Sunday, March 8, 2015

The Origin of the Antichrist

This image is a computer-generated bust of Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the man that the angel Gabriel prophesied to Daniel as the the forerunner or prototype of the coming Antichrist.(Daniel 11)

UPDATE 08 March 2015: Additional research brings me back once again to this topic. In a closer reading  of the details recounted of Daniel's vision (Daniel 8:8-9 NKJV), I believe these two verses lead to a specifying on the national origin of this man of sin, which is contrary to many earlier exegetical works. For example, the exegesis of  Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, or of Chuck Smith, correctly interprets verse 8 to have been Alexander the Great and the break-up of his massive Macedonian-Greek empire into the four successor empires.

 Battle of Pydna 168 BC, Roman conquest of Antigonid Empire

Sidebar:  These four successor Macedonian Greek empires were ruled by dynastic families which descended from Alexander's most senior military commanders, ALL of whom and of which were Macedonian-Greeks from their founding circa 305 BC to their very last day which was marked either by direct annexation and/or a military conquest by the Roman Republic or Roman Empire. In sequence they were: Antigonus in 168 BC at the Battle of Pydna in Greece (see map above); Lysimachus (Pergamum) which was ceded to Rome by its last king Attalus III in 133 BC; Seleucus (Seleucid Empire) when its last king was deposed by the Roman General and Consul Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus (Pompey the Great) in 64 BC, and finally, the Macedonian-Greek Ptolemaic Empire of Egypt whose last ruler was the Macedonian-Greek Queen Cleopatra VII Philopator (yes, that Cleopatra!) in 30 BC.

However, at verse 9 they only assign an interpretation to the Seleucid king Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a long acknowledged fore-runner of the antichrist.  Where I am now differing is an interpretation that verse 9 is two-fold in that it also points directly to the future antichrist as well. 

Let's read Daniel 8:8-9 ...

" 8Therefore the male goat grew very great; but when he became strong, the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones came up toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came a little horn which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the Glorious Land."

Notice in which directions the "little horn" grows exceedingly great: to the south, to the east and toward Israel itself.  Antiochus IV Epiphanes' Seleucid Empire was an eastern empire carved out of Alexander's Empire from the get-go of verse 8. So he did not move militarily to the east as he spent the vast majority of his military efforts going to the west, and to the south (Ptolemaic Egypt) and against Israel caught in-between. 

The coming Antichrist military exploits will be towards the south (Libya, Egypt) and the east (kings of the East) and Israel, as seen in Daniel 11:40-44. How do we know this? By reading the beginning of verse 9 to know that he comes "out of one of them" and noting in which directions of the compass his military power is projected, and which, again are to the south, the north and the east. So from which of the four Alexandrian Empires does he come from? From the westernmost and the first of them to have fallen to Roman conquest, that of Antigonus which is modern day Greece in Europe!

15 February 2015: A quick look at the comments section of this post in December will illustrate that the even before the election of Alexios Tsipras to become the current PM of Greece the politics of that nation were being monitored by Eschatology Today for the interpretive reasons made clear at the end of this blog post. My comment on 26 January noted the likely outcome of a vote of confidence against the former Greek PM and the ascendance of Alexios Tsipras to that position of power. 

This is now a hot topic on many Christian prophecy websites with many speculating on whether or not this man is the awaited Antichrist.  That's a determination that will have to wait until some point in the future to know for certain. However, for the moment, I am intently watching all developments with respect to this man. My most recent observations I shared with Terry James of Rapture Ready this morning; it seems only fair that I share them with you all as well.

To begin with, Alexios Tsipras is a native born Athenian Greek; the son of a Greek father from Epirus (Ionia) and a Greek mother born in Eleftheroupoli.  Mr. Tsipras refused to be sworn in the his post as Greek PM by Greek Orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos, and also decreed that neither would his entire cabinet be sworn in by the the Archbishop; that the Archbishop need not even attend the entirely political ceremony. This is highly unusual in Greece where political oaths of office have virtually always been religious in nature, but perhaps not so much in the case with Alexios Tsipras being a self-professed atheist.

However, that being said, there is very good reason to watch what happens in the moths ahead. Straight up, I find this Greek's appearance on the world stage just prior to Israel's 70th year as a reborn nation extraordinary as a matter of timing. In 2014 as a candidate of the EU Commission Presidency he made a declaration that he could lead the economically broken EU back to economic prosperity in less than 10 years.

Most importantly I think is the fact that he took the office of Greek Prime Minister with these words: "I declare in my name, honor and conscience to uphold the Constitution and its laws."  John 5:43 records what Jesus said to the Jews about the future Antichrist: "I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive."

Without question the Greek Prime Minister is now the most prominent atheist on the Earth. Alexios Tsipras plus everything he does in his own name will be watched closely in the coming months.

3 December 2014: It had been suggested to me by some very astute fellow eschatologists that within the text of 2 Thessalonians 2:3 discussed below...
"When looking at the Greek which follows 'Let no man deceive you by any means'  the next words in the sentence are...

"ὅτι ἐὰν μή ἔρχομαι ἀποστασία πρῶτον καί ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτία ἀποκαλύπτω υἱός ἀπώλεια"
"because unless to come apostasy first and a human being sinful revealed, the son (of) destruction.""
... I've taken and applied the wrong meaning for the Greek word apostasia (apostasy). They are saying the meaning is not the literal, plain text apostasy, but an alternative meaning of departure.  As Dr. Thomas Ice and others will explain the meaning, "Thus, this passage would be saying that the Day of the Lord will not come until the rapture comes before it."  Well, yes, of course that's what Paul is saying  in the context of the entire chapter of 2 Thessalonians 2. But I am not dissuaded from believing that the meaning of the word apostasia is literal and it really means apostasy.

