The real beginning of the idea of the Antichrist began with the Jewish people in the period between the Old and New Testaments in the 2nd century BC. At that time Israel was under the control of the Greeks. Although this period is between the Old and New Testament some of the major events are prophesied in considerable detail in the Book of Daniel. In Daniel chapter 11 the "little horn" or "vile person" is mentioned. This refers to Antiochus Epiphanes who defiled the Jewish Temple in 165 BC by offering a pig or swine on it. A pig is an unclean animal or abomination to the Jews in Daniel 11:31. It also mentions that he will take away the daily sacrifice in Daniel 11:31. Those that know their God were the Jewish fighters named the Maccabees. The idea of the Antichrist was also in Antiochus Epiphanes trying to set up an ungodly government and suppress the worship of the One true God in this case the Jewish worship of Him and to suppress their nation. This is mentioned in Daniel 11:28, 30 in the statement that he shall have indignation or anger against the holy covenant meaning Israel's covenant relationship with God. This will also be the case of the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea in the 70th week of Daniel or the Great Tribulation although he will also be against anyone placing genuine faith in Jesus Christ as the promised Jewish Messiah and Saviour of the world.
In the New Testament period because it was corrupt and ungodly and persecuted Christians and didn't accept the Christian teaching that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and know Him and get His eternal life and that He will later set up God's government over all the Earth the 1st century Christian saw the Roman Caesars and the Roman Empire as the Antichrist or the government of the Antichrist. This comes across very strongly in the book of Revelation. Evangelical Christians believe with globalization, increasing intrusion of privacy, increase of ungodliness and the rise of the European Union that the Antichrist will be revealed soon, right after the rapture. We think he will rule the world from Europe possibly Rome. He will have relations in power with the other kings of the Earth and the last days interfaith religious system that will probably be headed by the Roman Catholic Church. The Antichrist is also called the Beast out of the Sea, the Son of Perdition and the Man of Sin. The Antichrist especially in the second half of the Great Tribulation will be totally submissive and loyal to the devil or the dragon - Satan or Lucifer. He will also be part of the Satanic trinity of the last days that will be Satan's counterfeit of the Divine Trinity. The Antichrist will be like Jesus Christ in the Divine Trinity in that he will be the main Incarnation but of Satan and evil instead of God the Father and good in the case of Jesus Christ. Besides the Antichrist the Satanic Trinity will include Satan and the Beast out ot the Land who is the same as the False Prophet. The Beast out of the Land will most likely be Jewish as the land always speaks of the Jews in the Bible while the sea often speaks of the nations or Gentiles.
On the beginning of December 1, 2009 the EU Lisbon Treaty became law thoughout the European Union. There has been very little coverage of this in the media especially compared with its importance and almost none in the Canadian media although there was some mention of it at the time of the new leadership positions of the EU. However my main source of information and about the only substantial media source in English on this topic has been the BBC or British Broadcasting Corporation. The probable reason there was especially little coverage on December 1 of this event is that most of the work was already done by the latest deadline. On October 18, 2007 the European Union as a whole approved this Lisbon Treaty and between that time and the December deadline all the European nations separately approved although with some special concessions to some countries such as to the Czech Republic and to Ireland which was the only country that by its national laws had to have a referendum rather than a parliamentary vote on matter such as this. It is quite possible that this would have been the situation also in Switzerland which is famous for having referendums on many issues but Switzerland has never joined the European Union and as far as I know has no interest in doing so in the forseeable future even though it is in the middle of Europe. This Lisbon Treaty of course was billed as a way to make the European Union more efficient and more prominent on the world stage. The first part will probably come true with majority voting replacing a universal consensus or vetoes on much of the legislation being considered by the European Parliament or other bodies but the actual choice of at least the first leading positions of the European Union or European Council of the low profile candidates Herman Van Rompuy from Belgium and Baroness Cathy Ashton from Britain means the promise of this treaty to give Europe a higher profile on the world stage will not be realized in the first 2 1/2 year term of the treaty and of these positions of President and High Representative or Foreign Minister of Europe. This would have been much more the case if someone like Tony Blair or Nicolas Sarkozy had been chosen for the presidential position. However it was mentioned that some existing prominent leaders of Europe such as Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, France's President Nicolas Sarkozy and the existing head of the European Commission Jose Barroso didn't want people in these new EU positions that would overshadow them in Europe or the world stage. Both Herman Van Rompuy and Cathy Ashton are quite dedicated to a stronger and more centralized Europe and will probably work devotedly to pass legislation under the new Lisbon Treaty towards that end now that the treaty has come into affect after December 1. From a Christian viewpoint this could still pave the way for the Antichrist and the False Prophet with a more united and centralized Europe prepared for them to base their world rule from and they could still use these positions to gain the higher profile positions in Europe that were originally envisioned for them. I would therefore take this opportunity to again encourage the reader if he or she hasn't already done so to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he was the Son of God who came into this world to die for our sins on the cross and the third day rise again to give us new and eternal life and that you would also admit you are a sinner before a God that is perfectly righteous as well as loving and that you can't save or justify yourself by your own good works or merit. This is what is necessary not only to have eternal life and a relationship with God but also to escape the imminent worldwide tribulation for God's judgment of the world before Jesus' second coming to give a final judgment of the world and set up His Kingdom on earth for those who become His trusting people. If you are or soon become a Christian I encourage you to read and come to understand more of God's Word the Holy Bible especially from a literal viewpoint and apply it to your life and to otherwise serve God while he gives us opportunity in this age and so we can have eternal rewards or crowns laid up in heaven in addition to eternal life.
