{"id":69,"date":"2017-10-20T13:33:35","date_gmt":"2017-10-20T11:33:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/?p=69"},"modified":"2017-10-20T13:33:35","modified_gmt":"2017-10-20T11:33:35","slug":"the-rise-and-fall-of-the-antichrist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/2017\/10\/20\/the-rise-and-fall-of-the-antichrist\/","title":{"rendered":"The Rise and Fall of the Antichrist"},"content":{"rendered":"

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob.<\/em><\/p>\n

Genesis 27<\/em><\/span>:41<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

This is a study of the coming world dictator who will be the greatest despot of all time. Great dictators of the past, such as Alexander the Great, Caesar, and Adolf Hitler will hardly be comparab<\/span>le to the person of the Antichrist.<\/p>\n

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

To fully understand the person and activities of the Antichrist, he must be viewed within the framework of the counterfeit trinity. According to Revela<\/span>tion 13<\/a>, an un holy trinity will be set up in the Great Tribulation. Satan will play the part of the counterfeit father; for just as God the Father gave all His authority to the Son, so Satan will giv<\/span>e all his authority to the Antichrist. The False Prophet will play the part of the counterfeit holy spirit. While the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to call all men to worship the Messiah, the ministry of the False Prophet will be to call all men to worship the Antichrist. In every detail, the Antichrist will play the part of a counterfeit son. Once the role he is to play is understood, man<\/span>y things said of him in the Scriptures can be more easily understood.<\/p>\n

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Following the introduction, this study will be divided into nine sections: the names of the Antichrist, the origin of the Antichrist, the<\/span> revelation of the Antichrist, the Antichrist and the start of the Tribulation, the rise of the Antichrist, the death and resurrection of the Antichrist, the Abomination of Desolation, the Mark of the Beast, and the fall of the Antichrist.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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I. The Names of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

Throughout the Scriptures, the person who is to play the central role in human affairs during the Great Tribulation is given a number of names. These various names, titles, or descriptions simply portray the various facets of his character. Taken together, they portray him as the epitome of evil in the human realm, just as Satan is the epitome of evil in the angelic realm. The various names of this person are as follows:<\/p>\n

The Seed of Satan\u2014Genesis 3:15<\/a><\/p>\n

The Little Horn\u2014Daniel 7:8<\/a><\/p>\n

The King of Fierce Countenance\u2014Daniel 8:23<\/a><\/p>\n

The Prince That Shall Come\u2014Daniel 9:26<\/a><\/p>\n

The Desolator\u2014Daniel 9:27<\/a><\/p>\n

The Willful King\u2014Daniel 11:36<\/a><\/p>\n

The Man of Sin\u20142 Thessalonians 2:3<\/a><\/p>\n

The Son of Perdition\u20142 Thessalonians 2:3<\/a><\/p>\n

The Lawless One\u20142 Thessalonians 2:8<\/a><\/p>\n

The Antichrist\u20141 John 2:22<\/a><\/p>\n

The Beast\u2014Revelation 11:7<\/a><\/p>\n

Of these eleven names, six are found in the Old Testament and five in the New Testament. Except for one, all Old Testament names are in the Book of Daniel. Of the New Testament names, three are given by Paul, all in one chapter of one book. The other two names are given by the Apostle John in two of his books.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The vast majority of prophetic scholars have a single name for this fut<\/span>ure world dictator: the Antichrist. Although this may not be his most common name in Scripture, it is a well chosen title. It is a title that describes his true intent: to be against the Messiah. All his other names essentially portray the various characteristics that he<\/span> will use in opposition to the Messiah.<\/p>\n

Thus, one should begin to see the counterfeit nature in this multiplicity of names. For j<\/span>ust as the True Son has a number of different names, titles, and descriptions, so does the counterfeit son.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>II. The Origin of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

The natural origin of the True Son was that He was born of a Jewish woman. The supernatural origin was the miraculous Virgin Conception by means of the overshadowing p<\/span>ower of the Holy Spirit. The end product was the God-Man. The Antichrist, being the counterfeit son, will have both a natural origin and a supernatural origin in imitation of the True Son.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. His Natural Origin\u2014Daniel 9:26\u201327<\/a><\/p>\n

And after the threescore and two weeks shall the anointed one be cut off, and shall have nothing: 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 even unto the end shall be war; desolations are determined. And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that makes desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The fact that the Scriptures plainly teach that the Antichrist will be a Gentile can be seen from biblical typology, biblical imagery, and the nature of the Times o<\/span>f the Gentiles. The only biblical type of the Antichrist is given in the person of Antiochus Epiphanes, a Gentile. In biblical imagery, whenever the word sea<\/em> is used symbolically, especially in the Bo<\/span>ok of Revelation, it is a symbol of the Gentile nations. Since the Beast of Revelation 13:1\u201310<\/a> arises out of the sea, this points to the Antichrist as being of Gentile origin. In regard to the nature <\/span>of the Times of the Gentiles, it is agreed by most Premillennialists that the Times of the Gentiles does not end until the Second Coming of the Messiah. Furthermore, it is agreed that the Antichrist is the final ruler of the Times of the Gentiles. For the Antichrist to be a Jew contradicts the very nature<\/span> of the Times of the Gentiles.<\/p>\n

In order to determine the nationality of the Antichrist, the fi<\/span>rst step is to identify the pronoun he<\/em> in verse 27<\/a>, the one who makes the Seven Year Covenant with Israel. By the rules of Hebrew grammar, a pronoun must go back to its nearest antecedent. The nearest<\/span> antecedent to the pronoun he<\/em> in verse 27<\/a> is the prince that shall come<\/em> in verse 26<\/a>, a reference to the Antichrist. So the prince that shall come<\/em> is the same as the he who makes the covenant and both <\/span>refer to the Antichrist. Verse 26<\/a> states that the prince that shall come<\/em> will be of the very same nationality as the people<\/em> who will destroy the city and the sanctuary<\/em>. The Romans fulfilled this proph<\/span>ecy in a.d. 70.<\/p>\n

