by
Daymond R. Duck
Fuhrer
means "leader" and it is one of the better-known titles of Adolph
Hitler, the infamous dictator of Nazi Germany. Only a few of the world's young
people
know
much about the fuehrer, but the mere mention of his title quickly conjures up
bad memories in the minds of our planet's senior citizens. It is permanently
tied
to the evil leader who gave us the Third Reich, the Gestapo, the Storm
Troopers, the Hitler Youth, the Society of German Maidens and other despicable
groups.
It spurs images of World War 11: the arming of 70 million troops worldwide, the
death of about 17 million troops, the death of about 20 million
Soviet
citizens, the death of about 10 million Chinese citizens, and so many more from
other nations; no one really knows how many perished. Fuhrer or
"leader"
also reminds people of the swastika, goose-stepping German troops,
concentration camps, death camps, the ovens of Auschwitz, the bombing of
England,
the
ruins of Europe, bitter winters in Russia, famine, fire, pestilence and large
national debts. It reminds people of the depraved man who touched off
the
world's darkest hour. But the wicked fuehrer of WW 11 was just a forewarning of
the final fuehrer, and the disaster the first fuehrer caused will pale in
comparison
to what the Bible says the final fuehrer will bring in.
Something
often overlooked is Hitler's fascination with the dark forces of the spirit
world. He exposed himself to drugs and witchcraft as a young man.
It
has been written that he sold his soul to Satan, surrounded himself with people
who made blood oaths to the Serpent, and often credited demons with
influencing
his decisions. He even gave credit to demonic forces for helping him with his
plan to unite Europe and with his desire to bring in a "New World
Order."
Although
some people do not like to acknowledge the existence of unseen evil spirits,
conservative Christians have no trouble believing that the fuehrer
mass
slaughter of millions of Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, priests, preachers and
others, his systematic torching of synagogues, and his less frequent burning
of
churches was an order from hell. It is not even hard to believe that his New
World Order originated in hell. He wanted a world government, something
God
has always opposed because He plans to establish one for His own Son to rule
over.
World
War II came to an end and so did Hitler's earthly life (he killed himself). But
Hitler's concept of a united Europe, his vision of a New World Order,
and
the Satanic influence was still around. They spread like a virus that cannot be
cured and soon the whole world was infected. Concerning a united Europe,
powerful
individuals on that continent were soon prompted to organize committees, groups
and nations. It wasn't long until they began to merge into what
students
of Bible prophecy call the Revived Roman Empire. Their merger-mania was
motivated by a desire to recover the power and control that shifted to
the
United States and the former Soviet Union.
Concerning
the New World Order, other men of stature were persuaded to create the United
Nations. This group started out small, but it grew like a giant
octopus
with tentacles reaching into every corner of the earth. It is now being
transformed into a powerful one-world government that wants to control
even
the tiniest aspects of every individual's life. And concerning the Satanic
influence, religious luminaries were moved to promote cooperation among
the
churches, people of other religions and cults who called upon guides of darkness
from the gloomy pits of hell. This unseemly cooperation produced an
unholy
alliance called the World Council of Churches. It also produced a vile
compromising of basic Christian beliefs, and even worse, the acceptance of
many
false doctrines.
Some
conservative Christians believe the World Council of Churches has lost its
Christian identity. Many believe it is responsible for a weakening of the
true
church and more than a few believe it will ultimately help bring in a demonic
one world religion. The birth of these three groups - the Revived Roman
Empire,
the one-world government, and the one-world religion - is the beginning of
three institutions which Bible prophecies say will exist when the final
fuehrer
comes on the scene. They will form the backbone of a government more evil than
the one started by the odious Adolph Hitler himself
This
is very significant, but all Bible prophecy experts know that it would be
meaningless without the appearance of a fourth party. This happened on May
14,
1948, when the nation of Israel came back into existence. The great prophet
Daniel told us that the individual we are calling the final fuehrer will
rise
to power over the Revived Roman Empire and sign a covenant with many nations
and leaders of the earth to protect Israel for seven years (Daniel 9:27).
