Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Biblical Christian Network: "Anti-Christ" (13 of 666) Paul Kusiak

 

 

 

Yes! Jesus is Coming!

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Thursdays Study in Prophecy

On Thursdays all day we bring a recap of the Week so far and a look forward of the Propehcy Sites and Teachings that make up the Biblical Prophecy Network;

Feautured Series are listed below.

Biblical Prophecy Today chooses not to be a wierd or wacky service provider of every wild and wooly idea that someone gets from too much coffee; too much time on the Internet and too little time studying and "approving" what is valid, but we would see Jesus as Coming to this Generation.We abide by that motto that saved us in the beginning of this age of grace and we saw written on the sides of the wall leading into a little church at the time called Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa; It said:

"Jesus is Coming"

 

Prophecy Topical

"Anti-Christ"

(13 of 666)

THIRTEEN

 RAPTURE READY

The Antichrist

By Paul Kusiak

During the Tribulation a world leader will arise. The Bible has many names for this leader, "the fierce king" (Dan 8:23), "abomination" (Matt. 24:15), "the man of sin" (2 Thess. 2:3), "the wicked one" (2 Thess. 2:8), "the beast" (Rev. 13.1) but he is most commonly known as "the Antichrist".

The name Antichrist means "in place of" and "against" Christ. This name suits him well because just as Jesus is the world's true Savior, the Antichrist will deceive the world into thinking he is their savior.

This is an overview of what the Bible says about the Antichrist:

1) HE WILL BE INSPIRED BY SATAN AND ASSISTED BY THE FALSE PROPHET

"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders" (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

While the Antichrist will appear to be a great man, he will be a servant of Satan. 2 Corinthians 11:14-15 tells us that “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” so we shouldn’t be surprised that his followers deceive the world by “disguising themselves as servants of righteousness.”

During the Tribulation, Satan, the Antichrist, and the False Prophet will form an unholy trinity. The False Prophet will lead people to the Antichrist and the Antichrist will lead people to Satan and Satan will lead them into hell.

2) HE WILL RISE TO POWER THROUGH PEACE AFTER THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH

"...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" (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

After the Rapture (when He who restrains is taken out of the way) the Antichrist will come on the scene. The world will be looking for a leader and Satan will be quick to provide one.

The Antichrist will preach a message of peace. The prophet Daniel says that "he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue." (Daniel 11:21)

Revelation 13:2 compares him to a leopard because he will rise to power very quickly. The verse goes on to say that his feet are like those of a bear, because of his fierce power and strength and his mouth is like that of a lion, because of his domination over the world.

3) HE WILL TAKE PART IN, AND BREAK, A PEACE TREATY WITH ISRAEL

"Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week [seven years]; but in the middle of the week [three and-a-half- years] he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering..." (Daniel 9:26-27)

The Antichrist will seemingly make good on his peace promise when he makes a seven year peace treaty with Israel and her enemies. But in the middle of the treaty he will break the treaty and plunge the world war. Ultimately, there can be no peace without Jesus, "the Prince of peace". (Isaiah 9:6)

4) HE WILL APPEAR TO BE FATALLY WOUNDED AND RESURRECTED

"And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon [Satan]who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Revelation 13:3-4)

There will be many miracles and wonders surrounding the Antichrist, but none as convincing as what Revelation 13:3-4 outlines. In an attempt to imitate Christ's resurrection, the Antichrist will appear to be mortally wounded and come back to life.

The world will be amazed asking, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" They will think he is God and he will use this to his full advantage.

5) HE WILL CLAIM TO BE GOD AND FORCE THE WORLD TO RECEIVE HIS MARK

"...the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)

After deceiving the world the Antichrist will declare that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 says that "because they did not receive the love of the truth, 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."

In other words, because the world rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior God will allow them to believe the Antichrist's claim to be God. They will worship him and Satan.

He will force the "small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666." (Revelation 13:16-17)

The only way to buy or sell during the Antichrist's world government will be to receive his mark. The only way to receive the mark is to worship him as God. Those who worship the Antichrist as God reject the true God and will go to hell.

The Antichrist will enter the world on a platform of peace, tell the people what they want to hear and amazes them with signs and wonders to win their trust. They are happy to accept his one-world government.

And once they accept him, the beast is revealed.

BACK TO BIBLE STUDY PLANET

 In the world of Eschatology there is a lot of money to be made selling books, doing seminars, giving speech engagements and generally sensationalizing anything that "sounds like" or "looks like" prophecy.

 That is not why we are here or what I do.

We would see Jesus

 And that is What Prophecy is all about.

