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We continue our discussion on the antichrist from Steve Wohlberg’s book “End Time Delusions”.

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The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. –Flannery O’Connor

Millions of Christians are now being taught that the antichrist will be some evil person who will rise into power outside of Christianity after the rapture. What if this idea is a horrible mistake? What if the antichrist rises up inside of Christianity before the Church is caught up to Christ? Because few would be looking for an antichrist within, can you imagine what kind of harm he could do? Hold onto your seats, for you are about to discover that Paul taught this very thing.

Paul wrote, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [when Jesus comes to gather us – verse 1] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Almost everyone agrees these words predict the rise of the antichrist. What many have missed is that Paul is describing an antichrist that rises in the wake of “the falling away”. What does this mean? Once again, a little knowledge of Greek comes in handy. The original word Paul used for “the falling away”, is apostasia, which literally means an apostasy or departure from Jesus Christ inside the Christian Church. In fact, many versions of the New King James Bible place the heading “The Great Apostasy” right above 2 Thessalonians 2. As we are about to see, this “falling away” unquestionably takes place inside the church.

In the first century, the Christian Church remained relatively pure from heresy, false doctrine and open sin. With His cosmic perspective, God saw a change would come and He revealed this sober reality to the writers of the New Testament. A brief survey of the following Bible passages shows plainly that an apostasy, departure or “falling away” from Jesus Christ was predicted to occur inside of Christianity.

1. Acts 20: Paul told “the elders of the church” of Ephesus (vs. 17) that soon many false Christian leaders would rise up from among themselves to “draw away the disciples” after them (vs. 30). He was so burdened about this coming apostasy that he warned the church “night and day with tears” (vs. 31).

2. 1 Timothy 4: The Holy Spirit clearly warned that “some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (vs. 1). Here again is a predicted departure from the faith inside the church.

3. 2 Timothy 4: Paul predicted a time would come when many in the church would no longer “endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside by fables” (vs. 3-4). Friend, there is no doubt about it. These words point toward an apostasy in the church that will lead professed Christians to turn from Bible truth to fictitious fables.
4. 2 Peter 2: Peter told the early believers that soon “there will be false teachers among you” (vs. 1). “Among you” means inside the church.

5. Jude: After urging believers to contend earnestly for the original faith, Jude warned that “certain men” had already “crept in unnoticed” among them (vs. 4).

6. Revelation 2: Jesus Christ himself sadly told His followers in the Church of Ephesus, “Nevertheless, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…” (vs. 4 & 5). These words are clear! Many Christians in the early church of Ephesus were falling away from their initial love for Jesus Christ, who died for them.

Thus we see Paul, Peter, Jude and Jesus Christ all passionately concerned about a “falling away”, which means an apostasy, occurring inside the Christian Church. We might compare this apostasy to a disease entering a portion of the human body. As a result, a malignant cancer finally develops. The shocking reality is that God’s Word has predicted a similar disease-like condition would eventually overtake a large portion of Christianity. According to 2 Thessalonians 2, as a direct result of this unhappy condition, a diabolical spiritual cancer would rise up.

Paul called this cancer, “the mystery of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7).

We call him antichrist.

Continuing our discussion on the antichrist from “End Time Delusions”…….
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Paul warned, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless a falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Here Paul called the antichrist, “the son of perdition”.

Believe it or not, this phrase, “the son of perdition” is actually like a secret password to hidden knowledge. In essence, those four words are like a special code. Once we understand their meaning, we are enabled to “crack the antichrist code” and enter into an understanding of the true nature of the ultimate deceiver.

This exact phrase, “the son of perdition” occurs only twice in the entire New Testament. One of these is in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 about the antichrist. What about the other one? Who did it apply to? What was the spiritual lesson we can learn from this? The only other time it is used is in John 17:12 when Jesus Christ applied it to one of His own disciples. You should be able to guess which one. Judas Iscariot, His betrayer.

Judas was one of the twelve disciples. After being chosen by the Lord, he became part of Christ’s inner circle (Luke 6:13-16). Amazingly, Judas even received the power of God (Mathew 10:1-4). But in spite of his tremendous privileges, Mr. Iscariot finally fell away from His Savior (Acts 1:25).

“Then satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve” (Luke 22:3). What a scary verse! Try to imagine it. Here’s a disciple of Jesus Christ who held an honored position among the twelve. He even carried the moneybag. But as Judas opened his heart to the dark one, satan slipped in and took over. He was still a professed follower of Christ, but now he had a devil inside! Could this be what antichrist will be like?

On the night before His final agony, our Lord met with His little band of followers in an upper room somewhere inside Jerusalem. As they met for the Passover meal, Judas quietly took his seat with the other eleven disciples (Luke 22:14). After Jesus passed out the bread and the juice, Judas silently sipped his cup (Luke 22:19-20). When the supper was over, Jesus sadly whispered to His friends, “Behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table” (Luke 22:21). Moments later, Judas slipped out into the night to finalize his infamous deal with the rulers of Israel. An ancient word was fulfilled, “Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9).

A few hours later, Judas led a mob of Temple guards, chief priests and Roman soldiers to Christ’s secret place of prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Approaching the Savior, the traitor whispered, “Hail, Master; and kissed Him” (Mathew 26:49). Oh, what a kiss was this! A sign of true affection? No. It was a kiss of death. What’s really happening here? I’ll tell you. Lucifer himself was working through the kiss of a professed Christian in a satanically orchestrated plot against the Son of God. If you think about it, this is antichrist in its most sinister form!

To all appearances, Judas Iscariot was a faithful apostle of Jesus Christ. With his lips he even called Christ his Master, but he was a deceiver. By this time, Judas was fully “a devil” (John 6:70). Now don’t miss this point: he was a Christian devil, a channel for satan who was hiding behind a Christian mask. Behold the ultimate deception! What could be worse than satan working through a highly honored professed Christian, through words of loyalty, through an affectionate kiss? What highly significant phrase did Jesus use to describe this unusual Christian-kissing-satanic combination? Our Lord called Judas, “the son of perdition” (John 17:12).

Paul used the same words to describe the antichrist (2 Thessalonians 2:3). In so doing, he was revealing secret, vital, inside information. These words reveal the true nature of satan’s trickster. Instead of being an openly anti-Christian person who rises outside the Church, the real antichrist will be Judas-like. In other words, he will come from the inner circle. On the surface, he will look like a true follower of Jesus Christ, a “familiar friend” (Psalm 41:9). He will even profess love and loyalty to the Savior. Yet, the devil will be there in secret, working with ingenious subtlety, to betray the Son of God with a kiss.
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Steve makes it very clear using God’s holy Word that the antichrist will definitely come from within the Church, not from the outside. If you really think about it, it makes perfect sense that satan, the father of lies and deception, would use Christ’s Church to deceive for his evil purposes. In this evil world, it is of utmost importance that you are working towards spiritual maturity so that you can resist our enemy and discern the truth. We have underestimated our enemy and let our defenses down at a time when we should be strong in the Lord and have our spiritual guard up. As we continue to reveal the truth about today's world through Scripture, you’ll begin to see just how deceived we really are………

From previous discussions on the Bible’s mention of antichrist, it is becoming clear that the Bible does NOT point to one future Mr. Evil. While there may be rulers of a one world government and a worldly religious system who are evil and do promote the spirit of antichrist, the Bible makes it clear that there currently are, and will continue to be, many antichrists in the world. In this posting we’re going to discuss Paul’s mention of a “man of sin” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Since this verse is used by millions to confirm one future man who is antichrist, we need to look closely at this piece of Scripture.

We continue from “End Time Delusions”:
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Appearances are often deceiving. –Aesop

Paul called antichrist, “the man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). It is primarily because of this phrase that millions have concluded that the word, “antichrist”, must ultimately apply to only one Mr. Wicked. Apocalyptic Christian films like the Omega Code, A Thief in the Night, Tribulation, Judgment and Megiddo all reflect the same idea. Is it true? Will there be only one man who becomes antichrist? Is this what Paul really meant?

Previously, we discovered that John wrote about “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18), and “that spirit of antichrist” (1 John 4:3). He also revealed that anyone who denies “the doctrine of Christ” (2 John 9) is “a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7). Therefore, the idea of only one Mr. Sinister as the antichrist fails the biblical test. So what did Paul mean when he referred to “the man of sin”? Doesn’t this refer to a single person?

First of all, Paul uses other phrases in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 to describe this same antichrist, such as “the son of perdition” (vs. 3), “the mystery of lawlessness” (vs. 7), and “that Wicked” (vs. 8). In Daniel’s parallel prophecy, this same abominable horror is also called a “little horn” (Daniel 7:8); and in the Book of Revelation it is labeled “the beast” (Revelation 13:2). Almost everyone agrees these words and phrases apply to the same thing. The big question is: Do they all apply to only one evil person as is commonly taught, or do they point to something wider and deeper – to something most prophecy teachers aren’t telling us about?

Notice carefully, Daniel did not say the little horn would be a man, but rather it would have “eyes like the eyes of a man: (Daniel 7:8). Eyes of intelligence. In the Book of Revelation, the same horn is called “the beast”. Here’s a key question: How does Daniel 7 define a beast? There is no need to guess or to pull an interpretation out of a hat. An angelic interpreter explained to Daniel, “….the fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth” (vs. 23). What is a beast? A man? No. A beast is a kingdom! That’s what the angel said.