We
also know that every jot and tittle of Bible prophecy must be fulfilled. And it
is a most amazing thing that after hundreds of decades the Revived Roman
Empire,
the one-world government, the one-world religion and the nation of Israel have
all arrived on the scene at the same time. This is nothing less
than
a forewarning of terrible things to come when viewed through the microscope of
Bible predictions. It means that the stage is now set for the tribulation
period,
the four horsemen of the apocalypse, the mark of the beast, the Battle of
Armageddon and all of those dreaded things, and for true Christians,
it
also means that the rapture of the church is very close, even at the door.
The
Bible calls the last world leader many things, but final fuehrer is not one of
them. Just a few of his titles are: the king of fierce countenance, the
prince
that shall come, that man of sin, the son of perdition, the lawless one, the
vile person, and the beast. These titles are very descriptive, but
these
multiple titles for referring to the final fuehrer are also more than a little
bit confusing. Christians want everyone to know they are referring
to
the same individual, so they use a collective title. They call the final
fuehrer the antichrist.
The
word "antichrist" appears five times in the writings of John, but it
does not appear even once in any other book of the Bible (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3;
2
John 7). Most scholars agree that John's usage of the word implies two different
meanings: 1) against the Christ, and 2) instead of the Christ. Both
meanings
fit the final fuehrer. The antichrist will be against the Christ; that is, he
will be an enemy of the Christ, and he will try to replace the Christ;
that
is, he will be a false Christ.
Daniel
revealed the final fuehrer's opposition to the Christ when he said the
antichrist will "stand up against the Prince of princes" (Daniel
8:25). And
Paul
revealed the evil one's effort to replace the Christ when he said the
antichrist will sit in the Temple as God "shewing himself that he is
God" (2
Thessalonians
2:3, 4). Many people have opposed Christ, but other than Satan, there has never
been a more sinister or worthy opponent on the face of planet
earth.
Many false Christ's have arisen and some have been noteworthy imposters, but
there has never been a greater or more evil deceiver than this one.
Four
things we do not know about the antichrist are the subject of much speculation.
The first is his nationality. It is not hard to find writers who teach
that
the antichrist will be a Syrian. The Bible does not say he will come from that
ancient nation, but some conclude this through reasoning that usually
goes
like this: "Antiochus Epiphanes was a type of the antichrist and he was a
Syrian. Therefore, the antichrist will be a Syrian." The problem with this
kind
of reasoning is that it overlooks those individuals of other nationalities who
were also a type of the antichrist. Nebuchadnezzar was a type of the
antichrist
and he was a Chaldean. So why not say the antichrist will be a Chaldean? Adolph
Hitler was a type of the antichrist and he was a German. So why
not
say the antichrist will be a German? The same can be said for Pharoah, an
Egyptian. We could go on and on, but the point is that this kind of reasoning
does
not settle the issue.
The
second thing we do not know about the antichrist is whether he will be a Jew or
a Gentile. Some say he will be a Jew because the Bible says, "neither
shall
he regard the God of his fathers" (Daniel 11:37 KJV). Others say he will
be a Gentile because this verse has been incorrectly translated and it should
read,
"He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers" (Daniel 11:37
NIV). If the correct translation is "God," he will come from a
monotheistic religion
(probably
Jewish); if the correct translation is "gods," he will come from a
polytheistic religion (probably Gentile).
Then
there are those who reason that "The antichrist will be Jewish because the
Jews will accept him as their Messiah and they would never accept a
Gentile."
Or
"The antichrist will be Jewish because he will be a counterfeit of Christ
and He was a Jew. " The Reverend Jerry Falwell, whose theology is almost
always
very
sound, got in trouble on this one. He believes the antichrist will be a Jew,
and he may be right, but the fact is, whether the antichrist will be
a
Jew or a Gentile is not revealed in the Bible. And those who think he will be
are definitely in the minority. Incidentally, one of the complaints against
the
Reverend Falwell has been that he is anti-Semitic for thinking like this. On
the contrary, Falwell has long been one of Israel's strongest supporters
and
has done much to help the Jewish people.
The
third thing we do not know about the antichrist is his name. We know "his
number is Six hundred threescore and six," but that is different from his
name
(Revelation 13:18). Several elaborate systems have been developed in an effort
to reveal the name of the antichrist, but they have all been wrong.
Some
names these systems have come up with are Adolph Hitler, Benito Mussolini,
Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan, William 'Bill' Clinton, and several of the
Popes.