According to what I saw on the BBC and other sources the former Belgian leader Herman Van Rompuy has now officially been chosen as the first President of Europe or the European Council. He is not familiar to people outside Belgium, even to other parts of Europe as he is not very charismatic and was only Prime Minister of Belgium for less than a year. His main accomplishment was being even-handed between the French and Flemish factions in Belgium's divided parliament and country and doing much to bring them closer together as a consensus builder. This was probably his main appeal to European heads of state who were responsible for choosing the new European President and Foreign Minister. Herman Van Rompuy also has before clearly expressed his opposition to including Turkey in the European Union because of its primarily Islamic religion and culture unlike most of Europe that is nominally Christian. Mr. Van Rompuy has also expressed his interest in a more strongly centralized Europe. Mr. Van Rompuy also was formerly head of Belgium's lower house of parliament and a budgetary or finance minister where he brought much progress to Belgium in helping her better balance their national economic situation. He was a veteran member of the Flemish Christian Democrat party which is a center-right party in the Belgium government. He was also formerly worked for the Belgium central bank. He does not have any experience I know of in the European Union and another reason he might have been chosen for European Union President is because the existing heads of state didn't want a high profile candidate selected for EU President that would overshadow them such as former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Although Mr. Van Rompuy does not look like a fitting candidate for the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea mentioned in the Bible, time will tell whether he will change or whether some other more suitable candidate might soon replace him. The normal limit for a term in this position is 2 1/2 years with a possible additional second term also of 2 1/2 years. The end of the first term would probably go to the beginning of June 2012 as the start of this position might not begin until December 1, 2009 when the Lisbon Treaty is supposed to fully take effect. The Antichrist person in the Bible of course will be a matchless charismatic person who also is extremely cunning, deceitful, violent and ruthless especially in the second half of the tribulation when he will be entirely possessed by the devil. Mr. Van Rompuy especially at this time seems very far from these characteristics although sometimes power has a way of corrupting many people. The Antichrist will also be the world especially Europe's polical and military leader at least in the 7 year tribulation and these are aspects provided for at least as far as Europe is concerned for this position. However Mr. Van Rompuy would have to take much more explicit and notable leadership to be anything close to the Bible description of the Antichrist in these areas. The President of the European Union is supposed to also be the new face of the European Union to the world such as in international summits like the G20, the World Economic Forum or perhaps some specialized summits like the coming environmnental one in Copenhagen, Denmark so he should become more well known due to the international media quite soon. The complementary position that has also been created at this time is the Foreign Minister of the European Union or EU Council which is responsible for economic and foreign policy matters of the European Union, has now been filled for the first term by another low profile person, Baroness Catherine Ashton of Britain and could eventually lead to the Bible role of the False Prophet or Beast out of the Land.