The argument of the Gentile Roman origin of the Antichrist can be summarized in five statements. First, the he who makes a covenant and the prince that shall come<\/em> are one and the same <\/span>person. Secondly, they both refer to the Antichrist. Thirdly, the Antichrist is of the same nationality as the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. Fourthly, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in <\/span>a.d. 70. And fifth, the Antichrist, then, will be a Gentile of Roman origin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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B. His Supernatural Origin\u2014Genesis 3:15<\/a><\/p>\n

and I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed: he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.<\/em><\/p>\n

This verse not only contains the first prophecy of the coming of the Messiah, at the same time, it gives the first prophecy of the Antichrist. It should be noted that this verse speaks of enmity in two aspects. First, there is going to be enmity between Satan and the woman. This satanic enmity with the woman can be seen to play itself out in the account of Genesis 6<\/a>, where Satan had some of his demons intermarry with human women for the purpose of perverting womankind in an attempt to nullify the first messianic prophecy. This attempt was stopped by means of the worldwide flood.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Secondly, there is going to be <\/span>enmity between the woman\u2019s Seed and Satan\u2019s seed. The woman\u2019s Seed is Yeshua (Jesus) the Messiah. As God, He was eternally existent; as a Man, He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin.<\/span> So He was truly both God and Man. The very mention of a seed of a woman goes contrary to the biblical norm, for nationality was always reckoned after the seed of the man. This is why, in all the genealogies of Scripture, only male names are given, with some very rare exceptions. The reason the Messiah must be reckoned after the Seed of the woman is explained in<\/span> Isaiah 7:14<\/a>, which states that the <\/span>Messiah will be born of a virgin. Since the Messiah will not have a human father, His national origin will have to be reckoned after the woman, because His humanity comes only from her. So the very expression <\/span>her seed<\/em> implied a miraculous conception. Because this term is used in reference to Satan\u2019s seed<\/em> in the same verse, it implies the same thing: a supernatural and miraculous conception. If the<\/span> Seed of the woman is the Messiah, the seed of Satan can only be the Antichrist. From this passage, then, it can be deduced that Satan will counterfeit the Virgin Conception and will some day impregnate a woman of Roman descent who will give birth to Satan\u2019s seed, the Antichrist. The woman hers<\/span>elf may not be a virgin, but the conception of the Antichrist will be through the supernatural power of Satan. By this means, the Antichrist will have a supernatural origin.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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III. The Revelation of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

The identity of the Antichrist will be revealed on two occasions. The first revelation will occur before the Tribulation and will be for believers. But the second revelation will occur in the middle of the Tribulation and this revelation will be to the nation of Israel that has been deceived by him until this revelation.<\/p>\n

The key passage that speaks of this first revelation is 2 Thessalonians 2:1\u20133<\/a>: Now we beseech you, brethren, touching the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering together unto him; to the end that ye be not quickly shaken from y<\/em>our mind, nor yet be troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by epistle as from us, as that the day of the Lord is just at hand; let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.<\/em><\/p>\n

In verses 1\u20132<\/a>, some false teachers apparently came in after Paul left Thessalonica teaching a posttribulational doctrine and stating that the believers were already in the Tribulation. The Thessalonians were troubled that the day of the Lord<\/em>, the most common title for the Great Tribulation, had already arrived.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In verse <\/span>3<\/a>, Paul writes that the Tribulation could not have come yet because two events must precede the Tribulation itself: first, the apostasy of the Church; and secondly, the revelation of the man of sin \u2026,<\/em><\/span> the son of perdition<\/em>. There is to be a revelation of the identity of the Antichrist that precedes the Tribulation, and it is for the believers living at that time. The Rapture of the Church may or ma<\/span>y not have already occurred by then, since the Scriptures do not state just how long before the Tribulation the Rapture will occur. Therefore, the revelation to believers before the Tribulation may be<\/span> to the Church if the Rapture has not occurred, or it may be to a new generation of believers who will have accepted the gospel after the Rapture. Whoever these believers may be at that time, they will receive a revelation as to the identity of the Antichrist, and it will occur at some time before the Tribulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

This text does not state exactly how this revelation will come, but other Scriptures<\/span> indicate that this revelation may come because of two things. First, it is clear from Daniel 9:27<\/a> that the Tribulation begins with the signing of the Seven-Year Covenant between Israel and the Antich<\/span>rist. When this forthcoming covenant is announced, believers may become aware of the identity of the Antichrist. Secondly, it is also possible that believers will deduce who he is by the numerical value of the Antichrist\u2019s name, 666.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second revelation is to Israel and is found later in the 2 Thessalonians passage in the context of the Abomination of Desolation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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IV. The Antichrist and the Start of the Tribulation<\/p>\n

The relationship of the Antichrist to the start of the Tribulation is found in Daniel 9:27<\/a>: And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week<\/em>: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that makes desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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This verse is part of the famous Seventy Sevens Prophecy in Daniel 9<\/a>. The entire context of this prophecy begins in verse 24<\/a> and continues through ve<\/span>rse 27<\/a>. According to verse 24<\/a>, the prophecy states that a period of 490 years has been decreed over the people of Israel for the purpose of bringing to completion all history and prophecy. During the <\/span>first sixty-nine sevens or 483 years, Jerusalem will be rebuilt. Verse 25<\/a> states that during this period, the people of Israel would experience troublesome times. At the end of the sixty-ninth seven, <\/span>a gap suddenly enters the picture, for there is a break of time between the sixty ninth and seventieth seven, during which three things will occur: first, the Messiah will be killed; secondly, Jerusalem and the Temple will be destroyed; and thirdly, a long period of desolation will follow. The first event occurred in <\/span>a.d. 30, followed by the second event in a.d. 70. From a.d. 70, the Land lay in d<\/span>esolation and things began to change only when Israel again became a state in 1948. However, there is one more week of years to run, the seven years of the Great Tribulation.<\/p>\n