This is where I make a distinction on the meaning of this word. The apostasy is not from the faith of salvation in Christ Jesus that a believing Christian holds, but the kind of apostasy in which a grand departure from God is the point that Paul had made in this prophetic text.

This meaning is obvious to all who survey the world and see that an apostasy, a departure, from the one true God to a false god such as the al-Lah has been occurring globally and in real-time. But this literal meaning of apostasia is even more egregious in a nation such as ours where the claim can be truthfully made that it was founded upon Christian principles. Not only is this country departing from its Christian roots, it is departing from God the Father.

The other day I learned of a very young girl who was a participant in a Disney theme park production where she had to express her feeling about those things most important to her in her young life. Several times Disney rejected her heart-felt offering and through several edits of the text with her mother they simply could net get her offering of what was important in her own life accepted by the corporate entertainment and mass media giant that is The Walt Disney Company.

The reason for the continued rejections, as the mother and daughter finally discovered, was the fact that this young lady had centered her piece on a belief in God as being the singular reason why everything there is exists, in her life and the world and universe at-large. Without God, nothing else would be as it is in other words. Disney was literally rejecting this young girl's work simply because the word God appeared in the text. The Walt Disney Company rejects God. Not the small-g god, but the real big-G God. This is apostasy, literal and in our face, if we choose to see it. Period.

Of course most of us know this is nothing new, Disney has been rejecting God for a long time now and a previous campaign among Christians in highlighting this fact has over time fallen by the wayside, so much so that this little girl and her mother were unaware of it as millions of other Christians are likely unaware of it today.

So, I'm saying that a very real apostasy from God, as Paul was explaining to the Thessalonians as being a sign pointing towards the occurrence of the Harpazo exists and it is here today. Now that leaves just one other revealing thing for us to consider doesn't it. Indeed it does in my humble opinion.


24 November 2014:  Why it is that the Word of God contains so much detailed information about the coming Antichrist if the Bride of Christ is to be Harpazoed prior to his arrival on the world scene? As one who has diligently studied all things eschatological this makes no sense to me. The Saints which come to be born-again during the 70th Week will have no problem knowing who he is, so I have come to the point of realizing this detailed information does not appear to be part of the Lord's word for their benefit. So, who is it for? I have come to hold the view that these details are included in the Word of God for the Bride of Christ to recognize him prior to the start of the 70th Week.

Now before there's an uproar, I have heard hear all of you in advance because I have posed the obvious objections and debate talking points to myself first and also to other eschatologists. So I am sure at this point some are saying that recognizing Antichrist would tantamount to a sign that the Harpazo was imminent and the Harpazo is a signless event more correctly tied to an unknowable number of "the fullness of gentiles has come in" according to Paul in Romans 11:25.

However, is the Harpazo truly a signless event?  In  Paul's second letter to the Bride of Christ in Thessalonica (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12) he explains to them that they should not be fearing that they have been 'left behind' because they are suffering such great persecution as has been prophetically taught to them. Paul instructs them that "the great and awesome day of the Lord" will not come to pass unless to things happen first: a great apostasy and the revealing of the Antichrist. These are definitively a pair of signs in the 'last days' that must occur prior to the Harpazo which itself is prior to the start of the 70th Week.

Let's go straight to the text of 2 Thessalonians 2:3. When looking at the Greek which follows 'Let no man deceive you by any means'  the next words in the sentence are...

"ὅτι ἐὰν μή ἔρχομαι ἀποστασία πρῶτον καί ἄνθρωπος ἁμαρτία ἀποκαλύπτω υἱός ἀπώλεια"
"because unless to come apostasy first and a human being sinful revealed, the son (of) destruction."

The text then goes on to specifics about the Antichrist which were first revealed in great detail in the angel Gabriel's narrative to Daniel (Dan. 11:36-39) on this subject.

The key point I'm at here is that the phrase "the day" or "that day" is implied in most translations of this specific sentence. Those two words are literally not there. The focus is the context of what Paul is responding to the Thessalonian church about is the fear they have been left behind from the Harpazo.

Based upon the literal plain text I interpret Paul to be saying that it is not possible for anyone to have missed the Harpazo unless apostasy and the antichrist revealed come first.

Here's where I take Paul's teaching and apply it to our current reality.

It seems to me, looking forward, that a covenant/treaty for seven years would be in a negotiating stage for some time, months perhaps, prior to it being confirmed, or placed into effect. The confirmation of the treaty commences the 70th Week.

This is not unlike the covenant/treaty between the EU/E3+3 (P5+1) and Iran begin negotiated at the present time. 

This specific kind of negotiation between a Westerner of the attributes we know in detail that the 'son of destruction' will possess would absolutely reveal him to the Bride of Christ in this 'last days' season. This time frame would be smack dab on the dispensational transition from the Church age to 70th Week, but the actual revealing of Antichrist to the Bride of Christ would occur prior to the 70th Week. And the Bride of Christ would likely be all but climbing out of our skin in effervescent anticipation in witness thereof.


19 February 2011: I believe this update contains the correct association both Old and New Testament Scriptures which are sufficient to end once and for all the debate over whether the coming Antichrist will be European or Islamic.