The European Union Lisbon Treaty, formerly called the European Constitution until it was somewhat watered down, was passed today by the last holdout the Czech Republic. Previously all other 26 countries of the European Union have passed including the Irish Republic by a second referendum in the beginning of October 2009 with all the others passing it through either their legislatures or heads of state. One of the main features of this treaty is that it will change the nature of votes in European bodies such as probably the European Parliament and European Commission so that a unanimous consensus is not required any more but just a majority vote. This will make the European Union more effective and sure to pass legislation and a national veto on this legislation would be taken away in many cases. There would also be new 2 1/2 year high profile positions of President and Foreign Minister of the European Council or Europe that will represent Europe to the rest of the world. These terms I think could be renewed at least for a second term. These positions and the more effective legislation process will lead to a more centralized Europe that could provide a more opportune step to world prominence of the Antichrist or world ruler mentioned in the Bible who will probably arise out of Europe and who will rule the world in the 7 year tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. The foreign minister position could be held by the false prophet or beast out of the land who will reign with the Antichrist and that is also mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Now there only needs to be some last minute beauracratic measures of the European political officials to put this treaty into law across the European Union by some time this month or in December 2009. The race to fill the two top posts will start in earnest and a good place to keep up with the news on this topic is the bbc at www.bbc.com. The fact that this treaty has now been agreed to and all hurdles are past is likely another major indicator that the tribulation and preceding rapture of the church is very near perhaps even this year or the next couple years and I urge the reader if he or she hasn't done so already to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart that you are a sinner before a God who is perfectly righteous as well as loving and that that you pray to God in Jesus' name to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who died for your sins and rose from the dead to give you new life. This faith in Jesus is also the condition for taking part in the rapture or catching up of the church according to 1 Thessalonians 4 and John 14.
By February 2010, it became apparent that Greece and some other countries in Europe have gotten into significant debt and other economic problems. Some of these other countries that also use the European Union Euro currency include Spain, Italy, Portugal and Ireland. Although it is illegal according to European Union laws for other countries in the European Union to financially bail out economically troubled countries in the European Union, it seems the European Union under the leadership of new EU president Herman Van Rompuy have proposed measures to financially assist Greece or to force it to make spending cuts in the public service or government spending that should help cut the debt or at least the deficit to a more manageable level according to the BBC and www.euobserver.com. This deficit is supposed to be no more than 3 % of Gross Deposit Product or something like that according to EU rules. It is thought if the EU doesn't take swift and decisive action against Greece and its deficit problems there would be more problems in the international money markets or stock exchanges and a further reduction of the Euro currency relative to other world currencies. There could also be more demands by some of the other financially troubled countries in the EU for financial help. It is thought that this topic of Greek and other financial troubles and the effect on the European Union would be a primary topic of the European Union Council meeting that is to be held in Brussels this month and led by Mr. Van Rompuy. The main conclusions of these events is that Mr. Van Rompuy proposes tighter central European Union controls and monitoring of the financial situation of European Union countries especially those that use the Euro currency and this is something that would certainly prepare for the Antichrist and his world government that will be centred in the European Union.
I have learned from a new video by Roger Oakland about the Emerging Church that some world leaders or recent leaders have or continue to endorse a one-world system with three aspects a one-world political, economic and spiritual or religious system. Some leading people in the world who endorse this plan are former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for the United Nations, Al Gore for the Environmental Movement, Pope Benedict for the Roman Catholic Church and Rick Warren author of the Purpose Driven Life for the Emerging Church. The quotes are all given in the video. This is definitely not of God as his system is individual nations not global government and his call to the church is to evangelize all the world not try to reform all its institutions by joining with those of the world or non-Christians. This endeavor of these leaders and their movements to establish a one-world system will fall into the hands of Satan and the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea and the False Prophet who will rule the world according to scriptures like Revelation 13 with a one-world political, economic, military and religious system without God or Bible believing Christians or even the Bible believing Jews and Gentiles who will be present in the tribulation on earth. If you are any of these movements or any other one that is trying to join with the world in setting up a global or one-world system I encourage you to trust or rededicate you to God through His Son Jesus Christ. This needs to focus on admitting that we are sinners before a God that is holy as well as loving and that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and rose from the dead to offer us new life. Jesus said of his church that it is not of this world system even as he is not of this world as I think the rapture of the church and the following tribulation for those left behind is very close and this movement towards a one-world system including in the evangelical church through the Emerging Church is a major indication of this.