These should be seen for what they are - just wild guesses. Furthermore, trying
to identify antichrist is just a waste of time because he will not
be
revealed until after the rapture (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). Dr. Ed Hindson
concisely stated it when he said:
Only
after the rapture of the church will the identity of the antichrist be revealed.
In other words, you don't want to know who he is. If you ever do figure
out
who he is, you have been left behind! This is absolutely true. Nothing is more
futile than trying to identify the antichrist before the rapture. Doing
so
would be an effort to prove the Bible wrong. That has never happened and it is
not going to happen now. All anyone does by trying to identify the antichrist
before
the church is taken out is embarrass himself and bring criticism upon
Christians.
In
connection with this, let me hasten to add that 666 is the antichrist's number.
It is not my driver's license number, my credit card number, my Social
Security
number or any other number associated with me. Also, it is not any of your
numbers. It will not be several billion different numbers for the several
billion
different individuals on earth. It is his number, one specific number that
identifies one specific individual.
The
fourth thing we do not know about the antichrist is whether or not he is
already alive as a person. It seems reasonable that he will have to be a
full-grown
man
when he appears. And if the rapture is as close as most prophetic authorities
think, it makes sense to assume that he is not only alive, but already
grown.
The thing to remember is nobody knows and all a person can do is speculate.
We
can better understand what the antichrist will be like when he appears by
observing a few things about the first and second coming of Jesus. The official
first
coming of Jesus, commonly called His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, occurred
while Jesus was riding upon a donkey, a symbol of peace (Luke 19:2838).
The
official second coming of Jesus, commonly called the Revelation, will take
place at the end of the tribulation period when Jesus returns in righteousness
to
judge and make war riding upon a white horse, a symbol of conquest. (Revelation
19: 1121). The first time, Jesus came peacefully as the Lamb of God
and
the second time He will come conquering as the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS
(John 1:36; Revelation 19:11-16).
This
has relevance to what the antichrist will be like as he carries out his bloody
career. During his rise to power, he will present himself as a man of
peace.
So we might expect the prophets to depict him riding upon a donkey, a symbol of
peace, but that is wrong. John said, "And I saw, and behold a white
horse:
and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went
forth conquering, and to conquer" (Revelation 6:2).
The
antichrist will ride across the pages of history on a white horse, a symbol of
conquest. His sweet-sounding words of peace will not match his terrible
acts
of war. This fictitious Christ will present himself as a lamb, but he will
really be a wolf in sheep's clothing. When asked about the sign of His
coming
and the end of the age, Jesus answered, "Take heed that no man deceive
you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive
many"
(Matthew 24:4, 5). The list of people who have done this is long, but the
ultimate false Christ will be the antichrist. Multitudes will think they
have
met the Messiah, but he will really be the man of sin.
The
bow was a weapon of war and a symbol of military power in John's day. The
antichrist will' appear with a bow in his hand, but he will have no arrows.
This
is like carrying a gun without bullets. The antichrist will have weapons of
war, but he will act like he is unarmed. Daniel said, "by peace shall
[he]
destroy many" (Daniel 8:25).
A
crown is worn by people who earn or inherit the right to wear one, but the
antichrist will not earn or inherit the right to wear his crown. It will be
a
gift from the wicked power brokers of the world. What a terrible mistake! The
world's gullible politicians will empower a leader without doing the all-
important
background check. Some will think they are crowning a godly man, but they will
be elevating a fake with a very dark side. The Bible says this
fake
will "ascend out of the bottomless pit" (Revelation 17:8). That is the
gruesome subterranean abode where God is holding the very worst of Satan's
demonic
spirits. It makes one wonder what kind of background this man will have.
Considering his origin, it must be filled with terrible atrocities.
When
addressing this, the Apostle Paul used the phrase "perilous times" (2
Timothy 3:1). "Perilous times" includes war, and one of the signs of
the last
days
that Jesus talked about is "wars and rumors of wars" (Matthew 24:6). While
the antichrist is negotiating peace and consolidating his power, God will
release
a second horse and rider. John said, "there went out another horse that
was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from
the
earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a
great sword" (Revelation 6:4). The second rider will bring war to the
earth.
God will allow him to do this to show the world that the antichrist is not the
true Prince of Peace, Jesus.