Verse 27<\/a> records the sing<\/span>le event that will start the last seven years ticking away: the signing of the Seven-Year Covenant between the Antichrist and Israel. Therefore, one way that the Antichrist is involved with the beginn<\/span>ing of the Tribulation is that the Tribulation cannot begin until he signs that Seven-Year Covenant. As has been shown earlier, believers will already know who he is before this event takes place.<\/p>\n

A s<\/span>econd passage relating the Antichrist to the beginning of the Tribulation is found in Revelation 6:1\u20132<\/a>: And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatu<\/em><\/span>res saying as with a voice of thunder, Come. And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon had a bow; and there was given unto him a crown: and he came forth conquering, and to conquer.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The one sitting on the white horse<\/em> who rides forth conquering, and to conquer<\/em> is the Antichrist. He is the first seal of judgment of the Seven-Sealed Scroll, the scroll of the judgments of the Great<\/span> Tribulation that begins to be poured out on the earth as a result of the signing of the Seven-Year Covenant. The very First Seal Judgment is that the Antichrist will use this covenant relationship with Israel to begin his movements toward worldwide conquest. He will not attain this goal until the middle of the Tribulat<\/span>ion. But his conquering commences at the beginning of the Tribulation and continues until the middle when he kills three of his ten opponents, at which time the other seven kings submit to his authority.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus the Antichrist\u2019s relationship to the start of the Tribulation is seen <\/span>in two respects: first, he signs the Seven Year Covenant that begins the Tribulation; and secondly, he begins a program of worldwide conquest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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V. The Rise of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the counterfeit son will accept the offer that the True Son rejected (Mat. 4:8\u201310<\/a>; Lk. 4:5\u20138<\/a>). When Satan offered Yeshua all the kingdoms of the world on the condition that He would worship him just once, Jesus quoted from the Book of Deuteronomy and stated that the only Person to be worshiped is God Himself. When this offer is accepted by the Antichrist, it will mark the beginning of his rise to political and religious domination of the world (Dan. 11:38\u201339<\/a>; Rom. 13:2<\/a>).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

The rise to power of the Antichrist is described in two passages. The first passag<\/span>e is found in Daniel 8:23\u201325<\/a>: And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And <\/em><\/span>his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper and do his pleasure; and he shall destroy the mighty ones and the holy people. And through his policy he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and in their security shall he destroy many: he shall also stand up against<\/em><\/span> the prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

Because of his supernatural origin as Satan\u2019s seed, the Antichrist will always have access to the satanic realm. Verse 23<\/a> declares that a king of fierce countenance<\/em>, the<\/span> Antichrist, will have the understanding of dark sentences<\/em>. This means that he will have the same supernatural ability to solve riddles that Daniel had in Daniel 5:12<\/a>. Daniel\u2019s source was God, but the<\/span> source for the Antichrist will be Satan. The Antichrist will have the power of the occult behind him. This is further spelled out in verse 24<\/a>, where it is clearly stated that his power<\/em> will be mighty<\/em><\/span>, but it will not be by his own power<\/em>. In other words, the Antichrist will have access to a tremendous amount of power. However, this power originates from his father, Satan. He will seek to destroy t<\/em><\/span>he holy people<\/em> Israel with this supernatural power. In verse 25<\/a>, he is characterized by craftiness and deceit. By these means, he will lull rulers into a sense of false security and take advantage of <\/span>it for the purpose of uprooting them. For a time, he will prosper<\/em>, that is he will be successful in his goals. He will magnify himself in his heart<\/em> and this will lead to his self declaration of deity <\/span>(2 Thes. 2:3\u20134<\/a>; Rev. 13:3\u20139<\/a>). He will stand up against the prince of princes<\/em>, the Messiah.<\/p>\n

A second description of the means of his rise to power is in Daniel 11:36\u201339<\/a>: And the king shall do according<\/em><\/span> to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvelous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall <\/em><\/span>be done. Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all. But in his place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whosoever acknowledges him he will<\/em><\/span> increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

In verse 36a<\/a>, Daniel describes the<\/span> Antichrist as being a willful king. In verse 36b<\/a>, he is characterized by self exaltation above all men and self deification by magnifying himself above even God. In his self exaltation, he will speak<\/span> against the God of gods<\/em> (Dan. 7:25<\/a>). In verse 37<\/a>, he will not desire the love of women, something that is natural to men, and so he will be inhuman in his disregard of women. The enmity of Satan agai<\/span>nst womanhood continues through Satan\u2019s seed. Furthermore, in verses 38\u201339<\/a>, he will be under the total control of Satan. This passage states that he will honor a god that his ancestors on his mother\u2019s<\/span> side never honored: the god of fortresses<\/em>, Satan. His policy will be: Might makes right. With the help of this foreign god<\/em>, he will be able to take over the strongest defenses in the world and will a<\/span>ppear totally invincible. Those who submit to his authority will be increased and will be given positions of authority in his kingdom. He will divide the territory he has conquered among those who have been loyal to him and have confessed him to be god.<\/p>\n

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The above two passages deal primarily with the rising power of the Antichrist on the basis of his contact with the satanic realm. By totally submi<\/span>tting himself to Satan, he is honored with conquests. In his rise to power, Satan will gain absolute political and religious control.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. Political Control<\/p>\n

