Are We Nearing the End Times

Are We Nearing the End Times?
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Did you know all the signs Jesus said would signify His second coming are occurring in our time?

The Rev. Billy Graham, Pope John Paul II and numerous Orthodox Jewish rabbis have all said they believe that the coming of the Messiah is very near. Why? Because so many Bible prophecies are being fulfilled.

When Jesus' disciples asked what would signal His return, He gave them several signs to watch for. He also taught that the time immediately before His coming would be known as the "beginning of sorrows" (Matt. 24:8), which in English means the "onset of labor pains."

Jesus was saying the signs of His coming would start out as mild pangs spaced widely apart like human labor and then gradually become closer together and more intense, like the birth process, until this seven-year period of suffering and judgment would culminate in the coming of the Messiah.

^{But realize this, that in the last days difficult times
will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant,
revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable,
malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous,
reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding to a
form of godliness, although they have denied its power; (2 Tim. 3:1-5)}

^{"And just as it happened in the days of Noah, so it
will be also in the days of the Son of Man: they were eating, they were
drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day
that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. (Luke
17:26)}

Genesis 6:5-7 (NASB)

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."

Genesis 6:11-13 (NASB)

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence. God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

^{The blind and rebellious people did not believe
that God would bring judgment upon the earth until
it was to late,}

^{Only Noah and his family were saved. Is it possible that today we
are living in times similar to Noah's time the the Lord spoke of?}

^{Today's conditions are really the same as it was in the days of
Noah.}

Consider the signs that Jesus said would be the prelude to His return and notice how they've begun to occur in our time:

"...and this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to the whole world and then the end shall come." Mt. 24:14.

All of the signs that Jesus said would precede His return seem to be occurring in our time.

Luke 21:28 (NASB)
^{"But when these things begin to take
place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing
near."}

Other prophecies relating to this seven-year period of judgment, coming from many parts of the Bible, have also begun to be fulfilled:

Referring to these signs, Jesus said, "When these things begin to come to pass, then look up and lift up your heads, for your redemption draws near." (Luke 21:24-28).

If we are approaching that seven-year period that precedes the second coming of Christ - and all the signs indicate we are - the Bible tells us those years of judgment upon the earth will be accompanied by untold human suffering. But believers in Christ who have sincerely placed their trust in Him can be certain of the redemption to which Jesus referred, for He promised His followers that "God has not destined us for wrath but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 5:9).

So where does that leave you? Are you one of God's children who's been called to believe in His Son but has rejected each invitation?

Where are you going to spend the seven years of God's wrath? And the rest of eternity?

Luke 21:36 (NASB)
^{"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that
you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place,
and to stand before the Son of Man."}

Romans 5:9
Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

1 Thessalonians 1:10
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, [even] Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,

Revelation 3:10
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Rapture, is a term used to describe Christ's "catching up" of believers from earth to heaven as part of the second coming. The word, rapture, is not found in the Bible. However, three main texts used by conservative interpreters to support the rapture theory are: John 14:3, I Corinthians 1:7, and I Thessalonians 4:13-18

The RAPTURE of the church is that time when a trumpet will sound, and our Lord Jesus (Yeshua in Hebrew) will descend from heaven with a shout, and we believers who are alive at the time will rise to meet our Lord in the air, our mortal bodies being changed into glorified immortal bodies. This is a literal future event. No "virtual" reality needed here.

Believers have long argued about when the rapture would occur. Most agree that "no one knows the day or hour" but considering that over one third of the Holy scriptures are prophetic in nature, few people have really dug in to find the truth for themselves. Most will agree with their pastor, or with some famous theologian who has written extensively or spoken persuasively on the subject, but do we dare delegate that task (and when we don't study for ourselves, isn't that exactly what we are doing) when being wrong means leading our loved ones headlong into the "great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall" totally UNPREPARED???

One thing that pre-trib, mid-trib, pre-wrath, and post-trib rapture folks all have in common....they all believe that the Lord Jesus is coming back soon! However the 'blessed hope' is only for those who believe in the pre-tribulation rapture. The other views unfortunately, are all waiting for the anti-christ and not the Lord Jesus Christ. They have lost their blessed hope! The other views are robbers to the Christian as they seek to steal from the believer the imminent, soon, unknown, time & hope of the rapture

Many scriptural promises of escape from the wrath of the Tribulation or the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy must be ignored by the other rapture positions.