"Perilous
times" also includes "economic disaster." While the antichrist
is boasting about having solutions to the world's problems, God will release a
third
horse and rider. John said, "I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that
sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the
midst
of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of
barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine"
(Revelation
6:5,
6).
The
third rider will bring economic collapse to the world. God will allow him to do
this to show the world that the antichrist is not the true Bread of
Life,
Jesus. Food will be so valuable it will have to be weighed on scales before it
is sold. Money will be so worthless that what a man earns in one day
will
purchase barely enough for one person to survive on. It definitely seems that
America, and perhaps the entire world, has forgotten that a good economy
is
a blessing of God and not a benefit of having the right kind of politician in
office. This moral confusion will be disastrous in the days to come.
"Perilous
times" also includes starvation and sickness, and two more signs of the
last days Jesus talked about are "famine" and "pestilence"
(Matthew 24:7).
God
will release a fourth horse and rider that will fulfill this. John said,
"I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was
Death,
and
Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of
the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with
the
beasts of the earth" (Revelation 6:8). God will allow this horse and rider
to come on the scene to show the world that the antichrist is not the Great
Physician,
Jesus. One-fourth of the world's population will die as war and economic
disaster spreads like wildfire triggering hunger and disease on every
continent.
Most
conservative Christians believe the "perilous times" have arrived.
China, North Korea, India and Pakistan are developing and selling several
different
kinds
of missiles. Pakistan is even placing nuclear warheads on some that country is
selling. China has stolen some of America's top secrets and what they
could
not steal has been sold to them with the approval of President Clinton. Many
experts believe Chinese nuclear missiles will be powerful enough to
strike
the heart of America in just three to four years.
They
are talking about portable intercontinental missiles that America probably will
not be able to find and destroy. Asia is struggling with massive economic
problems
that appear unsolvable to many, Russia is crumbling in every sense of the word.
Its government seems totally paralyzed and President Yeltsin resigned
on
the final day of 1999, after attempts to impeach him had failed. It is unlikely
that now President Putin, appointed by outgoing President Yeltsin, will
fare
any better.
The
United States is in a moral crisis that worsens with each passing day. We can't
look to the White House for guidance because the man living there has
been
impeached and found in contempt of court for treading his own immoral path.
Judge Susan Weber Wright ruled that not finding him in contempt of court
would
be a threat to the rule of law.
Russia,
China, Iraq and Yugoslavia have formed an alliance to weaken America. With
every passing day they seem to be succeeding. Terrorism reigns all over
the
Middle East. The entire region is an armed camp. World food supplies are low,
natural disasters are ever-increasing, and drug-resistant diseases are
spreading
all over the globe.
In
short, the world is in a terrible mess. Serious problems are waxing worse and
worse, and we can honestly say that large portions of the earth are like
a
powder keg just waiting to explode. These problems are so great some are
calling for a one-world government to deal with them. According to the Bible,
they
will get it. But with God's help, a brain-dead crash dummy could solve more
problems than the popular antichrist ever will.
Those
watching for the appearance of the antichrist could better spend their time
watching the world's political developments. Daniel had several visions
of
the "times of the Gentiles" and he saw a great disturbance in the
Middle East as the tribulation period arrives (Daniel 7). Three groups of
nations
will
exercise power (possibly England and her allies, Russia and her allies, and an
African coalition of nations). Then a fourth group will rise to power
and
crush all the others. This fourth group will be a terrifying world kingdom.
When explaining this fourth kingdom to Daniel, an angel said, "The fourth
beast
shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all
kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and
break
it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall
arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from
the
first, and he shall subdue three kings" (Daniel 7:23, 24).
Notice
the sequence of events involving this fourth kingdom. First, it will appear as
a world government crushing and trampling down all the other governments.
It
will set aside the sovereignty of individual nations and assume authority over
the whole earth.
Second,
the world government will be divided into ten regions with each region having
its own leader or king. These ten regions correspond to the ten toes
on
the famous statue Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about (Daniel 2). They are also
mentioned by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation (17:12).