Let’s go back to Paul’s prophecy. A careful study of 2 Thessalonians 2 actually reveals the utter impossibility of “the man of sin” applying to only one person. First of all, Paul said that in his own day this very same “mystery of lawlessness [was] already at work” (vs. 7). Thus this predicted antichrist was already becoming active in the first century. Paul was also very emphatic that this “mystery” would continue all the way down to the second coming of Jesus Christ (vs. 8). Put the pieces together. How could this refer to only one human being? He would have to be 2,000 years old!

Did Paul ever use this expression, “the man”, in any of his other writings in such a way that it does not refer to one individual? Yes indeed. Paul wrote:

All Scripture is given by inspiration from God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17, emphasis added).

Look carefully. Does the phrase, “the man of God”, in 2 Timothy 3:17 refer to only one holy human who might have a name like Joe, Bill or Frank? No. Instead, it refers to a succession of Godly men throughout history who become “complete” or “perfect” through obeying the Word of God.

In Romans 13:4, Paul also used the phrase, “the minister of God”, to refer to all civil officers throughout history whom God uses to restrain evil. Therefore, if we let Paul’s own writings interpret themselves, his unique phrase “the man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3), need not apply to one supremely wicked person. What might it apply to? In the illuminating light of 2 Timothy 3:17 and Romans 13:4, “the man of sin” can properly apply to a historical succession of other men who follow tradition above the Word of Truth.
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This antichrist doctrine of the religious traditions of men versus the Word of God is a topic of the utmost importance. The Bible tells us these antichrists “went out from us” (1 John 2:19), meaning that they appear to be Christians, but are not. They are, in fact, the enemy. How can they deceptively pull people away from the doctrine of Jesus Christ while appearing to be Christ-like? By subtly, over time, instilling false doctrines and man-made religious traditions that are accepted as Biblical, when they are not. This line of reasoning will eventually lead us to the answer of who the “beast out of the sea” of Revelation and the “little horn” of Daniel is.

The question we must all ask ourselves is this…..does the church I attend adhere to Biblical doctrine only? Have man-made religious rituals and traditions crept into our teachings and worship? Do we pray to God and God only? Do we pray in the manner taught by Christ? How can you tell? You must read the Bible and discern. The enemy has deceptively led many of us astray and we do not know it. How? Because we have not read God’s word ourselves. Read on…….

This posting will discuss antichrist and the current prophecy interpretation that a third Jewish temple will be built in Jerusalem someday. Will one evil world ruler someday sit in a rebuilt Jewish temple and proclaim himself to be God? Once again, we’re going to challenge a modern day speculative interpretation of Biblical prophecy. I believe that Steve Wohlberg has accurately interpreted this prophecy. It may not be popular, but I believe it to be the truth.

From “End Time Delusions”:
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The Left Behind books swirl completely around the topic of antichrist. Book number nine of these fast-selling, fictitious novels is called Desecration – Antichrist Takes the Throne. Released on October 30, 2001 with an initial print run of 3 million copies, the official Left Behind website then declared, “In Desecration, antichrist Nicolae Carpathia enters the temple in Jerusalem and declares himself God, leading the world to the brink of Armageddon.” Thus the eye of the storm is Jerusalem and the apex of the drama centers on Nicolae’s abominable entrance into a rebuilt Jewish temple.

The cornerstone Bible passage underlying the theology of Desecration and of countless other prophecy books which teach similar things is 2 Thessalonians 2:4. Describing the antichrist, Paul wrote: “[he] opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God (vs. 4). Thus antichrist will sit “in the temple of God”. Desecration applies this to someone like Nicolae Carpathia who will enter a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem after the rapture. The implication of this common interpretation is that Paul’s antichrist-in-the-temple prediction has nothing to do with Christians today, nor has it had any real relevance to the Church for almost 2,000 years. Is this popular interpretation really what Paul had in mind? Let’s take a closer look.

It’s time for another Greek lesson. The original Greek word Paul used in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 for “temple” is naos. Here’s a safe principle of interpretation: Let’s allow Paul to interpret Paul. Did Paul use this same word anywhere else in his writings? Yes. In his letter to the early Corinthians, Paul wrote to “the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2). Then he inquired, “Do you not know that you are the temple [naos] of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Here Paul clearly applied the word naos to the Christian Church – not a physical temple in Jerusalem. He did the same thing in his letter to the Ephesians. Writing to “the saints who are in Ephesus,” Paul said they were all growing “into a holy temple [naos] in the Lord” (Ephesians 1:1, 2:21). In fact, in all of his writings, every time Paul used the word naos, he always applied it to the Christian Church and never to a rebuilt Israeli temple!

Consider this: When Jesus Christ died on Calvary, His death put an end to all bloody animal sacrifices. When He cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), that was it. From God’s perspective, all earthly sacrifices were over because His Son was the final Sacrifice (see Hebrews 10:12). Think about it for a moment. If the Jewish people ever do rebuild a temple in Jerusalem and restart bloody sacrifices, this would be a complete denial of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Could such a rebuilt Jewish temple ever properly be called by Paul, “the temple of God”? Not in a million years! Such a temple would not be God’s temple, for it would be an open denial of His Son. The correct interpretation of 2 Thessalonians 2:4, based on Paul’s own use of naos, is that “the temple of God” is the Church. The lesson for prophecy students is this: antichrist, subtle and deceptive, will slither into Christianity.

Dr. Henry Grattan Guiness, (1835-1910) has often been called “England’s Greatest Teacher of Prophecy”. Founder of the East London Institute for Home and Foreign Missions, Dr. Guiness was considered to be one of the three greatest preachers of his day, right along with Dwight L. Moody and Charles Haddon Spurgeon. A deep student of prophecy, and especially of the antichrist topic, he commented over 100 years ago:

"Observe the place occupied by the man of sin – the “temple” or house of God. This is not, and cannot be, any Jewish temple. Paul, who uses this expression in his prophetic portrait……employs it both in Corinthians and Ephesians with reference to the Christian Church…..to Paul, emphatically, the temple of God was the Church of Christ. This is the temple in which his prophetic eye saw the man of sin seated. It is no question of his bodily location in any structure of wood and stone, but of something far higher. The temple of God is that “spiritual house” in which He dwells. It is built up of “living stones” of true believers. It is here that the man of sin was to usurp the place of God. This is the “mystery”, the dread danger, the deadly evil, predicted by the Apostle."

Edward Bishop Elliott’s (1793-1875) classic, four-volume Horae Apocalypticae – A Commentary on the Apocalypse, was considered by many to be “the standard work on the subject” of prophetic interpretation. In his comments on 2 Thessalonians 2:4, E.B. Elliott agreed with Guiness:

"The impiety and pride of this Man of Sin were thus predicted; that he would be pre-eminently an opposer to Christ and his Church; that he would exalt himself above all that was called God, or an object of worship, i.e. above the gods many and lords many in the gentile heaven and earth, including the potentates and kings of this world; that he would sit in God’s temple (a phrase here meaning the Church) and actually there exhibit himself as God."

Thus Guiness and Elliott both understood Paul’s use of naos to mean the professed Church of Jesus Christ.

Paul said antichrist will “sit” in God’s temple. This doesn’t mean he will literally sit down on a four-legged chair. After Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven, He “sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). Has He been sitting down for almost 2,000 years? No. When our Lord returns, He will come “sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Mathew 26:64). Will He be sitting on a fast-moving heavenly chair? No again. To “sit” can mean to assume a position of authority. When Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, this means He was officially seated in Office as King of kings and Lord of lords, the Supreme Mediator on behalf of the human family. He now has all authority in Heaven and on earth (see Mathew 28:18).

Then what is the meaning of the antichrist sitting in the temple of God? A little reflection should make this clear. The shocking reality is that prophecy predicts that the antichrist will usurp the legitimate authority of Jesus Christ by assuming an unauthorized position of power inside the Christian Church. And thus, contrary to the New York Times bestselling book Desecration and countless other similar works, Paul’s prediction about an evil antichrist entering the temple of God has great relevance for Christians today.
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Has the “spirit of antichrist” slithered into Christianity today? Is it relevant to Christians today? The answer is yes and yes. As I’ve mentioned before, many of us believe that by attending church for an hour on Sunday, we are leading Christian lives. We learn about God and Jesus Christ, but we don’t know the Father or the Son and therefore, are not following the Lord’s will for us. As a result, many of us today are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17). We have become the Church in Laodicea that Jesus addresses in Revelation 3:14-22. Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ wrote this letter for us, today….our generation. How can we overcome this “blindness”? Jesus gives us the answer –“I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see” (Revelation 3:18). He is telling us to repent, be refined by God and become a warrior for God, not an enemy. Become rich in God’s Spirit and Power and be able to see with a spiritual eye – which will allow you to see and overcome the enemy’s schemes. How did I overcome our enemy and give myself to God and His plan for me? A simple prayer that changed my life forever:

“Father, I no longer want this world or the things in it. I no longer want to go my own, selfish way. I want your will for my life….not my will, but yours. I believe with all of my heart that You sent your Son to die and be resurrected for me so that I may live in eternity with You. I want to be changed forever and follow You wherever you lead me, regardless of what it costs me in this life. Amen.”