It is amazing how the Second Coming will be like the Days of Noah and the Days of Lot. Notice that God did not pour out His wrath UNTIL He had safely removed both Noah and Lot to a safe place. The post tribbers ignore this and expect the Church, the Bride of Christ to endure the full impact of the Wrath of God....and the question is WHY? Why must the church endure the Wrath of God? It just doesn't make sense.

To teach that the Church will go through the 70th week just doesn't line up with the Bible. During the 70th week the book of Revelation will be fulfilled....with the seal judgments, trumpet judgments, and vial judgments.

A very common question. What exactly is the rapture and what does the Bible say about it?

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive [and] remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

The rapture is a description of an event that will occur when God removes His Church supernaturally from the earth. People will literally disappear as they are called up to the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. There will be one generation that will not know physical death but will be instantly translated into the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. At the same time each Christian will also be transformed and receive their resurrection body.

The rapture is the blessed hope for the Spirit-reborn Christian. It is something to look forward to. Imagine being part of the generation that will not know physical death but rather will be taken up to heaven.

The rapture can happen at any time. There is no prophetic event that must occur before the rapture happens. Although we don't know when the rapture will occur we do know it will occur before the anti-Christ rises to power.

"For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [will let], until he be taken out of the way.

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." (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10)

Notice above that something is restraining (letteth) the mystery of iniquity and preventing the Wicked (anti-Christ) from rising to power.

When the Church (Spirit reborn believers in the Lord Jesus) is removed, the restraining influence will be removed allowing the anti-Christ to come to power. The Holy Spirit will still be present in the world after the rapture but the Church will be removed. At this time the anti-Christ will be ready to rise to power.

The rapture is an event that will take place sometime in the near future. Jesus will come in the air, catch up the Church from the earth, and then return to heaven with the Church. In 1 Thes. 4:13-18 we are given a clear description of the rapture, "the dead in Christ will rise, then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord." The time of the rapture was not given. From the word of God and from sound reasoning, something Jesus used quite frequently, I hope to prove the reality of the pretribulation rapture.

Just like a woman knows she must travail if she is with child but knows not the day or the hour so it is with the sudden destruction. We know the times and seasons of itbut not the day or the hour Since the second advent of Christ brings this sudden destruction it means that men will not will not know the exact day or the hour of His coming. This will always be the case, as predicted by Christ in Mt. 24:36,39, 42-51; 25:13. Jesus Christ and angels do not know the day or hour of the second advent (Mk. 13: 32). It is, thereforefolly for any man to make predictions and set dates for the return of Jesus Christ to earth. For the end of the times of the Gentles, for the battle of Armageddonor for the sudden destruction of v 3

Can the time of the Second coming be known? Can we know the exact day? NO! We cannot know the exact day of the return of Christ. Jesus is coming at an UNKNOWN time!

There are some among us teaching there will be no tribulation, that the Christians will be able to escape all this. These are the false teachers Jesus was warning us to expect in the latter days. Most of them have little knowledge of what is already going on across the world.

In Luke 12:36 the word states that when Christ returns, He will be returning from a wedding. In Rev 19:7-8 we read about the marriage itself. Before the marriage takes place, there is the marriage supper. According to Jewish custom, first the marriage contract is drawn up, often including a dowry. This parallels the act of faith we use when we trust Jesus to be our savior. The dowry is His life, which was used to purchase us. When the time comes for the wedding to take place, the groom goes to the bride's house unannounced, she comes out to meet him, and they both return to his father's house. This is an exact correlation of the events according to the pre-trib scenario. Jesus the groom comes down from heaven, calls up the Church, the Church next rises into the air to meet Jesus, and then both He and the bride return to the His Father's house (heaven). The marriage supper itself will take place up in heaven, while down here on earth the final events of the tribulation are playing themselves out. After the marriage supper takes place, the bride and groom are presented to the world as man and wife. This matches the time when Jesus returns to earth, accompanied by an army "clothed in fine linen, white and clean." (Rev 19:14)

In 1 Thessalonians 5:9 Paul assures us that God has not appointed His people to wrath. The wrath is plainly God's anger that will be poured out during the tribulation. Pre-trib believers cite this as meaning that Christians will be removed from the earth. Post-trib believers tell a different story. They describe this as meaning God will protect Christians during the tribulation, and pour this wrath out on the unbelievers only. This idea runs against the statement made in Rev 13:7 where the Antichrist is given power to make war with the saints and to overcome them. A post-trib view would make God's promise of protection from wrath into a lie. In years past, it was possible to think of protection from guns and swords. Today when any major war would involve nuclear and chemical weapons, it's not possible to expect protection from these types of weaponry. When Nagasaki, Japan was bombed during W.W.II, the bomb exploded over a Catholic Church. Everyone that was in the center of the explosion died both Christians and non-Christians. The only way to validly interpret God's promise of protection from wrath, is the bodily removal of the Church from this world.