In late September 2009, according to the BBC and other sources, the G20 announced significant measures that will lead to a more globalized world economy and government. To begin with in case the reader is not aware of it, the G20 is a relatively recent group of nations that includes the industralized world's main nations that were in the G7 or G8 and the main nations of the developing world such as China, India and Brazil as well as quite a few others. Some of the measures announced in September associated with meetings of the G20 that month that have been passed and implemented or are in the process of being implemented are the following: 1/ that the G20 replace the G7 or G8 for the world body responsible for directing the economic measures of the world; 2/ that trade between consumer and exporting countries be balanced by encouraging more savings both with businesses, government and individuals in the consuming countries mostly in the west and that savings be encouraging in the exporting countries such as China and India and other parts of Asia and perhaps some other countries in the world; 3/ that efforts be made to close tax havens so countries could get the fuller amount of taxes they are entitled to according to national laws; 4/ that there be agreement on limiting bank bonuses with the excessive amounts of especially in the United States contributed to the recent and still ongoing American and world economic downturn; 5/ that nations like India and China have more voting rights and other power on world bodies like the IMF (International Monetary Fund) to reflect their more powerful economies and; 6/ that efforts be made to look into developing a new world currency to replace the American dollar as a reserve currencey and that would be used to value commodities such as oil and gold because of the recently proven instability of the US dollar. All these measures are being done on a world wide basis which will lead to a much more globalized economy and to some extent government. This will further prepare the way for the one-world government and economy in the world in the 7 year tribulation under the Antichrist (the Beast out of the Sea or the Man of sin etc.) and the False Prophet the beast out of the land. I would therefore more intently encourage the reader to wholeheartedly trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that he died for you and your sins on the cross and rose again to give you new life so you can be caught up to heaven before and avoid the tribulation and worldwide dictatorship on earth under the Antichrist. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the condition for being caught up to heaven before the tribulation according to 1 Thessalonians 4 and John 14. The word rapture is biblical as it is based on raptare which is Latin for caught up as in the English word raptor about some birds of prey although Jesus will catch us up to heaven for beneficial not malicious purposes. For those who trust in the Lord Jesus Christ before the tribulation we will also come with him at his second coming at the end of the tribulation to rule the earth with him and then serve him and have everlasting joy in the new earth, new heavens and new Jerusalem for ever after the end of the 1000 year Messianic Kingdom.
According to many evangelical Bible teachers and what I believe is consistant with the Book of Revelation and other Bible prophecy there could likely be a financial crisis in the world stock markets and banks and other parts of the financial sector in the end of the current church age that could set the stage for lack of confidence in cash and more confidence in an alternate perhaps electronic means of funds. This could lead to the Mark of the Beast at least on a voluntary basis at the beginning of the 7 year tribulation or seventieth week of Daniel. This Mark of the Beast would be for people to buy or sell any products but also this crash of cash that could precede the rapture of the church and following tribulation could also lead to the widespread adoption of RFID technology to replace bar codes also for food and other retail products at the beginning of the tribulation. Although there have been some stock market or financial market slides recently such as in 1997 to 1998 with the asian real estate sector bubble burst, the finacial sell-off after the attack and destruction of the World Trade Centre by the Muslim terrorist group Al Qaeda in September 2001 or the bursting of the dot com bubble more recently, the current problems that started from the overvalued stock markets worldwide that began in August 2007 if they continue could be the financial problems that lead to the crash of cash that lead to at least the beginning of the Mark of the Beast at the beginnning of the tribulation and widespread use of RFID technology and perhaps more electronic means of funds to replace cash for regular business. The rapture of the church which will cause widespread instability worldwide including in the United States with the sudden disappearance of a couple to several hundred million born again Christians worldwide could push any stability in the financial sector over the edge as has often been noted "business hates uncertainty".
As has been widely reported, I think since late 2007 the sub-prime mortgage sector of the United States housing market collapsed due to the passing of the peak of property values for residences in United States and the beginning of decline of these values. This means that people have the same amount of debt in their mortgage but less value for their property and less assets and less net value or assets. The sub-prime mortgage means that these people were generally not in a very good position to afford their own home and had no or poor credit history often because they are poor or unemployed or perhaps because they have not been very dependable in the past in paying back debts. Other factors such as increasing unemployment especially in manufacturing jobs in the United States meant many people were no longer able to afford the mortgage payments on their homes. Much of this borrowing for these mortgages was borrowed from banks or trust or other institutions that didn't have the money on hand themselves to lend to these borrowers but themselves borrowed from other banks or financial institutions usually on the belief that the housing prices would continue to go up and these sub-prime mortgages would continue to be sound which of course didn't prove true. By this time at least a significant amount of these first level mortgage institutions have gone bankrupt or been severely adversely affected by the failure of many of these sub-prime mortgages and been also forces to foreclose many of the homes bought on these terms. This has led to a tightening of credit across the financial sector not just in the United States but around the world as there was ultimately significant investment