Merchandizing and Marketing are the two largest leverages used in promotion of prophecy today.
They are effective, they work, and they also distort.

 We are about the Message.

 We try to remove the M&M's from the sites posting so you get less candy and more meaning.

We are ALL about the Message.

 It is not that we are ooposed to any Christian trying to make a buc, we simply choose to remove the dollars and sense so anyone and everyone can freely study and freely recieve the best, the most relevant and the currrent materials available on the internet to anyone who wants to know Fact from Fiction about End Times.

That can only be accomplished by personal study.
We aren't going to tell you what to beleive
That is the role of the Holy Spirit
but we are going to give you 
tools to study.

Current Series

Perspectives; Prophecy Q&A; Studies From; Rapture Series; Questionable; Book of Charts; Updated; News from; Warnings; Yes! Jesus is Coming!; Countdown to Armageddon; ViewPoint;"What Should Christians do";"Prophecy Topical" with many more added as we increase till Jesus Come Again. 

 

 

 

Posted by at

The Biblical Christian Network: "Anti-Christ" (12 of 666) Britt Gillette

 

 

 

Yes! Jesus is Coming!

-The Classic Christian Network-Biblical Prophecy Today Network-Last Generation News Report-Christian Issues Network-Last Call Devotional Network-Natzsal The Jewish Network-Michael James Stone Online-The Last Word Videos Network-

 

Thursdays Study in Prophecy

On Thursdays all day we bring a recap of the Week so far and a look forward of the Propehcy Sites and Teachings that make up the Biblical Prophecy Network;

Feautured Series are listed below.

Biblical Prophecy Today chooses not to be a wierd or wacky service provider of every wild and wooly idea that someone gets from too much coffee; too much time on the Internet and too little time studying and "approving" what is valid, but we would see Jesus as Coming to this Generation.We abide by that motto that saved us in the beginning of this age of grace and we saw written on the sides of the wall leading into a little church at the time called Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa; It said:

"Jesus is Coming"

 

Prophecy Topical

"Anti-Christ"

(12 of 666)

TWELVE

 RAPTURE READY

Is the False Prophet the Antichrist?

by Britt Gillette

 

In the nearly 2,000 years since the Book of Revelation was written, many have perceived the false prophet of Revelation 13 to be an ally of the Antichrist rather than the Antichrist himself.  But is this the correct biblical view?  Let’s study what the bible says:

The Two Beasts of Revelation 13

Revelation 13 identifies two beasts who will emerge in the last days during the period known as the tribulation.  The first of these beasts appears at the beginning of Chapter 13:

“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea.  It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns.  And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.  This beast looked like a leopard, but it had bear’s feet and a lion’s mouth!  And the dragon gave him his own power and throne and great authority.”  Revelation 13:1-2 (NLT)

This beast (described in verses 1-8) is traditionally viewed as representing the Antichrist, while the second beast (described in verses 11-18) is traditionally viewed as representing the “false prophet,” a man distinct from the Antichrist who assists in forcing the world to worship the Antichrist:

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth.  He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon.”  Revelation 13:11 (NLT)

However, neither of these views is compatible with what the bible really teaches.  According to the bible, the false prophet is the Antichrist, and he doesn’t need a sinister sidekick to carry out his evil plans.

Why the First Beast is the Revived Roman Empire

Much confusion arises from the fact that although the first beast is the Antichrist’s empire, many of its attributes can be used to describe the Antichrist himself.  Biblically speaking, this is not a unique concept.  This also occurs in the Book of Daniel, when Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar he is the head of gold, even though the head of gold is clearly stated as representing the kingdom of Babylon:

“Your Majesty, you are a king over many kings.  The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.  He has made you the ruler over all theinhabited world and has put even the animals and birds under your control.  You are the head of gold.”  Daniel 2:37-38 (NLT)

In much the same way, the beast of Revelation 13:1 should be viewed as the kingdom of the Antichrist.  However, since the Antichrist is the ultimate ruler of this empire, it will take on many characteristics traditionally associated with his personality.

The Revived Roman Empire

The Bible reveals that in the last days, the world will be ruled by a global government. This will be the first truly global government since the fall of Adam and Eve, and it will be responsible for a terrible amount of destruction and murder before being destroyed by the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ who “will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” Daniel 2:44 (NLT).

In Chapter 2 of the Book of Daniel, the prophet Daniel (with the guidance of God Himself) properly interprets the dream of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. The king dreamed of a beautiful statue of a man with a head of gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet made from a combination of iron and clay. The statue was crushed by a rock cut from a mountain by supernatural means, and the rock became a great mountain that covered the whole earth.