The Antichrist\u2019s attempt to gain political control will be interrupted by his death. But after his resurrection, the second world war of the Tribulation will continue until three of the ten kings are killed. This is found in Daniel 7:23\u201324<\/a>: Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all the kingdoms, and shall devour the wh<\/em>ole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom shall ten kings arise: and another shall arise after them; and he shall be diverse from the former, and he shall put down three kings.<\/em><\/p>\n

According to verse 23<\/a>, the Fourth Gentile Empire will ultimately take over the entire world and will develop into a one world government. Once it has achieved this status, in verse 24a<\/a> it will then break down into ten kingdoms ruled by ten men. In verse 24b<\/a>, while the entire world is in this ten kingdom stage, the Antichrist will begin his rise to power and, eventually in the middle of the Tribulation, he will kill three of the ten kings.<\/p>\n

At that point, the remaining kings will submit to his authority, according to Revelation 17:12\u201313<\/a> and 17<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Verses 12\u201313<\/a> state: And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings, who have received no kingdom as yet; but they receive authority as kings, with the beast, for one hour. These have one mind, and they give their<\/em> power and authority unto the beast<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Verse 17<\/a> states: For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should b<\/em>e accomplished.<\/em><\/p>\n

With the other seven kings simply submitting to his authority, the Antichrist will gain full political control and become the one world political ruler, with one exception: Jordan. This is the second political system of the Tribulation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

B. Religious Control<\/p>\n

To accomplish his goal to become the one world religious ruler, the Antichrist must try to remove all religious opposition. This will be accomplished in three stages.<\/p>\n

The first st<\/span>age is his destruction of the false religious system of his day, recorded in Revelation 17:16<\/a>: And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these shall hate the harlot, and shall make her desolate <\/em><\/span>and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and shall burn her utterly with fire.<\/em><\/p>\n

Throughout the first half of the Tribulation, the religious affairs of the world will be controlled by a one world super relig<\/span>ious organization, which the Bible refers to as Ecclesiastical Babylon. Although this religious system will rule with the support of civil government (Rev. 17:1\u20135<\/a>), the political rulers of the world w<\/span>ill have no real love for it. After the Antichrist gains political leadership, he will then proceed to destroy the one world religious system in order to set up his own religious system. But first, he<\/span> must destroy the existing false religious system.<\/p>\n

The second stage to become the world\u2019s religious leader is the Antichrist\u2019s move against the Two Witnesses in Revelation 11:7<\/a>: And when they shall ha<\/em><\/span>ve finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss shall make war with them, and overcome them, and kill them.<\/em><\/p>\n

The ministry of the Two Witnesses takes place during the first half of<\/span> the Tribulation (Rev. 11:3\u201313<\/a>). Verse 3<\/a>, gives the timing of their ministry as a thousand two hundred and threescore days<\/em>, the first 3\u00bd years of the Tribulation. Verse 4<\/a> gives their identity: the two<\/em><\/span> olive trees and the two candlesticks<\/em>, which has been the subject of much speculation. Many prophetic teachers try to identify them with two men who have lived in the past. However, it is best to take<\/span> these men to be two Jewish prophets that God will raise up during the Tribulation itself. In verses 5\u20136<\/a>, the character of their ministry and their authority is described. The center of their ministry<\/span> will be the City of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

In order to gain further religious allegiance of the world masses, the Antichrist will move against the Two Witnesses who, because of their supernatural abilities, caus<\/span>ed so much havoc for the inhabitants of the earth during their ministry. In verse 7<\/a>, the Antichrist will war against the Two Witnesses and will succeed in killing them. That this event will take place<\/span> after the Antichrist\u2019s resurrection from the dead is clear from the statement: the beast that comes up out of the abyss<\/em>. The means by which the Antichrist comes back from the Abyss is his resurrectio<\/span>n by Satan. Along with his resurrection, the act of killing the Two Witnesses will provide another reason why mankind will worship him. All previous attempts to kill them have failed because of their miraculous powers, but now that their ministry is over, God allows the Antichris<\/span>t to kill them.<\/p>\n

The third stage of his takeover of the religious system is an all out war against the saints, as recorde<\/span>d in various Scriptures. One such passage is Daniel 7:25<\/a>: And he shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High; and he shall think to change the times and the<\/em><\/span> law; and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Antichrist will seek to wipe out the memory of the True God by trying to destroy those who worship Him. So, ther<\/span>e will be an all out war against the saints at this time.<\/p>\n

VI. The Death and Resurrection of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

Continuing the role of the counterfeit son, in the middle of the Tribulation comes the death and resurrection of the Antichrist, an imitation of the De<\/span>ath and Resurrection of the Messiah. His death takes place in conjunction with his war against the ten kings, described in Daniel 11:40\u201345<\/a>: And at the time of the end shall the king of the south <\/em>conte<\/em><\/span>nd with him; and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass thr<\/em><\/span>ough. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the<\/em><\/span> Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him; and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to sweep away many. And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever kind of peace that may have existed<\/span> between the Antichrist and the ten kings ruling the ten kingdoms is now shattered as the Antichrist begins his move to take political control of the world. The second worldwide conflict of the Tribulation begins with his declaring war on the t<\/span>en kings. In verse 40<\/a>, two major kings are said to stand against him during his conquests: the king of the south<\/em>, Egypt, and the king of the north<\/em>, Syria. I<\/span>n verse 41<\/a>, while the Antichrist is conquering, he will take over the Land of Israel, although Jordan will escape. In verses 42\u201343<\/a>, from there, he will conquer Egypt, Libya, and Ethiopia. But in verse<\/span> 44<\/a>, a third major king, the king of the east<\/em>, Mesopotamia, will move in against the Antichrist and, according to verse 45b<\/a>, it is apparently in this battle that he will be killed.<\/p>\n

