son of Perdition, The Beast (2 Thess 2:3; Rev 13:1)
- Origin: Rises from revived Roman Empire (Dan 7:7–8; Rev 17:8–9)
- Currently held back by the Holy Spirit; revealed after the Rapture (2 Thess 2:6–7)
- Genius in commerce (Dan 11:43; Rev 13:16–17), war (Rev 6:2; 13:7), and politics (Rev 17:8–9, 12)
- Performs signs and wonders by Satan's power (2 Thess 2:9–10)
- Exalts himself above every god; claims to be God; sits in the rebuilt temple (2 Thess 2:4; Dan 11:36)
- Signs a 7-year covenant with Israel (Dan 9:27), then breaks it at the midpoint
- Defeated and thrown into the lake of fire at Christ's Second Coming (Rev 19:20)
NOT Muslim
Claiming to be God is absolute blasphemy (shirk) under Islam — the gravest sin in Islamic theology. No true Muslim would accept a man claiming to be God. A Muslim leader would never sign a covenant protecting Israel. The theology, the covenant, and the self-deification all rule this out completely.
NOT Gog
Gog (Ezekiel 38–39) leads a coalition that invades Israel as a direct challenge TO the Antichrist's authority. They are distinct figures — Gog is defeated supernaturally by God before the Tribulation; the Antichrist is defeated by Christ at the Second Coming.
🙏 Reflection & Prayer
The Antichrist will perform genuine signs and wonders by Satan's power. How do I build discernment now so I am not deceived by impressive spiritual experiences that aren't from God?
The Antichrist claims to be God and sits in the temple. In what smaller ways does the spirit of antichrist already operate today — setting something up in place of God?
His ultimate end is the lake of fire (Rev 19:20). How does knowing his certain defeat affect the way I think about evil and suffering in the present age?
✏️ Module 7 — My notes on the Antichrist:
7.1 — Daniel 11:37: "The Desire of Women" — Deep Dive
Source: Campbell Bible Study session notes — April 13, 2026. Daniel 11:37 is one of the most debated verses in the Antichrist profile. The Hebrew phrase hemdath nashiym (H2532 + H802) — literally "desire of women" — sits in a list of religious rejections, yet its translation has led interpreters in widely different directions.
The Translation Problem
Hebrew hemdath nashiym can mean either (1) "what women desire" — something women cherish or long for — or (2) "desire FOR women" — his own sexual interest. The NASB and KJV leave it ambiguous. The NIV, ESV, and NLT all translate it as "the one desired BY women" — meaning a person or deity that women love. Completely different meaning. Most modern translations point away from the sexuality reading.
Daniel 11:37 — Four Translations
NLT: "He will have no respect for the gods of his ancestors, or for the god loved by women, or for any other god."
NIV: "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he show regard for any other god."
ESV: "He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women."
NASB: "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god."
NIV: "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he show regard for any other god."
ESV: "He shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women."
NASB: "He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god."
Four Major Interpretations
1. The Tammuz / Pagan God Reading
Tammuz (also called Adonis) was a fertility deity especially cherished by women in the ancient Near East. Ezekiel 8:14 specifically records women weeping for Tammuz at the Temple gate. Under this reading: the Antichrist rejects ALL gods — his ancestors' gods, the gods women cherish, every god. He exalts himself above all of them. Strength: Fits the context perfectly — verse 37 is a list of religious rejections, not personal behavior. Tammuz was real and well-known in Daniel's world. Weakness: Tammuz is obscure to modern readers.
2. The Messianic Hope Reading
Jewish mothers desperately wanted to bear the Messiah. "The desire of women" = the Messiah himself — the one every Jewish woman hoped to bring into the world. Under this reading: the Antichrist rejects Christ and has no regard for the messianic hope women carried for generations. Strength: Theologically rich; connects directly to 2 Thessalonians 2:4 — he opposes everything called God. Weakness: An unusual way for Daniel to refer to the Messiah; he uses other terms (Anointed One, Son of Man) elsewhere.