According to Daniel 2 a night vision from God was given to Daniel to interpret Nebuchaddnezzar's dream about a great image which stood before him. It was the image of a statue of excellent splendor and awesome in its form. The image was a symbolic representation of the course and sequence of world empires begining with Nebuchadnezzar's own Babylonian Empire and on well into the future. The subsequent or second world empire what that of the Persians, which was followed in turn by the third world empire, that of Alexander the Great and his Macedonian-Greek Empire which completely eclipsed the first two. The four remant empires of Alexander's were eventally and completely absorbed and taken over a couple of hundred years later by the ultimate fourth world Empire, the Roman Empire which was detailed in Scripture as follows (Daniel 2:40-43):
"And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay."
And that is the end of the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream which God Himself gave to Daniel. That's all there is folks, nothing follows, the dream was certain, it came from God, and the interpretation was certain, it came from God also. God declared for all time through this ancient dream that there would be four world empires, and only four world empires. Yet, as we shall see, there were details to be added to this information that would come from the angel Gabriel to Daniel.

According to Daniel 10 a fallen angel had fought with and delayed Gabriel for 21 days while he was enroute to deliver this message. And we are told that he was assisted by the Archangel Michael in defeating that fallen angel. The fallen angels name is not given -- as if it were unimportant to any prophetic future events. However, we are informed that after delivering his message to Daniel the angel Gabriel would return to re-engage the angel of Persia, once again assisted by the angel of Israel, Michael the Archangel, and that the angel of Persia would be followed by another (fallen) angel, the angel of a western conquering empire. This is the third empire from Nebuchadnezzar's dream, the angel of the Empire of Grecia. Here's where it gets very interesting relative to the near prophetic future.

This "angel of Grecia" supernaturally empowered Alexander's Empire up and through to the Seleucid Empire and Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who is discussed in detail in the original article below. The key point is that the name of this fallen angel of Grecia known through the Revelation of Jesus Christ, as recorded in Chapter 9 verse 11 and Revelation 17 verse 8.
"And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon." (Revelation 9:11 NKJV)

"The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is."
(Revelation 17:8)
This fallen angel's name doing the bidding of Satan is Abaddon/Apollyon. He is the one who fulfills "The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition." That fallen angel was and will yet be again a prince of Grecia... not Persia. A Western empire, not a Persian, Arab or Islamic Empire.

09 July 2008: The Beast. The anti or in-lieu-of false messianic man of ancient Bible prophecy is the long-anticipated 'end times' character in both Old Testament and New Testament texts. He has always been an enigma, a man of mystery, prophesied to be of fierce countenance, a master of deceit and deception, of such unearthly evil power and charisma that by his mere presence all of mankind will be subdued and submit to his will.

The beast will be a man who ultimately will be wholly possessed by a demonic spirit ascended out of the abyss and identified by the name of Abaddon in Hebrew and Apollyon in the Greek; a man of mind bending unconscionable evil destined to stand as Satan incarnate during Daniel's 70th Week. He is a man whose name John revealed in the Revelation of Jesus Christ, chapter 13 verse 18, would count to or calculate to the Greek alphabetical-numerical equivalent of χξϚ (chi-xi-stigma) or six-hundred, three-score and six. 666.

Antiochus was the eighth in an unbroken direct line of descent of Greek Seleucid kings whose empire was the largest of those inherited in the division of Alexander the Great's Greek Empire into four lesser empires. Antiochus IV Epiphanes was an usurper who ruled the Greek Seleucid empire between 175 and 164 BC when he suddenly died of a disease. Antiochus had abandoned his born-name, Mithradates, and gave himself the name Epiphanes, which means 'god manifest" because he believed he was the living incarnation of Jupiter, the Romanized name of the principal pagan Greek god Zeus. On 15 Kislev 167 BC (6 December) Antiochus originally performed the to-be-repeated act of standing up an image of himself in the Jewish Temple known as the Abomination of Desolation. Antiochus also splashed pigs blood on the altar, sold Jews into slavery, destroyed every scroll of Jewish Scripture he could locate, forbade the daily sacrifice and the Jewish rite of circumcision under pain of death.

With all of these prophetic Biblical references to the Greek, the number of the coming Antichrist name equating to a Greek alphabet gematria, and the detail to which the prophet Daniel spoke concerning Greece, that he would come from the people who would destroy the city and the sanctuary (In 70 AD the Roman 5th Legion - Legio V Macedonica - was one of the principal legions involved in that military action) I became convinced that Daniel has further prophetically identified the national origin of this coming Antichrist. Indeed, Daniel 8 provides us with this specific identifier.

Daniel 8:21 (NKJV)
And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king.

Daniel 8:21 (YLT)
"And the young he-goat, the hairy one, the king of Javan; and the great horn that [is] between its eyes is the first king."

Greece was known in ancient times as Javan. Javan was the son of Japheth, and a grandson of Noah. Javan and his offspring, Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim, settled in the West, in Europe. So here we have in this verse from Daniel an identifier of Alexander the Great as the symbolic male goat which conquers the Persian Empire. Daniel then continues in verse 22 with his Divinely inerrant prophetic description of how Alexander's Greek Empire would be divided into four kingdoms that would not have the same power as Alexander's.

