13.10- Additional note to Daniel 11 verse 36

We read in Daniel 11 in verse 36 about the appearance of the “king of Syria”, which is the image of the antichrist

The discussion given before about this verse, gave a number of characteristics of how the antichrist can be recognized when he appears. Under part b) it already mentions that he will have the

appearance of a Jew…. in order to be acceptable to the Jews. He is however an Esau-Jew. 

This already occurred with Herod, The “king of the Jews”, at the time Jesus was born. Herod was born in Idumea, south of Judea. Idumea is the same as Edom, of the lineage of Esau. As many Edomites he had accepted the customs of the Jews. These "Judaized" Edomites were not considered Jewish by the dominant Pharisaic tradition, so even though Herod tried to be of the Jewish faith, he was not considered Jewish by the watchful and nationalist Jews of Judea. 

Esau always disguises himself as Jacob, after Jacob disguised himself once as Esau.  Esau will do everything he can to get back his rights as the first-born son, which he sold once to Jacob for some bean soup. This “right of the first born son”, is the Kingship of this world. See Genesis 18 verses 17-19: “And the Lord said to himself, “I will not hide from Abraham what I am going to do. His descendants will become a great and mighty nation, and through him I will bless all the nations. I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised”.   Esau was only interested in the earthly part of the blessing. Not the blessing of the coming of the Messiah for this world, because Esau is not interested in that part.   This is the big difference between Jacob and Esau.