This
is an unusual document from us. You
might think it a political treatise at first, and maybe it is. This coming one-world government after all is
a real political thing. It comes about
in the political secular arena. But we
all need to know about it and to see how things are progressing in our time to
it. And we need to know about the two
awful and mysterious characters who move about and gain power during the
tribulation period.
Preparing
for this one-world scenario is really what is going on and being fought over
right now in the US presidential election.
Increasingly we live in a world where the government exerts an ever
greater influence and control on our lives.
Rebellion against that is what happened recently when the United Kingdom
voted to get out of the European Union.
Sometimes
it is difficult even for believers to step back and see what is happening. Let’s do that. Step back.
What
do you think all this open trade is about?
Removing all borders economically so goods move openly between all
countries? NAFTA? The new Asian trade agreement?
You
got it. One world. Move everyone to the same basic economy and
standard of living. In the US presidents
from both parties for several terms have pressed for this. In the simplest terms it sounds a good idea –
free trade. Oh but the
repercussions. The US obviously has to
be brought way down to join in with the other nations. Its economy is way too high. Opening up to free trade will do that. Nations with much lower income per capita
will produce goods and ship them in, profiting at the expense of Americans.
And
then the push to open borders. Let
people move willy-nilly around the world.
Again, one-world. The open border
that has really been in effect for years with Mexico brings in millions of people,
taking the low income jobs in the US, driving down the average income, making
the US more like other nations.
These
are two obvious examples. There are
more. Overall the push is to ever
greater government control of individual lives, ever greater dependency of the
individual on the government. We have
seen that in the Affordable Care Act, the medical insurance program put into
place a few years ago which likely will eventually end up in just one-provider,
the government. We see that in the rapidly
growing number on welfare and the rapidly falling number of people with real full-time
jobs.
This
election cycle suddenly millions of Americans seem to have waked up and have
been screaming and yelling at political rallies for candidates that opposed the
political establishment in both parties.
These people seem to have realized things have gone horribly wrong in
the US. They may not understand the
spiritual side of the issues, but they surely know the times are
desperate.
Most
media members and establishment politicians in both parties who are so opposed
to this anti-establishment movement are tied to the ever growing trend to greater
government control, removal of individual freedoms, and the coming one-world government. It is the anti-establishment movement that
they are afraid of.
There
are numerous groups involved in this build-up to the one-world government that
the anti-christ will try to rule. It has
been going on for centuries. There have
been attempts before. Remember Germany
in WWII? Remember the Soviet Union? Remember Rome? What do you think the radical muslim
jihadists are about? The ISIS leader has
publicly stated his goal of world rule.
LOOKING AT THE TWO MYSTERIOUS CHARACTERS OF THE TRIBULATION AND WHAT
THEY DO
A
one-world government needs to be well on its way when the anti-christ and his
assistant, the false prophet, arrive publicly on the scene. Obviously it is, right now.
Just
who are these two unusual characters?
Operating under the power and guidance of the devil himself, both are
described in Revelation 13 and in other Bible chapters noted at the end of this
article.
In
chapter 13 the anti-christ is called the beast from the sea, and the false
prophet the beast from the earth. In 2
Thessalonians 2 Paul calls the anti-christ the man of lawlessness (Remember
when Paul says the Day of the Lord will not happen until the falling away from
God occurs and the man of lawlessness is identified?).
Referred
to in scripture as the ruler who is to come, it is the anti-christ who confirms
a covenant with the Jewish people for seven years, a step which in fact signals
the beginning of the tribulation. At the
middle of the tribulation he enters the temple in Jerusalem and puts an end to sacrifice and offering. And
at that temple he sets up an abomination
that causes desolation until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.
You
can read all about these two unusual individuals yourself. Read how the anti-christ has evidently
shockingly recovered from what must have been a fatal wound. Read how the false prophet creates an image
of the anti-christ that people worship.
The image causes everyone that does not worship it to be killed. It also causes the requirement for everyone
on earth to have a mark on their face or hand in order to be able to engage in
the marketplace, to be able to buy and sell.
Elsewhere we read that anyone accepting the mark is lost indeed.
Obviously
these two characters are under the influence and guidance of the devil. Everyone on earth follows the beast. And they worship the dragon (the devil) and
the beast.
This
strange team gains power in this tribulation period and rules from Jerusalem for
42 months.
It
is during this period that the two witnesses God sends to Jerusalem testify for
forty-two months. The anti-christ and
his associates cannot harm these two witnesses until their testimony is
complete, after which they kill the two witnesses. People everywhere celebrate and send gifts
about. But in three and a half days the
two witnesses come back to life. God
calls them to “come up here” and they go up to heaven.
The
anti-christ and the false prophet meet their end at the battle of Armegeddon,
where they are seized and thrown into the lake of fire.
SO?
As
true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ I do think it is our role to be
standing up out there in this confused world, standing up for the Lord and his
word and truth, standing right up to the moment when he comes and calls
us. Even if dire things are coming to
the world, we can continue this good fight and hopefully God can draw people to
Jesus through our efforts. Right now it
is not a great number that will be going with him. But that can change. And I think will.
So
be alert. Pay attention. Be aware and ready to go when the Lord
calls. You don’t want to be here when
the anti-christ rules.
Be
alert to all that is happening. Use that
gift of discernment to excess. Don’t be
one of the many that are so incredibly naïve.
The planet is full of naïve and mentally blind people today (see 2
Corinthians 4:4).
And
put Ephesians Chapter 6 to good use.
Protect yourselves as Paul described how to do there.
Remember,
Jesus’ first warning about this time was to watch that you are not deceived.
*************
SOME
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES TO READ ABOUT THE ANTI-CHRIST AND THE FALSE PROPHET
Revelation 13, 11, 14
Daniel 7
Daniel 9
1 John 2
1 John 4
2 Thessalonians 2
2 John 1:7
Mark 13:22
Matthew 24:24
Revelation 19:20
Keep Your Eyes on Jesus!
(OCTOBER 2016)
Copyright © 2016 by John
Newlin
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