THE ANTICHRIST---PART ONE

THE ANTICHRIST---PART ONE

      In 1 John 2, the Apostle John tells us of an antichrist:  18) Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come.  This is how we know it is the last hour.  19) They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us.  For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

   20) But you have an anointing from The Holy One, and all of you know the truth.  21) I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.  22) Who is the liar?  It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.  Such a person is the antichrist--denying the Father and the Son.  23) No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.  (NIV)

   There are many antichrists.  We have been studying the Book of Daniel, a book of prophesy, which includes THE antichrist of the end times.  Many considered that Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled the identity of the antichrist.  Those who recognized the interval of many years between Daniel 11:35 and Daniel 11: 36, believed the emperor Nero to fit the identity, since he was the first Roman persecutor of the Christians.  Then there was Simon Magus, the impostor of Acts, chapter 8.  How about the prophet of Arabia, Mohammed?  Most would say it is the Catholic papacy.  

   The fact is that none of them fully meet the requirements for the case.  Therefore, THE antichrist is still to arise and will only come upon the scene in the Time of the End.   So, let us turn our attention to various leaders who are to occupy prominent positions in the coming day:

   First of all, as we have studied, the Roman Empire is to be revived in a ten-kingdom condition; ten European powers are to be united in one federation.  The European Union currently has 28 members.  In order to bring this about, there will be a union of socialistic and imperialistic policies.  These ten kingdoms will have a chief arbiter.  Now, skip to Revelations 13: 1 - 8.  This same ruler is described as "the Beast".  He is the "little horn of the West" in the seventh chapter of Daniel. Remember, West, East, North and South is termed in relation to Israel.
   This "beast" will have his seat in Rome.  He will be an infidel.  After the destruction of Babylon (Iraq), apostate Christendom will pay homage to this guy.  He will be brilliant.  He will dazzle nations with almost superhuman abilities and unparalleled success.

   From the East, we have another power that will dispute the preeminence of the Beast.  This will be the little horn of Asia.  This is the last Gentile ruler of the land now dominated by Turkey.  (This is not the little horn of the seventh chapter.)  This guy is, rather, identified as "the Assyrian" of Isaiah 10: 24, 25:  Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, "O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did.  25) For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction."  (ESV)  He will be the special enemy of the Jews in the Time of the End.
   His destruction is described in Isaiah 14: 24, 25:  "Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand, 25) to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains.  Then his yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder....." (ESV)  The Lord's memory is long.

   The "Assyrian" will bring great wrath against the Jews, but not in his own power.  He is evidently backed by a more powerful nation:  Rosh (or Russia).  Yes, this ruler will join with the Turkish sultan (or Syrian ruler) in opposing the pretensions of the Beast.  This is found in Ezekiel, chapters 38 and 39.

   

   Then, there is the fourth leader:  the King of the South.  He is the ruler of an independent Egypt.  His opposition to the Turks is hereditary.  So, while opposed to Antichrist, he seems to act in conjunction with the Beast in opposing "The Assyrian".

   All four of these armies will be marching down upon Israel at about the same time.  This is Armageddon.  Blood shall flow to the horses' bridles for one thousand six hundred furlongs.  Revelations 14:  18 - 20.  Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar; and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, "Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe."  19) So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.  20) And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.  (NASB)

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JUDGMENT DANIEL 7: 9 - 13

JUDGMENT    DANIEL 7: 9 - 13

   (9)  As I looked,

          "thrones were set in place,

             and the Ancient of Days took His seat.

          His clothing was as white as snow;

             the hair of his head was white like wool.

          His throne was flaming with fire,

             and its wheels were all ablaze.

          (10)  A river of fire was flowing,

             coming out from before Him.

          Thousands upon thousands attended Him;

             ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.

          The court was seated,

             and the books were opened.

   (11) "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking.  I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.  (12) (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)

   (13) "In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven.  He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence.  (14) He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and His Kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

LIFE APPLICATION STUDY BIBLE COMMENTARY

   This judgment scene is in the end times.  The Ancient of Days is God, who assigns power to kingdoms and who will judge those kingdoms in the end.  We will all stand before The Judge one day to give account of how we used our lives. The slaying of the beast represents the fall of Rome.  While this beast was destroyed, the other beasts were allowed to live for a period of time.

   The "One like a Son of Man" is the Messiah. 

MY THOUGHTS

   With time coming to an end for the Gentiles, we must work ever harder to ensure our family and friends are saved and going to forever be with The Father.  We need to "gather while the harvest is plentiful."  So, the question for you is this:  What are you doing about Jesus?  Are you rejecting Him or have you accepted His incredible gift of eternal salvation?  This is the most important decision of your entire life!  For more, please click here:  https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.

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