I prayed this one day in June of last year not really knowing what would happen – but knowing that I would follow Him wherever He led me. It wasn’t until later in the year that I listened to a Pastor say that before you pray a prayer of obedience, you had better be prepared for life-changing events. God does not take this lightly....do not make a vow to God and then decide you'd rather not. He will search your heart, and finding a heart full of love for Him and true obedience to Him – someone who is seeking Him with a humble heart – He will baptize you in His Holy Spirit and make you into the person He created you to be. You will become a disciple of Jesus Christ and follow Him wherever He leads you. After my life began changing immediately and in very significant ways after this prayer (I was still immature), I began to pray “Why is all of this happening to me?”. I was a little confused at the time about why God was changing my life so quickly and drastically. My wife came home a few days later with a cross to hang on our wall that was inscribed with Jeremiah 29:11-13. “’For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’” If you want to find God, you must seek Him (in prayer) with all your heart. This is mentioned in other verses in the Bible. Do you want to know God? Let Him know you love Him and you’re ready to give up everything in this life to find Him. He will reveal Himself to you and reveal His purpose for your life. You will experience joy you never thought possible and find true faith.

The “spirit of antichrist” has slowly and methodically slithered into governments of the world and into Christianity itself. These antichrists are bringing about the “beasts” mentioned in Revelation according to the works of our enemy….a political beast and a religious beast. It’s going to happen in our lifetime. In fact, I believe the “beasts” are going to gain power very soon. With spiritual eyes you can see them forming right in front of us. There are many people who believe they are spiritual, but they are as blind as those who believe nothing at all. We’re all about to get a wake-up call.

In the next few posts, we’ll begin discussing who the “beasts” are. Buckle your seatbelts, you’re about to have the blinders removed!

This posting will discuss the “restrainer” of antichrist mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8. This will be the last posting before we begin discussing the “beasts” of Revelation. Once again, there is a modern day speculative interpretation of this prophecy that is subscribed to by most modern day Christians. Most Christians believe the “restrainer” is the Holy Spirit holding back the antichrist until the appointed time determined by God. While God does determine the appointed time for all things, is this interpretation correct according to scripture? Let’s examine this more closely.

From “End Time Delusions”:
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Zeal without knowledge is fire without light. –Dr. Thomas Fuller (1608-1661)

In this chapter we will play the role of Sherlock Holmes by attempting to solve a most puzzling Bible mystery. The difficult question is: What is the restrainer of antichrist? In 2 Thessalonians 2:5-8, Paul revealed the intriguing idea that in his own day something was restraining this horrendous development of evil. Once the restraint was removed, antichrist would be revealed. Millions of Christians today have been taught that this restrainer is the Holy Spirit inside the Christian Church. According to this theory, once the Church is whisked out of this world in the pre-tribulation rapture the Mr. Delusion will appear. This interpretation once again confirms the concept in many minds that antichrist can only come after the Church vanishes.

Sherlock Holmes is purported to have said, “It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data”. So, let’s examine the datum. Paul told the early Thessalonians, “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed….” (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8).

To begin with, it must be admitted that Paul did not explicitly specify what was restraining antichrist. Nevertheless, the following three clues are clear:

1. Paul previously “told” the Thessalonians what the restrainer was (vs. 5)
2. The Thessalonians knew what it was (vs. 6)
3. For some important reason, Paul did not identify the restrainer in writing.

Sherlock Holmes is also believed to have said, “Detection is, or should be, an exact science.” As we ponder the evidence above, a significant detail surfaces. Because Paul plainly said he “told” the Thessalonians what the restrainer was, this knowledge had obviously been given to the early Church. So, as good detectives, what should we do next? It seems logical that we should first go back into the dusty records of ancient history in an attempt to discover what the early Church might have reported on this subject. Let’s go back and find out.

Did the early Christians reveal what they knew about this subject? Did they identify the restrainer? The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Such early writers as Irenaeus, Tertullian, Chrysostom, Jerome and Augustine all wrote about this topic. What did they say? They all said the restrainer was the civil power of the Roman Empire ruled by the Caesars. Notice carefully the following quotations:

Tertullian: “…he who now hinders must hinder until he be taken out of the way. What obstacle is there but the Roman state; the falling away of which, by being scattered into ten kingdoms, shall introduce antichrist….”

John Chrysostom: “…’he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way,’ that is, when the Roman Empire is taken out of the way, then he [antichrist] shall come; and naturally, for as long as the fear of this empire lasts, no one will readily exalt himself; but when that is dissolved, he will attack the anarchy, and endeavor to seize upon the government both of men and of God.”

Augustine: “….it is not absurd to believe that these words of the apostle, ‘Only he who now holdeth, let him hold until he be taken out of the way,’ refer to the Roman Empire……”

It’s obvious. The early Church believed the Roman Empire was the restrainer of the antichrist. Many have recognized this fact. Elliott wrote, “We have the consenting testimony of the early fathers, from Irenaeus, the disciple of St. John, down to Chrysostom and Jerome, to the effect that it [the restrainer] was understood to be the imperial power ruling and residing in Rome.” Dr. George Eldon Ladd, a much-respected Baptist professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in the 1950’s, also confirmed, “The traditional view has been that the restraining principle is the Roman Empire and the restrainer the Emperor. This view, or a modification of it, best fits into the Pauline theology.”

Guiness also summarized:

The early Church, through the writings of the fathers, tells us what it knew upon the subject, and with remarkable unanimity affirms that this “let”, or hindrance, was the Roman Empire as governed by the Caesars; that while the Caesars held imperial power, it was impossible for the predicted antichrist to arise, and that on the fall of the Caesars he would arise….The early Church tells us what it did know upon the subject, and no one in these days can be in a position to contradict its testimony as to what Paul had, by word of mouth, told the Thessalonians. It is a point on which ancient tradition alone can have any authority. Modern speculation is positively impertinent on such a subject.”

When modern interpreters identify the restrainer as the Holy Spirit inside the Christian Church, they are simply expressing a newly developed fancy unsupported by historical evidence. Sherlock Holmes said, “Detection is, or should be, an exact science.” It’s simply not historically scientific to identify the restrainer as the Holy Ghost within the Church. Unfortunately, this new theory has now become one of the supporting pillars beneath the idea that the rapture must come before antichrist shows up. We have already proven from 2 Thessalonians 2 that it’s really the other way around. Paul emphatically said antichrist must come first (vs. 3) before the Church is gathered to Jesus Christ (vs. 1).

In addition to being directly “told” by Paul that the restrainer of the antichrist was the Roman Empire, another reason why the early Church believed this may be found in the parallel prophecy of Daniel 7. Daniel’s prophecy predicted the rise of four great beasts representing four successive world empires (Daniel 7:23). The vast majority of commentators throughout church history have identified these four empires as the successive kingdoms of Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome.

Martin Luther commented:

This prophecy of Daniel 7 is by all teachers uniformly explained to represent the kingdoms of Assyria and Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, the kingdom of Alexander the Great and the fourth, the Roman Empire, which is the largest, the most cruel, and most powerful…..”

In Daniel 7, the fourth beast, or Roman Empire, is described as having “ten horns” (vs. 7). Most scholars apply these ten horns to ten kingdoms to arise in Western Europe after the demise of the Roman Empire. Daniel’s prophecy distinctly says that “after” the ten horns are in place, rising up “among them”, would come ”another little horn” with “eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things (vs. 8). The vast majority of scholars, even today, regardless of how they apply the symbolism, correctly associate the little horn with the antichrist. The lesson is clear: After the fourth beast, that is, after the fall of Rome, the antichrist would rise up among ten nations in Europe.

The Thessalonians lived under the rule of Rome. Through understanding the prophecies, they knew that after Rome fell, the antichrist would come. This helps to explain why the early Christians (according to Tertullian) made it a habit to pray for the continuation of that very empire, even though it was cruelly persecuting them (see Thessalonians 1:4) for their trust in Jesus Christ. Wait a minute! Here’s another important piece of data! The reality of this fierce Roman persecution against the early Christians provides a logical explanation as to why Paul only “told” the Thessalonians what the restrainer was, rather than writing it down. What if his letter fell into the hands of unfriendly Roman officials? What if Roman leaders found out that these Christians expected the mighty Roman Empire to someday crash, being “taken out of the way”? The answer is obvious. They would have seen this as high treason against Caesar and would have increased their persecution against the infant Church. This explains why, instead of writing it down, Paul merely “told” the truth to the Thessalonians.

Paul wrote: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work, only he who now restrains will do so, until he is taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Thus the antichrist was “already” starting to work in Paul’s time, yet it was restrained by the mighty power of the Roman Empire. Once this restraint was removed by the collapse of the Roman government, this monstrous evil would fully rise in Europe. In other words, once the Caesars went down, antichrist would fully raise its satanic head.

Here’s a simple summary of the biblical data found in 2 Thessalonians 2:

1. The antichrist was already starting to work in Paul’s day (vs. 7). This was around 50 A.D.
2. Something was restraining this horrible development of evil (vs. 5-7).
3. As soon as the restraint was removed, antichrist would be revealed (vs. 7-8).
4. This antichrist will continue until the visible return of Jesus Christ (vs. 8).
5. Then Christ will destroy the antichrist and gather His Church (vs. 1, 8).

Daniel wrote that after the fourth beast fell, the little horn would come (Daniel 7:7-8). Paul said that after the restrainer was taken out of the way, the antichrist would be revealed (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). History records that the Roman Empire collapsed in 476 A.D. Did the predicted antichrist soon appear? Read on.

