We pick up from last week. Is history setting the stage for the End Times? If so, what are the signs? Something we will explore as an introduction to the Book of Revelation. This blog is speculation as I see it, based on the Bible, history and current events. It is not a prediction but could very well be over time.  

One thing we can be certain of, events will be such that the world will be ready for the rise of a world leader to solve its problems. That person will be the Antichrist called the Beast in Revelation 13:5-8 (next slide). He will be preceded by another Beast, the False Prophet (Rev. 13:11-12) who will draw the world together in preparation for his arrival and the world's worship of the Antichrist. Are we seeing any signs of that now? Perhaps.  

Just as we see in the Old Testament, when Israel turned away from God they were conquered and destroyed. The ten northern tribes of Israel, were conquered by Assyria in 722 BC. Its capital was Samaria. Then the two southern tribes in AD 70, destroyed by the Romans. Even world empires who had professed the Christian faith, such as the later Roman Empire and the British Empire, fell from within.

About 35 years after Jesus was crucified, Jerusalem and the Temple, with its sacrifices, were destroyed by the Romans, and the Jews scattered across the known world. No nation or people can turn their back on God and expect His blessings to continue. 

Image shows the glory of Rome at its height. In 313 AD, the emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, granting Christianity legal status—along with pagan religions. While this was an important development in the history of Christianity, it was not a total replacement of traditional Roman pagan beliefs. Temples and churches were allowed to exist side-by-side, but that would change. 

About sixty-six years after Christianity was legalized, it was decreed the official state religion of the Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Theodosis I, who ruled from 379 to 395 A.D. It was the state religion by decree, but in name only. Many never converted to Christ, and still followed their pagan beliefs and practices. 

Less than 100 years later, with an increasing moral decay and political discord, Rome fell to a Germanic invasion in 476 AD. What’s the message? They professed Christ but didn’t follow Christ. From grandeur to ruins, as shown in this and the previous photo. Even the greatest nations can fall from within.  

Map shows the British Empire at its peak (red areas). Britain was no friend to the Jews in resettling the Holy Land. At its peak Britain was a deterrent against the rise of world tyrants. Today, it’s just a portion of its former self, relegated to the Isle of Britain (green arrow), a country with far too many empty churches, with some being converted to mosques. They no longer stand as a deterrent to the rise of world dictator. 

Will America continue to profess itself as “One Nation Under God”? Just as Israel and Rome had professed their faith but did not live accordingly, I believe America’s state of being is the key to the coming of the Antichrist. If we neglect God as a Nation and as a people, it will take us to the very threshold of his coming. 

If the Church and the Bible are not the anchor points for our Republic, things can and very likely will get progressively worse. 

When we think of the End Times, we automatically think of the Antichrist as the world ruler. The name "Antichrist" is only found in 1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3, and 2 John 7. He is referred to as the Beast in Revelation 13:5-8. He will be preceded by the False Prophet (Rev. 13:11) who will pave the way for him. I believe Nero of ancient Rome who persecuted Christians, and Hitler who murdered Jews, were such antichrists as we are told in reference to 1st and 2nd John. 

The False Prophet, and later the Antichrist, will remain a mystery until the time of their arrival. Is the groundwork being laid? Will America remain a bastion of freedom for the free world? If not, then the time is near. Regardless, Satan will continue to try to set the stage for his arrival and rule, unless God continues to retrain him. Will God’s people pray for a revival? It can make the difference. 

Each of the world’s tyrannical leaders was a form of antichrist, but ultimately, there will be one final and supreme Antichrist in the last days. BUT in the end, both he and Satan will be cast into the Lake of Fire by Jesus, for eternity (Rev. 20:14-15). 

We are reminded in Ephesians 6:12 that our struggle is a spiritual one and not political. But politics reflects our spiritual condition as a people and a nation. If righteous people, who profess Jesus Christ fail to take notice, or even an active role in the affairs of state, then the powers of this dark world will gladly fill that void as we are seeing. To what degree is still TBD. We need to reflect for a moment back to 2 Chronicles 7:14 (next slide).

A prayer for our times. 

What are some of the things we can anticipate from the False Prophet? Many believe it will come at first in the guise of religion, and not political—but it will follow in the form of a One World Governance. 

We turn to Revelation 13 for a description of the Antichrist’s coming, which is accompanied by a warning in v.9 (next slide), where we are told to hear, in other words to remain aware and alert. 

World dominion is the Antichrist’s goal, under the leadership of Satan, not only as a world leader, but to be worshiped as god, but the lake of fire is his final destiny along with Satan (Rev. 20:14-15). 

When the church substitutes culture for the Word of God, that is only the beginning. This is an important sign of the End Times as noted and illustrated on the next slide. We will look at specific examples during our study. A False Teacher will rise first to lead the church away from biblical truth and the one true God.

Where is God’s temple (v.4)? Many believe it is a rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which rings true for me based on everything I read and researched so far. We will continue exploring what those signs may be. 

If the Bible indicates that the temple will be rebuilt, we can be certain, it will be rebuilt. Rev 11:1-2 tells us this in regard to the temple, they are to exclude the outer court; and not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles, who will trample on the holy city for 42 months. The holy city of course is Jerusalem. There are efforts quietly underway in Israel to rebuild the Temple. 

The Jerusalem temple is believed to have stood on what is called temple mount (yellow arrow), where a mosque, the Doom of the Rock (yellow arrow), now stands, what Islam considers a sacred site from where they proclaim Mohammad ascended into heaven. That’s a dilemma for rebuilding the temple, but I’m confident that God can deal with it. 

An illustration of what the temple mount looked like during the time of Christ.

These heretical teachings will emerge more and more in preparation for the End Times. We are seeing some of it now, sadly in certain mainline denominations, and in certain well-established religions that profess a believe in Jesus, but not the biblical Jesus. 

This was posted by a pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) on her church’s Facebook page. A sign of the times of how even a historic mainline church, dating back to Martin Luther, has embraced false teachings, showing equal roles of Jesus and Buddha.  

This is not intended as an attack on the Pope, but only to show his message as interpreted from Italian and printed on the web, something no other pope down through history even hinted at (slide). If all religions are on different paths to the same God, there would be no need for evangelism and sharing the gospel. The Bible tells us that you cannot find salvation in anyone but Jesus Christ. Other world religions have versions of their god, but none of which lead to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Is it really that important? Why can’t we all just get along?

Pope Francis standing in a show of solidarity with leaders of the world’s major religions. It would imply that Jesus isn’t the only way to God or salvation. What does Jesus tell us? For the answer we turn to His words in Mark 16, as noted on the next slide.

What was the point of Jesus’ command to the Apostles, as noted in Mark 16:15? Why am I pointing this out? If even the Pope believes all religions are equal in regard to whom they worship, that is definitely a clue in regard to the End Times, and the arrival of the False Prophet who will point the world to the Antichrist as savior. 

There is only one biblical God and one biblical Jesus, the Second Person of the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. No parts can be left out, no parts can be added. 

As Jesus tells us in John 14:6-7, He is the only way to the Father. Major religions other than Christianity are not on this path. As Jesus tells us in His own word there is no other path to God, or salvation. 

In the interest of diversity of opinion and tolerance, many proclaim that there should be, and will be a one world religion under what Revelation calls the Beast, i.e., the False Prophet. Are we seeing examples of that starting to emerge? When the church differs from the Bible, it is a false teacher by definition. 

The End of Week 2

New Topic TBD