Daniel 11:30 prophesies that the Antichrist’s first invasion of Israel will be a huge failure. Daniel 11:31 prophesies that his second invasion attempt will be wildly successful. What changes?
For starters, the Antichrist will die in battle or be assassinated, and then he will be resurrected. This is discussed in Revelation chapter 13 and Revelation 17. The Antichrist will be wounded by a sword according to Revelation 13:14, but Revelation 13:12 says his deadly wound is going to be healed.
In Revelation chapters 13 and 17, John saw a beast with seven heads and ten horns. Revelation 13:3 points out that one of the heads was “as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast.” In Revelation 5:6, John saw a Lamb “as if slain.” The Lamb is Jesus and He really died and rose again. Since the same ‘as if’ phrase is used of the Antichrist, he’s going to die and rise again. In fact, Revelation 17:8 says he will “come up out of the abyss” and the world “will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.”
Although some people think the healing of the deadly head wound refers to the resurrection of a past empire, this doesn’t add up. In Revelation 17:10, it says that the seven heads John saw are seven kings, or rulers. This is important, because the Antichrist is described as being the eighth head that is linked to the previous seven heads in Revelation 17:11. Putting it all together, this means the Antichrist is a coming head of state who will live, die, and miraculously come back to life. This makes a lot of sense, because what’s more likely to inspire worship, the regathering of a group of nations or a legitimate resurrection?
Around the same time that the Antichrist dies, Satan will be kicked out of Heaven, an event which is recorded in Revelation 12:7-17. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 says the Antichrist’s coming will be accompanied by satanic displays of power through false signs and wonders. Clearly, Satan will be allowed to raise the Antichrist from the dead.
After his resurrection, he will then solidify his support among the ten kingdom coalition. Three rulers will be replaced and together they will successfully take out Babylon the Great. Although it sounds like a lot, the death of the Antichrist, the removal of Satan from Heaven, the resurrection of the Antichrist, the invasion of Israel and the destruction of Babylon the Great will all take place in rapid succession around the halfway point of Daniel’s 70th Week.