Sherlock Holmes would say, “It’s elementary, Mr. Watson, elementary.”
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This is where things begin to get very interesting. Here’s where we begin to discover that not only has the antichrist and spirit of antichrist been working in the world since the 1st century A.D., but the “beasts” of Revelation have been with us as well. It may seem shocking to you that this is true. Remember, we are dealing with a very deceptive enemy. Are you beginning to sense just how deceptive he is? You haven’t seen anything yet…….as Steve mentions – read on.

The following is a summary of Biblical prophecies relating to the revealing of the antichrist and the “beast” of Revelation 13.

From “End Time Delusions”:
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What we see depends mainly on what we look for. –Sir John Lubbock (1834-1913)

The Bible’s prophecies about the antichrist are similar to a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. While it’s important to carefully examine the individual pieces, it’s really best to put them all together and look at the whole thing. When we do, just like a developing photograph in a darkroom, the emerging picture becomes clearer and clearer. This is what we find:

Putting the pieces together from Daniel 7

1. Daniel dreamed of four great beasts representing four successive ancient world kingdoms (vs. 4-7, 23)
2. These kingdoms were the nations of Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome.
3. The fourth beast, the Roman Empire, had ten horns (vs. 7), representing the division of the Western Roman Empire into ten smaller nations after 476 A.D. (the classical date for the fall of Rome).
4. Growing up “among” the ten horns (vs. 8) and rising up immediately “after” them (vs. 24) would be a little horn (vs. 8) which represents the antichrist.
5. This little horn would have “eyes like the eyes of a man” (vs. 8), “a mouth speaking pompous words” (vs. 8), and would make “war against the saints” (vs. 21) in Christian history. This horn would continue until the end of time (vs. 21-22).

Putting the pieces together from 2 Thessalonians 2

1. The antichrist would rise as a result of a tremendous falling away (vs. 3) in the Church before Jesus Christ returns to gather the faithful (vs. 1).
2. Paul called this antichrist, “the man of sin” (vs. 3), “the son of perdition” (vs. 3), “the mystery of lawlessness” (vs. 7) and “that wicked” (vs. 8 KJV).
3. This “mystery of lawlessness” was already working in Paul’s day (vs. 7), yet it was being restrained (vs. 5-7) by the Caesars of the Roman Empire.
4. After this restraint was removed (Rome fell in 476 A.D.), the antichrist would be revealed (vs. 7-8).
5. This antichrist would take his seat inside “the temple of God” (vs. 4), which is the Church (see 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 2:21).
6. He will operate until the bright, visible, glorious return of our Lord (vs. 8).
7. When Jesus Christ comes, He will destroy the antichrist and gather His faithful people who have not “fallen away” from the truth of His Word (vs. 1,3,8,10-12).

Putting the pieces together from Revelation 13

1. The antichrist is also called “the beast” (vs. 2).
2. This “beast” is the same thing as the “little horn” in Daniel 7.
3. Just like the little horn, this beast would have “a mouth speaking great things” (vs. 5) and would “make war with the saints” (vs. 7).
4. A beast in prophecy represents a powerful “kingdom on earth” (see Daniel 7:23).
5. This beast will eventually have worldwide influence and control (vs. 8).
6. This beast will continue until the end of time (see Revelation 19:20).

The Bible reveals a few more pieces to this antichrist puzzle, but this is enough for now. So what are we looking for when it comes to the real antichrist of prophecy?

In a nutshell, we are looking for an antichrist that was starting to work in the time of Paul, but was being restrained by the Roman Empire. It would grow in strength in the wake of a massive “falling away” from Jesus inside the Christian Church and would be “revealed” unrestrained after the Roman Empire fell in 476 A.D. It would be centered somewhere in Western Europe, would become self-exalting and would even usurp the authority of God inside His temple – that is, within Christianity. An actual “kingdom”, it would nevertheless have “eyes like the eyes of a man” (being man-led and man-centered), make large claims for itself, have “a mouth speaking great things”, become persecuting and deadly, making “war against the saints”. It would continue throughout Christian history and achieve global influence in the end times, yet finally be destroyed by the sin-consuming brightness of our Lord Jesus Christ when He returns.

Those are the facts from Scripture. Is such an antichrist here now? You are about to discover irrefutable proof that for over four hundred years the unanimous testimony of well-respected Protestant scholars, historians and burnt-to-ashes martyrs has been, “Most definitely!”
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Have you put the pieces together? It gets better….the Bible reveals much about the times we’re living in if we’d only listen and pray. Read on…….

Who is the beast “out of the sea” mentioned in Revelation 13? This has obviously intrigued many Bible scholars throughout history. If you believe the current, modern day interpretations of end time prophecy, then you most likely believe that the “beast out of the sea” of Revelation 13 is speaking about a future world leader who is also the antichrist. This is definitely the most popular belief today. Is it scripturally accurate? The problem I have always had (when I would think about the Book of Revelation) is this: why would God leave a 2,000 year prophetic void in history? Based on current interpretations of Revelation, it seems like we live in a time that is not referred to in the Bible. We are in a kind of prophetic ‘no man’s land’ where we have no guidance on what is happening in the world. Everything relating to end time prophecy is always going to happen ‘in the future’. Is this true or are we living through the prophecies in Revelation today?

There is another view of Revelation that subscribes to the theory that the Book of Revelation only references the time of the Roman Empire. This theory says that most of the prophecies of Revelation have already come to pass….in past history. This would, once again, leave us in a prophetic void. In my mind, this is even worse than the futurist view of Revelation. This belief not only places us in a prophetic void, but gives us no guidance on the future. Again, would God leave us in a prophetic void with no knowledge of future events, no guidance on how to prepare? I believe the answer is a resounding NO. Our Father in Heaven loves us too much to provide us with no guidance.

I believe that the Lord has made it clear to me that we are not approaching the beginning of the Book of Revelation, but the end. Did this get your attention? It should, because I firmly believe that it’s true. If you are like I was before being born again in the Spirit of God, then this probably shocks you. As I’ve said before, the problem with being deceived is that you don’t know you are deceived until it’s too late. All of my life, I have believed that the horrible things described in Revelation were coming someday…hopefully not in my lifetime. The truth is that the prophecies in Revelation began to come to pass during the Roman Empire and have continued to come to pass to this day. We are now nearing the time when the “beasts” of Revelation will begin to exert control over the entire world. If you’ve been living a nice, comfortable life as I was, then you haven’t been paying attention to what is happening to the governments of the world (especially America) and what is happening to Christianity. To me, it is obvious that a political beast and a religious beast are forming…..based on what we’re told in God’s Word and what we’re seeing in the world today. It’s time that we all prepared ourselves for the coming spiritual battles that are about to be waged in our world. It’s time to come close to God through His Son and become the warriors we were meant to be. You are living in the end times for a reason….and it’s not to live a nice, cozy life surrounded by worldly comforts and pleasure. You are here now to fight the good fight of faith for Jesus Christ who leads us and guides us against our enemy. Are you ready?

Something else to consider as we begin this discussion – Do you know why there are now many Protestant denominations? Ever thought much about it? I haven’t…..until now. Why do we have Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians…etc.? If you’ve never looked into this, the answer may be surprising to you.

Continuing in “End Time Delusions”:
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Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen. – Martin Luther (1483-1546)

The New Testament Church possessed an all-consuming desire to exalt Jesus Christ and His incomprehensible once-and-for-all Sacrifice for the sins of the whole world (see Hebrews 10:12, 1 John 2:2). The Book of Acts reports how the message of Christ’s perfect righteousness and grace spread like an uncontrollable brushfire throughout the Roman Empire (see Acts 2:36-41; 5:14, 8:4). As the apostles lifted up the Risen One before the multitudes, sinners realized they were loved by God in spite of their faults, and the Lord’s power moved them to repent, be baptized, and stop serving satan (see Acts 2:38, 26:18). As people trusted the merits of Jesus Christ for salvation (see Acts 16:31), rather than their own “works” (see Ephesians 2:9), He forgave their sins (see Acts 13:38), purified their hearts (see Acts 15:8-9), and set their feet on the path to Paradise.

As a result of Spirit-filled preaching, strong churches were raised up in the midst of an idol-worshipping, pleasure-crazy, Caesar-devoted world. The new Christian converts were taught to obey the Bible above the traditions of men (see Colossians 2:8) and to cherish “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mathew 4:4). They had discovered the only way to the Father, Jesus Christ Himself (see John 14:6); and were taught to trust Him implicitly (see Ephesians 1:12) as the only Mediator between Almighty God and the human family (see 1 Timothy 2:5). They were also taught the importance of “obeying the truth” (1 Peter 1:22), even if it meant opposition, ridicule or death. They were willing to walk the narrow road “which leads to life” (Mathew 7:14) because Jesus was precious to them, just as they were to Him.