Daniel explains that the statue is a series of kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonia:

“You are the head of gold. But after your kingdom comes to an end, another great kingdom, inferior to yours, will rise to take your place. After that kingdom has fallen, yet a third great kingdom, represented by the bronze belly and thighs, will rise to rule the world. Following that kingdom, there will be a fourth great kingdom, as strong as iron. That kingdom will smash and crush all previous empires, just as iron smashes and crushes everything it strikes. The feet and toes you saw that were a combination of iron and clay show that this kingdom will be divided. Some parts of it will be as strong as iron, and others as weak as clay. This mixture of iron and clay also shows that these kingdoms will try to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other through intermarriage. But this will not succeed, just as iron and clay do not mix.” Daniel 2:38-43 (NLT)

In the course of human events since Daniel first interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, all but one of these human kingdoms (the last) has appeared and disappeared just as predicted. In order, they are:

1) Babylonia
2) Medo-Persia
3) Greece
4) Rome
5) The Revived Roman Empire

Attributes of the Last World Empire

This last empire, symbolized by the feet and toes of iron and clay, will one day constitute the first dictatorship that is truly global in nature. This revived Roman Empirewill rule the world in the following ways:

1) Politically
“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

2) Religiously
“And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:8 (NLT)

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast.” Revelation 13:4 (NLT)

and

3) Economically
“He required everyone – great and small, rich and poor, slave and free – to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name.” Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT)

Every facet of the human experience will be utterly dominated by this global government.

The Ten Kings

“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea.  It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns.”  Revelation 13:1 (NLT)

In its second incarnation, the Roman Empire will be ruled by ten kings. Another king will arise from among them. They will grant their authority to him, but he will soon turn on three of these kings, acquiring permanent control over the empire. This passage also underscores how God views the world versus how humans view the world. These same kingdoms as dreamed of by Nebuchadnezzar represented a beautiful statue; As viewed by God they represent horrible beasts.

We learn more about the characteristics of the coming world government in the Book of Revelation, where an angel reveals to the apostle John the true meaning of his vision of a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with 7 heads and 10 horns:

“And now understand this: The seven heads of the beast represent seven hills of the city where this woman rules. They also represent seven kings. Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief. The scarlet beast that was alive and then died is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, will go to his doom. His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give their power and authority to him.” Revelation 17:9-13 (NLT)

Throughout history “seven hills” has often been erroneously interpreted as a reference to Rome, the city of seven hills. However, the original Greek is literally interpreted as “seven mountains.” From Daniel 2:35, we know that a mountain can represent a kingdom, and given the context of the verses, it is proper to interpret these seven mountains as seven kingdoms. The seven heads of the beast represent seven world empires, five of which were referenced earlier by the prophet Daniel. They are, in order of their rule, the following:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece
6) Rome
7) The Revived Roman Empire

As the passage explains, the 10 horns represent 10 kings who, as we learned earlier from Daniel, will grant their power and authority to this final kingdom – the revivedRoman Empire. Daniel concurs with the vision of the 10 kings, the appearance of an eleventh king, and the defeat of 3 of the 10 kings:

“Then in my vision that night, I saw a fourth beast, terrifying, dreadful, and very strong. It devoured and crushed its victims with huge iron teeth and trampled what was left beneath its feet. It was different from any of the other beasts, and it had ten horns. As I was looking at the horns, suddenly another small horn appeared among them. Three of the first horns were wrenched out, roots and all, to make room for it. This little horn had eyes like human eyes and a mouth that was boasting arrogantly.” Daniel 7:7-8 (NLT)

Ten kings will give their power and national sovereignty to the revived Roman Empire. From among them, the Antichrist will appear, and he will become the preeminent ruler among them.

Furthermore, we learn earlier in the Book of Revelation that the final world empire will be the seventh successive world empire and will be formed by 10 kings:

“And now in my vision I saw a beast rising up out of the sea. It had seven heads and ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns. And written on each head were names that blasphemed God.” Revelation 13:1 (NLT)

The Resurrection of One of the Heads of the Beast

We also learn from the Book of Revelation that the seventh head of the beast will seem wounded beyond recovery, but the wound will be healed. The following verses reference this recovery:

“I saw that one of the heads of the beast seemed wounded beyond recovery – but the fatal wound was healed! All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe.” Revelation 13:3 (NLT)

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong in this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been healed.” Revelation 13:12 (NLT)

“He ordered the people of the world to make a great statue of the first beast, who was fatally wounded and then came back to life.” Revelation 13:14 (NLT)

Many commentators have applied this attribute to the human head of this global government, the Antichrist. They believe the Antichrist will be resurrected in a satanic attempt to counterfeit the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, this is a misinterpretation of scripture. The wounded head is the kingdom of the Antichrist, not the person himself.