by banks of other countries in these sub-prime mortgages in the United States. This in turn has led to a slowing of investment and economic activity in general as credit becomes more difficult also for many investors or other financial institutions to get from banks. This has already led to the reduction in the US interest rate set by the Federal Reserve the US Central Bank and the central banks of other countries including a 3/4 reduction on March 18, 2008 to alleviate concern after the bailout of the Bear Sterns bank in New York City that was one of the biggest investment banks in the United States and that had heavy investment in sub-prime mortgages. The Morgan Stanley Bank with cash from the Federal Reserve bought Bear Stearns for 200,000,000,000 dollars US that was a fraction of its value up to recently. These are also a couple other major banks in the US that are still in shaky financial situations and that might want a rescue from the Federal Reserve which further erodes confidence in the world financial sector especially regarding the American economy. The reduced spending by Americans because of the housing and credit crisis has already significantly reduced the exports and balance of trade of China and Japan and other countries in Asia or elsewhere that are net exporters to the United States and has caused worry to those in charge of their economies as well. Perhaps the biggest danger on the horizon is that the tightening credit in the world financial system could make banks in Asian and other countries less willing or unwilling to lend further to the United States either for its government or its citizens or to continue to extend existing debts to Asian or other countries from the government in the United States which now stands at about 9 trillions dollars including just over half to the European Union, about 1.6 trillion dollars to China, 1 trillion dollars and several Arab oil exporting countries of a couple hundred billion dollars each and American citizens through credit cards etc. owing also about 1 trillion dollars. This is also making the US dollar fall with relation to the European Euro, the Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen and other currencies. If these problems continue and are not corrected soon they could lead to demands for a new international currency system to replace the current one dominated by the US dollar. This could give rise to one based in Europe and set up by the Antichrist who will probably come out of the European Union at the beginning of the tribulation after the rapture or catching up of the Church or all true Christians who have received the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour who died for our sins on the cross and rose again from the dead to give us new life. This new currency system could be or quickly and readily lead to the Mark of the Beast that is mentioned in Revelation 13 which will probably involve a microchip under people's skin which will probably monitor how much money they have and what they have spent it on as well as their presence at any time and will be used to control the population and could be initiated after the rapture to some extent at the beginning of the tribulation but will be forced on everyone worldwide by the beginning of the second half of the tribulation 3 1/2 years after the beginning of the tribulation. The fact that current financial conditions point to the readiness and reason for an alternate system to the current one and a possible better worldwide currency very possibly means the rapture of the true Christians to heaven and the following tribulation and rule or the Antichrist and time of God's judgments on a world of those left behind who hadn't received the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour or an opportunity to also be saved for those who hadn't heard the Gospel in the current Church Age or Age or grace could be very near. I urge the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour who died for your sins and rose again from the dead as soon as possible if you haven't already and if you have to continue to live for God and Jesus for the remainder of this age so you might be caught to heaven with Jesus at the rapture and spared the tribulation or eternity in hell after that. These economic problems in the United States and to some extent affecting other parts of the world have continued since the early part of 2008. These problems were manifest again in September 2008 with the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers that is one of the five biggest investment banks in the United States and the sale of Merrill Lynch which is another of the five biggest investment banks on September 15, 2008. Merrill Lynch was sold to Bank of America. At this time the formerly largest insurance company in the world the US based AIG is also having financial problems and might have to be bailed out or also go into bankruptcy. Also recently I think in August this year the US Treasury bailed out the huge real estate companies in the US Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that represent almost half of all mortgages in the United States or about 5 trillion dollars out of about 12 trillion dollars in total. All these things I believe indicate the current financial system is unsound and needs to be replaced with a new one that I believe will be done after the rapture of the church at the beginning of the tribulation when the Antichrist and False Prophet assume control of the world. All these events in United States are also dragging down the financial systems of other countries in the world as well. I urge the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour as soon as possible as it becomes increasingly clear that the world is heading to an unprecedented crises despite some of the economic naysayers increasingly without credibility saying otherwise.
The Federal Reserve the central bank of the United States was set up by an act of congress on December 22, 1913 and then enacted when it was passed by the US Senate on December 23, 1913. This was called the Federal Reserve Act or the Glass-Owens bill. This is according to the online website Wikipedia under Federal Reserve Act. On the surface the Federal Reserve was founded because of runs on the money supply when the United States didn't have a central bank. One of the worst runs on the money supply was in 1907. In practical terms however the idea of a central bank was supported by international bankers from Europe and elsewhere and ended up giving them a controlling stake in the US financial system that continues to this day. The Federal Reserve is not part of the US government but works at arms length but in association with it. According to the money expert Andy Gause the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 also says that it would take an act of the US congress to expire the Federal Reserve.
The annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly took place in the last week of September 2008 at the UN center in New York City. At this meeting each year each of the heads of state of the world are permitted some time to address the other members of the general assembly including the other leaders of the world as well as probably the ambassadors of each country to the UN and other UN officials. At this meeting President Bush of United States tried to focus as usual on the war on terrorism but was pressed by other world leaders and their representatives to give some answers to the US led world financial crisis which to some extent President Bush did do I believe. Anyway what was at least as important was that the French President Nicholas Sarkozy who in this six months also has the rotating leadership of the European Union spoke about the US led world financial crisis. Among other things Mr. Sarkozy said the current US led financial system of the world based on financial speculation had failed the world due to its greed and corruption which led to the current crisis. He then proposed a new world financial system that would probably be not as centred on United States and that would focus more on financial aid for relief and development in the third world especially in Africa. More recently in October Mr. Sarkozy or those associated with him said this new world economic system should be modelled on the Bretton Woods conference around 1945 which started the internationalization of the world economy including the establishment of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This would probably be a help economically to the third world esepcially Africa but could cause them to trust too much in a world economic system that could soon be headed by the Antichrist that could possibly be Mr. Sarkozy or someone else like him with globalist agendas and that is very ambitious. This new economic system could also spread some of the bad debt and economic problems of the United States to other countries that wouldn't otherwise be as directly affected by it such as Canada. Of course we will have to wait to see what happens next but this would give me more reason to urge the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ immediately so you can be taken to heaven at the rapture of the church and not be left behind to endure the Antichrist's tyranical and ungodly rule or God's judgment of the earth in the tribulation.
In November 2008 Barack Obama appointed Barack Obama as the designated Treasury Secretary of the United States government to replace Henry Paulson of the George Bush government. Although I believe Barack Obama promised in his election campaign that he would have new faces that wouldn't be tied in the established wall street order this appointment flies in the face of that. Timothy Geithner according to a profile I read on the BBC and heard from the economist Andrew Gauss is a Wall Street insider as the chairman up to now of the New York branch of the Federal Reserve that is comprised of private banks based in New York City mostly including most of the investment or other banks such as Goldman Sachs, Merrill Lynch or the former Lehman Brothers whose shady financial practices got the United States and the rest of the world into the current financial crisis. I think the idea is that Timothy Geithner might therefore be more loyal to these banks and getting money to them so they can buy up more companies than to the general American taxpayer and consumer. Timothy Geithner also served on the IMF or International Monetary Fund that is associated with the United Nations. For these and other reasons he probably will represent and pursue the interests of the globalists and the New World Order perhaps even more than other possible choices for this position and his choice is probably an indication by Barack Obama that he is at least willing to help the New World Order make progess in United States which will lead to the one world economy and government of the False Prophet and the Antichrist soon. I would therefore all the more urge the reader to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour that he died for your sins and rose again to give you new life if you haven't already to be ready for the rapture of the Church before the tribulation. If you have trusted in Jesus already I encourage you to live for Him faithfully and witness to others about Him in whatever time remains for us on earth in this age of grace or Church age.
The Antichrist will also control the world economy through forcing people to take a mark with his number 666 to buy or sell or to worship his image. Although there is much speculation of what the mark of the beast is I think a safe bet is that it is the now being heavily promoted and applied to replace commerical bar codes or universal product codes technology called RFID technology. RFID technology stands for Radio Frequency Identification and consists of a microchip for storing information and an antenae for tracking a product or whatever it is attached to. There had also been much speculation about who the beast is from who has the number 666. Although it might offend some people especially Roman Catholics I heard a very convincing explanation of why the AntiChrist with the number 666 could be the Roman Catholic Pope or at least the one ruling during the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. I will say more about that in the paragraph in this web page about Revelation 13.
The Antichrist the "vile person" and flatterer in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes in the 160s BC gained control of Israel by flattery (false praise and deception) and the Antichrist will probably gain control of Israel in a similiar way in the last days. In verse 22 the vile person killed the prince of the covenant meaning the Jewish high priest and it is likely that the high priest of the Jewish priesthood that has already been substantially restored under groups like the Temple Mount Faithful will be killed also probably at the end of the first half of the tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. In verse 23 the small people the vile person becomes strong with included some apostate Jews that allied with the vile person instead of with godly Jews and the nation of Israel as a whole. A main thing these flatteries were used for was to get peace treaties with other nations including Israel on a deceitful basis. The king and kingdom of the south historically was and in the final fulfillment will most likely also be Egypt.
And in his estate(place) shall stand up a vile person (the Antichrist), to whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom: but he shall come in peacably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. He shall enter peacably upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his father's fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. Daniel 11:21-24.
Later in this chapter the vile person being against the holy covenant means that he was against the Jewish faith especially the sacrificial system and the Temple. Ships coming from Chittim historically were Roman naval forces from Cyprus. This could happen in the 70th week of Daniel also although I can't be sure of this point. As of May 1, 2004 at least the Greek part of Cyprus is part of the European Union or revived Roman Empire. Them that forsake the holy covenant are unfaithful Jews. They are probably also described in Isaiah 66:1-6 for the 70th week of Daniel. There are two things that would be the pollution or abomination in the sanctuary or Jewish Temple in history. These are an idol that was placed by Antiochus Epiphanes in the Jewish Temple and according to Jewish tradition a pig that was offered on the altar. Either of these could be a symbol of the Antichrist and his image being seated in the Jewish Temple in the Great Tribulation and the probably Jewish false prophet or beast out of the land encouraging Jews to worship the vile person(the Antichrist).