In Acts chapter one JESUS was taken up into the clouds and two angels told the disciples that HE would return in the same way. Paul writes in I Thessalonians 4:13-17 that JESUS would come back with a shout and a trumpet will sound. HE will bring with HIM those who went before us and we will meet them in the air. All believers will receive their new bodies at the same time.

JESUS says in Luke 21:25-28 that there will be signs in the sun, moon and the stars right before HIS return. This will cause confusion, people will not know what to do or where to go. People will die with their with there hearts failing fearing what was to come. All the people will then see JESUS coming in the clouds. In Revelation 6:12-17 shows all the leaders and people in the world trying to hide themselves from the coming wrath of GOD.
JESUS is coming back. HE warns us to be ready, HE is coming like a thief in the night. No one knows when this will be. There will be no escape when HE comes back. Are you ready?

If the Antichrist came to power with the Church still here, I do not see how he could operate. When Hitler was fighting to take over England, a number of Christians where praying for victory. Hitler made mistake after mistake, and England out performed its enemy at every stage of the conflict. It is difficult to measure the actual impact of intercessory prayer in physical warfare. Little is known of how great a role praying saints played in the defeat of Nazi Germany. If the Church were to reside on earth during the tribulation, I am sure she would give the Antichrist fits. In Rev 11:3, the two witnesses give the Antichrist enough headaches alone. Millions of Christians, who know their Bible well, would recognize the man of sin and pray fire down on his head. The post-trib view would have to plan on the Church just rolling over and playing dead, the whole seven years.

There is one thing we should all remember. Whether we or not we know the Antichrist's mother's maiden name isn't the primary goal. Knowing Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and having your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life-this should be our number one priority. The jailer asked Paul, "what must I do to be saved?" The answer was, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:30-31)

This "man of peace" stabilizes the world economy and pulls the religions of the world together. (Dan 11:36)

("Anti" is a prefix meaning "against." So "antichrist" is any person who is against Christ).

1 John 2:22 "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son."

1 John 4:3 "...and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world."

2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

Many people have speculated in the past that this Man of Lawlessness was either Adolf Hitler, Sadam Hussein, King Juan Carlos, Pope John Paul II, President Ronald Reagan, President Bill Clinton,Yassar Arafat, Qhaddafi, the computer system, among others. In Revelation 13:18 John writes: Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the best: for it is the number of a man; and his number is 666.

In my opinion, the antichrist will not be any of the above mentioned personalities. Because of the following:

50 Prophecies of the Antichrist

1. The Antichrist is a man Daniel 7:24-25

2. He will confirm a covenant for seven years Daniel 9:27

3. He will arise among ten kings Daniel 7:8

4. This ten nation union will be a revived Holy roman Empire Daniel 2:44

5. He will uproot three kings Daniel 7:8

6. His ten nation union will merge into a world government which he will dominate Rev 13:1-2

7. He will ascend to power on a platform of peace and will by peace destroy many Daniel 8:25

8. He will be promoted by a miracle-working religious parnter Revelation 13:11-12

9. The beast was, and is not and yet is Revelation 17:8

10. The world government over which the Antichrist rules will be a red(communistic or socialistic) government Revelation 17:3

11. The antichrist will be preceded by seven kings. He will be the eighth, and will be of the seven Revelation 17:14

12. He will have a mouth speaking great things Daniel 7:8

13. His look will be more stout than his fellows Daniel 7:20

14. He will be of fierce countenance Daniel 8:23

15. He will understand dark sentences Daniel 8:23

16. He will cause craft to prosper Daniel 8:25

17. He apparently assumes world dominating power three and one-half years after he confirms the covenant. He then will continue his reign for 42 months Revelation 13:5