Third,
the antichrist will begin his rise to power after the ten kings have appeared
and he will soon become strong enough to take over one of them. His
next
step will be to quickly seize control of two more regions. Following that, the
leaders of the other seven regions will turn their power over to him
(Revelation
17:12-14). When they do that, the antichrist will have absolute control over
the entire world. But the point is that the world government will
appear
and be divided into ten regions before the antichrist shows up. So it would be
better for Christians to be watching for a world government than
to
be watching for the antichrist.
And
even after the world government appears, it would be smarter for Christians to
be watching for its division into ten groups than to be watching for
the
antichrist. World government will be the first big step - and the tenfold
division of world government will be the second big step - in the escalating
cycle
of conflict and depravity that will ultimately result in the man of sin taking
control.
We
see this shaping up in the world today. In fact, it may only be a heartbeat
away because the world community is already trying to restructure the United
Nations
into a world government. They are even using this embryonic world government to
trample upon the cherished sovereignty of independent nations such
as
Iraq, Israel, Haiti and Yugoslavia. Furthermore, several high-powered groups
have already called on world leaders to divide the planet into ten regions
and
empower the United Nations to rule over them. One of those ten regions is
Europe. This is the exact pattern that will exist when the antichrist rises
to
power. He will rise to power after a world government has been established, and
divided into ten regions with one of them being in Europe (Daniel 9:26).
This
is the kingdom Satan offered to Jesus (Luke 4:5-7). The world does not belong
to Satan, but the power and splendor of the world are his and he can
give
that to anyone he chooses. Jesus refused it, but Satan still wants to be
worshipped and he will find a willing world leader in the antichrist. As
soon
as the church is raptured, everything will fall in place.
The
Bible does not reveal the day or hour the antichrist will show up, but it does
provide several clues.
First,
the good news about when the antichrist will appear is that it cannot happen
until God allows it and He will not allow it until the church is raptured.
Paul
said, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [the Day of the
Lord or the tribulation period] shall not come, except there come a falling
away
first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition ... And now ye
know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery
of
iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken
out of the way" (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 6, 7). The antichrist cannot appear
until
the One holding him back is removed. There is wide agreement that the One
holding him back is the Holy Spirit. He will stop restraining the antichrist
and
leave the earth when the church is raptured.
Second,
the antichrist will rise to power before the tribulation period begins. The
Book of Revelation is a very sequence oriented book. Most authorities
agree
that the rapture occurs in the Book of Revelation when John is caught up into
heaven (Revelation 4:1, 2). Following that, the antichrist comes on
the
scene as the rider on a white horse (Revelation 6:2). Then the tribulation
period or the day of wrath begins (Revelation 6:17). This sequence is necessary
because
the antichrist must be a recognized world leader possessing the authority to
make agreements before the tribulation period can begin.
Third,
as a world leader, the antichrist will sign one particular agreement that will mark
the beginning of the tribulation period. According to Daniel,
"he
[the antichrist] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week"
(Daniel 9:27). "One week" is a Bible term meaning one week of years
or seven years.
It
is the worthless signature of the antichrist on a covenant with many to protect
Israel for seven years that begins the tribulation period.
Fourth,
the covenant to protect Israel will be voided three and one-half years later
and that will mark the midpoint of the tribulation period. Daniel divided
the
tribulation period into two equal segments of three and one- half years each
when he said, "in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and
the
oblation to cease" (Daniel 9:27). At the middle of the tribulation period,
the antichrist will set aside the seven-year covenant to protect Israel
and
stop the sacrifices and offerings at the Temple.
Fifth,
his world government will be brought to an end by the second coming of Jesus.
This is the great stone that struck the feet on the famous statue
Nebuchadnezzar
dreamed
about (Daniel 2:34, 35, 44, 45). Jesus will seize the antichrist and throw him
into the lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). No one will help him (Daniel
11:45).
Never before has a world leader fallen like this. Never again will anyone
praise the New World Order. It will be a dead issue from that day forward.
That
highly touted political concept will be just as dead as the first Fuhrer was
when he killed himself.
No
one will help the antichrist when Jesus takes him captive, but he will have a
lot of help when he rises to power. His most famous ally will be a very
powerful
leader in the religious community. The Bible does not identify this one by
name, but it calls him two things: "the beast coming up out of the
earth"
and "the false prophet" (Revelation 13:11; 19:20). This religious
beast will present himself as a lamb, which means he will try to impersonate
Jesus,
the
Lamb of God. And he will speak like a dragon, which means most of what he says
will be Satanic (Revelation 13: 11). We can only speculate about what
he
will say, but it seems likely that he will be an expert in political
correctness. He will probably put a great deal of emphasis on diversity and
inclusiveness.