What happens next i<\/span>s picked up in Revelation 13:1\u20138<\/a>: and he stood upon the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns, and seven heads, and on his horns ten diadems, and upon his heads<\/em><\/span> names of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as though it had been smitten unto death; and his death stroke was healed: and the whole earth wondered after the be<\/em><\/span>ast; and they worshipped the dragon, because he gave his authority unto the beast; and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? And who is able to war with him?and there was given to him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and there was given to him authority to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth for blasphemies against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, even them that dwell in the heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and there was given to him aut<\/em><\/span>hority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. And all that dwell on the earth shall worship him, every one whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that had been slain.<\/em><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The beast<\/em>, described in verses <\/span>1\u20132<\/a>, is the same as the nondescript fourth beast of Daniel 7<\/a>. Satan, the counterfeit father, will give his authority to the Antichrist, the counterfeit son. This is in imitation of God the Father givi<\/span>ng all of His authority to Yeshua, the True son.<\/p>\n

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However, speaking of the seventh head, the Antichrist, the phrase in verse 3a<\/a>: as though is have been smitten unto death<\/em> is a Hebrew idiom for a resurr<\/span>ected individual involving real death. This phrase is also used of the Messiah in Revelation 5:6<\/a>. The idiom, then, refers to a resurrected individual. In the course of the conflict between the Antichr<\/span>ist and the ten kings recorded in Daniel 11:40\u201345<\/a>, the Antichrist will be killed. Furthermore, verse 3b<\/a> states that his death stroke was healed<\/em>, meaning Satan will raise him back to life even as the F<\/span>ather resurrected the Messiah. Just as the Resurrection of the Messiah helped to prove His deity and caused men to worship Him, the resurrection of the Antichrist in verse 4<\/a> will deceive many and the <\/span>whole world will begin to worship him. In verses 5\u20136<\/a>, he will be allowed to continue his work of blasphemy for forty and two months<\/em> or 3\u00bd years, the second half of the Tribulation.<\/p>\n

It is at this point<\/span> that he will have all out war against the saints as he moves in to take full religious authority in the world in verse 7<\/a>. Furthermore, those who will not believe in Jesus will end up worshiping the A<\/span>ntichrist, according to verse 8<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So in completion of the role of the counterfeit son, the Antichrist will claim to be the resurrected god man and will call all men to worship him. This leads to the Ab<\/span>omination of Desolation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>VII. The Abomination of Desolation<\/p>\n

In Scripture, that which culminates the Antichrist\u2019s full religious control of world affairs is called the Abomination of Desolation. A number of passages deal with <\/span>this very significant event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A. The Act<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The first passage to mention this event is Daniel 9:27<\/a>: And he shall make a firm covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation <\/em><\/span>to cease; and upon the wing of abominations shall come one that makes desolate; and even unto the full end, and that determined, shall wrath be poured out upon the desolate.<\/em><\/p>\n

This verse speaks not only<\/span> of how the Tribulation begins, but also of how long the Tribulation will last: one week or seven years. Furthermore, this verse reveals the breaking of the Seven-Year Covenant between Israel and the Antichrist <\/span>in the midst of the week<\/em>. It is at this point that the Antichrist will cause a cessation of the reinstituted sacrificial system and the act or acts, known as the Abomination of Desolation, <\/span>will occur. This verse does not state the exact nature of the Abomination of Desolation, only that it does occur in the middle of the week. The term abomination<\/em> often refers to an image or an idol.<\/p>\n

An<\/span>other passage specifying the length of the Abomination of Desolation is found in Daniel 12:11<\/a>: And from the time that the continual burnt offering shall be taken away, and the abomination that makes d<\/em><\/span>esolate set up, there shall be a thousand and two hundred and ninety days.<\/em><\/p>\n

As in Daniel 9:27<\/a>, the starting point of the Abomination of Desolation is the cessation of the sacrificial system. According <\/span>to this passage, it will last a total a thousand and two hundred and ninety days<\/em>, a full thirty days beyond the end of the Tribulation. No reason is given as to why the Abomination of Desolation is al<\/span>lowed to continue an extra thirty days. While Daniel still has not stated exactly what the Abomination of Desolation is, he has stated two things: first, it starts in the middle of the Tribulation; and secondly, it continues for thirty days beyond the end of the Tribulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

The third passage that mentions this event is found in Matthew 24:15\u201316<\/a>: When therefore ye see the abomination of desolation<\/em><\/span>, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let him that reads understand), then let them that are in Judaea flee unto the mountains.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Yeshua began to reveal the <\/span>circumstances of the setting up of the Kingdom in His Olivet Discourse, He provided a warning to Jews who would be living in the middle of the Tribulation. The warning is that whenever they see or hear of the occurrence of <\/span>the abomination of desolation<\/em>, just as soon as they learn of it, they are to get out of Israel very quickly. Although it is not stated exactly what the Abomination of Desolation<\/span> is, Matthew does say that it will serve as a warning sign to the Jews. So in some way, this will serve as the second revelation of the Antichrist, the revelation that will be intended to warn Israel.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fourth passage is found in Revelation 11:1\u20132<\/a>: And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and one said, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. And t<\/em><\/span>he court which is without the temple leave without, and measure it not; for it has been given unto the nations: and the holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two months.<\/em><\/p>\n

Similar to what was <\/span>already stated in Daniel 9:27<\/a>, this passage also states that the normal functioning of the Temple will be stopped, for it will be taken over by the Gentiles who will have control of the city and the T<\/span>emple area for forty two months or 3\u00bd years. Again, nothing has been stated as to exactly what the Abomination of Desolation is.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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<\/span><\/span>B. The Two Stages<\/p>\n

