How can the antichrist be left alone, and fight with a great army at the same time?

Question

Reading from the book of Daniel Chapter 11, there is a man mentioned near the end of the chapter that most agree is the anti-christ.

Daniel describes his eventual end as him being pressed by several kings and eventually his army abandons him:

Daniel 11

44 However, news from the east and north will frighten him, so that he moves out in great fury to ruin and completely do away with many. 45 Finally, when he pitches the tents of his palace between the seas and the mountain of the holy Glory, he will come to his end, with no one to help him.

However the book of Revelation describes the end of the anti-christ as a battle between his armies and Heavens armies:

Revelation 19:19

I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to do battle with the rider of the horse and his army.

Is the book of Daniel suggesting that the Antichrist is basically a "weak" version of himself by the time Jesus arrives, and it's the other kings of the earth that are primarily waging war against Jesus?

If that is true what can we make of Revelation 13 that says:

The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.

Daniel mentions the other kings eating at a table with the anti-christ, would they not have his number/mark on them during this time?

Daniel 11

27 These two kings, bent on mischief, will sit at the same table, speaking lies to each other; but none of this will succeed; because the appointed end will not have come yet. 28 Then the king of the north will return to his own land with great wealth; with his heart set against the holy covenant, he will take action and then return home.

Answer 1

Daniel chapter 11 is an historical account of the events involving Darius the Mede and various kings who appear in Persia. The mighty king (verse 3) is Alexander the Great [336-323]. Events culminate in 168 B.C. when Antiochus Epiphanes desecrates the temple in Jerusalem. In December 165 the altar of the temple was rededicated.

Daniel 11:35 refers to “the time of the end” which will “come at the appointed time”. My NIV Study Bible notes make this comment:

From here [verse 36] to the end of chapter 11 the antichrist is in view. The details of this section do not fit what is known of Antiochus Epiphanes.

“At the time of the end” (verses 40 to 45) the King of the South engages the King of the North in battle but “he will come to his end, and no-one will help him.” This may be a reference to the future battle of Armageddon. Chapter 12 of Daniel links to Revelation chapter 16.

The events pertaining to the End Times, or the Day of the Lord, or the Second Coming of Christ Jesus, and Armageddon are still future. The End Time antichrist has not yet been revealed.

Revelation is an allegory of the current reality of how Satan influences and manipulates governments and religions. Only when the Antichrist is identified, purporting to be the returned Christ Jesus, and all the nations bow down and worship him, looking to him as the saviour of the world, will Satan have realised his goal, which is to demand the worship that rightfully belongs to Christ Jesus. Then Christ Jesus returns, accompanied by all the heavenly hosts, and destroys His enemies.

Your question is unanswerable because the events in Daniel chapter 11 were fulfilled over 2,000 years ago. Revelation 19 is a future event, culminating in the battle of Armageddon.