Last year I bought a new car. It was my first car totally researched and purchased online! There was a large amount of time browsing websites... one site in particular. It contained a vast amount of resources pertaining to a choice of vehicle... options beyond number. But, as the search continued, my mind was captivated! What, at first, was endless, extraneous detail transformed into dreams of driving long pleasurable stretches of sunny highways. By the time I purchased the car I had already driven it many miles in my mind.
All that is to say:
Although we may enjoy rambling over an occasional prophetic detail there is a common goal to which I want to press. This destination is the TRUE agenda of this blog! Stated simply... I entreat you to awaken the Maranatha call in your hearts. Endless wrangling over words never produced a fruitful life. But, a heart set on the soon-coming of our Lord Jesus Christ WILL be blessed!
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Back to the promised topic!
The Anti-Christ. The Pope? Barak Obama? Ted Turner? Some yet-to-be-indentified European leader?
Let's get one thing straight. The term "antiChrist" is found only in 1st & 2nd John.
>1 John 2:18
Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.
>1 John 2:22
Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.
>1 John 4:3
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world.
>2 John 1:7
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
These passages do not seem to be pointing to a specific person, but rather a "type" of person. They speak of a false teaching that has been around since the resurrection. It says, "Jesus was just a man. No one special. Certainly NOT God." It should be noted, though, THE AntiChrist will be the embodiment of these heresies.
What we refer to as AntiChrist comes with other names.
> The Beast, Revelation 19:20
Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
> The Man of Sin. 2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
> The Prince who is to come, Daniel 9:26
And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
> Or, just a pretender Christ. Matthew 24:23
Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. 24 For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25 Behold, I have told you in advance. 26 So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them.
... and other passages.
I, like many (like all?) before me cannot claim an air-tight case for my thinking. Much of the Book is sealed until the end. But, it is my contention that as the end approaches a world of detail will become clear and the road will become increasingly apparent with each passing week.
My case, as it is...
I think that the Anti-Christ (as I'll call him) is right under our nose and right at the door. He comes from a direction which no one suspects. The Moslem world. If you are not aware of it... the Islamic "Mahdi" (read, Messiah) is the vibrant expectation of the world of Islam. The Mahdi is prophecied and his return is considered imminent by millions of Moslems. The focal point of the excitement is the nation of... (you guessed it?) Persia! Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, political leader of present-day Persia, has been fervently predicting Mahdi's appearance for several years now. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmoud_Ahmadinejad)
Joel Rosenberg's blog sums it up nicely.
"Ahmadinejad, after all, believes it is his GOD-GIVEN MISSION to annihilate the U.S., Israel and Judeo-Christian civilization as we know. Why? To create the conditions that will bring the ISLAMIC MESSIAH known as the MAHDI or the "12th Imam" to earth. Ahmadinejad is not just another power-hungry dictator in the mold of the Soviet or Chinese leaders of yore. He is a Shia Islamic fascist. He believes his life DESTINY is to kill millions of Jews and Christians and usher in an Islamic caliphate. He believes HE IS A JOHN-THE-BAPTIST, A FORERUNNER, OF THE ISLAMIC MESSIAH. If he dies, he believes he will spend eternity in paradise with 72 virgins. But he doesn't really believe he's going to die. He believes HE HAS BEEN CHOSEN for a divine appointment, and that nothing can stop him." http://joelrosenberg.blogspot.com/
The caps above are mine.
Joel and many others have written a lot about Ahmadinejad and the 12th Imam, but none have drawn, what I believe is, a reasonable conclusion. The Beast comes from Islam.
Impossible? Live with it awhile. Objections? Okay, let's cover the biggest.
It is said: "AntiChrist comes from the re-united Roman Empire"
The root of this comes from the statue in Daniel 2. Let me say that we know for sure who the head is. After that, it is all speculation. Speculation by sincere men who have tried to figure out God's plans. And the further down the great statue you go, the greater the speculation.
There is a pertinent point, though. If you believe that we are in the last days, the days of the "toes", I find it fascinating that this group of (10?) nations have some very interesting markers. They are a mixture of power (iron) and no power (clay). Specifically, Daniel 2:43: "And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery."
Now, say that again... a group of nations of which some have great power (money?, influence?, world reach?) and some have none (poverty? third-world? disenfranchised?)... they combine in some sort of agreement for world domination but still squabble a lot. They've got the world on a string but still can't get along! What is it with these guys? Blood-feuds? Old unsettled scores? Or, are they just eaten up with anger and hatred! Is there any group of nations on earth like this today?
I think there is.
In conclusion:
The age-old master demon of Persia reasserts himself into the endtime scenario. Having prepared his armies for millinnea he raises up the expectation of the imminent return of the 12th Imam, the Mahdi/Messiah/Christ of over 1.5 billion Moslems. The stoneage character of much of the Arabic/Islamic world is transformed almost overnight as the discovery of oil washes across the MidEast in waves of incalculable wealth. Oil-producing nations sit at the same table with those that have none. Cadillacs and camels share the roads while a little man in Persia predicts that Mahdi is at the door. And when he comes... all things Moslem will be fulfilled. And that's NOT good.
So, you're thinking... "The non-Moslem world would NEVER follow a Moslem Messiah!!"
Oh, yeah?! Let's talk about that.
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