2 Thessalonians 2:9 says, "The coming of the
lawless one will be revealed .......'" Daniel 8:23 goes on
to say, " ...... a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will
arise."
In last week's Prophecy News Headlines, we saw several
articles that reported on the big UN conference and the gathering of
international leaders ... and how many of them were touting a global
government and an eventual leader to oversee all world affairs. It appears
that many of them truly believe that this is the ultimate answer to
all our problems ... that some inspirational, charismatic person is
going to come along and solve all the world's ills.
In the short term, they will appear to be right.
... Soon, and very soon, there will , out of the ashes of our pathetic
attempts to govern ourselves, arise a leader with all the aforementioned
attributes that will appear to have all the answers ... and the
world will willingly follow him. .... So who is this guy? ................
When I first began studying prophecy some 35+ years
ago, it was then that I originally encountered the teachings of a coming
world government with one man taking full control. ... I must
admit it was extremely difficult to even fathom the concept in those
days. After all, America and Russia were both super-powers and
it really just didn't make much sense. ... But, since the Bible
presented this as the coming reality, I believed it, even though I could
not fully comprehend it.
Fast-forwarding to today, it is much easier to envision
the possibility of such a scenario. Cable television is everywhere in
the world. The internet and satellite communications reach virtually
every country on the face of the earth. Even now, modern weapons
can reach any part of the world in mere minutes. ... Men and nations
no longer live in isolation.
... And, of course, there are other factors that
make the ascendance of a global leader more of a reality than ever before.
The Bible predicts that worldwide chaos, instability and disorder will
increase as we approach the end of the age. Jesus Himself said
there would be wars, rumors of wars, famines & earthquakes, and
pestilences in various places (See Matthew 24, Mark 13 & Luke 21).
.... The devastation caused by these increasing events will trigger
a worldwide outcry for relief and order at almost any cost. These
continuing deteriorating conditions will set the stage for the emergence
of a new world leader who will promise solutions to all our problems.
... He will bring about world peace and promise order and security for
all.
Considering all this ... bankrupt nations ... massive
public rioting & chaos ...the impending economic collapse of the
entire world system as we know it ... it then will be no surprise that
people will follow this man even to the point of falling down and worshipping
him. .... Christian brother and Pastor David Jeremiah said
this, "We see in our own political campaigns how quickly
people gravitate to charisma and power. Give us a fine-looking
candidate with a golden voice, a powerful presence, and the ability
to enthrall people with vague rhetoric about an undefined better future,
and we follow like sheep as the media bleats the candidate's praises.
... Completely overlooked is the substance of the man's program."
....... (Somehow this seems so recently familiar) ...............
In short, the presence and charisma of this coming world leader will
be very similar, making his rise to power inevitable.
Now, let's dwell for a moment on who and what this
coming ruler really is. ... The most common name we hear in today's
world is 'the anti-christ' ... but in all actuality, the name anti-christ
is used only four times in the New Testament ... each time by the apostle
John (1 John 2:18, 24; 4:3 & 2 John 7). ... In these usages, it
suggests that the anti-christ is a person who is against Christ ...
but he appears many more times under other aliases such as:
*"The prince who is to come"
(Daniel 9:26 - NKJV)
*A "fierce" king (Daniel
8:23 - NKJV)
*"A master of intrigue" (Daniel
8:23 - NIV)
*"A despicable man" (Daniel
11:21 - NLT)
*A "worthless shepherd" (Zechariah
11:16-17 - NLT)
*"The one who brings destruction"
(2 Thessalonians 2:3 - NLT)
*"The lawless one" (2 Thessalonians
2:8 - NKJV)
*"The evil man" (2 Thessalonians
2:9 - NLT)
*The "beast" - (Revelation
13:1 - NKJV)
As we can see, the anti-christ is introduced and
described in great detail in scripture. Needless to say, this
has caused great speculation as to who he really is. Some have
gone to great lengths in trying to identify the anti-christ ... even
to the point of naming names. ... For the sake of time I won't go into
great detail, but if you are curious, you can google "Who is anti-christ"
and you will find about 1.5 million hits. This in itself is a
sign of great fascination generated by this incredible subject.
So who is this coming world ruler? ... In
the 12th chapter of Revelation, we read of the dragon, or satan, being
thrown out of Heaven in a great war. ... Then, in the 13th chapter,
we see that the dragon comes to earth to begin his program by setting
up his representative, the anti-christ. ... Now, when we tie this chapter
with some passages from the Book of Daniel (8:23-26), we get a
good profile of this leader by seeing how he comes to power from varying
viewpoints. ... Each of these viewpoints ... political ... national
... spiritual ... and providential ... give us a good portrait of who
he is and what he will be like.
Let's take a quick glance .........
*He will be a political unknown - Daniel 7 tells
us he won't make a big splash as he emerges upon the scene. Prophecy
shows he comes in the picture as a "Little horn" (verse 8)
but grows into a big horn. .... Prophecy also shows in Revelation 13:1
that he rises from among the masses of ordinary people ... Remember,
the sea in Bible symbolism stands for the general masses of humanity,
or more specifically, the gentile nations. ... We can confirm
this meaning for the 'sea' in Revelation 17:15 which says, "Then
the angel said to me, "The waters you saw, where the prostitute
sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages."
*He will come from a gentile nation - Much speculation
swirls around the subject of where the anti-christ will come from.
