The Second Half

“He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time.”   Daniel 7:25  NKJV

Many would say, correctly in my opinion, that in order for the coming antichrist to make peace and be known as a peacemaker, there needs to be a war.  Obviously, much like the one we saw begin this past week between Russia and the Ukraine.  While I don't believe this particular conflict is the "one" because it does not involve Israel, it certainly could, eventually, lead to the Gog Magog War of Ezekiel 38-39.  As we have been discussing lately, while the coming man of sin gains his stature as a peacemaker, something happens at the midpoint of the tribulation which drastically changes everything and ushers in the last three and a half years most commonly called the Great Tribulation. 

Have you ever wondered where the concept of a “halftime” in a sporting event originated, and just exactly why it was decided that it was necessary?  Now your first thought might run to the idea of giving the teams a much needed rest, yet I ask you, how often have you also seen the second half of an event completely different from the first?  I have mentioned before that I studied education with the intent of becoming a coach at the secondary school level, and as a student teacher was able to observe firsthand just what an effect a good halftime speech could have on a team, especially if they were behind.  For the most part I would have to say that based on what I was able to observe, it had less to do with correcting mistakes and much more to do with getting inside the players heads and changing their mental outlook to produce the change that was needed to succeed.

Any study of the tribulation time revealed by Daniel and John in the book of Revelation makes it clear that the period of seven years which we know as the tribulation is divided exactly in half with two periods of three and one half years each.  As we can see from the passage above, the Word of God even breaks it down into days for us as well; two halves of 1260 days for a total of 2520, so that there is no mistake about how long it will last.  As always with me, the question I always seem to ask whenever something jumps out at me like this is simply, why?  Why is it divided, and what happens at the midpoint which causes it to be divided so obviously and dramatically, especially when we consider the events which take place during the second half.  Much like what I observed as a coach, the antichrist seems completely changed after “halftime” and it begs the question; “what got into his head?”

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”    Revelation 12:7-9  NKJV

We talked last week about the coming man of sin and the source of his success as a result of the power of Satan directing the events of this world.  I say success because by the world’s standards, in spite of what is going on around him, this man’s actions do result in a consolidation of power and a realignment of nations of which he becomes a most prominent leader.  Yet while up to this point he has only had Satan’s “help”, a major event occurs in Heaven which defines what is to come for the second half of the tribulation.  For reasons we are not told, but possibly a result of the “success” Satan feels he has had on earth, he starts a war in Heaven with Michael and his angels.

"For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ "  Isaiah 14:13-14  NKJV

I think it more than likely this is Satan’s attempt to do exactly what we are told in this passage from Isaiah, but not only does Satan lose the war, he and his angels are cast out of Heaven never to return. As you might expect, Satan’s reaction to this humiliating loss is to take his fury out on the earth, specifically the tribulation saints who have come to believe in Jesus Christ during the first half of the tribulation and the remaining Jews who reject his claim to be God. This claim occurs after an apparent assassination attempt on the antichrist which results in a head wound which by all accounts appears to be fatal.  Yet a defeated and enraged Satan indwells his body, the wound is healed, and he proceeds with his plan to make the entire world worship him.

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 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 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 13:1-4  NKJV

Although at first the plan might seem to be working, not all choose to follow and worship him, and the event which draws the line in the sand is when he goes to the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and proclaims himself to be God in the flesh.

“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, 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  NKJV

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand),“then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.“Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. “And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! “And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.”   Matthew 24:15-22  NKJV

The reason the tribulation period is divided into two halves is simply because what is set to occur during the second half, called the Great Tribulation, is so terrifying and destructive to mankind that if God were to allow events to play out over time, eventually there would be no one left alive on earth.  As the antichrist, Satan proclaims himself to be God and demands the world to worship him and even goes so far as to require that all take a mark to show their acceptance.  Anyone not taking the mark will be pursued and killed, and the horror of these times is behind the warning from God in the passage from Matthew that the Jews flee immediately for their lives.  Because the rage of Satan during the Great Tribulation is so great, God has shortened that time to the three and one half years which He has revealed to us through the scriptures, and at the end of that time, the end will come.

“Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale?Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it.”   Jeremiah 30:6-7  NKJV

I believe the difference between the two halves of the tribulation period can be summed up this way; in the first half the antichrist is simply a puppet, but in the second half the antichrist is possessed.  Satan’s desire to “be like the Most High” will in fact be his downfall, which is why next week we will see that after all of this, he has nowhere to go but down.

