This is the Antichrist.
Daniel 8
[23] And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Do you understand what is dark sentences? Who are the transgressors? What kingdom is this. This takes a lot more to study to find out what God's Word says rather than saying, "this is the antichrist" LOL.
Regardless, God's word is "normally" written cryptically, with deeper spiritual meanings, in secrets, hidden mysteries, proverbs, parables, etc. As others already said, we can get some idea of its meaning by considering the context of the passages that employ the phrase:
Psalms 78:1-2
- "Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
- I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:"
Proverbs 1:5-6
- "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
- To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings."
Dark sayings is the same word translated dark sentences. It is equated to an understanding of God's cryptic word.
In the context of Daniel and the Evil Ruler rising and his ministers, it means he will be a minister of the gospel, having an understanding to use God's word craftily, cunningly to gain advantage of the Church. That old serpent Satan, as the snake in the Garden, understands the law of God to a certain degree, but like his disciples is "subtil" to twist it to his own advantage. That is to say, he is the "false Christ," the seducer to uses God's dark sayings of scripture to trick or deceive the people that they would forsake Christ while thinking they serve him (John 16:2). Satan is the master deceiver and the father of lies, and his army comes in that same subtle and subtil way, masquerading imperceptibly as those of love Gods, who bring peace and who minister righteousness. As Satan coming in the Garden asking cleverly, "Hath God Said?" Another way to say Antichrist, literally, is to say PseudoChrist or Substitute Christ (FalseChrist). Jesus warned of the false Christs, and He wasn't talking about the few mentally ill persons who actually claim they are Christ. For they don't deceive anyone. Those coming insomuch as they would deceive the very elect if it were possible,
these are the False Christs far more sinister and dangerous than some mentally ill individuals claiming to be the Messiah. Let's not forget, God's Word doesn't warn us that Satan comes as a messenger of light for nothing. It's because he comes as a minister of the gospel, of dark sentences, shrewdly praising God with his mouth and subverting with a bible in his hand. As the Priests in Christ's day, understanding dark sentences, but with no "Spiritual" discernment.
2nd Corinthians 11:13-15
- "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
- And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
- Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."
Satan himself comes "appearing" as a Messenger of light and life, an ambassador of the gospel, when he is really the Messenger/Angel of death and darkness. So it is no great thing if his ministers also come appearing as "ministers of righteousness." And that is exactly what Daniel chapter 8 means when speaking of this ruler that shall arise, understanding dark sayings, and "thus" causing great destruction and apostasy in the congregation.
Daniel 8:23-25
- "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, [chiydah] shall stand up.
- And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
- And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand."
The transgressors (professed Christians) have come to the full in the church (ie. allowing homosexuals to be pastors, women pastors, ok to divorce and remarriage, etc.) then Satan is loosed to bring judgment upon that unfaithful Church. He destroys the holy people by his understanding of dark sayings, that he may deceive them thereby. That he may sit to rule as king in the Holy Temple of God "as if" he were God (2nd Thessalonians 2). His ministers are those serving him and yet coming with praises of God in their mouths. They are false christs and teachers per Matthew 24. Those having their lips dripping with the juices of spiritual fornication as ministers of Satan while espoused to Christ.
Much as the Priests, Scribes and the Pharisees back in Christ's day, appearing righteous to the masses, with their prayers and studies and traditions. They understood the scriptures front and back, looked for the Messiah, preached of the restoration, joyed in the inheritance of the Jews, but for all their "apparent" understanding of the word, Christ says they were of their father the Devil! They understood and used the dark sayings not in the Spirit of Christ to the glory of God, but in the spirit of Satan, and to their own glory and advantage. Or again, as Satan knew Christ, and understood scripture, even serving up passages to Christ to try and deceive Him in the desert:
Luke 4:9-13
- "And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
- For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
- And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
- And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
- And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season."
Here we have Satan, having knowledge and understanding of the scriptures like the average Jewish person of the day would never understand, but using them deceitfully and out of context. And How does the Lord answer the great deceiver's scriptures? With an example to all of us of how we are to answer them. He answers with "other scriptures"
qualifying the scripture that Satan offered, declaring "
It is Written Again..." In other words, Christ says there is more than simply that one "out of context" passage Satan quoted that needed to be considered and harmonized. And that is how we overcome the great deceiver as well.
By trying/testing the Spirits by the word of God. That way we will never be deceived by sententious language or dark sayings twisted by Satan's ministers in the church. We'll know the gathering of nations has nothing to do with Russian, Iran, nor the camp of the saints with the physical land of Israel in the middle east, nor the reign of Christ with an establishment of an earthly/worldly Kingdom in Jerusalem. Because we have something those deceived don't have. The Spirit of truth that "teaches" through the word, rather than the spirit of Antichrist that teaches through the world. And we not be left ashamed by listening to the words of men rather than the words of the Bible. That we are not seduced, deceived, led away in different lusts by the great harlot.
1st John 2:26-28
- "These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.
- But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
- And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming."
If we hold fast the doctrines taught us, we will not be deceived by the evil ruler arising that has understanding of dark sentences. Though he will be skilled in subtlety and understands how to use the bible to gain advantage and position, we have one greater dwelling within us that teaches us what is truth and what is lawlessness.