But as the Christian train rolled down history’s track, monumental changes took place. Just as Paul predicted, there came a tremendous “falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) from the simplicity and purity of the gospel. Almost imperceptibly, false theories, man-made traditions, and unbiblical practices slipped into the very heart of Christianity. Little by little people lost sight of the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. In the fourth century, during the time of Constantine, a large portion of the church compromised key Bible truths and decided to line up with the Roman State. Rejecting the humility of the meek and humble One (see Mathew 11:29), church leaders sought pomp and worldly glory. Leaving the heavenly “power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13), they relied on the earthly power of politics and government. As even more traditions came in, Europe eventually became engulfed in the Dark Ages. In the twelfth century, a monstrous tribunal was established called the “Holy Office of the Inquisition” which was purposefully “created to persecute and exterminate ‘heresy’ by violence and not by persuasion.” Its 600 year history is filled with “gloomy portals”, “dark passages”, “locked doors”, “dungeons”, “bloodstained records”, and “extreme, merciless, unmitigated tortures”. Incredibly, so-called Christians murdered other Christians in the “name of Jesus Christ”.

By the time the 1500’s came along, the original simplicity of the early Christian faith was virtually non-existent. All over Europe sinners were taught to confess their sins to priests, to pray to the Virgin Mary, to buy “forgiveness notes” called indulgences and to kiss statues of the saints, none of which is taught in the New Testament. Monks even beat themselves with whips in a misguided effort to earn the favor of God. It’s true, there were sincere and godly people in what had become the Roman Catholic Church, but overall, Christianity was a mess! It was time for the Protestant Reformation!

21st century Christians should realize it was sincere Catholics wanting a change that originally spearheaded the Reformation. Initially, they had no thought of leaving the Mother Church, but simply wanted to redirect their Catholic countrymen away from the traditions of men and to lead them back to the pure truths of the Word. Their main goal was to lead other sinners like themselves to stop trusting their own works for salvation and to have simple faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible says,”Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Ephesians 2:8, 9). “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Salvation is a wonderful gift from Jesus (see Romans 6:23). When we repent of our sins and receive this gift, trusting alone in Christ, the Father Himself forgives us, transforms our hearts by the Holy Spirit, and gives us power to obey His Word (see Luke 13:3, 1 John 1:9, 1 Peter 1:22, John 17:17). This simple message of free salvation through what Jesus Christ has already done for the entire world on the cross and of “the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10), is called the good news of the gospel. Paul defined the good news as: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). We must believe this good news wholeheartedly, for it alone can save our souls (see 1 Peter 1:3, 9).

The word antichrist literally means “opposed to” or “in the place of” Christ, and in its most subtle and diabolical manifestation it concerns something which claims loyalty to Jesus while really leading away from Him. Now let’s take a closer look at what truly happened during the time of the Protestant Reformation.

In the 1500’s, as a result of the invention of the printing press, countless European and English Catholics read the Bible for the first time in their lives. As a result, they uncovered the good news of salvation through trusting in Jesus Christ. At the same time, to their shock and amazement, they also realized that many Roman doctrines – including praying to dead saints and confessing to priests – actually led away from a simple faith in the merits of the Lamb. Compelled by the Spirit, these sincere Catholics tried to reform the church they loved from within. They preached the gospel and even appealed to the Pope. The result was fury, intense opposition, threats of flames and the ugly cry, “You’re now a candidate for the Inquisition!” As the conflict deepened, those who saw the Bible as their final authority began to have serious doubts about the basic authority of a church that utilized torture chambers. In other words, they began to question whether the Holy Apostolic Roman Catholic Church, as an institution centered in popes and the Vatican, was really the Bride of Jesus Christ in the first place.

One by one the reformers turned to the prophecies. In amazement they discovered what Paul actually wrote about “the falling away”, “the son of perdition”, and a “mystery of lawlessness” that would proudly set itself up inside “the temple of God”, which is the church (see 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 7; 1 Corinthians 3:16). They were stunned to read Daniel’s prophecy about a “little horn” with “eyes like the eyes of a man”, “a mouth speaking great things”, that would be centered in Western Europe and would make bloody “war with the saints” (Daniel 7:7-8, 21). They shuddered as they realized this same power was called “the beast” in God’s last book, and that it would finally exert worldwide influence and control (see Revelation 13:2, 7-8). There were especially jolted when they read about a harlot named “Mystery Babylon” who was “drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6). As death sentence after death sentence was hurled against them for pointing sinners to the holy Lamb of God, and as the smoke of burning martyrs blackened Europe’s fair skies, these reformers eventually came to a frightening, unanimous, and terribly solemn conclusion. They had discovered Jesus Christ and antichrist.

Let me clarify something right here. Even though, in the pages that follow, I will apply the Bible’s prophecies about the “little horn” and “the beast” to the papal system in general (because of its doctrines and practices), this does not reflect a judgment on individual Catholics. Personally, I have nothing against any member of the Roman Church. Because God is merciful and judges men fairly based on the light they have (see James 4:17), I know I will meet many sincere Catholics in Christ’s Kingdom.

Nor does my position reflect an exclusive view of the word antichrist itself. I realize “the spirit of antichrist” is now working inside various organizations and non-Christian religions, including many churches that call themselves Protestant. Nothing written here is designed to promote hostility toward any human being. Jesus said “God so loved the world” (John 3:16) which includes the Pope; and His clear command to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mathew 22:39) applies to Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus and everyone else. Yet this book is about the prophetic truths of God’s Word, truths which must not be ignored by any God-fearing, Bible-believing Christian.

The following quotations may seem a bit strong for our politically correct modern ears, but they reveal the facts of history. The reader is encouraged to consider them squarely and honestly, in the blazing light of Bible prophecy.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) (Lutheran):

Newsweek reported, “Martin Luther was the first to identify the papacy as such with the antichrist. At first he discounted the value of John’s Apocalypse. But then he saw in it a revelation of the Church of Rome as the deceiving antichrist….a view that was to become dogma for all Protestant Churches.”

On August 20, 1520, Luther declared, “We here are of the conviction that the papacy is the seat of the true and real antichrist.”

John Calvin (1509-1564) (Presbyterian):

“Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Roman pontiff antichrist. But those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself, after whom we speak and whose language we adopt…I shall briefly show that (Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2) are not capable of any other interpretation than that which applies them to the Papacy.”

John Knox (1505-1572) (Scotch Presbyterian):

John Knox wrote about “that tyranny which the pope himself has for so many ages exercised over the church.” Along with Martin Luther and John Calvin, Knox finally concluded that the Papacy was “the very antichrist, and son of perdition, of whom Paul speaks.”

Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556) (Anglican):

“Whereof it followeth Rome to be the seat of antichrist, and the pope to be very antichrist himself. I could prove the same by many other scriptures, old writers, and strong reasons.”

Fox’s Book of Martyrs (1563):

Written by Englishman John Fox (1517-1587), this much-respected volume helped “mold the national character” of 17th century America. Fox reported: “Disregarding the maxims and the spirit of the Gospel, the papal Church, arming herself with the power of the sword, vexed the Church of God and wasted it for centuries, a period most appropriately termed in history, the ‘dark ages’. The kings of the earth gave their power to the Beast.”

Roger Williams (1603-1683) (Considered the first Baptist Pastor in America):

Roger Williams spoke of the Pope as “the pretended Vicar of Christ on earth, who sits as God over the Temple of God, exalting himself not only above all that is called God, but over the souls and consciences of all his vassals, yea over the Spirit of Christ, over the Holy Spirit, yea, and God Himself….speaking against the God of heaven, thinking to change times and laws; but he is the son of perdition (2 Thessalonians 2).

A Great Cloud of Witnesses:

“Wycliffe, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, Wesley, Whifield, Jonathon Edwards; and more recently Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.”

These quotes come from some of the most respected and influential Christians who have ever lived. They were intensely earnest, honest men who based their conclusions on the prophecies of the Bible. I realize times have changed. It’s true, we’re not in the Dark Ages anymore; and yes, this is the 21st century, but there is something we must consider: Daniel’s prophecy about “a little horn” that would make “war against the saints” (Daniel 7:8, 21), Paul’s predictions about a “falling away” and an antichrist “man of sin” or “mystery of lawlessness” that would sit in God’s temple (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), John’s prophecy about “a beast” with global influence (Revelation 13:2, 7), and finally, Revelation’s strikingly graphic portrayal of a woman named “Mystery Babylon” who would become drunk with “the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6) – these prophecies are still in the Bible. There is something else we should remember: Nations rise and fall, history rushes on, technology advances and a new millennium has arrived – but God’s Word has not changed!

Either those dead Protestants were dead wrong, or history’s forgotten voices still speak.
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I agree 100% with Steve when he says that his application of Bible prophecy on the papal system does not reflect a judgment on individual Catholics. Each of us will be judged individually by God. “Nothing here is designed to promote hostility toward any human being.” But I also agree with Steve that we cannot deny the Bible’s prophecies and how they relate to historical events.

Are there other prophetic verses that support this argument? The answer is yes. We will continue this in the next posting.

Based on the historical brutality and ruthlessness of the papal system in the dark ages, it stands to reason that the Roman Catholic Church would attempt to defend itself from this new application of Biblical prophecy. Did they attempt to defend themselves? How could they defend themselves from this new doctrine established by Protestants? Were they successful? The answer is yes – it took some time, but they were eventually successful. If you haven’t been shocked by anything yet, you will be by this revelation of historical fact. I say this, because if you are currently a Christian, you most likely believe the doctrine they created in their defense. Never forget, our spiritual enemy is very deceiving and highly intelligent. Read on…….

We continue our discussion of the “beast out of the sea” of Revelation 13. We explore more Biblical prophecies relating to the beast. Once again, I agree with Steve’s evaluation of the prophecies mentioned in this discussion.