Then we have in verse 23 a time-warp to the distant future yet which remains anchored to Alexander's Empire, as "that nation," and to the 4 kingdoms which would rise from it, all four referred to as being the same. A prophetic "worm-hole," if you will. This time warp takes us directly to Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and also thousands of years into the future to the man he is the specific model for, the Antichrist:

23 And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.

Daniel continues with his description of both Antiochus IV Epiphanes and the coming Antichrist:

24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.
25 “ Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.
26 “ And the vision of the evenings and mornings
Which was told is true;
Therefore seal up the vision,
For it refers to many days in the future.

It is my absolute conviction that Daniel's prophecy informs us in no uncertain terms that the coming Antichist will specifically arise from a Greek ancestry, that he will be a direct descendant of Javan via one of his sons whose progeny populate Europe and most of the nations of the West.

49 comments:

  1. Fascinating study, Sean! I think you're onto something there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nathan,

    Thank you for your response, and I certainly agree.

    This article was focused on Daniel 8. Even more detail is contained within Daniel 11.

    This is not really a new insight per se, except that very few if any prophecy or "Bible" comentators reference the original name of Greece as Javan, nor do they reference the sons of Javan, particualrly Tarshish and Kittim, with respect to 'last days' eschatological studies.

    As far as I am concerned, this article is plain text Bible prophecy. The identification of "Javan" as Greece is nothing new to most observant dispensationalist writers and thinkers.

    To me, the connection is as blatant as the day is long, and I am honored to be its author to the glory of our Messiah. I am totally disinterested in the "politcally" or "religiously" incorrect rubbish.

    I calls 'em as I sees 'em.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Excellent article full of good biblical insights.

    Dave Reagan
    Lamb & Lion Ministries

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dr. Reagan,

    Thank you very much. I know you are partial to the "Greek" aspect per Daniel of this coming man of sin. I believe Daniel's prophecy is being unsealed for this generation, prior to the Harpazo, and even greater insights lie ahead for those of us who prayerfully seek them with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've always wondered if the AC would come out of a Greek line. I don't see it unreasonable to suggest that this guy might suggest that he comes from Alexander's lineage.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've been looking a little more closely at Alexander the Great since he was so specifically referenced in detail within Daniel's prophecy. Below the link to the map of Alexander's Empire are a few items I have found which I was totally unaware of concerning him.

    Map of Alexanders Empire

    Most secular historical records indicate that King Philip of Macedon was Alexander's father, and that Alexander was born in Pella, Macedonia in 356 BC.

    Alexander at an early age decised to emulate himself after the ancient Greek hero Achilles, and was encouraged to do this by his personal tutor, Aristotle. Alexander's mother, Olympias, also strongly encouraged this emulation of Achilles.

    It appears that Olympias went even further in her scheming ambition for Alexander, eventually informing the young Alexander that he was a direct descendent of Achilles, on her side of his ancestry. Later on Olympias added to her story and informed Alexander that Philip was not his real father, that she had "consorted with the gods" - that Zeus was Alexander's true father.

    Alexander was the son of Zeus, the Greek's supreme deity of all the other false gods in antiquity???

    Recall here that it was a statue of Zeus who Antiochus IV Epiphanes placed in the 2nd Temple in the precursor to the coming Abomination of Desolation.

    So, I believe we have heard of this before, in the Genesis 6 (YLT) story of "the fallen ones", the fallen angels, who were on the earth in those days, "and even afterwards," and who took which ever human women they chose and fathered a race of "heros," the Nephilim.

    One secular website devoted to Alexander wrote of this, with an added twist I think you will get immediately (bold for emphasis):

    " Olympias had told her son that he was a direct descendent of Achilles, on her side. Later she revealed to him something even more dramatic about his lineage. Philip was not his real father. Zeus was his father.

    Zeus, the king of the Greek gods, had come to Olympias in the form of a snake.

    As a matter of fact, Philip did acknowledge that his wife would sometimes sleep with snakes in their bed. This may have been part of the reason for their estrangement. Around 336 B.C. Philip effectively "divorced" Olympias and fathered children without her. This was about the same time that Philip was assassinated and Alexander inherited his throne.

    In 331 B.C., the Egyptian oracle at Siwa confirmed that Alexander was the son of the Zeus. Actually, the oracle confirmed that he was the son of Ammon, but Ammon is the Egyptian equivalent of Zeus in nearly as clear a way as Jupiter is his Roman equivalent.
    "

    Ancient Greek mythology holds that the king of all the false gods came to Olympias in the form of a snake (a serpent) to father Alexander the Great.

    Entirely too wierd.

    Or is it?

    ReplyDelete
  7. hartdawg wrote on October 16, 2009 4:44 PM:

    "hey, sean, i have a question/opinion: i was reading the post from a few days ago debunking a muslem anti-christ (good job by the way) after Gog/Magog does europe take over the devastate region thus completing the ancient Roman Empire and does it seem likely Europe in order to stabelize the region set up 5 kings for eastern leg in that region, and 5 kings in the western leg(europe) for a total of 10 kings? (5east 5west)
    and AFTER those 10 kings are set up an eleventh the EUROPEAN anti-christ arises. are my facts accurate?
    "

    ReplyDelete
  8. hartdawg,

    We have to reference Daniel for the best answer to your questions.

    First let's look at thw orld during the time of the Antichrist's appearance on the world scene.

    Isaiah 17 (the nuclear destruction of Damascus, Syria) has occured.

