One of the most heated debates in our culture today is homosexuality. It is not surprising then that the topic has made its way into our discussion about the Antichrist. So it only natural to ask, “Will the Antichrist be a homosexual?” Some Christians believe that this is so and it is based on Daniel 11:37: “He [the Antichrist] will show no regard[s] for the god[s] of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.”
John MacArthur says concerning the phrase “desire of women”: “This could mean that Antichrist will be a homosexual; but it surely means he has no normal desire or interest in women, e.g., as one who is celibate.”[1]
Is this what the passage is really saying – that the Antichrist will be a homosexual or at least will be celibate? When you study the verse in context, you will learn that the phrase “desire of women” has nothing to do with an interest in women. It has to do with something completely different.
Notice that “the one desired by women” comes in between “He will show no regard[s] for the god[s] of his fathers” and “nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.” The very next verse continues that the Antichrist will worship a god of war. Why would Daniel teach about the religion of the Antichrist but insert a quick reference to his sexual orientation? This makes no sense.
By studying the context – that the Antichrist will reject all religious believes except for one – it becomes clear the “desire of women” must have some kind of religious significance. There are two possible interpretations to the meaning of the “desire of women.” The first is that the phrase deals with a god or goddess that women worshipped in the ancient world. One example was Tammuz, a Babylonian fertility god. If this interpretation is correct, then the “desire of women” is just another god or goddess. This fits perfectly with the rest of Daniel 11 which states that the Antichrist will not worship any god (except for one).
However, there is a second way to look at the verse. In a Jewish context (remember Daniel was a Jew), the one “desired by women” could be the Messiah, Jesus Christ. John Walvoord notes:
“Although Daniel is not specific, a plausible explanation of this passage, in light of Daniel’s Jewish background, is that this expression, the desire of women, is the natural desire of Jewish women to become the mother of the promised Messiah, the seed of the women promised in Genesis 3:15.”[2]
Many Jewish women had the desire to be the mother of the Messiah, the promised redeemer of both Israel and the world. Although the Bible is clear that homosexuality is a sin, this does not mean that the Antichrist will be a homosexual. Daniel 11 is teaching us that the Antichrist will not follow any religion except that of a god of war. As Christians we need to be careful to interpret the Bible in its original context, that is, we need to look at it through the eyes of those who wrote it, not through the eyes of our own culture.
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[1] John MacArthur. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005). Pg. 967.
[2] John Walvoord. Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation. Chicago: Moody, 1989. Pg. 274.
Lil Miss Kris
it could be that we live in a society where women are often behind the fall of world leaders, men who are politicians, more of the like. It seems all over the news there are sex scandals etc. (And I’m not putting blame squarely on the women just saying that many men have been brought down by the “power of the V”) Maybe it just means that the Anti Christ will have no interest in woman. He won’t be concerned about having the attentions of women. I’m not pro-gay marriage but who ever put the correlation of being gay means you could be the Anti Christ needs to step back and re-examine their thought process. It’s like saying that because you had multiple wives that you were more likely prone to be the Anti Christ.
That’s just my two cents.
Judith T. Harding
Surely open to varied interpretations is that antichrist will not regard “the desire of women”. I am most influenced by teachers (like Walid Shoebat ,converted Palestinian), who emphasize the terrible treatment afforded to women by Islam. In this view, Antichrist is noteable for his crushing disdain for what women want and need.
My list of evil that violates, ignores, and perpetrates crimes against, “the desire of women” includes:
–child marriages, pedophilia abuse. (It is said that Aisha brought her doll or toy with her when she was brought to Muhammad.)
–restrictions in travel — not being allowed to drive, or to go anywhere independently, unless accompanied by a male
–culpability when raped — many Muslim woman are imprisoned for being raped. Ostensibly, they should not have been there, or should have had a male companion, or whatever miserable excuse they can give for blaming the woman for being violated.
–jihad by rape, sanctioned in this antichrist religion.
–covering totally every part of a dear woman (even in extremely hot climates) except her eyes. Whoever dreamed up such callous disregard for God’s women ?!!!
–female genital mutilation. Though not ordered in the Quran, it is the Muslims who almost exclusively put little girls through this shameful, agonizing ordeal.
–Quranic teachings that husbands have the right to beat their wives
–restriction of women’s rights in general
How ironically fitting that the Seed of the WOMAN shall bruise the head of Satan and Antichrist !!!
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
Bill McCoy
The word antichrist appears only 4 times in 3 verses (1 Jn 2:18; 4:3; 2 Jn 7); not at all in Daniel or the entire OT. John wrote “even now many antichrists have arisen; … many deceiver have gone into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.” The notion of one current or future person who is THE antichrist is foreign to the Bible, therefore a doctrine of man, as is the idea that the king of Da 11:37 is the antichrist.
Matt McClellan
Bill, the concept of the Antichrist is not foreign to the Bible. Just because the word itself is only used a limited number of times means nothing. The word “Antichrist” has simply become the common title used for Daniel’s “little horn” and Paul’s “man of lawlessness.” Yes, there are many antichrists, but there will be one final antichrist just before Christ returns (and who will be overthrown by Christ – see 2 Thess. 2). I have written an entire series on this, please read it.
Enjoy the Day
Daniel 11:37: “He [the Antichrist] will show no regard[s] for the god[s] of his fathers or for the one desired by women, … .” Who do women desire? A kingsman redeemer. And who is the ultimate Kingsman Redeemer? Christ.
Can you discern a narcissist? The antichrist will be the biggest narcissist ever. Narcissists are extremely charming and brilliant at fooling most people.