He
will probably stress gender equality, same sex marriages, tolerance, population
control and things like that. Some Scriptures indicate that he will
stress
children's rights in such a way as to turn children against their parents.
This
powerful religious leader will appear to be a great miracle worker and
multitudes will be deceived when he causes fire to fall from heaven (Revelation
13:13).
Many more will be deceived when he places an image of the antichrist in the
Temple and seemingly makes it appear to come to life (Revelation 13:15).
How
he will do this is a big question, but both Jesus and the prophet Daniel
foretold it and there can be no doubt that it will get the world's attention
(Matthew
24:15; Daniel 9:27).
Once
he has done these things, he will demand that all the world direct worship that
God alone deserves toward the antichrist and his image. To back up
his
demand, he will institute a system to force the compliance of every individual
on earth. The Apostle John said he will cause "all, both small and great,
free
and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand or in their foreheads: And that
no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of
the
beast, or the number of his name" (Revelation 13:16, 17). This mark, which
is usually called the "mark of the beast," will place everyone in
peril.
Complying
will ignite the wrath of God and result in a person being cast into the lake of
fire (Revelation 14:9-11). Not complying will ignite the wrath
of
the antichrist and result in a person being beheaded (Revelation 20:4).
Everyone will have to decide whether or not to take the mark. Cooperation will
open
the door for a person to obtain food, water, medicine, housing, electricity,
clothing and more. But not cooperating will prevent a person from obtaining
the
necessities of life. It doesn't require much imagination to realize just how
bad this will be. There will be widespread famine; and multitudes of Christians
and
Jews will be hated, arrested, persecuted and killed (Matthew 24:7-9).
This
mark of the beast is why so many prophecy experts talk about the coming
"cashless society." They know that a system will be needed to track
all buying
and
selling. They also know that computers can do that if every transaction is
scanned. So they believe money will be replaced by a computerized scanning
system
that will make the infamous mark of the beast both practical and plausible.
Fingerprint scanners, voice print scanners, eye scanners, computerized
smart
cards and implanted computer chips are already a reality that is only step away
from what the Bible predicted almost 2,000 years ago.
And
something else is looming on the horizon. The United Nations now wants everyone
on earth numbered, and it is even pressuring all nations to do just
that.
Funds were requested in the 1998 United States Budget for this very purpose.
What happened was the insertion of a clause in the budget agreement
that
prohibits expenditures on this for 12 months. Prophecy experts know that once
every citizen on earth is numbered and entered into a computer, it will
be
easy for the false prophet to order them to take the "mark" and track
whether or not they obey, A complete list of who has been marked and who hasn't
will
be as easy as pushing a button.
All
of these things will be the bitter fruit of spiritual darkness, corruption and
adultery. The Holy Spirit will be gone when the church is removed in
the
rapture. Once His restraining influence is taken away, God will send strong
delusion upon the earth to punish those who are refusing to love the truth
and
be saved (2 Thessalonians 2: 10, 11). Those left behind will witness the rise
of the antichrist, but they will not recognize him for what he is. He
will
be empowered by Satan (2 Thessalonians 2:9). He will claim to be God (2
Thessalonians 2:4). He will become very strong and kill those who become true
believers
(Daniel 8:24). He will be helped by "seducing spirits and doctrines of
devils" (1 Timothy 4: 1). He will seemingly work miracles. Jesus said,
"there
shall arise false Christ’s, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and
wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the
very
elect" (Matthew 24:24). This will be all the antichrist needs to blind a
spiritually sidetracked world and lead it astray. Dr. Ed Hindson has said:
The
lure of false doctrine is that it presents itself as the truth. It appears as a
corrective measure to established doctrine. It is propagated by those
who
are certain they have discovered some new revelation of truth or a better
interpretation of old, established truth. Either way, they are convinced
they
are right and everyone else is wrong.
And
Dr. Dave Breese has said: The essential battle of our time is not between
Communism and civilization, it is not between the Protestant atheists and
the
Catholic atheists in Ireland, it is not between the free world and the
barbarians - it is between earth and heaven. It takes the form of a civil war.