    The final phase of the "inner ring" Arab-Israel conflict has also occured. Israel is geographically much larger, possibly five or six times than currently on the map. Israel has become a regional if not global super power, both militarily and economically (natural gas, and crude oil). The only apparent short coming of the "Greater Israel" that I am able to discern is a lack of a population befitting the massive increase in its new geographical size (most of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, western Saudi Arabia and the nortern part of Sinia to Wadi al-Arish). Perhaps Jews from around the world will at this time fully flood back into Eretz Israel, perhaps the Arab's forsake "allah" in favor of the true God of Israel. The construction of a Temple on Mount Moriah is a strong hint that this maight become the fact of the matter.

    The attempt of the the Gog/Magog alliance to invade and take these lands and vast riches away from Greater Israel has occured. By direct intervention God has all but destroyed the invading armies and the nations from whence they came are devatasted with fire and brimstone.

    The Middle East and much of Eurasia be unrecognizable by todays current paradigm. Sudan and Libya are toast. Turkey, Iran, Russia and all of its client states in the Caucasus and Central Asia are toast.

    The world has just experienced limited nuclear warfare. The world will do anything to prevent that scenario from occurring again.

    Most importantly... the Harpazo of the Bride of Christ has occured. Aside from the "Two Witnesses" the 144,000 of Israel and the Tribulation Saints are the only remaining representative of God's coming Kingdom on Earth. Daniel's 70th Week has arrived.

    Earth is ready for the rise of the Antichrist and the False Prophet.

    Europe (Revived Rome) and its "young lions" of the Western Hemisphere, Israel, the Kings of the East, and perhaps a sub-saharan African Confederation are the only bases of human power on Earth.

    Satan, and the horde from the abyss clearly usurp and take full advantage of the power in the EU and the West.

    ReplyDelete
  9. hartdawg,

    Now let's look at the Book of Daniel (all cited vereses are NKJV) to see what happens next.

    In Daniel 7 we get a prophetic Biblical histroy lesson in verse 1 thru 5. In verses 6 and 7 (emphasis added) it is the "fourth beast" which addresses the core of your question.

    “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns."

    The bold text is the key in this verse - this world empire beast is much different from all the beasts that had come upon the world before it. Different from Babylon (lion with eagles wings), Persia (the bear), and Greece (leopard). The fourth beast empire is Rome.

    Moreover the word translated as different is the Hebrew/Aramaic word shĕna' meaning to be changed, to be altered, to be diverse. This is an exact defining of the "iron and clay" mixture of the two legs and ten toes in Daniel's interpreted statue vision. This prophetic passage very clearly illustratess the diverse nations of the Roman Empire. This prophetic passage comprehensively puts the lie and death knell to the Eastern Leg and Islamic Antichrist nonsense of some unitary Islamic world empire controlling the whole world under the Antichrist. As we discussed above, Islam in the core "inner ring" nations around Lesser Israel, and those who were aligned in Gog Confederation do not exist as they had previously. They are defeated, destroyed and the basis of Islam, the false god "allah" has been proven to be a false god, an ancient Mohammedian apparation, and demonic decpetion which masqueraded as the angelic messenger Gabriel.

    Daniel 7 verse 8 shows us the rise of the Antichrist, (the liitle horn) arising from among the ten horns and replacing three of those tens horns.

    "I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words."

    The beast empire clearly exists as a political entity made up of 10 horns (kingdoms or nations) prior to the rise of Antichrist. Again, the beast empire has ten horns, not 5 plus 5, but a total of 10 horns. I take this to mean that not only will Antichrist be a direct descendant of Javan, and of Hellenic origin as was Antiochus IV Epiphanes, but he will rise to absolute power as the leader of not one EU nation, but of THREE EU NATIONS.

    ReplyDelete
  10. O.K. that makes sense. i wonder what nations itll be, only time will tell. thanks for the clarification.

    ReplyDelete
  11. hartdawg,

    I'm of the conviction that we don't necessarily need time to be able to determine which countries.

    The angel Gabriel came and informed Daniel directly of the answer (See Daniel 9:24-27):

    " Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city:

    To finish the transgression,
    To make an end of sins,
    To make reconciliation for iniquity,
    To bring in everlasting righteousness,
    To seal up vision and prophecy,
    And to anoint the Most Holy.

    Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall,
    even in troublesome times.

    And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.

    The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined. Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
    even until the consummation, which is determined, is poured out on the desolate.”
    "

    Many, many great eschatologists have discussed the emphasized points above.

    As I noted earlier, Daniel also noted he will be a descendant of Javan. His forrunner was a Macedonian Greek - a descendant of Javan, and here comes the clincher - what people specifically destroyed Jerusalem (the city) and the sanctuary (the Temple) on 9 Av 3830 in the Jewish calendar and 26 July 70 AD in ours?

    Legio V Macedonica from the Balkan area of Europe and Macedonia.

    Legio XV Apollinaris from the Roman military garrison town of Carnumtum, Pannonia (present day Austria).

    Legio X Fretensis from Italy Sicily (Straits of Messina). This legion in particular was camped on the Mount of Olives and entered the city and the Temple through the eastern gate directly in front of the Mount of Olives. See Legion Ten Fretensis Fulfills Bible Prophecy

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sean,
    Thanks as always for your Spirit filled insights. You are truly blessed! My question has to do with, "THEY will mingle with the seed of men". Who do you believe "THEY" will be? Fallen angels or ???

    ReplyDelete
  13. Sean

    NICE ONE!

    Now you have explained it, it's obvious to me now.

    This is just an idle thought, but at the coming Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the only 'toffs' invited to the wedding supper are the crown heads of Europe, Arab and Asians.

