Is Emmanuel Macron the Antichrist?

Several of the people who contribute articles to Rapture Ready have addressed the possibility of Emmanuel Macron being the Antichrist. Most have approached the subject with a good bit of caution. Because the Antichrist comes to power after the Rapture, we, as the bride of Christ, cannot be certain of his identity.

The Antichrist will be a man of such incredible charm and charisma, students of Bible prophecy may be able to place high odds on him being the man who will rule the whole world.

The Tribulation starts with the Antichrist confirming a peace agreement between Israel and its Arab enemies. This is an accomplishment that has eluded diplomats since Israel became a nation.

It may take several months or years of planning to bring the two sides together. If Macron starts racking up frequent flier miles to Jerusalem, it would be logical to suspect him as having a major end-time role.

What is most fascinating about Macron is that he appeared out of nowhere.

A year before the French election, he had no political party. France has been in chaos from all the terrorist attacks and the far-right Front National candidate, Marine Le Pen, seemed the only answer to the madness.

Macron won by a huge margin of 66.06% to 33.94% to become, at age 39, the country’s youngest president. He also gained a huge majority in the French parliament, taking 351 out of 577 seats. The Socialist party was nearly destroyed; shed more than 200 seats and hold only around 34 seats.

The voters were drawn to Emmanuel Macron by some supernatural force. He would go to public events and win people over with his magnetism. Macron went to a factory, where the vast majority supported his rival, and he persuaded many of the workers to vote for him.

Macron reminds me of how Obama came to power in America. His record as an Illinois senator was dismal. Obama had no major legislative accomplishment, he had voted present more than any other senator. When he ran for president, the media worshipped at his feet. He was repeatedly given messiah labels. Because Obama is an American citizen, I wasn’t worried about him becoming the Antichrist.

Emmanuel Macron is a citizen of Europe, and out of the revived Roman Empire (The European Union) will come the Antichrist. Since we appear to be close to the end, everyone who presents himself as a savior figure needs to be considered.

The demonic symbolism around Macron is very troubling. In his debate with Marine Le Pen, he frequently held his hands in a way that represents the number of the beast. He gave a speech on a stage that was shaped like the Masonic unfinished pyramid. Macron celebrated his victory at the Louvre museum right in front of the glass pyramid composed of 666 pieces. To top the night off, he held up his arm in a V shape that with the pyramid behind him made Masonic crest.

I came across a video of a psychologist; he said Macron has all the signs of having a psychopathic personality. Since the term “Napoleon Complex” originated in France, one would think voters would be on guard for someone who loves political power a little too much. If Macron leads the world in Armageddon, at least we’ll have a natural explanation for the carnage.

His ambition is already past the borders of France. Macron responded to Donald Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the climate deal by twisting Trump campaign slogan, saying he wanted to “Make our planet great again.” He sees himself as very qualified to manage world affairs.

When Macron said he will “Rule like the Roman god Jupiter,” the press was stunned into silence. When it was announced that he doesn’t do Q&A with journalists because his thoughts are much “too complex” for them, I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

I’ve been tracking Bible prophecy for nearly 40 years. I’ve seen many Antichrist candidates come and go. Emmanuel Macron has only been in office for two months, and he has already generated more end-time buzz than any other world leader that I remember.

The late prophecy teacher, Charles Taylor, said for years that King Juan Carlos of Spain would be the Antichrist. Prince Charles of Wales was also frequently mentioned as a Beast contender. Both these men had such boring personalities, they had just as much chance of winning the Boston Marathon than being the most cunning dictator in human history. Macron has a smooth operator quality that’s missing from nearly every other Antichrist candidate.

There is certainly the possibility that Macron may crash and burn as French President. He faces a long list of problems and his total lack of political experience could be his undoing. All we can do is watch.

The key factor that allows for speculation is the shortness of time. It’s nearly show time, so some of the actors we see on the world stage will likely be players in the Tribulation hour. There is strong indication that Putin might be Gog, the leader of Ezekiel 38 and 39. The addition of someone who appears to be ready to play the main character tells me that the end-time play is about to begin.

“Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human means” (Daniel 8:25).

–Todd

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Heaven’s Awards Ceremony

Christians could suddenly be called before Jesus Christ in any given moment of time.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

We have for years in our Nearing Midnight commentaries been chronicling how close the world is to that spectacular moment. We have, using God’s Word, shown over and over that the lost of the world–all who have not accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior–will be left behind to go through suffering of unimaginable horror.