It
is a battle between revolutionary, radical man and the government of God.
Being
left behind when the rapture occurs will be no blessing. Besides being cast
into the lake of fire (Revelation 14:9-10), here is just a partial list
of
the terrible things those who take the mark of the beast will face if they are
lucky enough to live very long:
1.
Violent wars (Revelation 6:3, 4; 9:15-18).
2.
Economic collapse, hunger and starvation (Revelation 6:5, 6).
3.
Famine, pestilence and wild animals (Revelation 6:7, 8).
4.
Earthquakes, extreme darkness and perhaps nuclear bombs and missiles
(Revelation 6:12).
5.
Hail and fire that burns one-third of the trees and grass on earth (Revelation
8:7).
6.
One-third of the sea turning to blood (Revelation 8:8, 9).
7.
One-third of the fresh water being polluted (Revelation 8:10,11).
8.
One-third of the sun, moon and stars being darkened (Revelation 8:12).
9.
Demon-possessed locusts with the sting of scorpions (Revelation 9:3-5).
10.
Painful sores (Revelation 16:2).
11.
Worldwide pollution of the seas (Revelation 16:2).
12.
Worldwide pollution of fresh water (Revelation 16:4).
13.
Scorching fire from the sun (Revelation 16:8).
14.
Total darkness with extreme agony on earth (Revelation 16:10).
Joining
the world religious system will not help. Even that will be destroyed. God will
place it in the hearts of the antichrist and his ten puppet kings
to
do this at the tribulation period midpoint (Revelation 17:16, 17). They will
act with great vengeance, leaving nothing of the false church.
People
will pay dearly for refusing the mark of the beast and accepting Jesus after
the rapture. Here is a partial list of things revealed in the Scriptures:
1.
God's people will be oppressed and their religion will be slandered (Daniel
7:25; Revelation 13:16, 17).
2.
God's people will be betrayed, hated and killed (Matthew 24:9, 10; Revelation
20:4).
3.
Many will grow weak and fall away (Matthew 24:12).
But
all the news is not bad. Accepting Christ after the rapture and refusing the mark
of the beast will mean that people will possess the kingdom of God
(Daniel
7:18, 27). They will serve in His temple (Revelation 7:14-17). The dead will be
raised, and they will live and reign with Jesus here on earth for
1,000
years (Revelation 20:4).
The
Bible provides a long list of clues about the religion of the antichrist. To
say that he will oppose the Judeo-Christian ethic is simply too mild. It
would
be more accurate to say he will go on a rampage against the world's
newly-converted Christians and brutally kill all he can (Daniel 7:19-25;
Revelation
6:9-11;
12:17; 13:7). This can be attributed to the demonic influence in his life (2
Thessalonians 2:9). He will defy God, oppose God, resist God, try
to
replace God, and claim to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:4). He will be a blasphemer
of the highest sort (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:5). He will try to change
the
Christian calendar (Daniel 7:25), promote witchcraft (Daniel 8:25), demand that
the world worship him (Revelation 13:15), and promote a one-world harlot
religion
(Revelation 17:1-18). This will probably be the politically correct social
values now being promoted by the United Nations.
When
he first rises to power, the antichrist will be well received by the Jews. Some
commentators even believe they will accept him as their long- awaited
Messiah.
This is because Jesus said, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive
me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive"
(John
5:43). They rejected the true Christ and it appears as if they will accept the
antichrist. Signing the seven-year covenant to protect Israel will
make
him even more popular. That covenant will probably grant the Jews the right to
rebuild their much-desired Temple, reinstitute the animal sacrifices,
and
resume the offerings (Daniel 9:27).
But
his love affair with Israel will not last very long. God will quickly seal
144,000 Jewish evangelists to preach the gospel to the world (Revelation
7:1-8).
He will also call two witnesses and empower them to the same thing in Jerusalem
(Revelation 11:3-13). Many Jews will turn away from the antichrist
and
accept Jesus as their Messiah. This will stir his wrath. He will begin to
persecute the Jews. After three and one-half years he will break his covenant
to
protect them, defile the Temple he let them rebuild, stop the animal
sacrifices, and stop the offerings (Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11).
