Meditations in Matthew Two: Herod as the End-time King (Dan 11)

We are applying our proposed prophetic model—inmillennialism—to the gospel of Matthew. The second chapter of that book shows the fulfillment of four prophecies.¹ All were “last days” prophecies. And, Herod played a major role in their fulfillment.

These facts led us to look for Herod in Old Testament prophecies. Our last post suggested he is the little horn in Daniel 7. 

This post proposes Herod is also “the king” (Dan 11:36) in Daniel’s last vision (Dan 10:1–12:13). Our three reasons for this identification follow.

The prophet saw “a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold” (Dan. 10:5). This linen-clad man helped Daniel understand the vision. He said, “I will shew thee that which is noted in the scripture of truth” (Dan 10:21). We will refer to this as the “things noted in the scripture of truth” vision.²

Confirmation from the Stated Time

Our first reason to see Herod as “the king” comes from the timeframes mentioned in this vision. 

Inmillennialism uses a precise definition for terms like “last days” and “latter days.” They refer to the period between the birth of Christ and the fall of the Temple. This interval—ca. 3 BC to AD 70—comprised the “last days” of the Mosaic Age.³

The “things noted in the scripture of truth” vision deals with this period. The linen-clad man says, “I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days” (Dan 10:14; emphasis added). 

As Matthew 2 has shown, Herod was a major player in the “latter days” events. This causes us to expect to find him in this lengthy prophecy.

The vision’s beginning point is clear. Daniel receives the vision in “the third year of Cyrus king of Persia” (Dan 10:1). This “would have been 535/534 [BC], in all probability just a few years before Daniel’s death.”⁴ Daniel was then living in the Medo-Persian Empire.

That the vision foretells a continuous history for Israel also seems clear. First, “there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia” (Dan 11:2). Then, a Persian king would “stir up all against the realm of Grecia” (Dan 11:2). The Greco-Persian wars (499–49 BC) fulfilled this prophecy.

The sequence continues. Daniel learned of a mighty Grecian king whose realm would be “divided toward the four winds of heaven” (Dan. 11:4). Alexander the Great fulfilled this prophecy. When he died at an early age (323 BC), four of his generals divided his kingdom. James Farquharson shows how historical events after Alexander’s death fulfilled Dan 11:5–20.⁵

Then “a vile person” stood up (Dan 11:21). This was Antiochus Epiphanes (d. 164 BC). He arose from Syria after the division of Alexander’s kingdom (Dan 11:21–30).

So, Dan 11:2–30 presents few problems. “There has been little difference of opinion among commentators. They have explained it, as referring to the Kings of Persia, Alexander the Great, and his successors in the kingdoms of Syria and Egypt,—and the condition of the Jewish people, as affected by the events that occurred in the history of these several monarchs.”⁶

There is less unity in tracing the vision’s continuity from here to its ending point. Inmillennialism says the prophecy continues its history-in-advance flow. There is no need to jump to the end of history to account for its contents.

 Antiochus also fulfilled Dan 11:31–35. He oppressed the Jews and polluted the Temple in 167 BC. The Maccabees led a rebellion against him, cleansed the Temple, and restored the daily sacrifices. They established the Hasmonean dynasty (140–37 BC). It flourished during the rise of the Roman Empire. 

After them, “the time of the end” came for Israel (Dan 11:35). As we have seen, it came during the reign of the first ten Roman Caesars.⁷

This is where Herod enters. He is “the king” of Dan 11:36 who appears after Antiochus Epiphanes (Dan 11:21–35). He rose to power—with Rome’s help—after murdering the last of the Hasmonean rulers. His dynasty continued until the vision reaches its endpoint. 

That end includes the final abomination of desolation (Dan 12:11). Jesus told his disciples about it in his Olivet Discourse. “Ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place” (Matt 24:15). That event ended the Mosaic Age in his generation (Matt. 24:1–3, 6, 13–14, 34).

This was also the end of Daniel’s vision.

The following diagram shows the historical setting for this vision and Herod’s place in it:

The historical setting is right for Herod to be “the king” of this vision. 

Confirmation from the Title

Our second reason to see Herod in this prophecy involves the title “the king.” 

This vision contains references to several kings. Daniel writes about a “king of Persia” (Dan 10:1) and Alexander, “a mighty king” (Dan 11:3). He speaks of “a king of the south” (Dan 11:5, YLT) and a king of the north (Dan 11:6). But, the prophet never uses the definite article when speaking of these kings. In Hebrew, they are always “a king,” not “the king.”

This changes in Dan 11:36. Daniel gives an “emphatic introduction” to this king. There is an important reason for this. “The other kings, named by Daniel in this prophecy, were kings of foreign nations. Herod was the king of Daniel’s people; and he was the only king after Daniel’s time, who held, to the end of his life, the sovereign power over all that people, independently of, and separate from, the priestly authority.”⁸

The New Testament also uses the definite article when referring to Herod. Matthew 2 is the first place to do this.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matt 2:1–3; emphasis added)

This title for Herod and his descendants occurs throughout the “last days” period (Matt 2:9; 14:9; Mark 6:14, 22, 25–27; Acts 12:1, 20; 25:14; 26:26, 30). He was “the king of Judaea” (Luke 1:5).