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The Power Behind the Man

“And in the latter time of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. “Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.”  Daniel 8:23-25  NKJV

If you have been keeping up with current events in the past week, what has unfolded in our neighbor to the north has not gone unnoticed. Yet while so many have exhibited surprise and shock, my question to those would be why?  Knowing the future as we as believers do, should the world's path down this road be a surprise?  The truth is, what we are witnessing today occuring all around the world is Satan preparing the way for the emergence of his lackey, the antichrist.  Somehow this coming man of sin will rise to power by deceit and cunning while at the same time managing to broker and enforce a peace when so many before him have failed.

As I mentioned last week, if we are as close to the end as many believe, this man is currently active on the world stage and being positioned by Satan to assume his role.  Some have noticed lately the number of articles being written about Klaus Schwab and his school "Global Leaders of Tomorrow" which he established in 1992.  The list of names of those prominent in government and business today who have attended is extensive and I will leave it to you to explore, but many are of the opinion the coming man of sin will be a product of this school and I believe you will be shocked when you discover who some of the graduates are.  With the formation of a one world government as one of their goals, it would certainly come as no surprise if the coming antichrist has been groomed by attending.

When discussing the coming antichrist, many have made the point of describing all of the attributes listed in God’s Word about this man as a way of explaining how he is able to somehow achieve the impossible, while not disagreeing about their importance I would like to suggest one simple explanation which may often be overlooked.  You see, in the passage above from Daniel we are told that although this coming world leader will be extremely strong, “his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power”.  So the question which follows is simply this; “if it’s not his power, who’s power is it?”  If we look at it this way, I believe the answer is clear as to where his power originates. 

“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”    Luke 4:5-6  NKJV

I’m sure many of you remember this passage from Luke, and the events which surround it.  Yet the point is clear that Satan, as the prince of this world, has the ability to not only control kingdoms, but to give their power to whomever he wishes.  That conclusion is obvious from the fact that Jesus does not dispute this statement when Satan makes it.  This then, is where the antichrist will get the power to control the kingdoms of the earth, and to enforce a peace between Israel and its enemies in the most volatile region in the world.  Yet it also raises another question that needs to be answered and that is why does the nation of Israel agree to this peace?

“But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. “        Luke 24:21  NKJV

I believe the simple answer as to why Israel chooses to place their security in the hands of the antichrist is that they believe he is their messiah.  Now if that sounds strange to you, it might be that there is an important part of Judaism many Christians are not aware of and it is simply this; in Judaism the coming messiah is not divine, but simply a great man descended from the Davidic line who will be a great political leader.  In the passage from Luke we see that the men talking with Jesus were disappointed because they were expecting a king who would “redeem Israel”. If we look closely at the thinking and especially the words of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, we are told the real reason they were so intent on putting Him to death.

"Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. " John 5:18  NKJV

Not only is it important to understand that the messiah Judaism is looking for is not divine, there is one other matter which will cause the nation of Israel to welcome him with open arms.  You see, something else Judaism believes is that the Jewish messiah will allow the rebuilding of the Temple and re-establish worship as it was in Old Testament times.  This, obviously, is an accomplishment many would consider equal to bringing peace to the Middle East.  The Jewish nation rebuilding their Temple for worship in the middle of a region which is almost totally Islamic, is to many, quite unbelievable.   Yet is it really so hard to understand if you consider the source of his power?

Given that his power and success is orchestrated by Satan himself, many might believe that there is no limit to what he might accomplish.  There are, however, within his seeming unlimited powers, the seeds of his own downfall.  While he will appear to be a savior to the world, his success will be short-lived and failure will be his ultimate accomplishment.  This, I believe, will be a result of a character flaw that many great men before him have suffered from, and one which we as a nation could say we see played out in our own political arena on a weekly basis.  Like many who have come before him, he too will fall from grace and his ultimate failure is guaranteed.

"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."             John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton, first Baron Acton

Most of you have probably heard this quote at one time or another, and in the case of the coming man of sin it could not be more appropriate.  We have seen his rapid rise to power, but next week we will look at what occurs to cause his fall.

“Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means.”   Daniel 8:25  NKJV

If you have never made the decision to accept the salvation offered by the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I suggest you do that today so you too can spend eternity with our Father in Heaven, and watch all of these things unfold from there, rather than here.

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Him You Will Receive

 

“I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive."   John 5:43  NKJV

 

In this passage we see Jesus making a statement to the Jewish leaders who were seeking to kill him because He claimed to be God.  Here Jesus prophecies that while they will reject Him and His claim, a time will come when the Jews will accept another man as their messiah.  This person is, of course, the man most often referred to as the antichrist, who comes as a man of peace but will ultimately plunge the entire world into war and suffering on a scale never before seen. If the world is as close to the tribulation as many believe, obviously this person is currently active on the world scene and in a position to assume his ultimate role.