Although the word “beast” is used to describe the person of the Antichrist, it’s also used in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13 to describe his kingdom as well as previous world empires.  Heads are symbols of kingdoms, while horns are symbols of kings.  Therefore, a wounded head represents a wounded kingdom, not a wounded king.  The wounded beast described in these verses is the world empire of ancient Rome, which was never completely destroyed like its predecessors. In the last days, theRoman Empire will appear once again, and the world will marvel at its appearance. The following verse reiterates this concept:

“Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.” Revelation 17:10 (NLT)

The angel reveals to John that 5 of the kingdoms have fallen:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece

The sixth kingdom “now reigns”:

6) Rome (John’s vision occurred in the 1st Century, when Rome still ruled the known world)

And the seventh “is yet to come”:

7) The Revived Roman Empire

In the last days, this resurrected Roman Empire will rule all of humanity. Its reign will be brief, but it will be like no other kingdom before it. It will play the role of beast in a satanic trinity of Satan, Antichrist, and Beast. 

The Book of Daniel

Further insight into the identity of the beast in Revelation 13:1 is provided to Daniel following his vision of four beasts:

“I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me.  So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant.  He explained it to me like this: “These four huge beasts represent four kingdoms that will arise from the earth.”  Daniel 7:15-17 (NLT)

In this verse, a heavenly being explains to Daniel that the beasts in his vision represent kingdoms or world empires.  These are the same empires foreseen in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, with the fourth empire representing Rome:

“Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one so different from the others and so terrifying.  It devoured and crushed its victims with iron teeth and bronze claws, and it trampled what was left beneath its feet.  I also asked about the ten horns on the fourth beast’s head and the little horn that came up afterward and destroyed three of the other horns.  This was the horn that seemed greater than the others and had human eyes and mouth that was boasting arrogantly.”  Daniel 7:19-20 (NLT)

Notice the distinct similarities between this beast and the beast of Revelation 13:1.  Both crush everything in their path, and both have ten horns.  The similarities continue:

“Then he said to me, ‘This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire.”  Daniel 7:23-24 (NLT)

In this verse, it’s clearly stated that the beast in Daniel’s vision is a world empire that will rule the earth.  It will be different in that it will devour the whole world, providing it with dominion over “every tribe and people and language and nation” Revelation 13:7 (NLT).  It will also have ten horns that are ten kings, just as the beast of Revelation 13:1 has “ten horns, with ten crowns on its horns.”

From these kings, another king will rise, and He will cause a shocking amount of destruction.  This king is the Antichrist, and he will rise out of the revived Roman Empire:

“Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High.’” Daniel 7:24-25 (NLT)

Why the Second Beast is the Antichrist

In addition to the similarities between the Book of Daniel’s description of the revivedRoman Empire and the beast of Revelation 13:1, a number of notable similarities exist between the second beast of Revelation 13 and other biblical descriptions of the Antichrist.   
He Speaks with the Voice of a Dragon 
Knowing that the Antichrist is the human embodiment of Satan, the bible gives us a clear identification of the second beast:

“Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth.  He had two horns like those of a lamb, and he spoke with the voice of a dragon.”  Revelation 13:11 (NLT)

It’s not by mere coincidence that this beast speaks with the voice of a dragon.  The same dragon appears in Chapter 12, and there is no mistaking his identity:

“This great dragon – the ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world – was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”  Revelation 12:9 (NLT)

Following a great war in heaven, Satan is thrown to the earth in defeat where he knows that he has little time before Christ returns to establish his Millennial Kingdom.  This event occurs at the mid-point of the tribulation:

“Rejoice, O heavens!  And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!  But terror will come on the earth and the sea.  For the Devil has come down to you in great anger, and he knows that he has little time.”  Revelation 12:12 (NLT)

The mid-point of the tribulation, when Satan comes to reside on earth, is also when the Antichrist commits the “abomination of desolation” spoken of by Jesus and the prophet Daniel.