    Among them they say 'Greece will be represented'. (Prince Philip is Greek) No I am not suggesting he or one of his British heirs are 'him'; but I think it may be of interest to see exactly who is going to represent Greece at this family bash?

    Sue

    ReplyDelete
  14. skullee,

    I know that some Bible eschatologists and other commentators have applied Daniel 2:43 to the context of Luke 17:26.

    In this particular case I don't apply a "Nephilim" context to Daniel 2:43 because it is out of context for the whole of the interpretive night vision that God gave to Daniel regarding Nebuchaddnezzar's world empires image.

    I apply the plain meaning of "they" as the mixing of the seed of men to the mixing of both the Greek and Roman people's DNA with that of the nations which they conquered and in large measure assimilated, particularly the Hellenic (Greek) culture. But West and East did not adhere to one another and the splitting of the Roman Empire into the Western (Latii) Latin-speaking half and the completely Hellenized, Eastern Greek-speaking half occured.

    They will be re-joined shortly, but only as much as miry clay and iron can be joined.

    In the context of the fulfillment of Daniel 9:26 there really is no territorial difference between the Roman Empire at the time of the seige, destruction and ruination of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD and the Byzantine Empire under Justinian circa 550 AD. The key point is the literal fulfillment of Daniel 9:26 in 70 AD and the people represented by the leaders and citizen soldiers of the Legions which destroyed the city and the sanctuary.

    There is a decieving demonic presence in the world today. I do believe the mixed human-fallen angelic Nephilim are around, but their presence will not fully manifest until after the Harpazo, and the removal of the Restrainer, specifically when the God-serving angel sets Abaddon/Apollyon free upon the earth from the abyss with his demonic hordes at the mid-point of Daniel's 70th Week.

    I hope this helps.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Sean,
    You knew exactly what I was getting at! Thank you, this does help.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hellenic Paganism (the worship of the Greek Gods) is making a huge comeback in modern Greece, and has now been recognised by the Greek Government. (see www.ysee.gr for the main Pagan group in greece.)

    Could it be that someone who worships the Greek gods will be the AC, just like Antiochus? In religious terms, a Hellenist is not necessarily of Greek blood, but certainly worships a Greek god.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I don't think that the harpazo is a sign less event, nor will it come like "a thief in the night" for believers.

    ReplyDelete
  18. That said, if the bride of Christ can know the identity then who is the restrainer? I'd say it's god's timing that's restraining him

    ReplyDelete
  19. hartdawg,

    I agree with your point, the Bride of Christ is like the ancient Hebrew bride -- fully expecting to hear the shout announcing the coming of the groom to carry her away to the place he had prepared for her in advance in his father's house.

    I also agree that God is the restrainer. I know of 12 specific purposes the Bible tells about the ministry and purposes to which the Holy Spirit specifically tends to throughout history as we know it, and restrainer is not among them.

    Restraining Satan is the work of God because God is sovereign over all of His creation, of which Satan is a part, a created being.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Sean,

    You are correct to see the word apostasy in the traditional sense. The idea that this word is speaking of the rapture is dividing the camp of pre-tribbers. If one looks at any dictionary of Greek New Testament terms, they all affirm that by the 1st century this word meant apostasy. It could be from the military, or a religious group etc. but the idea that it simply means departure and could be referring to the rapture is not true.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I firmly believe in the pre 70th week harpazo, but we don't need to change words or meanings to prove our point. Their is plenty of evidence. To say apostasy in 2 thessalonians means departure in the rapture is changing the meaning. I heard that interpretation for years but it just never sat right with me

    ReplyDelete
  22. It's not the traditional meaning that I opt for, but the plain text.

    And I really don't care what word sleuthing exercises others might like to engage in.

    I also deny that such things divide in any manner whatsoever the holders of a pre-70th Week Dispensationalist point of view.

    Strong's, Vine's, Thayer's and Smith's, and the TDNT entry (1:513, 88) for apostasia all concur; none of them render the word to mean "departure." This is why I say applying the meaning of "departure" to invoke the meaning of Harpazo (a forceful catching away) to this word amounts to inappropriate word sleuthing.

    ReplyDelete
  23. "..Now that leaves just one other revealing thing for us to consider doesn't it. "

    There are many anti-christ's in the world but I am not sure how to recognize him since he doesn't become possesed by satan 'til midway thru the 70th week of Daniel. Any idea???

    ReplyDelete
  24. Sean,
    So the "departure" are of those who were associated with Christianity but not true believers. We are certainly seeing that today.
    With all that is going on, I'm getting the excitement you get when your about to go on vacation and those last few days and hours of work are tough to get through.

     1Jo 2:18

    Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

     1Jo 2:19

    They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  25. jmoll106,

    Yes, I have a very good idea on how he could be recognized IF the Lord should tarry a little while longer. I'll try to explain how this recognizing could happen.

    The coming pre-70th Week wars, particularly Isaiah 17, but also Ezekiel 38/39, will witness the use of WMD weaponry (nuclear, chemical, biological warfare) to one degree or another.

    That would mean the immediate post-war months will almost certainly and immediately involve a negotiation effort to see that WMD warfare does not occur further.

    That effort would result in a "covenant among many."

    However, a "covenant among many" doesn't just happen, it would of necessity be negotiated over a period of time (just as the West is negotiating with Iran over their WMD) and the result of that negotiating would be a treaty (a covenant)of some sort.

    Antichrist will confirm this treaty among many nations, including Israel, but I also believe he will also be a leading figure in the negotiations that will have to occur.

