Will the Antichrist prevail over the saints?

Why Daniel 7 Doesn’t Contradict Jesus

One of the great truths of the New Testament is that Jesus has empowered His church to defeat Satan. He died to purchase our freedom, and we have all we need to set ourselves and others free of his grasp.

I John 5:8 – The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.

Jesus has empowered the church with the spiritual authority to stop the power of the devil. However, Daniel has a vision of the future where the saints of God are defeated by the Antichrist. How can this be?

Let’s examine the vision. For context, Daniel is given a glimpse of four world kingdoms- nations that would dominate on the world scene for a period of time. These are represented by strange animals who come out of a sea- an asymmetrical bear, a leopard with wings, and more.

Babylon, which ruled the world from 612 BC – 539 BC
Medo-Perisa, which ruled from 539 BC – 331 BC
Greece, which ruled from 531 BC – 146 BC
Rome, which ruled from 146 BC – AD 476

Also, Daniel was given prophetic imagery of the antichrist’s kingdom- a revived Roman Empire- which will briefly take over the world in the end times.

Daniel’s Vision: The Antichrist Prevails

But what’s even weirder than the deformed bear is what it says this final kingdom will be capable of:

Daniel 7:19-22 – ¹⁹“Then I desired to know the truth about the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet, ²⁰and about the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn [note: this is the antichrist] that came up and before which three of them fell, the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke great things, and that seemed greater than its companions. ²¹As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them,²²until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given for the saints of the Most High, and the time came when the saints possessed the kingdom.

It actually said right there that the antichrist will “prevail” against the saints. But wait, didn’t Jesus say something opposite in Matthew 16?

Matthew 16:18 – And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Jesus teaching His disciples about the authority they carry. The devil will not prevail against His church, but in the end times, he will have more power over the tribulation saints.

Wait, so Jesus said the gates of hell would not prevail against the church, and yet Daniel claims that the antichrist will prevail against the saints.

Is this a contradiction? Only if you believe that the saints in Daniel 7 are the church. But I see them as distinct entities.

Are These the Same “Saints”? It Matters

In other words, God’s Kingdom encompasses all believers of all time: past, present and future- everybody who becomes a part of the family of God. But I believe there are also different types of believers within that Kingdom: the Old Testament Saints, the Church, and the future Tribulation Saints. I also make distinctions in how I understand the roles, rights and responsibilities of the members of God’s Kingdom.

When Jesus came, He instituted “the church” in Matthew 16, and gave us authority over evil spirits and the gates of hell. Like the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, I believe this was a gift specifically to the church. I don’t believe this authority was granted to the Old Testament saints.

The church is a unique entity in the plan of God. We have been given our own mission- the Great Commission in Matthew 28- and we have been gifted with the Holy Spirit’s power to accomplish it. The church began in Acts 2, it has continued for 2,000 years, and the church will end with the rapture (I Thessalonians 4).

(I understand that this is not how all Christians see it- and there is plenty of debate about the timing of the rapture; I am just sharing how I look at these things.)

What Happens After the Rapture?

When the church leaves this earth- which I believe will be near the beginning of the 7-year tribulation- that does not mean the opportunity for salvation is over. There will still be people who get saved during that tribulation (these are the people I referred to as “Tribulation Saints”). However, they are not guaranteed the protections or privileges that Jesus gave the church. They’ll be at a disadvantage, compared to us, when standing against the Antichrist and demonic forces.

This is what I mean when I say that there are different roles, rights and responsibilities for different members of God’s Kingdom.

So when the Antichrist attempts to kill all believers (and anyone who won’t take his mark) during the tribulation, he will be quite successful. Many people will lose their lives standing against him. Notice what is said about the Antichrist in Revelation:

Revelation 13:7 – Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them.

What This Means for Believers Today

Again, doesn’t make sense with Matthew 16 if you consider the saints of Revelation 13 to be the same as the church. That’s why I find it helpful to make a distinction between the Old Testament Saints, the Church (who are also called saints), and the Tribulation Saints.

Plus, that gets me really excited to consider the authority we currently have! We have been given a unique mission to share the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and close the gates of hell.

Let’s not waste any of the time or authority Jesus has given us! It’s not a privilege that all believers are granted.