END TIME STUDY--Pt.24

Verse 29 tells us that the Antichrist will attack the South again but not until the "appointed time." Again, God has a plan and He is working His plan. This attack will be nothing like the first attack where he plundered them, nor will this attack be like the "latter" attack where he conquers them. But in this attack he fails because the "ships of Chittim" (v.30) will turn his forces back.

Chittim is from the Hebrew word KITTIM from the root word KITTY which refers to islands or islanders. In this case because of its location toward the South it may well be referring to the island of Cyprus. Verse 30 may be referring to a fleet of ships out of the port of Cyprus. Due to the size of the fleet needed to turn back the onslaught of the Antichrist this fleet will probably be a Navy consisting of combined coalition forces or the U.S. Navy based out of and around Cyprus, Chittim. Because of this embarrassing defeat, the Antichrist will return to Jerusalem in a vicious rage. He will blame the religious Jews and Christians (those of the holy covenant) for his defeat. After all they will be opposing him because they have recognized him for who he is--the Antichrist. Not the long-awaited Jewish Messiah but the one who opposes all truth. He will show his true colors as well as his great disdain for the "holy covenant," or to say those of the holy covenant--the true believers in Jehovah. The Antichrist will see his defeat as a direct result of the opposition of those who claim to be in covenant with God. The very ones who have blasphemed his name by calling him the "Antichrist." All tolerance will now be abandoned. He will determine within himself to rid the world of this "religious" scourge.

He will return to Jerusalem with the "intelligence" or knowledge of those who share in his great disdain for those of the holy covenant and see them as those who prevent world peace. The religious Jews and Christians will be viewed as purveyors of hate and division. I believe that during this time if someone kills a true believer he will be deemed a hero and the law enforcement agencies will be more than happy to ignore the crime. The true believers will be seen as the only roadblock to the highway of world peace. As in Jesus's day, even many of the Orthodox Jews will be against the true believers. Even they will cry, "crucify them" or "kill them" when it comes to "those radical believers--those followers of the false Messiah, Jesus."

Even now, in the United States, Christians are viewed in a negative light. The entertainment industry through movies, television and other entertainment venues, most always portray Christians as hypocrites, very worldly, caught up in sin, weak, bigots, homophobic, prejudice, liars, etc., etc. They rarely ever portray Christians in a positive light. The sad truth is, they are only showing how many professing Christians really live. As a result of the worldly atmosphere that many professing Christian churches example, it is no wonder that the world's view of Christianity is so distorted. Christians are at the center of many jokes, hatred and mockings. Because the church has become so worldly, she can no longer impact the world. The Muslims call us infidels and persecute and kill the true believers. Yet if anyone would dare to call for this to cease they are considered intolerant. Anyone can say what they will against Christians or ministers and that's tolerated. If you let someone paint a negative picture of Islam or one of her religious leaders then you are guilty of hate crimes against humanity. The people of the world, especially in the United States, have been well programmed to receive the Antichrist as the world's only hope for the long sought after world peace.

The patience of the Antichrist have now run out and he discards his peace treaty with Israel. He returns to Jerusalem where he gathers those who opposed the ones called "believers", those of the holy covenant, as well as his military ("arms" v.31) and he storms the Jewish Temple. By sheer strength they shall enter the sanctuary and by so doing pollute it. He orders the daily sacrifices to cease because they were only a shadow of the coming Messiah, and the Jewish Messiah is now among them--the Antichrist who now declares himself to be God with them, incarnate. The time is now come for the abomination that makes desolate to occur.

The word "abomination" is from the Hebrew word, SHIGGUWTS, which means disgusting, filthy, detestable thing, especially concerning idols or idolatrous filth. The abomination is the Antichrist entering the holy of holies and declaring himself God and demanding worship. The word "desolate" is SHAMEN in the Hebrew which means to stun or devastate, lay waste, to ruin. The abomination of desolation will be the height of idolatrous, abominable filth that stuns with such devastation so as to cause total ruin. The Antichrist here is abolishing all Jewish law and ceremony because he declares himself to be its fulfillment.

This is the event that Jesus referred to in Matt.24:15,16. "When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso reads, let him understand): then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains." This is when the Jews will flee to Edom (Petra) to escape the wrath of the Antichrist.

END TIME STUDY--Pt.23

Now we turn our attention to verse twenty three of Daniel chapter 11. This verse gives us another subtle hint to the identity of the Antichrist. "---He shall come up, and shall be strong with a small people." I believe that this may well be referring to a small, seemingly insignificant tribe or political party. We know that there are 12 tribes of Israel and two or three major political parties in Israel. There are numerous Islamic tribes as well as many political groups so this twelveth Imam, the Mahdi, the Antichrist will more than likely rise up from a small political party. We need to be aware of the various groups of Islam (i.e. Sunnia, Shi'ites, Sufi, Hezballah, Hamas,etc.), that we may better be prepared to identify the Antichrist. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6). "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief." (I Thes. 5:4). As believers we should be able to declare to the world who the Antichrist is and what his true purposes are.

Verses 25-28 speak of the Antichrist invading countries to his South, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which will gain him military strength as well as a greater economic power. Though these countries attempted to defend themselves from this invasion, their efforts are unsuccessful. Even the kings own advisers will betray them "---they shall forecast devices against him." (v.25) And the very ones who eat at the king's table shall be the very ones who lead to his destruction. "They that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him." (v.26) These countries are being destroyed from within before they are defeated from without.

Are we not witnessing this already in these countries? The Muslim Brotherhood along with other radical Muslim groups have stirred up strife within these countries, as well as others, in an attempt to overthrow the existing governing power. All of this is setting the stage for the organization of the Islamic caliphate which will be the political structure that the Mahdi will head up that the Muslims believe is to rule the world. I also believe that there are those within our own country, including the far left liberals, who are setting in motion those things that will destroy our nation from within. There has never been such an all-out attack against our Constitution, our religious liberties, our right to bear arms, our rights to speak out against sin and injustice as there is right now (2012)in the United States. Our own political correctness is so weakening our nation that we may not be able to prevent an Islamic takeover of our blessed country. It is time for the church to rise up and sound the alarm.

Verse 27 is already being fulfilled in our present age. "Kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table." These leaders are to represent their respective countries, sit around negotiation tables and speak lies. They will (and are right now) brokering peace treaties, making promises of support, telling each other whatever is necessary for them to gain the upper hand in world power. Although these world leaders may think they are achieving their set goals, "it shall not prosper." We must be constantly reminded that God has a plan and He is working His plan. Until God says it's time to attack, conquer or retreat, all of the negotiations, plans and lies of man are futile. I think the irony of all of this is that the Antichrist and his lackeys will think they are so smart and powerful as they set out to conquer the world, and all along God is allowing this overconfident bunch of losers just enough rope to hang themselves.

After the Antichrist has been victorious in his military maneuvers, he then will "return to his land with great riches." (v.28) He will be riding on a natural high. He will be more confident of his power to conquer and to rule. He will feel that he no longer needs to tolerate those who oppose him, especially the Jews and the Christians. He will set "his heart against the holy covenant." All other religions will be outlawed that the world may worship the Antichrist. He now will "speak out against the Most High and wear down the Saints of the Highest One." (Dan.7:25) the Antichrist's true colors are now seen. He will attempt to destroy any who oppose him. This now begins the Great Tribulation that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24:21. This is the beginning of the end. There will be only a little over three years before Jesus comes back and gathers his bride.