and the coming world leader called the AntichristSeveral events unfolding in the geo-political landscape of this millennium are being watched closely by prophecy observers as signs that earth is being primed for history's culmination. Some of the most ardently observed of these events are the preparation for the building of the third Temple of God in Jerusalem, the restoration of Russia to socialism, the confederation of Arab nations in the Mid East to build a new Islamic caliphate under the Muslim Brotherhood, the restoration of Babylon, and the rise of the European Union after the vein of the Roman Empire.
It's the rise of the EU that will be the focus of today's brief overview of events that are soon to be visited on earth dwellers. The emergence of the EU was foretold in Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which was interpreted for the Babylonian king by the exiled prophet Daniel, in the book of Daniel chapter 2 verses 42-43:
“Whereas you saw the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, for as much as you saw the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.”
These toes of part iron and clay are resonated in the Lord Jesus' AD 90 revelation to the exiled apostle John concerning the end of days. In Revelation 7:17-18, John wrote,
“And the angel said unto me ... I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that you saw was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit.”
Since a 'horn' in Scripture symbolises a government or kingdom, and Daniel has also referred to the ten toes of Nebuchadnezzar's dream as symbolising a kingdom, bible scholars have long recognised both the ten toes and horns as representing the ten nations or regions of the European Union whose emergence in world political supremacy will pave the way for the creation of a New World Order. These ten kingdoms will become a world power that will take over the world's political, economic and social systems. This One-World order comprising the ten core economic powers modelled after the EU will also be the one from which a world leader, who is the Antichrist, will arise. His ascension to world prominence and dominance will be swift, whose transition to world wide acceptance and reverence will be eased by his charismatic promise of solving the world's economic doldrums and social ills while bringing lasting peace and prosperity to the world.
The oft-punted identity of the Antichrist will not be unveiled until the church of Jesus Christ has been snatched up into heaven by God (in the Rapture) resulting in the Holy Spirit, hitherto the One who has been restraining the devil and abject evil from consuming mankind, being taken away as well. This will allow evil to be loosed unbridled on the world, and the Antichrist will arise from the abyss. The 7-year tribulation begins at this juncture. Antichrist's dictatorial reign on earth will be for three and a half years, or 42 months, in what's called the Great Tribulation, during which time God will also unleash His judgment on rebellious man and sanctify the nation of Israel through the outpouring of His wrath. Plagues, pestilences and natural disasters are some of the manifestations of God's wrath.
The trigger for the start of the Great Tribulation will be about the time Antichrist enters the temple of God that's been re-built in Jerusalem. There, in what's known as the Abomination of Desolation, he will set up an idol in his own image and the False Prophet, Antichrist's right hand man, will desecrate the holy temple by forcing man to worship this idol. During the Great Tribulation, the False Prophet, who's the religious leader of the new world order, just as Antichrist is its political and military leader, will force man to bow before the latter who will make war on those who turn their lives over to Jesus. Many of these tribulation Christians will be martyred for their conversion and refusal to submit to their potentate.
Antichrist will speak blasphemous things against God and Jesus Christ. The False Prophet will initiate the Mark of the Beast, which man must carry on the forehead or right hand in order to engage in the global economy. Anyone who accepts this mark is doomed and condemned to hell forever where there's no turning back. Antichrist and the False Prophet will be able to perform amazing wonders and signs by the empowering of the dragon of old, Satan. However, they will meet their end when Jesus Christ returns, at the consummation of their 42-month reign of terror and global domination, to destroy Antichrist and the manmade systems earth dwellers have put in place. This is at the Valley of Megiddo and the battle is the famed Armageddon. The Millennial Kingdom of Jesus Christ will thus be established in which Jesus will reign, and Satan be bound, for a thousand years.
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