18. The Abomination of desolation is the event that signals the beginning of this final 42 months Revelation 13:5

19. He opposeth God I Thessalonians 2:4

20. He shall speak marvelous things against the god of gods Daniel 11:36

21. He exalteth himself above all that is called God II Thessalonians 2:4

22. He will sit in the temple of God II Thessalonians 2:4

23. He claims to be God II Thessalonians 2:4

24. He will take away the daily sacrifice at the time of the Abomination of Desolation Daniel 11:31

25. He shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain Daniel 11:45

26. It was given to him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them Revelation 13:7

27. He will make war with the saints for three and one half years Daniel 7:21, 25

28. This time of the Great Tribulation launched by the Antichrist begins at the Abomination of Desolation Matthew 24:15,21

29. During this time the Antichrist will scatter the power of the holy people Daniel 12:7

30. He will rule a terrible and exceedingly strong kingdom Daniel 7:7

31. Power was given him over all kindred's, and tongues, and nations Revelation 13:7

32. His kingdom will devour the whole earth Daniel 7:23

33. Arms shall stand on his part Daniel 11:31

34. He shall honour the God of Forces Daniel 11:38

35. He will think to change times and laws: and they will be given into his hand for three and one-half years Daniel 7:25

36. He shall prosper Daniel 8:24

37. He shall not regard the God of his fathers Daniel 11:37

38. He will not regard the desire of women Daniel 11:37

39. The mark of the beast will be the mark of his name Revelation 14:11

40. The number of the beast is 666 Revelation 13:18

41. 666 will be the number of his name Revelation 15:2

42. All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, except those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life Revelation 13:8

43. The antichrist will have an image Revelation 15:2

44. His coming is after the working of Satan II Thessalonians 2:9

45. He will fight against Jesus Christ at Armageddon Revelation 17:14

46. He will stand against the Prince of princes Daniel 8:25

47. The lord will consume him with the spirit of his mouth II Thessalonians 2:8

48. The lord will destroy him with the brightness of his coming II Thessalonians 2:8

49. The antichrist is cast alive into the lake of fire Revelation 19:20

50. He will be tormented day and night for ever and ever Revelation 20:10

Chapter thirteen of Revelation and Chapter 2 of second Thessalonians gives a pretty good description of the antichrist and his (what I call him) cheerleader.

The antichrist will be the leader that rises to power and takes control and is probably shot by someone may who claims to be a Christian ( This possible because satan will begin to under mind true Christianity and he has already started). He will be very religious and will embrace all of the religions of the world. Satan will supernaturally raise him from the dead. The leading religious leader of the day will proclaim him as the Christ. This could be any religious leader who has a great following in this world. The rest of the religious leaders will follow suit.

You can know these leaders by there beliefs. They teach that a person is saved by their works or by being members of their church. Their idea of salvation by faith is for you to place your faith in their teachings or their church. They will peach JESUS but will not give HIM the place HE deserves. HE is the only way into heaven and only through HIM alone can a person be saved. Not by your works, being good or belonging to any church, "only by accepting JESUS as your LORD and SAVIOR". The antichrist will have great power given to him by the world leaders and will be embraced and back by all the religious leaders of the world.

Satan will also give him power to perform signs and wonders. He will try to get rid of all who do not bow down to him. You will have to make a choice between him and the true CHRIST. If you choose JESUS then you will lose everything you have and maybe even killed for your belief. This will be a hard time for true Christians the pressure will be great to follow the antichrist. Don't be fooled by the false teachers who call themselves pastors, priests, popes, gurus, christs or any religious title. Look for those who teach only the Bible and proclaim that salvation comes only through JESUS.

We are living in days when the antichrist is about to come upon the world scene. After the rapture of the Church the restrainer will be removed and the antichrist will be able to rise to power. He will come to power and make a 7-year covenant with Israel.

In the 'midst of the week' (after 3 1/2 years of the total 7 year period) the antichrist will commit the abomination of desolation in the rebuilt temple in Israel. Right now Israel has plans to rebuild the temple but due to political pressures they are held back. The day is coming when Israel will have the chance to rebuild and they will quickly seize it. Plans are in the works to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem and restore the daily sacrifice. Right now in Israel the temple priests are being trained in all aspects of temple ceremony and sacrifices. When they are able the daily sacrifice will be resumed. While the temple is being rebuilt the sacrifices can be performed. All this can begin quickly.

During the days of the antichrist the occult will be everywhere. Today we are seeing a rise in the occult with the New Age Movement. There is really nothing 'new' about the New Age. It is just old fashioned occultism. In the days of the antichrist the godless, the vile, and evil will be greatly exalted. The antichrist will not have to wage war to conquer the world. He will do it through PEACE. He will be a master deceiver and negotiator and he: 'by peace shall destroy many'. At the end of his reign when the Lord Jesus Christ returns, the antichrist will stand up against the Lord. He will be quickly destroyed.

