Due to Laptop problems and loss of files, there won't be any new blog postings for a while.

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

In looking at any book of the Bible, I try to set the stage in regard to its relevance, to when it was written and how it would apply to today’s world and church. Revelation is a future prophesy. But it also rests on historical events, some of which we will look at. 

I was asked about prior postings on Revelation. In case anyone else is wondering about related topics, the slide notes the two related titles and dates posted, for those interested. 

We live in unprecedented times including a pandemic that forced government mandated closures of almost the entire economy, all schools and churches as well. What can we learn from it? For one thing, no matter what the circumstances are, our focus should remain on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior sent by His Father to redeem us. The End Times is not God losing to Satan, but God’s ultimate victory.  

The first Covid related death was recorded in February 2020. It was declared a pandemic in March 2020, which led to the closure of almost everything including churches. Developing a vaccine and bringing it to market often takes several years. President Donald J. Trump responded with an unprecedent effort called “Operation Warp Speed” that accelerated the development of three vaccines. Without it, the death toll is believed to have been in the tens of millions today. God’s grace and mercy? Absolutely. 

All of which brings to this introduction of our study. The slide points to how we will approach it… (con’t on next slide). 

Look at it as a gateway to understanding Revelation and the End Times. We will never fully understand it until it’s here and the Antichrist is in power. But we will begin to see the signs much sooner than that, a time foreordained by God. 

Regardless of how well we put the pieces together, as Jesus tells us in Matthew 24, only the Father knows that day or hour. Nevertheless, being prepared is always the best option as Jesus tells us in Matthew 24, on the next slide…

Jesus is speaking of the End Times and His return, when He appears in the clouds (v.29-30), which is also a time of the Antichrist. Jesus tells us to be ready, but how can we be ready if we don’t know what to be ready for? That is the intent and goal of our study, to keep watch and to be ready. 

Most see the Book of Revelation as complex and mysterious. Few readily grasp its full meaning without diligent study, but even then. it may not be entirely clear, nor will it be fully revealed until those events begin to unfold. History itself, may provide clues to help us understand it, looking back on past events and where we are now, all of which can help us to be more aware of what Jesus revealed to John, that he wrote in Revelation.

How do you solve a mystery: step by step!

My goal is that through this study you will gain better insight and understanding in reading the Book of Revelation. A full study of Revelation will come later, if there is interest. 

Paul’s letter to Timothy issues a warning in regard to the last days, as noted. Does any of it ring true, or at least, are the signs increasing in intensity? Look at the dramatic changes in America that became apparent in January 2019. During my corporate days I flew over 2 million miles, both domestic and international and never witnessed a fight on an airplane, which now seems to have become much too common. A sign of the times? Perhaps. 

The following slide provides insight

The statistics on the slide speak volumes about the root causes of many of the changes we are seeing. One thing we can be certain of, the changes have been gradual over the years, but seem to be increasing in intensity, all of which began with the removal of prayer from schools by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1962, which helped pave the way for a very different America. Take a moment to look closely at the statistical trends, as “a turning point” or perhaps “the turning point”. What are the results of children growing up without any moral guidance or reference to God or prayer? All of which takes us to the following slides

Remember, we are looking for clues that point to the End Times.
 

Another seed was planted in the 60s. College students who became political and cultural radicals, went on to influence the culture in almost every area beginning with academia. How do we know? The next slide explains...

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan nominated Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court. In his book, Bork tells how the protestors of the 60s focused on certain areas such as academia, politics, and media. Over the past 60 years, they gained control of these institutions, and have been shaping the minds of young Americans in colleges across the nation ever since. Many of the students they tutored are now corporate executives leading America’s major corporations, who no longer see themselves as American companies, but rather global corporation, heavily invested in Communist China. Keep in mind, the Antichrist’s power will not be limited to a single country but will rein-over global governance, including influence over major corporations. 

Are we seeing an increase in intensity of the following events as an indication of the coming End Times? Or are they just normal political unrest that is soon to settle down or be brought under control? If yes, by whom? Will it take a strong leader? Who will that leader be? Where will he be? How will he gain control and rein? 

