The Antichrist Is Coming, Part III
"About times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord [Christ's return] will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.... So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."5
Many people today say that the Bible is just a bunch of fables and all this talk about a coming Antichrist is nonsense for the simple fact that we are far too enlightened today to believe in such nonsense. Let us remember, however, that Hitler's Germany was among the most educated, advanced and enlightened country in the world when Hitler rose to power. A reminder, too, that every prophecy in God's Word, the Bible, about Christ's first coming, written hundreds of years prior to his coming, was fulfilled in detail. We can be just as certain that every prophecy in God's Word regarding Christ's second coming and the coming of the Antichrist will also be fulfilled in detail.
For instance, the Bible stated that Israel would be a nation again at the time of Christ's return. Israel as a nation was reborn in 1948, two-thousand years after being decimated by the Romans in AD70. As already noted, the Bible states that the Jewish temple will have to be rebuilt at the end times because the Antichrist will enter and desecrate it by setting himself up in the temple and claim to be God midway through his seven-year reign (see 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4).
But many will say how can the third temple be built on the Temple Mount because the Muslim Dome of the Rock is in the way? Not so. According to archeological findings the Dome of the Rock is built in the Gentile (non-Jewish) area of the temple grounds6 and not over the ancient Jewish temple that was built by King Herod. The new Jewish temple will be built over this temple—the one that was destroyed by the Romans in AD70. If you go to the temple area today, you can see many of the huge temple stones that the Romans threw over the temple walls when they destroyed the temple. For the first time in almost two-thousand years a new Jewish temple is right now in the planning stages of being built.
So where are we today? Are we, the US and its allies moving towards globalization which would incorporate a one-world people, a one-world economy, and a one-world government? And if so, is this helping to set the stage for the coming Antichrist who will rule over a globalized world?
More and more it is looking like it. For example, speaking overseas early in his presidency, President Obama addressed a crowd of some 200,0007 people in Berlin as "Citizens of the world." More recently in an online article titled, "Tony Blair, Evangelicals, and The Coming One World Religion," Paul McGuire writes, "Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair has created the Tony Blair Faith Foundation to unify the world's religions. Blair is especially interested in promoting the benefits of globalization to Christian churches. There are a number of prominent American ministers who have endorsed his Tony Blair Faith Foundation with its emphasis on globalization or global government. In Revelation we read about this coming one world religion and the False Prophet who unites the world's religions in order to bring peace to Planet Earth under the rule of Antichrist."
McGuire concludes his article by saying, "We are on the precipice of a new world financial order, a cashless society and global government. Once again, the forces behind globalization understand that they need to recruit the churches in order to make the transition. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation, the prominent evangelical ministers and religious leaders of other religions are part of globalization strategy. If you want to know where this all ultimately ends up? Read Revelation 13."8
Peace and Safety. The more we hear about globalization, a one-world economy, a one-world religion, a one-world political system, plus the promise of peace, the closer we are to the appearance of the Antichrist and the second coming to earth of Jesus Christ.
For many years now the UN and other countries, including the U.S., have been doing their utmost to broker peace in the Middle East—so far all to no avail. But they continue to talk about it and try to find ways to establish peace in this major conflict area of today's world. We also have a very dominant religious group in that part of the world that claims to be a religion of peace. However, according to biblical prophecy, it will be the Antichrist who will broker a peace treaty with Israel for at least three-and-a-half years until he breaks it.
As today's Scripture reminds us: "About times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. . . . So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."5
Right now the setting of the stage for the coming of both Jesus Christ and the Antichrist is certainly appearing to be accelerating. The clock is ticking. Every day brings us closer to the midnight hour.
What can we do about it?
First, be aware: Jesus said, "When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."9
Second, be on the right side: Make absolute certain you are on the side of the real Christ and not on the side of the counterfeit Christ—the Antichrist—or you will be totally controlled by him.
Third, be prepared: As Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again." "Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God'"10 By this Jesus meant if you are to see and enter God's kingdom, you need to be re-born spiritually. We do this by believing that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that he died on the cross to pay the penalty for all our sins, that we confess our sinfulness to God, and that we receive God's forgiveness and his gift of eternal life by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, and making a genuine commitment of our life to him. To help you do this, be sure to read the article, "How to Be Sure You're a Real Christian" at: www.actsweb.org/christian.
Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you again for your Word informing us of the events to come at the end of this world age. Please help me to know and understand your Word, be aware of what is happening, and be prepared for your coming by accepting your Son, Jesus Christ, as my personal Lord and Savior. Thank you for this blessed hope and assurance of your salvation and for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."
5. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3; 6 (NIV).
6. Grant R. Jeffrey, The New Temple and the Second Coming, p.28. WarterBrook Press, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80921.
7. Real Clear Politics, http://tinyurl.com/6652aq.
8. Paul McGuire, "Tony Blair, Evangelicals, and The Coming One World Religion," http://tinyurl.com/2bqa76c.
9. Luke 21:28 (NIV).
10. John 3:3 (NIV).
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All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.