Matthew 24
21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

God will not be silent when all these evil things are happening during the time of the antichrist. The abomination of desolation committed by the antichrist will cause the wrath of God to be poured out on the world. The next 3 1/2 years will be a time of 'great tribulation' on the world.

Through history men have come to power and claimed to be God. The Lord Jesus warned that men would make that claim. The goal is deception and many men have gathered followers unto themselves while they made crazy claims.

Matthew 24:4
4. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

When the antichrist claims to be God, he is the climax of the above prophecy. All others who made that claim were only shadows or forerunners of the antichrist. Many men have gathered a following and made claims to be Christ. They are only antichrists. However the antichrist will make that claim one day and demand that men worship him or die.

At this point the antichrist will demand worship and begin a massive killing holocaust to anyone who refuses worship. All men will be required to give their allegiance/worship to the antichrist by receiving the mark of the beast. To receive the mark of the beast a person must 'willingly' worship the beast. At that point he is lost forever and can never be saved.

The antichrist, the false prophet, and the governments of the world will kill all those who refuse the mark of the beast. Those who refuse the mark of the beast will have their heads cut off. Notice the group below who are before God and they died by being beheaded. If someone does not worship the antichrist and take the mark of the beast, the penalty will be death.

Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were BEHEADED for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had NOT WORSHIPPED THE BEAST, NEITHER HIS IMAGE, NEITHER HAD RECEIVED [his] MARK UPON THEIR FOREHEADS, OR IN THEIR HANDS; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Revelation 12
17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Many have died for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They faced death knowing that the evil people can only kill the body and then they can do no more. Those who do the killing face a far worse fate. They will not only have their body destroyed but they will die spiritually being cut off from God for all eternity.

Matthew 10:28
28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

So far we have seen how the antichrist will rise to power after the rapture and confirm a 7 year covenant with Israel. In the middle of that covenant he will break it. He will enter the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem and claim to be God and demand all men to worship or die. This is the abomination of desolation and will trigger the 'great tribulation' when the final judgments will be poured out on the earth by God.

Next lets look at the rise of the antichrist as shown in the Bible in Revelation chapter 13.

Revelation 13:1
1. And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
2 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 seat, and great authority.

After the rapture the antichrist will rise from the 'sea' of nations and come to power. The characteristic of his kingdom will be one of blasphemy. He will blaspheme God and those in heaven and those who belong to God. The beast will come to power very quickly. Look at verse 2. He is like unto a leopard which means that he will move very quickly and deadly. His feet were like a bear and will destroy any that stand in his rapid rise to power. He has a mouth like a lion and will have a 'roar'. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1 Peter 5:8)

Finally who will give the antichrist his power, his seat (to rule the kingdoms of the world), and his great authority ----> the devil himself. The antichrist will be possessed by Satan and directly controlled during these closing days before the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months.

The antichrist will be assassinated after 3 1/2 years of the 7 year covenant he confirms with the nation of Israel. It will be a satanic miracle and he will come back to life. This 'resurrection' will cause the world to 'wonder' and be amazed at the beast. He will be like a superman to the world and will be loved and worshipped. Those who reject Jesus will be amazed by this man and think he is invincible. They will say 'who is able to make war with him?'

He will speak 'proud' things and he will blaspheme God and everything that is sacred. He will have permission to continue his reign for 42 months (that is 3 1/2 years before Jesus returns).

6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

His blasphemies are repeated again and again in Scripture. What we see today with the rock groups blaspheming God in their lyrics is only a forerunner of the soon day when the antichrist will reign. Those days will be great days of blasphemy against God and his people. Not only will the antichrist blaspheme but also will those of his kingdom. Blasphemy will be transmitted over the airwaves by TV, radio, news shows etc.. Again the mockery of God we see today in music, TV, movies etc is only a forerunner of the day when the antichrist will rule. At that time there will be no restraint and godless filth direct from hell will be readily available for all.

7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindred's, and tongues, and nations.

The antichrist will start a killing campaign and kill as many of God's people as he can. He will literally rule the world and impose his laws and morality throughout the world...killing all he can who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

ALL, ALL, ALL, I repeat, ALL who reject the Lord Jesus will openly embrace the antichrist. There is no middle ground. A person either accepts the Lord Jesus Christ OR he will accept the devil and his antichrist.