And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for he shall forecast devices against him. Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. Then shall he(the vile person)return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. Daniel 11:25-28.
Historically those who rose up against the vile person or flatterer to try to rededicate to God and restore the Jewish Temple and the animal sacrifice Temple worship and to instruct people in God's law were the Maccabees. There will most likely be a similiar group of zealous, godly Jews in the last days or the Great Tribulation also. This time of struggle for their existence, and the Temple and the Temple sacrificial system is commemorated by Jews to this day in the Festival of Hannukah or the Feast of Dedication which Jesus Christ also celebrated in John 10:22. The scriptures about the vile person and flatterer that persecuted Israel is in Antiochus Epiphanes and will also apply in a greater and final way under the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea is in Daniel 11 as follows:
At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. For the ships of Chittim(Cyprus) shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. Daniel 11:29-35.
A classic and central prophetic passage about the timing of different important prophetic events is found in Daniel 9. Although this passage mentions the time of the death of the Messiah(Jesus Christ) (shall Messiah be cut off) after 69 weeks after the decree by Cyrus king of Persia to allow the Jews to rebuild the Temple or House of the LORD in Jerusalem and its destruction after that by a prince that shall come (the Roman general and emperor Titus that happened 70 AD) I want to focus on verse 27 on this web page but I will note that the passage is worded in such a way that the prince that shall come (the Roman emperor and general Titus and his people the Romans are referred by to as he in verse 27 concerning the Antichrist. This implies that the Antichrist will also be a Roman emperor and general and that his people also will be Romans. This could be taken as further evidence that the prince of the people that shall come in the last days 70th week of Daniel will be a Roman Catholic pope ruling during the tribulation and that his people will be Roman Catholics and perhaps those of the former Roman Empire the European Union and English North America as three horns that are taken out by the little horn (the Antichrist) in Daniel 7. I will just also mention that after seventy weeks the events in verse 24 refer to the Messiah(the Lord Jesus Christ) bringing God's Kingdom and rule to Earth after His coming in power and great glory at the end of the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. Also it should be noted that each of these 70 weeks are 7 YEARS (not days) long.
In verse 27 the he who is the subject is the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea the same as the "vile person" of Daniel 11. His confirming the covenant for one week means he will negotiate and establish a peace treaty with Israel that will allow the full resumption of the Jewish Temple worship and operation of their sacrificial system at the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. His confirming the covenant will also authorize the building of the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The mention with many could imply this covenant will satisfy the objections of the majority of Muslims who generally consider all the Temple Mount a Moslem mosque and do not want a Jewish Temple there again. This week will be 7 years the period of the Great Tribulation and will start immediately after the Rapture or catching away of the Church of all true believers in Jesus Christ. In the midst of the week he shall force the sacrifices etc. to stop as described in more detail in Daniel 11. Then in the second half of the tribulation which will coincide with the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea becoming energized by Satan and consolidating power on Earth he will present in himself and force worship of all people on Earth of himself and his image (the image of the beast) in the then defiled by his abomination Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Desolation being poured at the consummation means God's judgment through His Son or Annointed One the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes to judge the world and deliver His persecuted believers and set up His Kingdom over all the Earth centred on Jerusalem.
Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city(Jerusalem), to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy (Place - the Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem). Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. Daniel 9:24-27
When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs(Messiahs), and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Gospel of Matthew 24:15-27 (Compare Gospel of Mark 13:14-27 and, Gospel of Luke 21:20-28)
According to 2 Thessalonians 2 in the correct reading the rapture precedes the revelation of the Antichrist or the Man of Sin. Our gathering together unto him (the Lord Jesus Christ) most likely refers to all true Christians who have trusted in Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Saviour being gathered together with Jesus first in the air and then taken with him to Heaven at the rapture and beginning of the 70th week of Daniel. Although I generally prefer the King James Version I have heard and found by my own study that in this chapter the King James Version makes a significant mistake. The King James Version has in verse 2 "that the Day of Christ is at hand" but many other versions including a note in the Ryrie New King James version says something to the effect the Day of the LORD is already come, and the Chinese Chen Union Version which says the Day of the LORD is now arrived. This is important because the Day of Christ or the Day of Jesus Christ in the New Testament elsewhere refers to the rapture of the Church while the Day of the LORD refers especially to the Tribulation. The advice here then is for believers not to be concerned that the Great Tribulation has already come or that they are in the midst of it and experiencing it but that we will have our gathering together with Jesus Christ in the air and Heaven just before the day of the Lord starts. Jesus through the apostle Paul then goes on to say that there shall be a falling away first before the day of the Lord followed by the revelation of the man of sin or the Antichrist. I am quite convinced there is the falling away or apostasy at this time in the church. This refers to people that once claimed to be Christians abandonning in whole or in part teachings of the Bible for the Church or abandonning gathering in places where there are faithful Christians and Bible teaching. Some of these Christians weren't Christians in the first place, others are true Christians and will be saved and go to Heaven at the rapture but will forfeit rewards and crowns they could have earned by remaining more faithful and active in Christian service in the time leading up to the rapture of the Church to Heaven and the revelation of the Antichrist or man of sin on Earth.
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him. That ye(you) be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the Day of Christ is at hand(Day of the LORD is already come). Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3
The statement that the man of sin will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God or is worshipped means that he will insist to all people of the world and all religions (all that is called God or is worshipped) including Judaism, all forms of Christianity, cults, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, nature worship tribal religions, the New Age movement, Sikhism or anything else that worship that he himself (the man of sin or the Antichrist) is the only acceptable and encouraged or forced form of worship in the second half of the Great Tribulation or 70th week of Daniel. The man of sin or the Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea will also show signs or other indications that will seem to give some credibility to his claim that he is God and he will do this while he is in the then rebuilt Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 2 Thessalonians 2:3-5
He who withholdeth, lets or restrains speaks of the Holy Spirit's work throughout this present age of restraining evil both from evil spirits, unsaved human being and from the old nature of believers in Jesus Christ. This work will cease when the Holy Spirit is "taken out of the way" probably when He will leave the Earth at least in his present pervasive or universal ministry of convicting unbelievers and indwelling all true or born again or born of the Holy Spirit believers in the Lord Jesus Christ when we go to Heaven with Jesus at the rapture. The prominent work of the Holy Spirit in this age is the exception rather than the rule in scripture. The Holy Spirit is also not mentioned in these type of works on Earth during the Tribulation in Revelation chapters 6 to 18 except the more Old Testament working when he revives the two witnesses of God in Revelation 11 after they are killed.
And now ye know what withholdeth that he(the man of sin or the Antichrist) might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity(lawlessness) doth already work: only he who now letteth(restraineth) will let (restrain), until he be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7
God will also send strong delusion to those who knowingly neglect or reject Jesus Christ and God's way of salvation and are left behind on Earth to face God's wrath in the Great Tribulation. This probably means they heard at least once a clear understandable to them Gospel message but neglected or rejected Jesus Christ and neglected or rejected to receive Him as their personal Lord and Saviour and the one who died for their sins and rose from the dead to give them new, eternal and godly life because they didn't want to turn to God from their sins. God will then cause them to be deceived(deluded) so they won't be saved in the Great Tribulation and will believe the lie(perhaps this is the same as the first lie told to members of the human race and believed by our first parents where Satan in the form of the servant said "hath God said ye shall not eat of all the trees of the garden" and "Ye shall not surely die: For God doth(does) know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:1, 4-5. This idea of man becoming God or as God or gods is already quite popular in the New Age Movement, Hinduism, Mormonism, tribal religions and I think in Buddhism. The idea even with secular people of belief that man is continuing to progress as the highest form of evolution also leads to this belief in the lie. It will become even more popular in the Great Tribulation. The Lord Jesus Christ will also consume the Man of Sin or the AntiChrist with the spirit of his mouth(the word of God) and the brightness of his coming(His glory) at the end of the 70th week of Daniel when the Lord Jesus Christ comes to judge the world and set up God's Kingdom through Himself(Jesus the Christ or Messiah and Son of God). The Wicked or wicked one in verses 8 and 9 refers to the incarnation of Satan in the Beast out of the Land or the False Prophet of Revelation 13 and 17.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they might believe a lie: That they all might be damned(condemned) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12
For the reader that is concerned about coming under the power or control of the Antichrist, the best and only reliable means to avoid this is to trust with all your heart as soon as possible in the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour that He was God in the flesh and paid the complete penalty for our sins and rose from the dead so Christians or those who believe in Him can have eternal life with Him and God the Father in Heaven and a restored then new Earth forever.
For comments, questions, advice or more information contact Doug at skyeyes@canada.com
The Antichrist or Beast out of the Sea Continued