From “End Time Delusions”:
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All truths are easy to understand once they are discovered; the point is to discover them. –Galileo Galilei (1564-1642)

“What time is it?” How many times have we heard that? The clock relentlessly governs this high-tech world of ours. Cell phones, computers, palm pilots, fax machines and radios all have clocks on them. In other words, we live our lives and make decisions based on time. This may surprise you, but even the Creator of the universe is concerned about time. His Word says, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son” (Galatians 4:4). In fact, the entire life of Jesus Christ was based on time. He knew when “His hour had come” (John 13:1) and when it was time for His holy heart to experience the horror of sin upon the cross. Just as Christ’s life and death was based on time, the same is true of antichrist. Paul predicted that antichrist would “be revealed in his own time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6). What is the time of the antichrist?

Daniel described the antichrist as a little horn “making war against the saints, and prevailing against them” (Daniel 7:8, 21). A few sentences later he wrote, “the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time” (vs. 25). This is the time of the antichrist. This special time period is actually referred to seven times in God’s Word, being spoken of as 3 ½ times (see Daniel 7:25); 12:7; Revelation 12:14), 42 months (see Revelation 11:2; 13:5), and 1260 days (Revelation 11:3; 12:6). Most scholars recognize that a “time” represents a year (the Hebrew 360-day year), and thus 3 ½ years, or 42 months (based on a 30 day month), or 1260 days. It’s simple mathematics.

Is this a literal time period, or a symbolic one? Consider this. Just as Daniel 7 reveals the time of the antichrist (see Daniel 7:25), even so does Daniel 9 reveal the time of Jesus Christ (see Daniel 9:24-26). That latter prophecy pinpoints “seventy weeks”, or 490 days. As we’ve mentioned before, all Bible scholars interpret this 490 day period according to the day-for-a-year principle found in Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34. Thus the 490 days are 490 literal years. We know the prophecy in Daniel 9 is a day-for-a-year because it begins with a command to rebuild Jerusalem after the Babylonian captivity (Daniel 9:25) and reaches all the way down to the first coming of Jesus Christ (Daniel 9:26). Because 490 literal days would not reach far enough to the time of Jesus since that would only be about 1 year and 4.3 months, the prophecy must be a day-for-a-year. That’s proof positive. Few question this.

Prophecy teachers in our generation definitely apply the day-for-a-year principle to the famous 70th week of Daniel 9:27, which says, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice…to cease” (Daniel 9:27). Based on the day-year truth, this “one week” is really seven years. Almost everyone agrees with this. Yet, as we have already seen, many prophecy scholars today - following the lead of J.N. Darby – have decided to sever this 70th week from the first 69 weeks (creating an almost 2,000 year gap or parenthesis), slide it down to the end times and call it “the seven years of tribulation”. We have already analyzed the problems with this view and have proven it was really Jesus Christ who brought an end to the Jewish sacrificial system through His death on the cross. Net conclusion: no seven-year tribulation.

Here’s a startling mega-point. Protestant scholars from the 1500’s to the 1800’s not only applied the day-for-a-year principle to the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27 (the time of Jesus Christ), but also to the 3 ½ years of Daniel 7:25, to the time of antichrist. And they applied it to papal Rome. They interpreted the 3 ½ years, 42 months or 1260 days as 1260 literal years of papal rule.

This is easy to prove, as a little study in church history will quickly demonstrate. Dr. H. Grattan Guiness reported:

The seventy weeks of Daniel, or 490 days to the Messiah, were fulfilled as 490 years; that is, they were fulfilled on the year-day scale. On this scale the forty-two months or 1260 days are 1260 years. We ask then, has the papacy endured this period? An examination of the facts will show that it has.

In 1701, Robert Fleming published his book, The Rise and Fall of Papal Rome. Fleming showed, as others had done for many centuries, that the 1260 days of prophecy represent 1260 years.

E.B. Elliott, in his 1862 classic, Horae Apocalypticae, often referred to:

….the great prophetic period of 1260 years.

David Benedict’s A General History of the Baptist Denomination also commented on…the rise of antichrist…his reign [for] 1260 years.

Such quotations could be multiplied, but this is enough to prove that Protestant commentators of the past did not apply the 1260-day period to a supposedly future 7 year period of tribulation like modern pre-tribulation rapture teachers often do. Instead, they applied it to real history – to the long period of papal supremacy spanning the Dark Ages.

When did the 1260 years begin? In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul gave a clear clue. In verse 6, he made a definite connection between the removal of the restrainer and the beginning of the time of the antichrist. Notice carefully. Paul told the early Thessalonians, “And now you know what is restraining, that he [antichrist] may be revealed in his own time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6). As we have previously proven, this restrainer was the fourth beast of Daniel 7, which was the Roman Empire. In 476 A.D., when Rome fell, the Caesar restrainer was “taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Thus we would expect the 1260 year period to begin shortly after 476 A.D.

H. Gratton Guiness places the beginning of the 1260 year period shortly after 476 A.D. He states that it began with “the notable decree of the emperor Justinian [525-565 A.D.] constituting the Bishop of Rome as the head of all Churches [in Western Europe]”. When the Roman Empire collapsed in 476 A.D., there were still rulers in the East. One of them, named Justinian, believed the key to peace in Europe was the uniting of all religions under the leadership of the Roman Church. So, he issued his famous decree which made the Pope the legal “Head of all the Holy Churches”. This decree fully established the papacy’s political power over all of Christianity in Western Europe. Justinian’s decree went into effect in 538 A.D., which was shortly after 476 A.D.! That key date – 538 A.D. – marks the beginning of the time of the antichrist.

Daniel predicted that during the 1260 year period the little horn would “persecute the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:25) – a prophecy that was fulfilled to the letter by papal Rome during the Dark Ages. By the end of this period, enough was enough, and Europe was ready for a change. If we start at 538 A.D. and count down 1260 years, this takes us to 1798 A.D., the time of the French Revolution. In the midst of a bloody reaction against the Roman Church and its monstrous torture chambers, Napoleon finally decided to abolish the papal government entirely. Can you guess what year this feat was accomplished? 1798! That’s why Guiness marks the conclusion of the 1260 years at the time of “the tremendous Papal overthrow in the French Revolution”.

In 1798, a general of Napoleon named Berthier entered Rome with a French army. He swiftly abolished the papacy, dismissed the Vatican’s Swiss guards and proclaimed Rome to be a republic for France. “Berthier entered Rome on the 10th of February, 1798, and proclaimed a republic.” “One day the Pope was sitting on his throne in a chapel of the Vatican, surrounded by his cardinals…Very soon a band of soldiers burst into the hall, who tore away from his finger his pontifical ring, and hurried him off, a prisoner.” Pope Pius VI was taken to France where he died in exile. “Napoleon gave orders that in the event of his death no successor should be elected to his office, and that the Papacy should be discontinued.”

This happened in the exact year 1798, marking the end of the predicted 1260 year reign of the persecuting “little horn”. In that very year Protestant scholars all over Europe and America recognized the fulfillment of the prophecy. In the downfall of the papal government…many saw in these events the accomplishment of prophecies, and the exhibition of signs promised in the most mystical parts of the Holy Scriptures.

Thus many scholars of the past have applied the 3 ½ year, 42 month, 1260 day prediction found in Daniel and Revelation to a 1260 year period starting in 538 A.D. and ending in 1798 A.D. These well-respected theologians saw those dates – 538 and 1798 – as prophetic milestones, and they appealed to the whole world to take note that God’s “sure Word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19) had not been fulfilled in a corner.

Here is a quick summary of biblical and historical facts surrounding “the time” of the antichrist:

1. Paul clearly wrote that after the restrainer was removed, the antichrist would be “revealed in his own time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6).
2. Daniel predicted that after the fourth beast fell, the “little horn” (the antichrist) would rule for 1260 years, “making war against the saints” (Daniel 7:7-8, 21, 25).
3. Shortly after the Western Roman Empire collapsed in 476 A.D., the Eastern Emperor Justinian issued his famous decree giving the Roman Church special power in Europe.
4. Justinian’s decree went into effect in 538 A.D., marking the beginning of 1260 years of European papal supremacy.
5. During the 1260 years, the Roman Church did indeed “make war against the saints” by papal crusades against heretics and through the nightmarish barbarism of inhuman inquisitors who set up their deadly tribunals in Europe, England, India, South America and even Mexico. Literally, millions of “saints” lost their lives.
6. In 1798 A.D., exactly 1260 years from 538 A.D., Napoleon’s general (Berthier) abolished the papacy’s political power, thus ending that long and painful period of papal rule.

So what time is it? If you check your watch, computer, or cell phone you can discover the exact minute in the Pacific, Mountain, Central or Eastern time zones.

Only the Bible reveals the precise time of Jesus Christ (490 years) and antichrist (1260 years).
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The truth can make us uncomfortable. Biblical truth calls for us to examine not only what is going on in the world and how it relates to prophecy, but it calls for us to examine ourselves. Can we overcome the world and its deception? Will we believe the truth when presented with it? …or will we deny the truth because it doesn’t fit with our theology? Do we believe God’s Word unconditionally or are we picking and choosing what to believe from the Bible as it fits our lifestyle? I have learned over the past year that there is only one, uncorrupted, clear truth in this world….and that truth is the Holy Bible.