From the Scriptures, it can be seen that the Abomination of Desolation involves two key stages.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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1. The First Stage\u20142 Thessalonians 2:3\u20134<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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let no man beguile you in any wise: for it will not be, except the falling away come first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, he that oppos<\/em><\/span>es and exalts himself against all that is called God or that is worshipped; so that he sits in the temple of God, setting himself forth as God.<\/em><\/p>\n

The first stage of the Abomination of Desolation is when<\/span> the Antichrist will take over the Jewish Temple as prophesied in Daniel 9:27<\/a> and Revelation 11:1\u20132<\/a>. He will then set up his throne in the Holy of Holies of this Temple and declare himself to be the o<\/span>ne true god, and, by doing so, will set up the second religious system of the Tribulation: the worship of the Antichrist.<\/p>\n

His self declaration of deity will be accompanied by miraculous signs to carry<\/span> out the work of deception, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:8\u201312<\/a>: And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall slay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the man<\/em><\/span>ifestation of his coming; even he, whose coming is according to the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should<\/em><\/span> believe a lie: that they all might be judged who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By this very act of the Abomination of Desolation, in verse 8<\/a> the Antichrist will be revealed as truly being the lawless one<\/em> and then Israel can clearly s<\/span>ee with whom they have made their covenant. In verse 9<\/a>, he is one who will be totally energized by Satan so that he is able to do miracles for the purpose of worldwide deception, for he will call all <\/span>men to worship him in verse 10<\/a>. The ones who will be deceived by this are those who have already rejected the gospel of Jesus the Messiah. According to verses 11\u201312<\/a>, it should be remembered that durin<\/span>g the first half of the Tribulation there will be the worldwide preaching of the gospel by the 144,000 Jewish evangelists (Mat. 24:14<\/a>; Rev. 7<\/a>). While myriads will accept the gospel, many more will rej<\/span>ect it. Because many will refuse to respond to the preaching of the 144,000 during the first half of the Tribulation, they will be deceived by the Antichrist and will begin to worship him during the second half. This worldwide worship of the Antichrist will b<\/span>e a direct result of his death and resurrection, as was noted in Revelation 13:1\u20138<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The first stage of the Abomination of Desolation, then, i<\/span>s when the Antichrist will take over the Jewish Temple, sit down in the Holy of Holies, and declare himself to be the one true god. The fact that this proclamation will come after his own resurrection, accompanied by signs, wonders, and miracles, will decei<\/span>ve the masses of mankind into accepting his deity.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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2. The Second Stage\u2014Revelation 13:11\u201315<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like unto a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the f<\/span>irst beast in his sight. And he makes the earth and them dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose death stroke was healed. And he does great signs, that he should even make fire to come down out of heaven upon the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs which it was given him to do in the sight of<\/span> the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the stroke of the sword and lived. And it was given unto him to give breath to it, even to the image to the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as should not worship the image of the beast should be killed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

With the rise of the False Prophet playing the role of the counterfeit holy spirit, the <\/span>unholy trinity will be complete. In verse 11<\/a>, the rise of the False Prophet will have the same source as that of the false son; namely, Satan. Just as the Holy Spirit exercises equal authority with th<\/span>e True Son, in verse 12a<\/a> the False Prophet will exercise equal authority with the Antichrist. Just as the Holy Spirit draws men to worship the resurrected Son, in verse 12b<\/a> the False Prophet will call<\/span> all men to worship the resurrected counterfeit son. And just as the initial coming of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by miracles, in verse 13<\/a> the coming of the False Prophet will also be accompanied<\/span> by miracles. These signs will continue the work of deception in verse 14a<\/a>, calling even more men to worship the Antichrist.<\/p>\n

In verses 14b\u201315<\/a>, the Antichrist will then initiate the second stage of the<\/span> Abomination of Desolation. In order to keep the Temple as the center of worship of the Antichrist, the False Prophet will make an image<\/em> of the Antichrist; this image<\/em> will be given life and set up in <\/span>the Holy of Holies of the Jewish Temple. This is what Yeshua referred to when He spoke of the abomination of desolation \u2026 standing in the holy place<\/em> (Mat. 24:15<\/a>). Furthermore, Daniel 12:11<\/a> states that<\/span> this image<\/em> will be allowed to remain within the Holy of Holies for a total of one thousand two hundred and ninety days, thirty days beyond the close of the Tribulation.<\/p>\n

In this manner, the counterfei<\/span>t trinity will be complete.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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VIII. The Mark of the Beast<\/p>\n

As all men are called to worship the Antichrist in conjunction with the two stages of the Abomination of Desolation, there will be a counterfeit seal for those who would own the Antichrist as god. Just as those who believe in Jesus the Messiah receive the seal of the Holy Spirit, those who will now worship the Antichrist will receive a counterfeit seal. This is recorded in Revelation 13:16\u201318<\/a>: And he caused all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free and the bond, that there be given them a mark on their right hand, or upon their forehead; <\/em>and that no man should be able to buy or to sell, save he that has the mark, even the name of the beast or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. He that has understanding, let him count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man: and his number is Six hundred and sixty and six.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

In verse 16<\/a>, the placing of this mark will be either on the right<\/em> hand or on the forehead<\/em>. The purpose of t<\/span>he Mark of the Beast will be to serve as a sign of identification for those who will own the Antichrist as their god. Only those who have this number will be permitted to work, to buy, to sell, or simply make a living,<\/span> according to verse 17a<\/a>. It should be pointed out that this mark has nothing to do with credit as is often taught today. In a credit system, everyone must have a different number, bu<\/span>t in this case, everyone has the same number. This verse does not speak of such things as credit cards, banking systems, a cashless society, a one world currency system, or computers.<\/p>\n