 

I have been surprised in the past few years by what some might consider an obsession by others to positively identify this coming world leader. In many ways, it might seem appropriate given the times in which we live, and the overwhelming evidence pointing to the nearness of the rapture of the Church.  Truthfully though, I and many teachers believe it is a fruitless endeavor to attempt to identify him simply because the Bible makes it clear that his identity will not be positively revealed until he tries to convince the world that he is God.

 

"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, 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  NKJV

 

This event occurs halfway through the seven year tribulation period so the question which should be on everyone’s mind is why is he not recognized before then?  I cannot say for certain that this man of sin is who Jesus is referring to in the passage from John, but the fact that this coming world ruler will be not only received with open arms, but embraced as the answer to all the world’s problems should certainly give one pause for thought.  There is obviously something about this individual which makes him stand out from the other leaders of the time, and the result is that he will succeed in gathering a following which will propel him to a position of immense power.

 

"Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?"  2 Thessalonians 2:5  NKJV

 

The fact that Paul had already taught the believers in this church about the antichrist raises a question many people overlook which is simply this; where did Paul learn about this man of sin?  Now you could certainly say that that it was part of the teaching he received from the Holy Spirit, but I would also like to suggest that it might have come from studying the book of Daniel which was readily available to him when he studied as a young man in the synagogue.  Remember what Paul said in his own words;

 

 “I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our fathers’ law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today."                      Acts 22:3  NKJV

 

So then does it not make sense that Paul knew what Daniel had written concerning this coming world ruler, and that he used that knowledge to teach the church at Thessalonica?  Whether that assumption is true or not, the fact remains that Daniel was the first to give us a detailed description of this individual and of his future attempt to conquer the world.  With this in mind I thought we could spend a little time in examining what Daniel told us about him, not to try and identify who he might be but rather with the idea of becoming familiar with what he is like and how he is able to do what he will eventually do.

 

"I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things."  Daniel 7:8  NKJV

 

Here Daniel introduces us to this coming man of sin by calling him the “little horn”.  In the Bible, a horn is used to signify a strong ruler and in this verse it would seem applicable because the first thing he does is uproot three other horns as he starts to consolidate his power.  Most scholars agree that the scenario here is that this leader demonstrates his power by conquering three of the ten kingdoms (plucked up by the roots) and the remaining seven simply capitulate because they believe resistance is futile.  Obviously he has an agenda and his intent is for it to culminate in world domination. 

 

I find it curious too that we are given descriptions which not only give insight into his physical appearance but personality as well.  Remember we have already found that a horn signifies a strong ruler, yet notice also the passage mentions his eyes and his mouth.  Eyes signify intelligence and insight, along with a shrewd and clever personality which can deceive. Also the mouth which can speak “great things” which people will find attractive and believable, but in the end will be misleading and deceitful.  Remember his ultimate goal is to rule the entire world, so anything he says or does is to that end.

 

"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.  And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,"   2 Thessalonians 2:9-11  NKJV

 

In the end, after all is said and done, you have to ask yourself why in the world do people accept this man of sin as their leader and embrace him with open arms?  Is he really so deceitful that the world is completely taken in by his lies and deception or is something else going on here?  A fact sometimes overlooked is that this man of sin somehow manages to rise from whatever position he now holds to the absolute ruler of the entire world in only three and one half years, when he sits in the temple and proclaims himself to be God.  Looking at the world as it is today, most if not all would say that the chances of that ever happening are virtually impossible.  Yet the Bible tells us it will happen, and many are convinced that it is going to happen very soon.

 

So just how is it that the coming man of sin is able to accomplish the impossible?  I think from what we find in scripture it would be safe to say he has a little help, whether or not he realizes it at the time.  Next week we will explore that question, and the answer might not be as simple as you believe.

 

Keep watching.

The Four Horsemen Approaching?

 

“Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer. When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.” When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”  Revelation 6:1-8  NKJV

Shortly after the beginning of our ongoing health troubles a couple of years ago, I wrote an article speculating on the possibility that this was part of a “dry run” by the forces of darkness to prepare for what will occur during the tribulation period.  Of late, I have become even more convinced that this may indeed be the case considering where we are seemingly going and the news of late suggesting some of what will happen in the near future.  If you follow the news, and I admit it is becoming more and more difficult to do so, you may have noticed a correlation between what the mainstream news claims is on our horizon, and what the Word of God tells us is coming.