As I mentioned before, it’s very difficult to overcome years of believing something that has been told to you over and over for your entire life to this point. We must take a step back and seek God and His truth, regardless of what we have believed in the past. Are we first seeking God and His righteousness in this life or do you have a few items ahead of Him on your list of priorities? Have we accepted His offer salvation through faith in Jesus Christ or are we focused on man-made religious traditions and rituals? The question you MUST ask yourself……am I being deceived? How can I know? You must read and study God’s word and pray to Him. Ask Him to show you the truth. “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Mathew 7:7) This is all that I have done. I have sought the Lord with a humble heart and prayed for wisdom and knowledge. He listens and answers.

We continue with our discussion of the ‘beast out of the sea’ of Revelation 13. If you have studied Biblical prophecy in the past, then you probably know that the ‘beast’ is wounded at some point and then healed. Most modern day prophecy teachers once again apply this prophecy to a future antichrist – a world leader who is somehow killed and then resurrected by satan. You’re about to see that another modern, speculative theory about Bible prophesy is once again incorrect. I believe Steve is correct in his interpretation of this prophecy.

From “End Time Delusions”:
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The truly educated man is that rare individual who can separate reality from illusion. – Author Unknown

The Bible warns about the beast, “….his deadly wound was healed and all the world wondered after the beast” (Revelation 13:3).

Near the end of The Indwelling – The Beast Takes Possession, book seven of the Left Behind novels, antichrist Nicolae Carpathia is assassinated in Jerusalem. His corpse is jetted to New Babylon and a funeral service takes place before millions of viewers with full media coverage. As the world’s TV cameras are fixed on the coffin, the unbelievable occurs. Carpathia’s left index finger moves; his chest starts to swell; his eyes open. Nicolae finally stands up and triumphantly declares before an awestruck world, “Peace be unto you!” In Left Behind’s next book, The Mark – The Beast Rules the World, “His Excellency Global Community Potentate Nicolae Carpathia is back, this time as satan. Resurrected and indwelt by the devil himself, it’s no more Mr. Nice Guy as the beast tightens his grip as ruler of the world.”

This is how many Christians imagine Revelation 13:3 might be fulfilled.

This literal view of a murdered and resurrected Mr. Sin has been depicted in scores of prophecy books and was graphically illustrated in the multi-million dollar Christian film, The Omega Code. Although details vary, most modern portrayals involve the antichrist being shot with a gun and then miraculously being raised to life. When Ronald Reagan survived a gunshot wound during his presidency, some speculated that he might be the antichrist whose deadly wound was healed!

As always, there’s a big difference between fact and fiction. The wounding of the beast is referred to four times in Revelation (13:3, 10, 12, 14). Yet notice, the beast “was wounded by the sword and lived” (13:14). Thus his wound comes from “the sword”, not a pistol, rifle or submachine gun. Revelation 13:10 also reveals the additional insight that the wounding of the beast seems to involve his going “into captivity”.

Paul declared “the sword of the Spirit” to be the Word of God itself (Ephesians 6:17). During the Reformation times, it was this that “wounded” the papacy. As John Wycliffe, John Huss, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, Philip Melanchthon, John Calvin, John Wesley and countless other Spirit-filled reformers wielded the Bible’s message about Jesus Christ and antichrist, papal Rome received a nearly fatal slash. Hundreds of thousands left the Roman Church and Europe was shaken as with a mighty earthquake. The final blow against the weakened Roman system came in 1798 when the army of Napoleon invaded the Vatican and took the Pope into exile. God’s prophetic clock had set the year 1798 as the end of the papal supremacy, and when the hour struck, the mighty ruler on the Tiber, before whose anathemas the kings and emperors of Europe had so long trembled, went “into captivity” (Revelation 13:10), and his government in the Papal States was abolished.

You’ve heard the expression, “You’ve come a long way baby.” This is especially true when it comes to prophetic interpretation. Bestselling books and blockbuster Christian movies now apply Revelation’s prophecy about a beast that receives a deadly wound to some fictitious Mr. Deception like Nicolae Carpathia who is assassinated after a secret rapture. This is all like a house of illusion at an amusement park. The truth is, the Bible says the beast, which represents a “kingdom” (Daniel 7:23), would be “wounded by the sword” (Revelation 13:14) and go “into captivity” (Revelation 13:10). The reformation did wound the papal power with Heaven’s razor-sharp “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17) and finally, Rome’s leader went “into captivity” into France. This papal downfall took place on February 10, 1798, exactly at the end of 1260 years predicted in Scripture!

As Paul Harvey so often says, we need to hear “the rest of the story”. The prophecies about the “little horn” and the “beast” do not stop with the 1260 year period, the deadly “wound by the sword” or the beast’s “captivity”. There’s more. In words of deep significance, Scripture predicts, “…his deadly would was healed and all the world wondered after the beast” (Revelation 13:3). Is this happening now? There is no question about it. The former deadly would inflicted upon papal Rome now hardly needs a band-aid. With over a billion members, the Vatican is now the headquarters of the most powerful religious organization on Planet Earth. In spite of horrendous sex scandals which have embarrassed the Roman Church, when the Pope addresses America or the United Nations, the global community listens.

In his 1990 book The Keys of this Blood, Malachi Martin suggested that in his time there were only three powers capable of ruling the world – Russia, America and the Vatican. Of those three, Martin predicted that the Roman Church would win in the struggle over “who will hold and wield the dual power of authority and control over each of us as individuals and over all of us together as a community; over the entire 6 billion people expected by demographers to inhabit the earth by early in the third millennium.” Along with the Pope himself, Martin upheld “the papacy as the ultimate arbiter for problems and dilemmas affecting nations all over the globe” because it alone is the “Mother of all men’s souls”.

It’s a fact: In our 21st century, there is no president, statesman, or even rock-and-roll singer who can gather a larger crowd than the Pope. In 1995, the front cover of Time magazine labeled Pope John Paul II its “Man of the Year”. “When he talks, it is not only to his flock of nearly one billion; he expects the world to listen. And the flock and the world listen”.

The Holy Bible says:

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 (Revelation 13:3).

Have Protestants lost their swords? Why don’t they discern the fulfillment of prophecy?

Because they are waiting on Nicolae.
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This is a chilling, but accurate thought. Keep everyone thinking about evil coming someday….while it’s already here and actively working against God’s saints. I believe there is another reason why no one is sounding the alarm – political correctness. This fear of offending has permeated our society to the point that we won’t even talk about something if it might offend. We’re now afraid to bring up anything controversial for fear we might alienate someone. When was the last time you heard a sermon on the prophecies of Revelation? Simply too controversial. I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying it - the truth is that our spiritual enemy is very intelligent, very deceiving and evil. He’s coming at us from many different avenues to blind us from the truth….and it’s working. Only those that are close to Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven have the spiritual eyes to see what is happening. We’re told in God’s Word that the devil is constantly scheming against us. “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Ephesians 6:11). “Be self controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We all need to be awakened from our sleep.

There is another "beast" described in Revelation 13 (vs. 11) that makes "the earth and all its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed" (vs. 12). We'll discuss this at a later time, but this verse makes it clear that the Roman Catholic Church will once again act like a "beast". This church may seem friendly in our present time, but that is about to change. This second beast is going to force the world to worship in the manner dictated by the first beast....which will eventually lead to the Mark of the Beast. We'll discuss the Mark at a later time as well...but it is of the utmost importance that each of us is prepared for what is going to happen in our lifetime. Think of it this way, if you are confronted with staying faithful to Jesus or execution.....could you continue to stand with our Lord? It's going to be a reality many of us must face.

We continue to explore what the Bible tells us about the ‘beasts’ of Revelation 13. As we continue, we’ll also continue to discuss current events in our world and how we are being deceived by these ‘beasts’. As you’ve learned, this isn’t a Bible study of what is going to happen at some point in the future, we’re discussing the Book of Revelation and how it applies to world events today. Although many refuse to believe this, it is the truth. We are winding our way through the Book of Revelation, nearing the end of this evil age.

If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands. –Douglas Noel Adams

Every time I travel overseas, I always carry my passport so I can identify myself before local or government officials. After comparing my face with my photo, they know it’s me. In America, my driver license serves the same purpose. It lists my name, birth date, height, hair color, and current address. These details are not so much for information, but for identification. That’s the issue.

In addition to the other puzzle pieces we’ve found so far, the Bible gives us another highly practical clue to help us identify that which is truly antichrist.

Notice carefully:

…Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 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 antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world (1 John 4:2-3).

Again John wrote:

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 (2 John 7).

Thus the Bible plainly says twice that a denial that “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” is a definite mark of the antichrist. To continue my analogy, if you ever wonder whether something or someone might be the antichrist, just look closely at the information on their passport or driver license. If you see the words, “Does Not Confess Jesus Christ Has Come in the Flesh,” you have your answer.

Every Christian should “confess” Jesus has come in the flesh. But this confession must be more than a lips-only statement that Jesus Christ was a real person who was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, and died on a cross for our sins. Amazingly, a person may confess all this and yet still be a “deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 7). According to the Bible, our confession must be more specific. We must confess Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. And this confession must be genuine, from the heart, prompted by the Spirit of God (see 1 John 4:2). What does it really mean that “Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”? Let’s delve deeper and find out.