The interpretati<\/span>on of the mark is given by five clues in verses 17b\u201318<\/a>:<\/p>\n

The name of the Beast;<\/p>\n

The number of his name;<\/p>\n

The number of the Beast;<\/p>\n

The number of a man;<\/p>\n

The number is 666.<\/p>\n

Following through this logical p<\/span>rogression, the number of the beast is also the number of a man<\/em> because the Antichrist will be a man who will be the last ruler of the final form of the Fourth Gentile Empire. Furthermore, this number<\/span> is the number of his name<\/em>, and the numerical value of his name is 666. There are twenty two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. In the order of numerical value they are as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8<\/span>, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, and 400. Whatever the personal name of the Antichrist will be, when it is spelled out in Hebrew characters, its numerical value will be 666. So the Mark of the Beast will not only be the seal for those who worship him, it will also be the numerical value of the personal name of the Antichrist. Since a number of diffe<\/span>rent combinations can be equivalent to 666, it is impossible to figure out the name in advance. However, when a prominent figure arrives on the scene, if the numerical value of his name in Hebrew characters is equivalent to 666, then he would certainly be one to watch. Verse <\/span><\/span>18<\/a> states that those who are wise at that time will be able to point him out.<\/p>\n

Since believers will not take the mark, life will be extremely difficult<\/span> for them because they will not be able to engage in making any kind of living. However, there is both a warning and a comfort given regarding this Mark of the Beast in Revelation 14:9\u201312<\/a>: And another<\/em><\/span> angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshipped the beast and his image, and received a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of Go<\/em><\/span>d, which is prepared unmixed in the cup of his anger; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment goes up for ever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and whoso received the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints, they that keep the comm<\/em><\/span>andments of God, and the faith of Jesus.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The clear warning of this angel is that anyone who receives this mark<\/em> will forfeit any opportunity for salvation in the Tribulation. Unti<\/span>l that mark<\/em> is taken, the opportunity will be there. But verses 9\u201311<\/a> state that once they have accepted this mark<\/em> they will have reached the \u201cpoint of no return.\u201d They will be destined to receive the <\/span>full judgment of the wrath of God contained in the Bowl Judgments of Revelation 15\u201316<\/a> and their destiny in the Lake of Fire will be permanently assured. It is this fact that will serve as a point of c<\/span>omfort in verse 12<\/a> for the saints living at this time. For although they must suffer and may even die, this period of worldwide persecution will be allowed to continue for only 3\u00bd years.<\/p>\n

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During this v<\/span>ery same period, the Bowl Judgments will be poured out, especially on those who have the Mark of the Beast, according to Revelation 16:1\u20132<\/a>: And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the s<\/em><\/span>even angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth. And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and that worshipped his imag<\/em><\/span>e.<\/em><\/p>\n

This judgment is clearly directed at affecting only those who have received the Mark of the Beast in fulfillment of Revelation 14:9\u201311<\/a>. T<\/span>he result will be a grievous sore<\/em> upon the worshipers of the Antichrist. This sore will be some kind of skin ulcer or malignancy on their skin.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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IX. The Fall of the Antichrist<\/p>\n

The beginning of the fall of the Antichrist occurs when he gathers all his armies for the Campaign of Armageddon in Revelation 16:12\u201316<\/a>: And the sixth poured out his bow<\/em>l upon the great river, the river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way might be made ready for the kings that come from the sunrising. And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of t<\/em>he beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs: for they are spirits of demons, working signs; which go forth unto the kings of the whole world, to gather them together unto the war of the great day of God, the Almighty. (Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.) And they gathered them together into the<\/em> place which is called in Hebrew<\/em>Har magedon<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Verse 12<\/a> states that the Sixth Bowl Judgment will dry up the Euphrates River to make it easier for the Antichrist to assemble his forces for the Campaign of Armageddon. Although it has become common to identify the kings that come from the sunrising<\/em> or \u201cthe kings of the East\u201d with the Chinese and to combine them with \u201cthe army of the two hundred million\u201d of Revelation 9<\/a>, neither consistency of exegesis not the structure of the Book of Revelation will allow for this. Relative to the structure of the Revelation, the two hundred million are in a Trumpet Judgment, whereas the kings of the East are in a Bowl Judgment. Furthermore, within the discussion of Revelation 9<\/a>, the two hundred million are demons, not men. In regard to consistency of interpretation, it also rules out the kings of the East as a reference to Chinese. Everywhere else in the scriptures, the East always refers to Mesopotamia, which is Assyria and Babylonia. The fact that the Antichrist\u2019s capital city, Babylon, will be located on the banks of the Euphrates River further attests to the fact that the kings who come from the East will be Mesopotamian kings.<\/p>\n

In verses 13\u201314<\/a>, a decree will be issued from the capitol city of Babylon ordering the allies of the Antichrist to gather their armies together. This gathering of the armies is clearly the work of the counterfeit trinity: the dragon<\/em>, Satan, the counterfeit father; the beast<\/em>, the Antichrist, the counterfeit son; and the false prophet<\/em>, the counterfeit holy spirit. The summons will be reinforced by demonic activity to make sure that the nations will indeed cooperate. The kings<\/em> mentioned are the seven kings who have been under the authority of the Antichrist since the middle of the Tribulation. While the term \u201cBattle of Armageddon\u201d has been commonly been used, a more biblical name for this final conflict is found in the closing words of verse 14<\/a>: th<\/em>e war of the great day of God, the Almighty.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Verse 15<\/a> interrupts the train of thought with a parenthetical remark containing a message of comfort and hope to the believers who are living at this point<\/span> in the Great Tribulation. The train of thought is picked up again in verse 16<\/a> and names the place where the allies of the Antichrist will be gathered: Har-magedon<\/span>. This is a combination of two Hebrew<\/span> words, meaning \u201cthe Mountain of Megiddo.\u201d Megiddo was a strategic city located at the western end of the Valley of Jezreel, guarding the famous Megiddo Pass into Israel\u2019s largest valley. What is known as the Valley of Armageddon in Chri<\/span>stian circles is actually the biblical Valley of Jezreel. It should be noted that this passage states nothing of a battle in the valley. It will merely serve as the gathering ground for the armies of the Antichrist, much as England did in the closing stages of World War II.<\/span><\/p>\n