Astounding Miracles

The second beast of Revelation 13 is also described as performing astounding miracles, so as to deceive the people of this world:

“He did astounding miracles, such as making fire flash down to earth from heaven while everyone was watching.  And with all the miracles he was allowed to perform on behalf of the first beast, he deceived all the people who belong to this world.”  Revelation 13:13-14 (NLT)

Paul clearly identifies this same beast as a man, the Antichrist, who he describes in his letter to the Thessalonians:

“This evil man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of wicked deception to fool those who are on their way to destruction because they refuse to believe the truth that would save them.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (NLT)

He Exercises All Authority

Throughout the scriptures, the Antichrist is described as a man of unprecedented power, who answers to no one.  If the false prophet is merely an associate of the Antichrist, then how could he “exercise all the authority” of the Antichrist without being at least the equal of the Antichrist himself?  He doesn’t, because the false prophet is the Antichrist.

The Antichrist exercises all the authority of the revived Roman empire, which is the seat of global authority:

“He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death-wound had been healed.” Revelation 13:12 (NLT)

The Antichrist will exercise all the authority of the first beast, which is the revivedRoman Empire. He will require the world to worship and give allegiance to this empire, which will be resurrected from the dustbin of history (thus, healing its deadly wound).

Immense Power

The Antichrist will be consumed with power, and power alone will be his object of worship:

“He will have no regard for the god of his ancestors, or for the god beloved of women, or for any other god, for he will boast that he is greater than them all. Instead of these, he will worship the god of fortresses – a god his ancestors never knew – and lavish on him gold, silver, precious stones, and costly gifts.” Daniel 11:37-38 (NLT)

The Antichrist’s god is a god of fortresses, and fortresses are the exclusive domain of kingdoms and empires.  The Antichrist will wield immense power, a power unknown to previous generations, and this power will make his kingdom invincible to human enemies:

“They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast. ‘Is there anyone as great as the beast?’ they exclaimed. ‘Who is able to fight against him?’” Revelation 13:4 (NLT)

The Antichrist will only acknowledge one power, a military power he possesses. His power will be so great, the people of the world will marvel in wonder and worship it, asking the rhetorical question of who among them is able to fight against his mighty kingdom.

The Lake of Fire

Yet another way to distinguish the Antichrist from his kingdom is by studying their final destination.  The lake of fire is a punishment reserved for the beast and his false prophet: 

“Both the beast and his false prophet were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur.” Revelation 19:20 (NLT)

However, the book of Daniel clearly reveals that the beast is a kingdom, not a man:

“I kept watching until the fourth beast was killed and its body was destroyed by fire.” Daniel 7:11 (NLT)

This is the same beast described in Daniel 7 and identified by Jesus Christ as a fourth world empire, and the reign of this oppressive government will be put to an end by the King of Kings Himself. When Christ returns to earth, He will destroy this kingdom as well as the Antichrist, throwing both into the lake of fire where they will experience everlasting torment.

Conclusion

It’s easy to see how the beast of Revelation 13:1 can be confused with the person of the Antichrist.  As the Antichrist’s kingdom and primary vehicle for world domination, it shares a number of common attributes with the man of perdition.  However, this has also led to confusion over the identity of the beast described in Revelation 13:11.  Traditionally, this false prophet has been viewed as a contemporary and an ally of the Antichrist, rather than the Antichrist himself.  However, a careful examination of the scriptures uncovers an undeniable similarity between the career of the false prophet and the career of the Antichrist.

For the tribulation saints, a firm understanding of the distinction between these two beasts is of paramount importance.  It will aid them in the proper identification of the Antichrist, as well as provide them with an invaluable tool for evangelism as they point out the similarities between the events of Revelation 13 and the events of their time.  As such, we should do everything in our power to insure that their interpretation of the Word of God is based solely on truth and not on doctrines invented by man.

Britt Gillette is founder of BrittGillette.Com, a website examining the relationship between bible prophecy and emerging trends in technology. For more information or to sign up for his email alerts, please visit http://www.brittgillette.com

 In the world of Eschatology there is a lot of money to be made selling books, doing seminars, giving speech engagements and generally sensationalizing anything that "sounds like" or "looks like" prophecy.

 That is not why we are here or what I do.

We would see Jesus

 And that is What Prophecy is all about.

Merchandizing and Marketing are the two largest leverages used in promotion of prophecy today.
They are effective, they work, and they also distort.

 We are about the Message.

 We try to remove the M&M's from the sites posting so you get less candy and more meaning.

We are ALL about the Message.

 It is not that we are ooposed to any Christian trying to make a buc, we simply choose to remove the dollars and sense so anyone and everyone can freely study and freely recieve the best, the most relevant and the currrent materials available on the internet to anyone who wants to know Fact from Fiction about End Times.

That can only be accomplished by personal study.
We aren't going to tell you what to beleive
That is the role of the Holy Spirit
but we are going to give you 
tools to study.