While the world seems obsessed with our never ending health crisis, the rhetoric surrounding the possibility of a major war on several fronts has intensified to the point that many are saying it’s not a question of “if”, but “when”.   Russia and the Ukraine, China and Taiwan, and Israel and Iran are mentioned frequently as situations primed to explode.  Also of late, while it is no secret we in this country are suffering under what many would describe as runaway inflation, there are reports that as a result of many different factors, a worldwide famine is staring humanity in the face.

As I thought about these things this past week, God reminded me of my post two years ago and asked me a logical question that somehow had escaped my attention.  That question was, if we are indeed watching a dry run for the events of the tribulation, maybe I should take a closer look at the beginning of that period of time to see what, when, and in what order they occur.  Imagine my surprise when I found that when Jesus opens the seals at the start of the tribulation, what He tells us will happen by the four horsemen of the apocalypse seems to be exactly what we are seeing today. 

While I had indeed considered our calamities as a precursor to the tribulation, I confess it never occurred to me to compare them to the four horsemen so today I want to review what we are told about them and you can decide for yourselves if it sounds familiar.  “He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer”.   The first horse John describes is a white horse ridden by a man carrying a bow but no arrows.  That fact is the Bible’s way of telling us that this man will conquer with peace rather than by war.  While that might seem odd to some, the truth is that many nations would be willing to give up sovereignty for a guaranteed peace. 

The rider of course, is the antichrist and Daniel describes him this way.

“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.”  Daniel 8:25  KJV

While the antichrist conquers through peace and political means, the result will be war and violence as symbolized by the red horse.  “Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another.”  Obviously there will be those people who see the antichrist amassing power and will be threatened by it.  Their resistance will create a conflict which not only will result in the death of many, but also prepare the way for the next horse to appear.

One of the usual consequences of war, which many do not realize, is economic difficulty and runaway inflation for the common man.  While many of the elite will profit, most people will suffer greatly from scarcity and need. “..and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”  Most agree this passage describes an entire day’s wages being required just to have enough to eat for that day.  While that might seem unbelievable, just this morning I read an article stating close to 25% of Americans are spending up to 1/3 of their monthly income just on food because of inflation and scarcity.

In conditions such as those described by the red and black horse, it comes as no surprise that the pale horse, which symbolizes death, appears on the scene.  “…behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”  While trying to process the thought that one quarter of the earth’s population is going to die just in the first part of the seven year tribulation is difficult enough to fathom, my thoughts somehow went to something I had never noticed before.

This part of the passage describes people being killed by the sword, killed by starvation, killed by the beasts of the earth, but also uses the phrase “with death”.  Since methods of dying are being listed, I had to wonder what is meant by the use of this phrase as one of the ways people die.  In the Greek, it is translated as a separation of soul from the body, which while describes death, certainly doesn’t help by giving a cause.  Or does it?  Now while I would never claim to be a Greek scholar, does it not make sense that what John is trying to tell us is that some people simply drop dead?

Are we witnessing a dry run for the events in the tribulation?  Am I the only one who has read articles lately about someone trying to defuse a potential major war by negotiating a peace? How about the number of conflicts around the world just primed to explode into war?  Let’s not forget runaway inflation and a supply chain crisis threatening food shortages on a scale unheard of and famine coming later this year to many parts of the world.  Last but not least, the articles about life insurance payouts skyrocketing 258% above normal as people are dying for no reason they can ascertain?

While I would never describe myself as a conspiracy theorist, there is a conspiracy occurring before our very eyes.  Satan is preparing this world for his end game and the signs of the rapidly approaching end of the age are all around us.  Things are never going to return to “normal”, and Satan has no intention of giving back any of his gains from the past year or two.  The only question anyone should ask themselves is am I prepared for Jesus to call His people home?  The rapture of the Church precedes the events of the tribulation which simply means we could see it happen at any time.

God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth for the sole purpose of sacrificing Himself so we can spend eternity with Him in Heaven.  The signs of His imminent return for us are all around us.  If you have never taken the step of accepting this gift of eternal life, I urge you to do it right now.  Simply pray a prayer like this one and confess to God your need for salvation, and accept the gift He provided for you by the death and resurrection of His own Son, Jesus Christ.

Jesus I know I am a sinner. I have sinned against you, but I know you loved me enough to send your Son, Jesus Christ to die for my sins and then rise from the dead so that I may live forever with You. Lord forgive me of my sins and come into my life and help me to begin to live for You. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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