These photos show scenes that took place recently across many of America’s major cities. Defunding of the police by local political leaders, left the police powerless to prevent or even curtail the chaos. And those who were arrested, where released by city attorneys, without bail or internment, and without consequences, thus encouraging even more unrest. 

Smash and grab robberies were also common in cities like San Francisco, and once again left unpunished, with those apprehended by the police being released without bail, with many committing additional robberies without fear of consequences.  

Our wide-open southern border has become the gateway for a flood of illegal drugs, MS-13 gang members, children and young women being sold into the sex trade, additional Covid-19 threats due to many unvaccinated illegals from an estimated 150 countries, even being transported by the federal government, to other parts of the country. 

As of 2020, estimates stated that there are approximately 14.5 million illegal aliens residing within the United States. An almost 50% decline in alien apprehensions was reported in August 2020. What it’s importance? Changing populations lead to changing values. Those countries they have come from have strong socialist governments and hard-handed leadership, and little individual freedom. Will that be the trend in the United States? Will the USA, that helped defeat dictators worldwide, no longer have the inclination or ability to stop the rise of the Antichrist? Why does any of this matter? Because it helps pave the way for global governance and lessens America's sovereignty. 

Not only has America become divided politically—Democrat v. Republican—but it has become fragmentated across many lines including race, gender, economics, and more.  Only turning back to God can bring the pieces back together. 

We tend to forget that Satan is behind all of the chaos and moral decay in society. Satan’s goal is to pave the way for the Antichrist. All of these events create a climate of unrest and fear, one of Satan’s weapons that will help open the door for a strong leader, that leader being the Antichrist. Without a revival, will America continue on a destructive path? Pray that God turns our nation's hearts and minds back to Him. 

From its founding in 1776, God has raised up America for a reason. Without the United States involvement in winning WWII, in all probability, Europe would be entirely under Nazi domination today and most of Asia under Imperial Japan domination. The USA has steadfastly served as the bedrock and anchor of freedom for most of the world. With the USA as a World Power, the Antichrist’s ability to rise to power over the world, is greatly diminished and even hindered. According to Scripture, he will rise up from within Europe.  

Map shows American military bases established for preservation of world peace, also a stumbling block for the rise of the Antichrist who will rise from within the ancient Roman Empire, where most of the U.S. bases and American might are now concentrated. 

Some saw Adolf Hitler’s rise to power, along with Nazi Germany, as a sign of the Antichrist. His hatred and murder of six million Jews was one such sign. But his defeat and death, said otherwise. Bottom line, we can’t jump to conclusions as we go through these slides and events, NEVERTHELESS, nor can we ignore them and brush them aside. One thought to keep in mind, it was the United States that overcame Hitler and destroyed Nazi Germany. In other words, God was gracious and merciful. And yet, we have become a very different America today with changing, actually eroding, values. Is it too late to turn back to God as a nation and people? No, by His grace it is never too late. 

Map shows the extent of Nazi Germany’s conquest and dominance, that would have continued to spread. Except for the grace of God empowering the United States to destroy it, the axis powers would still be in control.

Map shows the extent of Japan’s conquest of Asia. It was only stopped by the grace of God, and a strong United States of America. Today we have a much-divided America. One that perhaps will be unwilling or unable to prevent the rise of the Antichrist’s global dominance. 

Pax Romana (Roman Peace, i.e., law and order) began in 27 B.C. and reigned for 200 years before falling. It had brought and maintained peace across the entire area shown on the map. The Pax Romana was a time of great prosperity with many accomplishments. It opened the door for Paul’s missionary trips to evangelize the known world for Christ. Eventually, Rome fell from internal corruption and discord, and pagan invasion, which also gave the rise to Islam conquering most of what had been the Eastern Roman Empire. All of which points out the importance of a strong America for preventing the rise of the Antichrist, as the dominant world leader. 

Let’s look at the big picture. The Church has long anticipated the End Times, yet many if not most, have pushed the thought aside. It’s in the Bible for a reason. God put it there for His Church. We will continue our study next week asking the question, “What will the End Times look like?”

The End of Part 1

Being posted early this week

Part 2 will be posted next Thursday