    Add in the other known details about this man (according to the angel Gabriel in the Book of Daniel) and I think anyone watching will be able to recognize him well prior to the confirming of the treaty - an event which is the literal start of the 70th Week.

    The West has invested many years in the ongoing Iranian negotiations - so this is how I think it will be with anti-WMD negotiations prior to the start of the 70th Week.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thanks Sean,

    In one respect, the fulfillment of God's word given by Gabriel to Daniel seems sweet as honey, but bitter to the stomach with all the death and destruction.

    ReplyDelete
  27. "Thus, this passage would be saying that the Day of the Lord will not come until the rapture comes before it."

    Sean:
    I have thru that last few year in study of 1 and 2 Thess thought and understood the same. My humble opinion is one must be illuminated by the spirit to fully understand these texts.
    Keep up the great work.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Thank you Kenny. The Spirit has been working me hard of late. Every time I think I may have learned something new, He confirms it by showing me another confirming passage of Scripture to hammer the point home. More often than not I have been awakened lately between 1 and 4 AM to learn the something new. Marana'tha!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Sean I just read in the WSJ that Greece is holding an accelerated election for a new President on Dec. 17th. Interesting.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I'm watching that also, even though the Greek Presidency is a largely ceremonial post. The Greek PM, like the Israeli PM, is the post with the most political power and the one that counts as the true head of state.

    The current Greek PM is Antonis Samaras [pron: an'donis sama'ras] and he leads a center-right coalition government. He is the leader of New Democracy of Greece. It is basically his political decision to accelerate the selection of a new president. If the Greek Parliament does so as required by the Constitution, then that will be a vote of confidence in his leadership and hold on political power in Greece.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh, did not know that; THX Sean.

    ReplyDelete
  32. With the Greek election elevating the young (40 years old) radical leftist (Communist Party of Greece) Alexis Tsipras to become Prime Minister of Greece as the leader of the SYRIZA party, it is time for me to take note of this development and keep an eye on this guy from this point forward.

    The most interesting factoid on him is the most chilling: In December 2013 he was the first candidate proposed for the position of President of the Commission of the European Union. Wow.

    Not saying anything ...just sayin... Wow.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Sean,
    The Factoid is a jaw dropper and 2013 for the President of the Commission of the European Union. Forty years old and nominated for such a high office and in Europe, no less.
    Seems to me at that time there was a lot of talk about the appointment of Tony Blair to lead and become the permanent president of the EU and then he got into some sort of negative fall-d-ral and then a man who was actually carrying on most of the EU's heavy work. Why was this guy so well hidden from view.

    Anyway, it is sure a startling revelation for today's news and nary a peep out of the supposed news media. But all of these little dark hallways are actually hiding the next crown prince of evil and how do we know this? Because Daniel was told when the generation that sees these prophetic signs coming into play, ALL OF THEM, that is the time to know that all the prophecies are in the process of fulfillment.

    Even so, Come Lord Jesus, Quickly!

    GG5/Shalom

    ReplyDelete
  34. Question as it relates to these developments, in 2 thessalonians 2:1-3 which rendering is correct? The "day of Christ" in the KJV and NKJV, or the "day of the Lord " in all the modern versions?

    ReplyDelete
  35. Even France's far right has applauded Syriza's victory.
    Tsipras is very popular but he is having tough time with Germany's Merkel.
    Syriza are typical anti zionist leftists but they are looking to maintain military cooperation with Israel (to counter Turkey and their Northern Cyprus puppets) who want stakes of the natural gas fields recently discovered in the Mediterranean Sea.

    It seems like Ez 38/39 is right around the corner.
    ---
    Greece plans military exercises with Israel, Egypt

    Greek defense minister says closer ties with Israel crucial for regional security

    http://www.timesofisrael.com/greece-plans-military-exercises-with-israel-egypt/

    ReplyDelete
  36. Alexios Tsipras will need to keep Israel on his side because as the anti-christ he needs the Jewish support for the signed treaty and the building of the 3rd temple!

    We live in interesting times.

    ReplyDelete
  37. It is an established fact that the Greek military under PM Tsipras will exercise with the military forces of both Israel and Egypt for the sake of Eastern Mediterranean security.

    ReplyDelete
  38. I'm still going to be watching this new prime minister of Greece

    ReplyDelete
  39. Check out Alexis Tsipras birthday, he was born on the 9th of Av the most notorious date in Jewish History, (historically both the 1st and 2nd Temple were destroyed on this date). This of course proves nothing but I find that a little telling.

    I remember the first time I seen this man on Television, at the moment I looked at the screen the numbers 666 flashed past (as part of the BBC news bar at the bottom) of the screen. Then I typed his name into google and there are these speculations that he is the coming AC. Strange.

    ReplyDelete
  40. See Global SITREP A12-15, the comments section dated 19/20 February 2015.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Actually verse 9 is Seleucus I, the Little Horn is the entire Seleucid Dynasty. There were actually more then 4 Kingdoms.

    ReplyDelete
  42. According to the Daniel 8:8 and 8:22 prophecy of Gabriel, the end result of the division of Alexander's Empire was expressly into four kingdoms. The Bible does not lie or make misstatements (that is, any errors are clearly due to human interpretive origination).

    Those four kingdoms:

    Macedon/Greece under Cassander
    Egyptian/Ptolemaic under Ptolemy I Soter
    Thrace/Asia Minor under Lysimachus
    Seleucia under Seleucus I Nicator

    The little horn is Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and this is determined by what is stated in verses 11 and 12. Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the precursor of Antichrist, fulfilled these prophetic actions in the month of Kislev 168 BC following his retreat from the Roman Empire in what was at that time their client state of Ptolemaic Egypt.