Current Series

Perspectives; Prophecy Q&A; Studies From; Rapture Series; Questionable; Book of Charts; Updated; News from; Warnings; Yes! Jesus is Coming!; Countdown to Armageddon; ViewPoint;"What Should Christians do";"Prophecy Topical" with many more added as we increase till Jesus Come Again. 

 

 

 

Posted by at

The Biblical Christian Network: "Anti-Christ" (11 of 666) Terry James

 

 

 

Yes! Jesus is Coming!

-The Classic Christian Network-Biblical Prophecy Today Network-Last Generation News Report-Christian Issues Network-Last Call Devotional Network-Natzsal The Jewish Network-Michael James Stone Online-The Last Word Videos Network-

 

Thursdays Study in Prophecy

On Thursdays all day we bring a recap of the Week so far and a look forward of the Propehcy Sites and Teachings that make up the Biblical Prophecy Network;

Feautured Series are listed below.

Biblical Prophecy Today chooses not to be a wierd or wacky service provider of every wild and wooly idea that someone gets from too much coffee; too much time on the Internet and too little time studying and "approving" what is valid, but we would see Jesus as Coming to this Generation.We abide by that motto that saved us in the beginning of this age of grace and we saw written on the sides of the wall leading into a little church at the time called Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa; It said:

"Jesus is Coming"

 

Prophecy Topical

"Anti-Christ"

(11 of 666)

ELEVEN

 RAPTURE READY

Antichrist: Where Is He?

By Terry James

The most frequently asked question at prophecy conferences and in Bible prophecy classes–at least in my experience—is: “Is America in Bible prophecy?” The second most asked is: “Do you think Antichrist is alive on earth today?”

These questions are for the most part posed by people in the audiences or classes in general. However, more and more frequently I find these questions being asked by journalists, both print and broadcast. It is interesting to me that I rarely hear a skeptical or scoffing tone in the voices of the media representatives who interview me. There seems a sense, even among secular journalists, that perhaps there’s something to this Bible prophecy stuff after all.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not sensing a sudden turning to God, or to His Word. However, there is a halting uncertainty there. Like, “Well, maybe I had better be just a bit more serious about the subject, since there is such angst over these strange economic conditions.”

Economic Conditions

There is a sense that strange, unexplainable things are happening, and even secular newshounds seem to viscerally understand that Bible prophecy has something to do with the increasingly troubling issues and events of our time. U.S. leaders–I use that term loosely—have seemingly thrown caution to the wind. It’s like, as I heard one Bible prophecy broadcaster say the other day—those who are supposed to be trying to fix the melting financial structure of America have placed the whole shebang on 17 black, and have given the roulette wheel a hope-filled turn. Actually, it is more like they have written trillions in IOUs and put them on 17 black, and have given the wheel a turn.

If the little ball ends up on any number other than 17 black, what then? That is the crux of the crucial nature of this insanity surrounding the American economy as the end of the age approaches. Craziness rules--like when the Federal Reserve reached in its right pocket and transferred more than a trillion dollars IOU to its left pocket to keep the American financial system afloat.

“Just last Wednesday the Fed said it would flood the teetering financial system with an additional $1.2 trillion. The money will be used, the Fed said, to buy government bonds and mortgage-related securities in hopes of lowering the borrowing costs for home mortgages and other types of loans, thereby stimulating economic activity. In other words, the central bank will print more money to pay for the purchases. What the Fed does not explain publicly is how those kinds of infusions of money out of thin air, with nothing to back it, reduce the purchasing power and assets of all Americans by devaluing the dollar.

The $1.2 trillion is in addition to hundreds of billions already added to the system since the beginning of the year and dwarfs even the biggest government

bailouts to date…” (“Fed's secrecy policy 3 years old,” WorldNetDaily MoneyNetDaily, 3/22/09).

Keep in mind that the Federal Reserve is a non-government agency. Congress designated this monetary governing body to control the nation's money supply. The

Fed’s actions directly impact the value of the dollar. This body, manned by the non-elected financial elite, holds sway over every investment held by Americans.

Actions like those taken by the Federal Reserve in the case of creating out of nothingness the trillion-plus dollars, then putting that massive IOU into the system with a blind faith that that unbacked infusion will beat the odds of failure, will, if nothing else is done, put not only America’s economy, but the economies of the nation-states of the world into the final stages of collapse.

The following excerpt tells of just how surreptitious are the actions against the taxpayers and their offspring, who are expected to shoulder the burden of funding the globalists elite’s grandiose plans to build their new world order.