This is a direct warning from God. Listen and be saved or face perdition in the lake of fire. Hear what God is saying or be lost and spend your eternity in hell.

10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Many will die during the 7 year reign of the antichrist. The world population which is currently at about 6 billion will be reduced to only a few million (if that) when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to earth. During those days it will be a literal holocaust on believers. They will be 'open season' for killing in those days by those who willingly accept the mark of the beast.

11. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.
12 And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.

Above we have the introduction to the companion to the antichrist. He is known as the false prophet. He is sort of a satanic John the Baptist who will perform miracles and cause men to worship the beast. He will not seek his own worship but rather will force men to receive the mark of the beast and worship the antichrist.

Those days will be days of great deception. In fact if anyone rejects the Lord Jesus then he is already deceived. The devil wants to take people to hell and he does that be deceiving them to reject the free salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ.

15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

An image of the beast will be setup and it will have supernatural power to speak. Again the goal is to get people to worship the beast. If a person refuses to worship the image of the beast they will be killed.

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Here we have the fulfillment of the one world government and the one world economic system. It will be a cashless system driven by computers. Today the world is rapidly putting in place all the tools needed to implement the mark of the beast, one world government, and cashless society.

A person without the mark of the beast will not be able to transact any business transaction. He will not be able to work, to buy goods (food, rent etc), or sell goods without the mark of the beast. The only catch is to get that mark a person must worship the beast.

Matthew 16
26 For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Many will exchange their eternal soul for the mark of the beast. By taking the mark people will have their physical needs TEMPORARILY satisfied...but they will be lost eternally.

What will happen to those who receive the mark of the beast by worshipping the devil's antichrist? Once they have received the mark they have sealed their eternity. They are lost and cannot ever be saved. They will burn forever in the lake of fire. Keep in mind that in order to receive the mark of the beast a person must willingly worship the beast. No one will be tricked into secretly accepting the mark. They will have to make a open, willing decision to bend the knee and worship the beast.

Revelation 16:2
2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which HAD THE MARK OF THE BEAST, and [upon] them which worshipped his image.

Revelation 14:9
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If ANY man WORSHIP THE BEAST and his image, AND RECEIVE [his] MARK IN HIS FOREHEAD, OR IN HIS HAND,
10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:
11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

The above verses are pretty clear as to what will happen to all who receive the mark of the beast and worship him. They are forever LOST and have nothing to look forward to except judgment!

What will be the end of the antichrist, his kingdom, and his mark? Look what happens when the Lord Jesus returns:

Revelation 19
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which [sword] proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

2 Thessalonians 2:8
8 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:

When the Lord Jesus returns the antichrist and false prophet will be thrown into the lake of fire.

His kingdom will be destroyed and the Lord Jesus will setup His millennial Kingdom bringing in a time of great peace and prosperity to the earth.

Revelation 20:1
1. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand.
2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season.

The devil will be bound and thrown into the pit for the duration of the 1000 year Kingdom that the Lord Jesus will setup. He will be allowed out of the pit at the end of the 1000 year millennium to deceive those on earth who have rejected the Lord Jesus. Even though the Lord

Jesus will be physically present on earth for all to see, many will still reject Him. The devil will deceive those people and the rebellion will be quickly destroyed and Satan will then be thrown forever into the lake of fire.

What about those who refuse the mark of the beast during the 7 year reign of antichrist? Most will be killed for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God encourages them with the following promise:

Revelation 20:4
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had NOT worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

When the Lord Jesus returns to earth He will setup His earthly Kingdom and reign for 1000 years. Those few believers who survive will go into the millennium and repopulate the earth. God will lift the curse and people will again live for 1000 years during the Kingdom. The millennium and will be a great time of blessing on the earth. However before the blessings of the millennium, the world has to go through the 7 year reign of the antichrist. These will be the darkest days in human history.

As the tribulation progresses, the state of affairs will become such on the earth that every man, woman and child will be forced to choose between accepting the mark of the beast and worshiping him, or staying true to the Lord. The Lord will send forth a warning at this time: "...If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, and receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand, he also shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, 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 goeth up for ever and ever; and they shall have no rest day and night, they that worship the beast and his image, and who so receiveth the mark of his name" (Rev 14:9-11). No wonder the word will go forth at this juncture: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; for their works follow with them" (Rev 14:13).

There are four views of the The Book of Revelation, and it has many readers of prophecy confused, not knowing which way to turn. I hold to the Pre-millennial, Pre-tribulation bodily and literally return of Jesus Christ.