    The truly important thing prophetically in the future is found in Daniel 8:23 which identifies the Antichrist as arising in the latter time of "their kingdom" (meaning all four Macedonian-Greek ruled kingdoms, or Hellenic Greece in particular).

    ReplyDelete
  43. Isaiah says he is an Assyrian. The Anti-Christ comes to power via the Fourth Beast in the Last Days. Zechariah 12:10 says Israel will be shown that their Messiah is Jesus Christ in the last days, and Revelation chapter 12 says Israel (Woman) will be protected by God in the Wilderness 1260 days. {It doesn't add up that the AC is a Jew ruling from Jerusalem as many suggest.) It adds up that he is a European ruler, born in Greece, with Assyrian (Turkish) parents (Next Door).

    This is established fairly easily, though God only revealed it to me lately, Daniel did say it would be bound up until the end. The Anti-Christ in Daniel 7 and 8 is shown, if read properly, to arise out of Two Kingdoms at once, how can this be ?

    Here goes, Daniel ch. 7, we understand this to be about the four beast systems, the Fourth Beast is where the Little Horn/A.C. will arise out of, most everyone understands the Fourth Beast to have been Rome, but in the Last Days/End Times this has to be the European Union.

    Now Daniel ch. 8, was about the He Goat (Alexander the Great) conquering Persia ( The Ram ) and Gabriel interpreted this dream for Daniel.

    Daniel 8:19 And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the LAST END of INDIGNATION: for at the time appointed the END SHALL BE.

    {{ We should note, this is speaking of the END TIME, it is not speaking of Antiochus who came before Jesus was even born. The word Indignation means: ( Greek Word za'am meaning Gods Fury at Sin) so at the Last End of Indignation means right before Gods Judgment of Sin/Vials or Bowls of Gods Wrath (Revelation).}}

    20 The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 21 And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. 22 Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. {{{ The Four Generals that stood up in Alexanders stead were Ptolemy , Seleucus , Cassander and Lysimachus. }}}

    23 And in the LATTER TIME of THEIR KINGDOM, when the TRANSGRESSORS are COME to the FULL, a King of FIERCE COUNTENANCE, and understanding Dark Sentences, shall stand up.

    {{ This is clearly speaking about the End Times/Last Days when the Sins have COME FULL/ Bowls of Gods Wrath, a Fierce King shall arise out of one of the Four Kingdoms that stood up in Alexander the Greats Stead, speaking Dark Sentences ( understanding Riddles and conundrums) and he comes to power. }}

    24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his Own Power: (Satan Possesses him) and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall MAGNIFY HIMSELF in his HEART, (He claims to Be God) and by peace shall destroy many:( Through a Peace Treaty he deceives many) he shall also stand up against the Prince(Jesus) of princes; but he shall be broken without hand.

    {{ Jesus destroys the Anti-Christ/Armies without hand ( with the Sword of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) by the countenance of his coming, Amen. This guy magnifies himself and says in the Temple of God, I AM GOD !! }}

    ReplyDelete
  44. Now, a little long winded there so to speak, but so my people say this is about Antiochus, so I always have to show/prove that this is about the End Times, when Gods Wrath is Come Full. This is about the Little Horn/Anti-Christ. And he ARISES out of THEIR KINGDOM in the LAST DAYS so he arises out of one of the Four Generals Kingdoms in the Last Days, but which one ? Well, since the Anti-Christ arises out of the Fourth Beast also, then this other Kingdom has to lie within the borders of the European Union. Only Cassander's Kingdom of Greece is in the European Union !!! The "Assyrian" arising from Greece would be very, very easy, Greece shares a border with Turkey, and many, many Turks live in Greece, so the Assyrian Anti-Christ is born in Greece, and comes to power in Greece, then in the European Union. But what does John say in Revelation about the Beast that arises out of the Sea ? By the way, he was on Patmos, a small Greek Island when he saw this vision.

    Rev. 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a LEOPARD, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

    The Main body is described by John as LIKE A LEOPARD !!!

    Put it all together, the "Assyrian" Anti-Christ is born in Greece, of Turkish parents or grandparents , he comes to power in the European Union.

    This is where the Anti-Christ is from. And he will be an Atheist.

    God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  45. By the way brother, great blog, God Bless you. P.S., I would like to comment on your point about apostisia meaning to to Depart or Leave, I argued that for years, because I knew Revelation 19 describes a marriage in Heaven, and a return to earth of us Saints with Christ in White Linen, on White Horses, Immediately after the Tribulation. But the more I looked at the falling away or apostasy of the church in the last days throughout scriptures, I knew that it did mean for the church to depart from the faith. BUT.....I studied the 2 Thessalonians again, and guess what brother, we all miss the obvious.

    Paul is rightly saying that The Man of Sin will be revealed before the Day of Christ or Day of the Lord..... But that doesn't mean that the Anti-Christ is revealed before the Rapture, WE KNOW they are two separate events, The Rapture, and the Terrible Day of the Lord AMEN !!

    God Bless

    ReplyDelete
  46. This info is invaluable. How can I find out more?

    ReplyDelete

Anyone can submit a comment; all comments are moderated for content.

Featured Post

Positional Statement on Salvation

19 January 2016: It has become necessary due to recent events that I present a Positional Statement which explains in detail per Script...