Based on current events many are beginning to wonder, will the Antichrist rise to power any time soon, and how will we know if or when it happens? “What are the Signs?” That will be the focus of this posting. Some may think it’s too political, but I’ll let former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher answer for me.
Her comment is as appropriate today as when she made it in the early 1980s. The other comment, downloaded from the web, is equally relevant. The Antichrist will be a political leader who becomes a global dictator. When Christians lose interest in the state of the Nation, and its influences on the world scene, evil will prevail, and he will emerge.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians reminds us that we are engaged in a spiritual struggle against the forces of evil in the heavenly realms but also against the powers of this dark world. Satan rules through people and institutions, and even certain governments, which we will see shortly.
In 1 John, the apostle’s letter tells of the coming of the Antichrist. He warns that there have been many antichrists. Nevertheless, we are cautioned to stay alert for the Antichrist’s coming. How will we know? There will be signs.
In chapter 1, verse 1 of Revelation, John gives us a heads up on “what must soon take place”, being the coming of the Antichrist. How soon? Revelation is not an easy study, and excerpts from it are not any easier, but nevertheless, thought provoking…
Each generation is that much closer to the End Times. John was a prisoner of Rome on the Isle of Patmos, when he received his revelation directly from Jesus Christ, yet it speaks of a reality yet to come. The reality is coming, but how close is it?
The Book of Daniel also points to the rise of the Antichrist. The great sea as noted—the Mediterranean—was dominated by and situated entirely within the ancient and mighty Roman Empire.
Daniel’s vision as encompasses these four kingdoms. Interpretation is often a matter of looking back over history and drawing conclusions accordingly. But also using Scripture to interpret Scripture. In general, most agree that it represents the four main empires as noted, ending with Rome. The 70th week of Daniels 70-weeks prophecy takes us to the 7-year Tribulation in Revelation as shown on the next slide.
Sixty-nine of Daniel’s 70-weeks prophecy, applies to O.T. Israel, up to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ; with the 70th week pointing to the Antichrist and Tribulation (each week is equal to 7 years). The Antichrist rises to power in the start of the Tribulation period with full dominance during the second half, as a time of Great Tribulation with God’s wrath pouring out on a sinful rebellious world. If you never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, you may want to think and pray about it. It will make all the difference.
Another view of Daniel’s prophetic timeline with related Bible verses, interpreting Scripture with Scripture. It’s a Bible study in and of itself.
Map shows the Roman Empire at the time the Apostle John wrote Revelation. The Isle of Patmos is a tiny Greek island off the coast of the Roman province of Asia (modern day Turkey). Why is this relevant? The next slide explains…
Bible commentaries, such as this one, believe the Antichrist will arise out of the remnants of the former Roman Empire in accordance with Daniel’s prophecy, which would place him in Western Europe, the remnant of ancient Rome.
If he does rise in Europe, how will he also dominate the United States?
1 John 2:18-22 tells us there have been many antichrist, with the Antichrist yet to come. To help understand how one person can rise to power over a nation and the world system, we will turn to world history for clues.
Where do we start? We begin looking at the remnants of the Roman Empire, once mighty and powerful, when John wrote Revelation as revealed to him by Jesus Christ, from where Daniel’s prophecy shows the Antichrist will rise.
We look back on history at circumstances that gave rise to such a dictator, and at the appointed time, another will rise as we are told in Revelation. We begin by looking at Europe at the close of WWI, which became a harvest ground for Satan to recruit his evil followers.
Post WWI Germany was burdened with paying war reparations to the victorious Allies, beyond their ability to pay, along with the added burden of the 1929 Great Depression. Riots broke out in the street between opposing political factions. All of which left a divided and discouraged people seeking a leader who would restore their Nation and civil order. The government printed money without any backing for it, which created enormous inflation that even a wheel barrel of currency (photo) had little value. People lined up for handouts just to survive. Out of the chaos one man rose, not just to lead, but to rule.
That man was Adolf Hitler. He very well was one of the antichrist written about in 1 John. Hitler’s systematic murder of six million Jews is confirmation of satanic evil. Hitler’s rise to power began in politics with the vote of the German people. Only a couple of years after assuming office, he declared himself Fuhrer, total dictator of Germany. He rose out of the turmoil and chaos of a downtrodden people and nation.
In Hitler’s long-range plans for world conquest, he looked across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. What stopped him? If the U.S.A had not entered the war, Germany would have been assured victory over the European nations. American aid kept both Great Britain and Russia from collapsing under the German Blitzkrieg, “lightening war”. Ultimately, America would have faced a threat from both Germany on the East and Japan on the West. But it wasn’t time, and Hitler and Nazi Germany were defeated by God‘s grace.
Few realized there were undercurrents in America in the 1930s. A pro-German movement had taken root, consisting mostly of American citizens, who supported Hitler and Nazi Germany (slide).
In the 1930s a vast majority of Americans opposed intervention in another European war. One of the outspoken leaders against intervention was Charles Lindbergh (slide). He even made several visits to Germany, and in 1938 considered moving his family to Berlin. Of course, the attack on Pearl Harbor changed all that.
Photo shows Nazi sympathizers marching in NYC in 1939 and holding pro-Nazi public rallies such as the one at Madison Square Garden. Youth camps, similar to those formed in Germany, were established across the United States. You reach a nation by first reaching its youth, which is exactly what was done in Nazi Germany.
History does repeat itself, for many reasons, especially when average people ignore the facts and do nothing. We see it today, with people turning against each other over Covid-vaccinations and masks, even to the point of violence.
In 2020, the United States underwent unprecedented government-imposed lockdowns, that impacted small businesses, church attendance, and everyday life for all Americans. For the first time in American history, it gave governments direct and unprecedented control over its citizens. This is exactly the kind of power Adolf Hitler held over Germany, and the Antichrist will have over Western governments. He will rule through governments! Which is when politics becomes a spiritual battlefield.
Parents speaking out at school board meetings, to protest questionable school curriculum, were labeled as possible terrorists by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), even arresting a parent. A level of government intervention and censorship previously unheard of in America. Certainly a warning that should concern everyone, especially parents and grandparents.
Thank God for schools like Covenant Christian School, that make all the difference in shaping young minds to believe the truth, and placing their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
It would be hard to deny that today’s America is “deeply divided” and weakened on the international stage. Just one week of TV news will reflect the division that exists, along with defunding of police and a corresponding rise in crime. A weakened America is not, nor can it be, a deterrent to the rise of a global dictator. One of Satan’s tools is to remove any potential deterrent to the rise of the Antichrist. He has been prevented from doing so, only because the Holy Spirit has restrained him, until now perhaps!
If America becomes a permanently divided Nation, it will not be able to restrain the Antichrist’s rise to power and dominance. As Lincoln had said, our destruction will not be from without, but from within.
Jesus is referring to Satan’s kingdom, but the same is true of an earthly kingdom. Not only as a warning, but a sign to be aware. America has been the bastion of freedom for decades, if that is lost, there is no other deterrent to the rise of a strong political leader in Europe, which will serve as the platform for the Antichrist’ rise to power.
A people increasingly subservient to and dependent on the government, have a diminishing influence over the government, and such a government would readily submit, for its own corresponding power, to the Antichrist’s dominance and power. Which is exactly how the Antichrist will dominate the USA.
Is this is the “new normal” going forward? Many seem to think so. The government will have ever-increasing control overs people’s lives, and with it will come the Antichrist’s control of every Western nation, including the United States. He doesn’t have to come here to rule here. There will be a lot of people, especially in government, willing to do his bidding.
We will continue our focus on the Antichrist and signs of the End Times next week It won't be as long as this week's posting.
