/image%2F7851590%2F20220424%2Fob_4a973e_me-at-hastie-lake-road-beach-2.jpg)
/image%2F6839121%2F20220424%2Fob_8fcf8a_ebey-s-landing-beach-looking-north-oc.jpg "The Antichrist, the Man of Lawlessness, and the Beast from the Sea")
Top posts
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INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH
The “inhabitants of the earth” represent the men and women who are excluded from the “book of life” by their own decisions. The “inhabitants of the earth” are unrelenting in their hostility to Jesus and his servants, even rejoicing in the violent deaths...
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FORTY-TWO MONTHS
The “forty-two months” and “1,260-days” both refer to the same prophetic period when the saints are persecuted. Revelation describes the period when the “saints” endure persecution in three different but equivalent ways – the “forty-two months,” the “1,260-days,”...
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LAWLESS ONE DESTROYED
Jesus will destroy the works of the “Lawless One” and “paralyze” him at his “arrival” in glory – 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12. Jesus will deal with the “lawless one” at his own “arrival.” In describing this, Paul employs language from Daniel’s vision of the...
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DECEIVERS AND FALSE PROPHETS
Jesus warned disciples about coming deceivers and false prophets who will “deceive many” and propagate false information about his return. Jesus began with a sharp warning, beware of deceivers who will use his authority to spread rumors about wars, earthquakes,...
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A MESSAGE FOR EVERY NATION
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God announced by Jesus is a message of life for men and women of every nation and people. After his resurrection, Jesus declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all...
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THE SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST
The Antichrist Spirit works to destroy the church from within, especially through deception propagated by deceivers and false teachers – 1 John 2:18-22. In popular interpretations, the Antichrist is viewed as a political tyrant intent on world domination....
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DISINFORMATION
Disinformation about the “day of the Lord” caused alarm among many in the congregation at Thessalonica – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2. Paul addressed claims that the “ Day of the Lord had set in ," rumors that were disrupting the congregation in Thessalonica,...
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BEAST FROM THE EARTH
The beast from the earth mimics the Lamb. It is the mouthpiece of the Dragon, and the propagandist for the first beast. The “great voice in heaven” pronounced “woe” on the “inhabitants of the earth and of the sea , because the Devil descended to you,...
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THEOLOGY OF HISTORY
The Tower of Babel incident is echoed in the Book of Daniel when the new ruler of “Shinar,” Nebuchadnezzar, gathers all nations to pay homage to the great golden image that he set up in the “Plain of Dura.” His empire was not a new political entity, but...
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FIVE KINGDOMS
The Babylonian king dreamed of a fourfold world power that would be replaced in the "latter days" by the kingdom of God. In interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel described the fourfold structure of the World-Power, the basis of his later vision...
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ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION - CONTEXT
Literary context is vital for the understanding of the “Abomination that Desolates” in the book of Daniel - Daniel 9:27. The climax of the ‘ Seventy Weeks ’ is the appearance of the “ abomination that desolates .” But what is it? In Daniel, the reference...
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THE END
The New Testament moves inescapably from the life and death of Jesus to the last hour when God judges the wicked and vindicates the righteous. What is striking about New Testament passages that describe the final victory of Jesus is that they base this...
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INGATHERING OF GRAPES
The ingathering of the “grapes” represents the “wrath of God” on all men who have taken the "mark of the beast" – Revelation 14:17-20. Next, John sees the ingathering of the “fruit of the vine” that has been pressed in the “wine press of God's wrath.”...
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FINAL GRAIN HARVEST
Two different “harvests” will occur at the end of the age – the reaping of the “grain” and the ingathering of the “fruit of the vine.” In chapter 14, Revelation contrasts the men who follow the “Lamb” with those who render homage to the “beast,” the “inhabitants...
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FALL OF BABYLON
Angels announce judicial sentence on “Babylon” and the “inhabitants of the earth,” but “rest” awaits the faithful followers of Jesus. Next, “another angel” announced the “fall of Babylon.” He was followed by “a third angel” who pronounced the judicial...
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EVERLASTING GOSPEL - FINAL HARVEST
Whether one follows the Lamb or the Beast, one will reap everlasting consequences in the final harvest - Revelation 14:6-7 . The preceding paragraphs presented two very different groups - the “ inhabitants of the earth ” that rendered homage to the “beast,”...
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IDENTITY OF THE LITTLE HORN
The “little horn” represents the malevolent ruler of the Seleucid Empire, Antiochus IV, who waged war against Judea. In the eighth chapter, the “little horn” is the malevolent king from one of the Hellenic kingdoms that originated from the conquests of...
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THE ABYSS
The Abyss is the source of satanic attacks against the people of God, though it remains under the authority of the Lamb – Revelation 11:7 . When first introduced, “smoke” and locust-like creatures ascended from the “Abyss” to torment the “inhabitants...
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BEAST FROM THE ABYSS
The first appearance of the “beast” was at its ascent from the “Abyss,” when it arrived to make “war” on the “two witnesses” – Revelation 11:7 . The “Abyss” appeared first when the “fifth trumpet” sounded, a dark pit from which demonic hordes “ascended,”...
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COUNTERFEIT CHRISTS
Since its founding, Satan has been sending hordes of deceivers and false prophets to destroy the church from within. Popular preaching tends to present the Antichrist as the ultimate global political leader, a tyrant bent on subjugating all nations through...
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HIS REPEATED WARNING
On the Mount of Olives, Jesus reiterated key information that is necessary for his followers to avoid deception by false prophets. Christ’s final block of teaching, his ‘Olivet Discourse,’ was a series of instructions given to the disciples before his...
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FALSE MESSIAH
Will the Antichrist be a global political leader or a religious deceiver especially active within the church? Most often, popular preaching presents the Antichrist as the ultimate global political leader, a tyrant bent on subjugating all nations through...
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UNSEALING THE SCROLL
Daniel was commanded to seal the scroll, but the angel sent by Jesus commanded John NOT to do so since the season was now at hand At the close of his visions, an angel commanded Daniel “to close the words and seal the book until the season of the end.”...
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THE DRAGON'S WAR
In Revelation, the language of “war” is used metaphorically to portray the attacks of the “beast” against the saints. Revelation uses “war” and related terms to illustrate Satan’s attacks against the followers of the “Lamb.” It shows no interest in conventional...
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THE SHORT SEASON
The Devil will be granted a final “short season” during which he will persecute the people of the Lamb - Revelation 12:12. Expelled from heaven, a “great voice” warned that the “Dragon” was enraged, knowing that he had only a “short season” in which to...