... Dr. Thomas Ice weighs in as to the ethnicity of the anti-christ
and concluded: "A widely held belief throughout the history
of the church has been the notion that anti-christ will be of Jewish
origin. This view is still somewhat popular in our day. However,
upon closer examination, we find no real scriptural basis for such a
view. In fact, the Bible teaches just the opposite ... that anti-christ
will be of gentile descent."
As to where, because of the prophecies of Daniel
2 & 7 as well as Revelation 13, I believe the Roman Empire must
be revived before the end times, and this appears to be happening in
the form of the European Union. The anti-christ will emerge from
one of the unified European nations. ... Remember, John's revelation
affirms that the world ruler will arise from the masses within a gentile
nation.
What are his attributes?
*Charismatic - Daniel 7:7-8, 25 says, "After
this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast ... and
there were
eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking
pompous words ... He shall speak pompous words against the Most High."
.......Here Daniel gives us one of the characteristics of the coming
world ruler ... his charismatic personality enhanced by great speaking
ability, which he will use to sway the masses by words of power and
promise. ...........Daniel also mentions that this leader will also
speak pompous words against God. The apostle John describes him
in a similar fashion in Revelation 13:15, "... and he was
given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies." ...........
Daniel goes on by saying that he is a man "Whose appearance was
greater than his fellows"
(Daniel 7:20) .... So, in outward appearance, he
will be very attractive. This combination of magnetic personality,
speaking ability, and physical good looks will make him virtually irresistible
to the masses.
*Cunning - Daniel 7:8 says, "While I
was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little
one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted
before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth
that spoke boastfully." ... Daniel was given a vision of a world
leader. If we read and understand the prophetic symbol of the
horns, we learn from this verse that the coming world ruler will subdue
three other kings by plucking them out by their roots. In other
words, he will take over three kingdoms, not by war but by cleaver political
manipulation. Daniel reiterates this event in the 11th chapter
of his prophecy, telling us that this future leader "shall come
in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue" .. (Daniel 11:21).
... The anti-christ will be a political genius and diplomat, and a clever
leader.
*Cruel - Daniel 7:23, 25 says, "In the
latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked,
a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. ... He will cause
deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When
they feel secure, he will destroy many and take his stand against the
Prince of Princes. Yet he will be destroyed, but not by human
power." ......Here Daniel tells us that the anti-christ is going
to devour the whole world. He is going to break it to pieces.
... What could happen to anger the anti-christ to unleash this kind
of cruelty? ... Although all the believers of the present age
will be taken to Heaven before the reign of this man (The Rapture),
new converts will come to Christ during the years of tribulation.
This will anger the anti-christ, and he will take out his wrath on these
new Christians, and many will be martyred for their faith.
*Intimidating Presence - The four major kingdoms
described in Daniel's other prophetic vision were compared to animals:
-Babylon was like a lion ...
-Medo-Persia was like a bear ...
-Greece was like a leopard ...
-Rome was like a 10-horned beast
(Daniel 7)
In the descriptions of the beast in Revelation,
we have all of these characteristics combined into one ominous creature
(Revelation 13:2) ... The comparison of the anti-christ to ferocious
beast is intended to show us the intimidating presence of this satanic
creature. He combines in his person all of the threatening characteristics
of the kingdoms which have gone before him.
*Spiritual Blasphemies - In addition to Daniel 7:25,
which we just read ... in 2nd Thessalonians 2:4, Paul describes
him as one "who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called
God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as god in the temple of God,
showing himself that he is God." ..... as Paul wrote in Romans
1, and as the history of ancient Israel warns us over and over, it is
a terrible thing to worship a creature instead of the Creator. ... Yet,
Daniel warns us that this man will defy God and demand to be worshipped
instead of him. ... and his demand will be met. John wrote in
Revelation 13:8, "All inhabitants of the earth will worship
the beast - all whose names have not been written in the book of life
belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world."
*His Agenda - One of the first things this world
leader will do is make peace with Israel. He will keep this covenant
for the first three and a half years of his rule. Then he will
change his tactics, will drop all notions of peace, and adopt a program
of crushing power. ... He will break his covenant with Israel
and subject the Jews to great persecution (Daniel 9:27 & Isaiah
28:18). .... Then will come his most sensational moment. ... The
anti-christ will actually be killed, but to the amazement of all the
world, he will be raised back to life by the power of satan. This
will be a grotesque counterfeit of the resurrection of Jesus Christ
(Revelation 13:3-4) ... In the final act of rebellion against God, this
false ruler will set himself up in Jerusalem and desecrate the rebuilt
temple in what is called the "abomination of desolation" (Daniel
11:31 & 12:1, Matthew 24:15 & Mark 13:14). ..... He will attempt
to eliminate every Jew on earth, thus sounding the first ominous note
in the prelude to the Battle of Armageddon. ... This despot of all despots
will be ultimately destroyed when Jesus Christ comes to battle against
the anti-christ and his armies. ... In that final battle, the
anti-christ will be killed and his forces will be destroyed. Then,
the victorious Christ will assume His throne as rightful king and ruler
of the universe.
In conclusion then, remember that this coming world
ruler is not some imaginary monster as some doubters and scoffers would
have you believe. ... This coming anti-christ is a real "beast"
and a most treacherous one. He will, through supernatural deceit,
appear as a geopolitical and socioeconomic savior of mankind. .....
Be certain, the Beast of Revelation 13 is about to step into the spotlight
of history's final acts.
Until next time,
Red
Note: Don't forget! ... The end-time study starts
next Tuesday night, October 9th at 6:30 PM - Chehalem Valley Baptist
Church in Newberg. .... Hope to see you there!