“WASHINGTON – As America's economy continues in freefall, tomorrow marks an auspicious three-year anniversary – the day the Federal Reserve announced, with little fanfare, its decision to stop reporting to the public the M3 money supply, the broadest measure of three standards of measurement…Since 2006, Americans have seen their investments plummet in value and witnessed the shrinking buying power of their earnings. Why did the Fed make that decision three years ago? What was its rationale? The justification for the secrecy by the organization that prints money was cost. By not producing those numbers for the public, the Fed would save about $1.5 million annually…” (ibid.).

The Craziness Proliferates!

It should be astonishing to think that the media, so obsessed with nefarious financial dealings by civilian monetary elite–e.g., the AIG executive bonuses, would let civilians with the power of the Fed go without being punished for perpetrating such surreptitiousness on American taxpayers. There seems to be, however, not the slightest notice.

The $1.5 million savings by the Fed in not reporting to the public the M3 money supply amounted to 0.00000699 percent of its annual net income of last year. This savings was highlighted as sufficient reason to keep vital information from the public. Just to point out the deceptive nature of this piddling savings being reported in order to justify keeping taxpayers in the dark, remember that the same media went all out in diverting the publics’ attention from the enormous bailouts by focusing on–by contrast to the prodigious bail-out dollar amount— the infinitesimal bonuses paid to AIG executives. Remember, too,

that the bonuses were given to the AIG executives through contractually mandated arrangements.

The sleight of hand by the Fed in transferring the massive IOU from one pocket to the other to keep the country’s economic ship afloat was done under the knowing eyes of the Obama administration and Congress. An uninformed American public was, and is for the most part, kept in ignorance by news media not fully disclosing the scope of the thievery of the economic well-being of this and future generations.

What About Antichrist?

This essay’s title is “Antichrist: Where Is He?” So, where, if anywhere in this present hour, is this future evil Bible character in all of the foregoing? Can he be on the scene today?

Jesus forewarned that false christs will come on the scene in the latter times. The definition of antichrist is most often given as the one who will present himself in place of (imitate) Jesus Christ, and will at the same time oppose Jesus Christ. The “beast” is prophesied to be the world’s worst tyrant of human history. The prophet Daniel was given the following about this person who is called “son of perdition,” “man of sin,” and many other names.

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall

stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy

the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and

by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand “ (Dan. 8:24-25).

We will examine this man who is of legendary proportions, yet who transcends by far any legend. He is not an imaginary monster such as Dracula in the Stoker novel, or Darth Vader as in Lucas' fictional wars among the stars. Antichrist, when he is revealed, will be a real monster, and a most treacherous one, because he will through supernatural deceit appear as a geopolitical and socioeconomic savior of mankind. Be sure, the beast of Revelation 13 is about to step into the spotlight of history’s final act.

The question “Where is Antichrist?” is appropriate for this “time of the signs,” as my friend Chuck Missler has phrased his description of these strange days. So many signals are on today’s prophetic horizon that one must ask, if he or she knows much about Bible prophecy, “Is Antichrist alive today?”

Those who have looked at the world’s issues and events through the prism of God’s prophetic Word throughout preceding decades of America’s history have heard questions about the leaders of the times. Are presidents like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, or non-presidents like Henry Kissinger and others the Antichrist? Now the question is pointed at President Barack Hussein Obama: “Is he the Antichrist?”

This hour is more prolific with end-times signs than any in history. Obama’s watch as president marks one particular characteristic that adds, peripherally, to the more substantial signals pervading the news at present. I refer to conditions like Israel’s being back in its land and the center of world attention, the Roman Empire seeming to revive in the form of the European Union (EU), and the Gog-Magog coalition of Ezekiel 38-39 forming right before our eyes.

The peripheral matter of concern in this case is the deceit with which this administration is trying to steer the American ship of state. Mr. Obama’s campaign claim was that he would have “transparency” in all of his dealing with the business of the American people. Yet his administration, with the continuing ramrod tactics of his political party, has gone against the will of the American public and is in the process of running up trillions of dollars in debt, an action that even the most “progressive” economists have declared to be beyond any semblance of fiscal sanity.

One such expert comes across as almost fearful of Obama’s plan as put forward by his controversial secretary of treasury, Timothy Geithner.

“HONG KONG (Reuters) The U.S. government plan to rid banks of toxic assets will rob American taxpayers by exposing them to too much risk and is unlikely to work as long as the economy remains weak, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz said on Tuesday… U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's plan to wipe up to US $1 trillion in bad debt off banks' balance sheets, unveiled on Monday, offered ‘perverse incentives,’ Stiglitz said.