The New Testament applies the title “the king” to only one other person in Israel—our Lord Jesus Christ (e.g., Matt 27:11, 37, 42; Mark 15:9; et al.).⁹

This exclusive use of “the king” points to Herod. “The king” opposed “the King.” This is true in both Old Testament prophecies and New Testament fulfillments.

Confirmation from Events

Our third reason to see Herod as “the king” of Dan 11:36 comes from prophetic fulfillment. Prophecy and historical events agree. The matches are so many and clear they cannot be coincidental. Philip Mauro says, “The proof which enables us to identify ‘the king’ of Daniel 11:36–39 with Herod the Great and his dynasty is so convincing that we feel warranted in saying that the prophecy could not possibly mean anyone else.”¹⁰ Herod fulfilled the last part of the “things noted in the scripture of truth” vision. We only have space here to list a few ways he did so.

Our last post mentioned Herod’s self-exaltation (Dan 11:36; cp. Acts 12:21–22). The Herodian dynasty ruled “till the indignation [was] accomplished” against Israel (Dan 11:36). Herod did not “regard the God of his [Idumean] fathers.” Nor did he care for “the desire of women.”¹¹ He murdered his wife Mariamne, a Hasmonean princess, and her mother (Dan 11:37).¹²

Herod refurbished the Temple and built “the fortress of Antonia” next to it,¹³ fulfilling Dan 11:38–39. His military campaigns match Dan 11:40–43.¹⁴ Antony, Cleopatra, and Augustus joined Herod in fulfilling this passage.

Matthew 2:1–3 gives us a striking example of Herod as “the king.” Daniel says “tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many” (Dan 11:44). This prophecy matches history. 

In the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. (Matt 2:1–3; emphasis added)

The tidings of the wise men troubled Herod. His subsequent wrath took many away (Matt 2:16).

Michael in this vision is Christ (Dan 12:1). He is “the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people.” We refer the reader to Farquharson’s defense of this position.¹⁵ Christ was born “at that time,” meaning during Herod’s reign.

There was “a time of trouble, such as never was” (Dan 12:1) during the Herodian dynasty. Jesus mentioned it and placed it in his generation (Matt 24:21, 34).

Inmillennialism sees the Messianic Age as the age of resurrection. Christ established this age during the Herodian dynasty. As a result, “many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan 12:2). We have discussed this bodily resurrection and its relation to the “last days” of the Mosaic Age in previous posts.¹⁶

Daniel again mentions the 3-1/2 year tribulation. It occurred during the time of the Herods. It “scatter[ed] the power of the holy people” (Dan 12:7; cp. Luke 21:23). And, as we have seen, the Romans set up “the abomination that maketh desolate” (Dan 12:11). Jesus placed all these in his generation, during the Herodian dynasty (Matt 24:15, 34).

These historical events confirm Herod is “the king” in Daniel’s last vision.

Conclusion

The Herods ruled at “the time of the end” of the Mosaic Age. Daniel said it would be a time when “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Dan 12:4). 

Jesus referred to this same activity. He said, “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt 24:14). The end came when the Temple fell in AD 70 (Matt 24:1–3, 34).

We praise God for the spread of gospel knowledge in the “latter days” of Israel. The Herodian dynasty could not stop it. The good news went forth. Jesus has delivered all his people (Dan 12:1). He has established his kingdom. And, it will destroy all other kingdoms during his reign (cp. Dan 2:44; 7:14; Psa 110:1; et al.).

Christ “the King” has defeated Herod “the king” and all those aligned with him (Acts 4:24–28; cp. Psa 2). “To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 25).

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1. See Meditations In Matthew Two: The Last Days.
2. This follows the lead of James Farquharson, A New Illustration of the Latter Part of Daniel’s Last Vision and Prophecy (London: Smith, Elder, and Co., 1838). I thank Gary DeMar of American Vision for bringing this book to my attention. Google Books has a PDF copy available for free (here) as does PreteristArchive (here).
3. To see our justification for this definition, please click on the “last days” tag in the right column of this post.
4. Gleason L. Archer, Jr., “Daniel,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986), 122.
5. Farquharson, Daniel’s Last Prophecy.
6. Farquharson, Daniel’s Last Prophecy, 9–10.
7. We discussed this in our last post, Meditations In Matthew Two: Herod as the Little Horn.
8. Farquharson, Daniel’s Last Prophecy, 99.
9. Paul applies this term to Aretas, a ruler in Syria (2 Cor. 11:32).
10. Philip Mauro, The Seventy Weeks: And the Great Tribulation (Swengel, PA: Reiner, 1970), 127.
11. Archer says the words are difficult. He applies the phrase to another ruler, but they fit Herod well. “Perhaps it simply points to the cruelty Antiochus showed toward all women he was sexually involved with.” — Archer, “Daniel,” 144.
12. The image in this post is Mariamne, Wife of King Herod, and Her Children going to Their Execution by Edward William John Hopley (1816–69). This file (here) is in the public domain (PD-US).
13. Ronald F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, and R. K. Harrison, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), s.v. Barracks.
14. Farquharson, Daniel’s Last Prophecy, 122–37.
15. Farquharson, Daniel’s Last Prophecy, 152–73.
16. See The Sheep And Goats Judgment; First Corinthians Fifteen and Inmillennialism; A Delayed Millennium? — Part 1; A Delayed Millennium? — Part 2; and A Delayed Millennium? — Part 3.