3. The Homosexuality Reading
"No desire of women" = he has no sexual interest in women. This is the weakest of the four interpretations. If Daniel wanted to say this, Hebrew had explicit language for it (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13) — he didn't use it. The phrase sits in a list of religious rejections, not personal behavior. The NIV, ESV, NLT, and CSB all translate it differently, pointing away from this reading. It relies heavily on English translation rather than Hebrew grammar.
4. Chris's Reading — Cold Disregard for Human Longing (4/13/26)
"The desire of women" = what women naturally value and pursue — beauty, security, provision, material comfort, the things that drive human longing. The Antichrist has no regard for any of it. He is so consumed with self-exaltation that he is completely indifferent to human experience itself.
Key insight (4/13/26): The reason he is detached is BECAUSE he has exalted himself. He has put himself on a pedestal and wants people to worship him as a god. Because of that, he feels like he has everything he wants, needs, desires. So he doesn't care what they think or feel. This makes him MORE dangerous — a tyrant who needs something from people has a pressure point. Someone who is completely indifferent, who already believes he is god and needs nothing from his subjects except worship — that person can do anything without hesitation. No conscience. No human feeling to exploit or appeal to.
Supporting scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 11:36 — "He will magnify himself above them all."
Key insight (4/13/26): The reason he is detached is BECAUSE he has exalted himself. He has put himself on a pedestal and wants people to worship him as a god. Because of that, he feels like he has everything he wants, needs, desires. So he doesn't care what they think or feel. This makes him MORE dangerous — a tyrant who needs something from people has a pressure point. Someone who is completely indifferent, who already believes he is god and needs nothing from his subjects except worship — that person can do anything without hesitation. No conscience. No human feeling to exploit or appeal to.
Supporting scripture: 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Daniel 11:36 — "He will magnify himself above them all."
Where I Land (Chris, 4/13/26)
I lean away from the homosexuality interpretation. The more I read the other translations, the less it sounds like sexual immorality. I see this as being about the Antichrist's total self-exaltation making him indifferent to what humanity values. He sees himself as complete, self-sufficient, god-like. I also see merit in the Tammuz/fertility god reading since it fits the immediate context of rejecting gods. Either way, the core truth is the same: the Antichrist is utterly inhuman in his detachment from everything people hold dear. His self-worship leaves no room for anything else.
Q1. The Tammuz reading places this verse firmly in a list of religious rejections. Does that context change how you read the phrase? How does knowing ancient Near Eastern religion help unlock Daniel?
Q2. Chris's reading suggests the Antichrist's coldness flows directly from his self-exaltation — he already believes he is god, so human longing is irrelevant to him. How does this match what you see in Daniel 11:36–37 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4?
Q3. The homosexuality interpretation gets a lot of attention in popular prophecy teaching but is the weakest grammatically. What does this example teach you about the importance of reading original language context over English surface readings?
🙏 Reflection — Module 7.1
The Antichrist's defining characteristic isn't cruelty or violence — it's total self-exaltation. He places himself above every god, every human longing, every external authority. In what ways does the spirit of self-exaltation already operate in the world — and in our own hearts — before his arrival?
God reveals the Antichrist's profile in advance not to frighten us, but to equip us. How does studying his character help you recognize deception now, while it's still operating at a lower level?
🔗 Cross-References — Module 7.1
• Daniel 11:36–45 — Full Antichrist profile: self-exaltation, military campaigns, ignoring gods, final end
• 2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 — Man of lawlessness exalts himself above everything called God or worshiped
• Ezekiel 8:14 — Women weeping for Tammuz at the Temple gate (Tammuz reading anchor)
• Revelation 13:1–10 — The Beast: authority, blasphemy, global worship demanded
📚 Session notes: Daniel_11_37_Desire_of_Women_Deep_Dive.txt (April 13, 2026)
🔗 Cross-References
• Daniel 11:36–45 — Detailed profile of the Antichrist's character, campaigns, and end
• Revelation 13:1–10 — The Beast from the sea: his authority, blasphemy, and global power
• Module 6 (The Rapture) — The Antichrist cannot be revealed until the Restrainer is removed
• Module 8 (The Rebuilt Temple) — The Antichrist's midpoint betrayal requires the temple to exist
• Module 15 (Armageddon) — The Antichrist's final campaign and his destruction by Christ