Post by Joel on Oct 30, 2014 2:08:34 GMT -5
Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
-1 John 2:18
The Book of Revelations talks of a "beast rising out of the sea." This beast is the Antichrist. The Antichrist will rise to power very quickly and using only diplomacy. He will be relatively unknown until his meteorical rise to prominence and will seem to be a leader wanting only peace. He is also considered to be the first horseman of Revelations.
We do not have to guess at the Antichrist's motives, allegiances, or desires. The Bible tells us he is given his powers and drive for world dominance by none other than Satan himself. It's a good thing they are so close, because, towards the middle of the tribulation, the Antichrist receives a wound and appears to die. However, Lucifer has other plans. Satan will then indwell the Antichrist personally, kind of a 'match made in hell.' Up until that time, the Antichrist will do everything in his power to deceive the nations of the world and draw their attention from the judgments raining down from on high.
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."
-1 John 4:1-3
The Bible says that the spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world. IN fact, anyone who denies Jesus Christ is AN antichrist but not THE Antichrist. I believe that the Antichrist has already been prepared, groomed, and is waiting in the wings. The reason for this wait: the Rapture. Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-8:
"And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming."
The "force that restrains" is the Holy Spirit, which all Christians receive upon trusting Christ as our Savior. We get a major hint by the capital "H" in He. And, besides, who can battle a spirit better than the Holy Spirit?
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
-2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
The Antichrist, along with his sidekick, the False Prophet, will implement a one world religion, a one world currency, and a one world government. I will discuss these topics in later articles. For now, I wish to talk about the Antichrist and his relationship to Israel. As we know by now, Israel is God's 'prophetic timepiece', if you will. Any nation who deals falsely with them will be plagued with misfortune. In contrast, any nation who acts favorably to them will be greatly blessed. Many people believe the Rapture is the beginning of the Tribulation. However, the tribulation does not begin until the Antichrist signs a seven year pact with Israel.
"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate."
-Daniel 9:27
The modern nation of Israel is constantly at war on all sides. Many officials have tried to broker a peace treaty. However, God has made all negotiations fail, until the 'son of perdition' arrives to steal the show. I personally believe the treaty will be signed after the battle of Gog and Magog. This battle will actually have Israel eager to finally be safe, even for only seven years. However, the treaty will last only half that time. During those 3.5 years, Israel will be free, rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, and start sacrifices to God. The Antichrist will use this time to consolidate his power and implement some outrageous laws that, GASP, will be accepted by all but a few.
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
-Matthew 24:15-26
The Antichrist will then abolish the daily sacrifices and set himself up as God in the Temple. And, while all of this is taking place, a great war is happening in heaven, a result of which is Satan being cast down to earth for the final time. Meanwhile, God will be subjecting the earth to multiple judgments designed to turn people from their sinful lives and towards Himself. If you are thinking, "How can this possibly get any worse?", prepare yourself, because you haven't seen nothing yet. This has only been a prelude to the true horrors of the Great Tribulation.
"And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”
-Revelations 8:13-17