Many
of the Jews will flee into the wilderness (Matthew 24:15, 16). Most scholars believe
they will go to the ancient rock city called Petra. The antichrist
will
send his armies to destroy them and it will take nothing short of divine
intervention to preserve them (Revelation 12:13-16). God's help will make
the
antichrist furious. He will quickly kill two- thirds of those Jews who do not
escape (Zechariah 13:8). He will attack Jerusalem, capture the Holy City,
rob
and kill many of its citizens, make slaves out of others, and his troops will
rape the Jewish women (Zechariah 14:1, 2; Daniel 7:25; 12:7). The Bible
calls
this "the time of Jacob's trouble" (Jeremiah 30:7). According to
Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy:
One
of the major reasons for the tribulation is to prepare Israel for her
conversion. Thus, both Israel as a nation and a people will experience the
manifestations
of
evil during this era. In fact, many of the events of the tribulation revolve
around Israel. Geographically and spiritually, Israel is at center stage
during
the tribulation.
Do
not overlook this. It often seems like most of those who write about the
antichrist, end-of-the-age events, etc. are riding the hobbyhorse of bad news,
but
they do not intend to do that. And a lot of good things will result from these
terrible events. The conversion of Israel is one of the really big ones.
Almost
two thousand years ago, the Apostle John was talking about world kingdoms when
he said, "Five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come"
(Revelation
17:10). The "five are fallen" kingdoms were Egypt, Assyria, Babylon,
Medo Persia and Greece. The "one is" refers to the sixth, the Roman
Empire
that
was in existence when John received the Revelation. The seventh, or one
"not yet come," is the future kingdom of antichrist. That one will be
a global
dictatorship
(Revelation 13:7). National sovereignty will be a relic of the past. The United
States will cease to be an independent nation. American troops
will
have only a fraction of the power of a world military. World court rulings will
supercede those of the United States Supreme Court. The American economy
will
be controlled by the global economy. Dr. Ed Hindson says:
All
through the 20th century, we have allowed godless secularism to replace the
Judeo-Christian values of our society. God has been deliberately and
systematically
removed
from prominence in our culture and in our intellectual lives. We have made Him
irrelevant to our culture. Tragically, we have also made our culture
irrelevant
to God. In so doing, we have abandoned our spiritual heritage. The Christian
consensus that once dominated Western culture is now shattered.
The
world is already mired in the quicksand of secularism, relativism, and
mysticism. It is a wonder we have survived as long as we have.
This
is hard for many people to accept. We have an earnest desire to believe that
America has a special place in God's heart. It once did, but that was
because
God had a special place in America's heart. We can no longer say that. As a
nation we have kicked God out of our schools. As a nation we have told
Him
not to interfere in our decisions regarding abortion, homosexuality, and things
like that. As a nation we have said character doesn't matter. Some
of
our most faithful church members have decided that God should set aside His
commandments about adultery and lying because the economy is good and the
stock
market keeps going higher and higher. America's most secret weapons, and along
with them America's treasured security, have been sold to some of
the
most wicked people on earth, but most voters are asleep and few could care
less. A Fuhrer worse than Adolph Hitler ever dreamed of being is waiting
in
the wings. He wants to take over the world, including our beloved United
States, and the church, like the five foolish virgins, is in a deep sleep.
"What
about the United States," we ask? The Bible doesn't say. America
desperately needs a revival, but her economy is so good most don't want it.
Therefore,
it
is the opinion of this writer that something must change in a hurry, or we can
kiss our cherished country goodbye forever.
Skeptics
quickly point out that Jesus said, "of that day and hour knoweth no man,
no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only" (Matthew 24:36). They
willingly
overlook the fact that He gave us many signs and inferred that we can tell when
they "begin to come to pass" (Luke 21:28). Also, that He said,
"when
ye shall see all t ' these things, know that it is near, even at the
doors" (Matthew 24:33). Conservative Christians believe they see all these
things
coming
on the scene now. This means the rapture will soon take place and multitudes of
lost people are in real danger. The lukewarm, and all those who
have
heard the Word and refused to believe it, will be deceived and lost forever
(Revelation 3:14-22; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). If there ever was a time
when true revival was needed, this is it. Those who are not Christian should prepare and the only way to do that is to accept Christ.