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). “The Word” was Jesus Christ before His nativity in Bethlehem. “The Word became flesh” simply means the infinite Son of God became Man. Here’s a key question: What kind of flesh did Jesus become when He fused with humanity? Paul answered with the utmost clarity: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same” (Hebrews 2:14). Don’t miss it. Paul said Jesus took “the same” flesh as “the children” have. “The children” doesn’t apply to Adam and Eve, for they were never babies, but were created directly by God in the Garden of Eden. Rather, “the children” applies to their descendents after sin entered the world, that is, to fallen humanity.

“As the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same” (Hebrews 2:14). Thus the Bible plainly says Jesus Christ Himself “took part” of the same flesh we have. You might ask, “So what? What does this have to do with antichrist?”

First, we must understand what “the flesh” is. “The flesh” is a biblical expression which describes our basic human nature as it has been affected by sin. Paul said, “ For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells….” (Romans 7:18). In other words, the flesh itself is bad. It’s our enemy. It’s like a nasty cesspool that often stinks and seeks to drag us down. “The flesh” is the channel through which satan works to tempt us and lead us into actual sin.

One of the most impenetrable mysteries found in the Bible is the truth that God sent “His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3). It may be hard to fathom, but Jesus Christ “took” upon Himself the very same flesh we have. Why did He do it? So He could relate to us, understand our struggles, experience our temptations, and reach us where we are. In other words, God didn’t simply send us a rope. He entered our world’s slime and mud to get us out of it!

Yet in all of this, there is one monumental truth we must never forget, or we will drift into heresy. Even though Jesus “took” our sinful flesh and shared our humanity, He never committed one sin. He was “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). In spite of His real connection with human flesh, Jesus Himself – in His thoughts, feelings and character – remained “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners” (Hebrews 7:26). This is exactly what the Bible says. By taking our flesh but not participating in its evil, Jesus literally “condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3), which means He met and conquered the very temptations that give us so much trouble.

Not only did Jesus defeat our flesh on our behalf, but He also died for all of our sins wherein we have yielded to temptation (see 1 Corinthians 15:3). Thus He is a perfect and complete Savior! After His total victory over satan, Jesus ascended to Heaven to become our High Priest. Notice the following connection between Christ’s being tempted in the flesh down here and His present ability up there as our High Priest to help us in our struggles.

Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [or confession]. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:14-16).

Fantastic! Jesus Christ is now our High Priest in glory. Because He took our fallen flesh down here and conquered it, we can come directly to Him by faith up there for mercy, grace, and spiritual power. It’s true. Today, at this very moment, we have immediate access to His throne. Christ earnestly solicits our approach. We can “come boldly”!

Hebrews 2:17-18 also firmly connects Jesus Christ’s coming in the flesh with His High Priestly ministry and with His present ability to save us from sin.

Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God…For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:17-18).

Again the truth is established. We need no other mediator. We can be direct. This is all part of our confession.

It’s time to tie this in with antichrist. As we have already seen, it was the teaching of the major Protestant Reformers that the “little horn” (Daniel 7:8), the “beast” (Revelation 13:1), and “the man of sin” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) all apply to papal Rome. So here’s the all-important question. Does the Roman Church genuinely confess “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh”? On the surface it claims to do so, but let’s take a closer look.

One of the official doctrines, or “confessions”, of the Church of Rome is a dogma called The Immaculate Conception. Contrary to what many think, this does not refer to the birth of Jesus as a sinless baby, but rather to the conception of Mary herself inside her own mother’s womb. The dogma teaches that when Mary was conceived, she was miraculously preserved from all original sin. Thus her nature was “immaculate”, or sinless, and therefore fundamentally different from ours. In other words, according to papal teaching, Jesus’ mother did not have exactly the same flesh and nature that we have. Now don’t miss this. What is the implication of this teaching? According to papal Rome’s official statements, when Jesus Christ was born, He took Mary’s supposedly sinless nature, not ours. If you think about it, this is really a denial that “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:3).
Here’s the proof from official, Vatican-approved sources:

This is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses [this is their own word], as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854: The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.

As a consequence, according to the Roman Church, when Jesus Christ was born, He took Mary’s perfect nature, not our fallen one. The famous Cardinal Gibbons said it this way:

In other words, we affirm that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity…by being born of the Virgin, [took] to Himself, from her maternal womb, a human nature of the same substance with hers….a true human nature of the same substance with her own.

This doctrine of The Immaculate Conception with its idea of the entrance of Jesus into Mary’s sinless nature, not ours, really removes Christ “one gigantic step away from mankind.” As a result of this dogma and others, Rome doesn’t teach sinners to “be direct” by going straight to our heavenly Father through His Son Jesus Christ for free forgiveness. Instead, the Vatican encourages poor sinners to come to Jesus through Mary, popes, priests and saints – that is, through the mediation of the Roman Church itself. Even more than this, Rome declares that by virtue of Mary’s Immaculate Conception and supposedly sinless life, she now has a “saving office” in addition to her Son. Through Mary’s “manifold intercession”, she is now our “Advocate, Helper, Benefactress and Mediatrix” who can ”bring us the gifts of eternal salvation” and “deliver our souls from death.”

Thus, in her official teachings, in spite of appearances, the Roman Church really denies “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:3), that is, in “the same” (Hebrews 2:14) fallen flesh the rest of us have. No matter what she may deceptively claim, Rome’s declaration that Mary is now our “Advocate” and “Mediatrix” swerves sinners away from childlike trust in Jesus Christ alone, and thus really “denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22). God’s Word says, “Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world” (1 John 4:3).

According to the Bible, “the spirit of antichrist” was “already” working in John’s own day (church history records a group called Gnostics who denied Jesus Christ’s coming in the flesh in the first century). As history progressed, the same spirit later reared its head through the Immaculate Conception idea. Today, “the spirit of antichrist” continues its subtle efforts through various individuals and organizations around the world to entice humanity away from direct faith in the Savior of sinners.

Personally, I think “the spirit of antichrist” can also work through popular TV shows, flesh-flaunting models, and hip-hop musicians. The same chapter that talks about the spirit of antichrist also says, “They are of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:5-6). Ultimately, any spiritual influence that leads away from Jesus Christ comes from the greatest anti-Christ being of all, lucifer himself.

Now let me ask you personally, is your own flesh dragging you down? Are you struggling with tobacco, alcohol, pornography, appetite, bitterness, an evil temper or pride? If so (and who isn’t struggling with at least one sin?), I have good news for you. Not only did God’s Son pay the full price on the cross for all our sins (see 1 Corinthians 15:3) thus enabling Him to forgive us totally, but “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” (1 John 4:2). Yes, He took our flesh and conquered it! And now, as our High Priest, “He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Because Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, He alone is our Savior, Intercessor and Mediator. He is our High Priest – we need no other. “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus”(1 Timothy 2:5). Our almighty Savior has enough God-power to deliver us from the flesh’s deadly grip, no matter how tightly it holds us. He loves us all, and He now invites Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Democrats, Republicans, alcoholics, prostitutes, drug addicts, and everyone else to be direct and come boldly to His “throne of grace” for undeserved mercy, free forgiveness, and spiritual power to overcome evil.

Even if you feel like Mr. Weakness himself, Jesus Christ is Mr. Strong. His encouraging word is “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Do you trust Him today?
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Very powerful words from Steve. Are you beginning to see just our deceptive our enemy is? On the surface, everything seems fine, but if you dig a little bit deeper you begin to see the truth of what is transpiring. Our enemy has not changed tactics for thousands of years for one simple reason: they work. Think about sin for a moment. Do you think Bernie Ebbers or Ken Lay envisioned a massive accounting fraud that would not only destroy their own lives, but the lives of thousands of their employees? They probably could see a bad financial quarter coming up…and a little voice whispered in their ears that there was a way to fix the problem. Nothing major mind you, you will probably be able to correct it in the next quarter. The problem is, the next quarter is worse and you begin a downward spiral and very soon, you can see no way out other than to continue the deception through to its conclusion. Eventually, you have destroyed your life and the lives of many others. Of course this was the devil’s “scheme” all along. “The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy…..” (John 10:10). “…in order that satan may not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

The same thing happens with infidelity. Someone of the opposite sex begins to show a little interest, becomes a little too friendly and you’re faced with a choice. Make it clear you are happily married and not interested, or begin to listen to the whispers that you’re marriage really isn’t that great right now…..what’s a little lunch with someone….it won’t hurt anyone. You’re never shown the long term consequences of your actions, only the short term pleasure. Marijuana isn’t that bad, I’ll just try a little and stop there………

These deceptive tactics are present in governments across the world. Think that our government’s number one goal is protecting us? Think they have our best interests in mind? Think they are doing everything they can to make our lives better? If you think the answer is yes, you’d be wrong. “It is better to take refuge in the Lord, than to trust in man” (Psalm 118:8). We’ll discuss this in more detail when we discuss the ‘beast out of the earth” of Revelation 13, but rest assured, when the Bible tells us the world is evil, God isn’t saying that America is immune to it. Far from it. The problem in the United States is that we’ve been living the good life for so long, we think we are immune to it….and we’ve allowed our enemy to deceive us. We’re about to be shown that the world is truly evil, and America has had a big part to play in the devil’s schemes. Keep Proverbs 29:25 in mind as we continue: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” Where is fear leading us to today? The answer lies in the Book of Revelation. Read on………