The key purpose of this Campaign of Armageddon will be to destroy all the Jews once and <\/span>for all. This will be a combined effort by the entire unholy trinity, but this final effort will also lead to the fall of the Antichrist.<\/p>\n

It is in the closing hours of the Campaign of Armageddon that <\/span>the Second Coming of the Messiah will occur and, at this point, the Antichrist will be killed, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:8<\/a>: And then shall be revealed the lawless one, whom the Lord Jesus shall s<\/em><\/span>lay with the breath of his mouth, and bring to nought by the manifestation of his coming.<\/em><\/p>\n

The one who had claimed to be god, the one who had been able to perform all kinds of miracles, signs, and wond<\/span>ers, the one who exercised all the authority of Satan as he ruled the world, will be quickly dispensed with by the Word of the Lord Jesus. For the second time, the Antichrist will die.<\/p>\n

What happens as<\/span> the soul of the Antichrist enters Hell once he is slain by the Lord Jesus is described in Isaiah 14:9\u201311<\/a>: Sheol from beneath is moved for you to meet you at your coming; it stirred up the dead for yo<\/em><\/span>u, even all the chief ones of the earth; it has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall answer and say unto you, Are you also become weak as we? are you become like unto us? Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, and the noise of your viols: the worm is spread u<\/em><\/span>nder you, and worms cover you.<\/em><\/p>\n

These verses describe the soul of the Antichrist as it enters into the Hell <\/span>section of Sheol<\/em> itself. In verse 9<\/a>, the previous great ones of the earth who are already there will suddenly rise up off their thrones, in utter astonishment that he, too, has entered the abode of He<\/span>ll. As they see this one entering the domains of Hell, they are able to ask him questions and carry on a conversation. In verse 11<\/a>, all the pomp of his worldwide reign will suffer the demise of Hell.<\/p>\n

<\/span>What happens to the body of the Antichrist still on the earth is described later in Isaiah 14:16\u201320<\/a>: They that see you shall gaze at you, they shall consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the<\/em><\/span> earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that let not loose his prisoners to their home? All the kings of the nations, all of them, sleep in glory, every one in his own house. But you are cast forth away from your sepulchre l<\/em><\/span>ike an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, that are thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a dead body trodden under foot. You shall not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people; the seed of evil doers shall not be named for ever.<\/em><\/p>\n

In verses 16\u201317<\/a>, many will be able to view the body of the Antichrist and will stare in utter disbelief that he died so suddenly and easily, considering he had shaken the kin<\/span>gdoms of the world and the earth trembled in his presence. In verse 18<\/a>, while lesser kings are buried in pompous sepulchers, not so the Antichrist, whose body will be trampled by the fleeing feet of h<\/span>is own armies, according to verse 19<\/a>. In verse 20<\/a>, Isaiah states that the body of the Antichrist will never be buried at all. Isaiah does not explain why.<\/p>\n

At this point, there is a little humor on the<\/span> part of God. The Antichrist has sought to be the counterfeit son and has tried to imitate Him in many ways. He has had the counterfeit virgin conception, the counterfeit death and resurrection, and the counterfeit seal. But now the Lord will al<\/span>low him to play out his counterfeit role in totality. The First Resurrection is the resurrection of all believers (Rev. 20:4\u20136<\/a>). However, the Messiah is th<\/span>e first-fruits of this First Resurrection, having already been resurrected in advance of all future believers (1 Cor. 15:20\u201323<\/a>). The Second Resurrection is the resurrection of all unbelievers (Rev. 20<\/span>:11\u201315<\/a>). Just as the Messiah was the first-fruits of the First Resurrection, so the Antichrist will be the first-fruits of the Second Resurrection.<\/p>\n

This becomes evident in Revelation 19:19\u201321<\/a>: And I s<\/em><\/span>aw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet th<\/em><\/span>at wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image: they two were cast alive into the Lake of Fire that burns with brimstone: and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

The passage<\/span> begins by describing the Campaign of Armageddon in verse 19<\/a>, during which time the Antichrist will be killed (2 Thes. 2:8<\/a>). Verse 20<\/a> states that the Antichrist, along with the False Prophet, will be <\/span>taken and they will be cast alive<\/em> into the Lake of Fire. The only way this could be so is if the Antichrist is resurrected after he is killed by the Messiah. In verse 21<\/a>, the birds will eat the unburi<\/span>ed carcasses of many who participated in the Campaign of Armageddon.<\/p>\n

So, the Antichrist will be allowed to complete his role of the counterfeit son by becoming the first-fruits of the Second Resurrect<\/span>ion. He and the False Prophet will have the Lake of Fire all to themselves for the first thousand years of its existence (Rev. 20:10<\/a>).<\/p>\n

With this, the career of the Antichrist comes to its end.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him. And Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand. Then will I slay my brother Jacob. Genesis 27:41 This is a study of the coming world dictator who will be the greatest despot of all … <\/p>\n

\u201eThe Rise and Fall of the Antichrist\u201c <\/span>weiterlesen<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-69","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-allgemein"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":70,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69\/revisions\/70"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/buch.jehovah-shammah.de\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}