The U.S. government is basically using the taxpayer to guarantee against downside risk on the value of these assets, while giving the upside, or potential profits, to private investors, he said…” (“Geithner plan will rob American taxpayers,” Susan Fenton and Deborah Kan, Reuters, 3/24/09).

The economic expert expressed his concern.

"Quite frankly, this amounts to robbery of the American people. I don't think it's going to work because I think there'll be a lot of anger about putting the losses so much on the shoulder of the American taxpayer" (ibid.).

Time and time again in this fledgling administration, Obama’s regime demonstrates a level of non-transparency that borders on treachery, in my view. To strap an entire nation’s citizenry with debt they don’t want, going against their will, expressed through legitimate polling methods, is beyond taxation without representation. This administration is taking liberty from Americans in a way that does so by deception and force by fiat, not constitutional vote. Such tyranny will enslave citizens and their offspring for generations–possibly into perpetuity—and is among the most despicable forms of deception and deceit.

Does all of this criticism mean I view President Obama as a prime candidate for the one who will be Antichrist? No. In no way do I mean to express that Mr. Obama is the biblically prophesied man of sin. However, the way things are being done in Washington D.C. during these strange times should make the observer of issues and events from a biblically prophetic perspective sit up and take notice. They should know from their observations that this generation is seeing governmental razzle-dazzle not unlike the machinations that will mark the ultimate deceiver’s regime. Antichrist’s most tyrannical dictatorship will be one of ultimate enslavement to the 666 marks and numbers system of Revelation 13:16-18.

There is a peaceful revolution going on, about which most of us have at least heard–the neo-Tea Party to protest the forcing of trillions of dollars of debt on American taxpayers, their offspring, and their progeny yet unborn. People are putting tea bags in envelopes and mailing them to the appropriate address in Washington, D.C. At least, the White House kitchen help should, through all of the submitted tea bags, be able to–through having copious amounts of tea on hand, sent to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. by irate citizens—save a few of the dollars that are coming off the presses like toilet paper off the roll. (Be aware, you Tea Partiers, however. Word is that the envelopes containing the bags--a powdery substance--are being summarily disposed of because of possible harmful substances they might contained. Best, I’m told, just to send the tags with the attached strings.)

Something Rotten in Denmark–And Everywhere Else

The smell permeates almost every corner of America and the world. It is an odor of things to come.

Beyond the political exigencies of this troubling hour is the spiritual atmosphere that has the stench of Antichrist and his father, the devil. The scent was prevalent 2,000 years ago, and the Bible prophet John forewarned about its cankering, corrosive qualities, as well as defined it:

“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time… Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” (1 John 1:18, 4:1-3).

Denial of Jesus Christ and God’s prescription for living godly lives on Planet Earth saturate this generation. The antithesis of Christ’s words is not only carried out in the sinful lives of earth-dwellers; the opposition to the Lord is set in the hardened rebellion of manmade law.

The denial that Christ came to teach God’s standards for living on the planet He created is almost imperceptible. Most–even leaders of every conceivable religious sort--often agree that Jesus was a great teacher of good. But when Jesus is held up as the only Way to God the Father (John 14:6), the shrieks emanating from the spirit of Antichrist come from every dark direction of this fallen sphere.

During the present hour, there are even claims that Jesus taught that it is the mother’s right to choose whether her baby lives or dies. It is held among a growing number of clergy that Jesus himself gave blessing to those who chose homosexuality over heterosexuality. Most worrisome of all, the world is more and more embracing the lie that Jesus only represented the Christ spirit during His time on earth. He didn’t die for the sin of man. He didn’t resurrect from the dead because He didn’t really die at the crucifixion, but feigned death on the cross. He didn’t ascend to on high to sit at the right hand of God. He is, therefore, not coming back to rule and reign.

Jesus, the majority of the world–including many in our government as it is presently constituted, deny that Jesus is God–the second Person of the Godhead, the Trinity.

Just a cursory examination of the earliest phase of the new presidential administration tells the story of this time of the growing Antichrist spirit. The first months following the inauguration have brought changes by presidential edict that are diametrically opposite God’s will as given in His Word, the Bible. For example, the president ordered that money of the American taxpayers now be used to help with abortion practices in foreign nations, reversing former President George W. Bush’s presidential order that no such use of taxpayer money be made. This Obama did, despite the protestation of more than half of the American public.

The United States is being channeled and forced into a mold that looks like the biblically foretold one world order that will be ruled with a deadly iron fist by the one who is called “the beast.” With the stage of history’s last act set, for all practical purposes, it is perhaps not far-fetched to suspect that Antichrist is among us even now. He is here in spirit, for sure.



 

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