It doesn’t have to be that way for anyone. God tells all who will listen that He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. God gives His plan of salvation for escaping eternity in hell and the way to escape this terrible time that is about to begin on earth once the Rapture occurs. The apostle Paul writes under divine inspiration the following:

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10: 9-10)

Acceptance of Christ for salvation must be made before, not after, the Rapture in order to escape the Tribulation. Now is the day of accepting Christ for salvation, the Bible says. Few who have rejected Christ before the Rapture will come to salvation after the Rapture, is how I believe the Scriptures have it.

I’m going to, prayerfully, presume you don’t want to go to that place of torment called the lake of fire, or go through the hell on planet earth called Tribulation–the last seven years leading up to Christ’s Second Coming. I’m presuming–again, prayerfully–that you will accept God’s plan of salvation as given above.

Now we will look at what God’s Word tells us is wrapped up in His plans for all who have been wise enough to humble themselves and accept His Son, Jesus the Christ, for the salvation of their eternal souls–that is, we will look at what I will term here as Heaven’s Awards Ceremony.

The great promises for Christians that follow have been put together by many astute Bible scholars and students over many years. I have long ago forgotten the sources in particular. I will just say here that mixed in with my own thoughts is the scholarship of many folks much elevated above my own. I do know that many of these thoughts on the bema are from Dr. Harold Wilmington of Liberty University.

Immediately upon the Church–all born-again believers (John 3:3)–being called into Heaven in the Rapture, all will stand before the bema (judgment seat of Christ). Jesus Christ will judge each person–not for punishment, but for eternal rewards. This judgment will be for giving awards for the ways in which the individual Christian has contributed to God’s glorious kingdom while living on planet earth.

Things on which Christians will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ:

1. How we treat other believers.
Hebrews 6:10
Matthew 10:41-42

2. How we exercise our authority over others.
Hebrews 13:17
James 3:1

3. How we employ our God-given abilities.
1 Corinthians 12: 4, 12
2 Timothy 1:6
1 Peter 4:10

Add to these Scriptures Jesus’ teaching of the parables of the ten pounds (Luke 19:11-26) and the talents (Matthew 25:14-29).

Each believer has at least one talent:
1 Corinthians 7:7; 12:7-11
Ephesians 4:7
1 Peter 4: 10

There are 18 of these gifts:
Romans 12
1 Corinthians 12
Ephesians 4

It’s up to each believer to find/discern his or her gifts.

4. How we use our money.
1 Corinthians 60: 2
2 Corinthians 9:6-7
1 Timothy 6:17-19

All belongs to God:
1 Peter 18-19

5. How we spend our time.
Psalms 90:12
Ephesians 5:16
Colossians 4:5
1 Peter 1: 17

6. How much we suffer for Jesus.
Matthew 5:11-12
Mark 10:29-30
Romans 8:18
2 Corinthians 4: 17
1 Peter 4:12-13

7. How we run that particular race God has chosen for us.
1 Corinthians 9:24
Philippians 2:16
Philippians 3:13-14
Hebrews 12:1

8. How effectively we control the old nature.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27
Greek word adokimos, “castaway,” means “disapproved.”
It means self is disapproved. Paul wanted to keep his old nature in check–seen in:
2 Timothy 2:15
1 Corinthians 16:3
Philippians 1:10
1 Thessalonians 2:4

9. How many souls we witness to and win to Christ.
Proverbs 11:30
Daniel 12:3
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

10. How we react to temptation.
James 1:2-3
Revelation 3:10

11. How much the doctrine of the Rapture means to us.
2 Timothy 4:8

12. How faithful we are to the Word of God and the flock of God.
Acts 20:26-28
2 Timothy 4:1-2
1 Peter 5:2-4

What will be the results of the judgment seat of Christ?
Some will receive rewards.
1 Corinthians 3:14

Bible mentions at least 5 rewards:
1. The incorruptible crown, given to those who master the old nature.
1 Corinthians 9:25-27

2. The crown of rejoicing given to soul-winners.
Proverbs 11:30
Daniel 12:31 Thessalonians 2:19-20

3. The crown of life, given to those who successfully endure temptation.
James 1:2-3
Revelation 2:10

4. The crown of righteousness for those who especially love the doctrine of the Rapture.
2 Timothy 4:8

5. The crown of glory, given to faithful preachers and teachers.
Acts 20:26-28
2 Timothy 4:1-2
1 Peter 5:2-4

If Heaven’s Awards Ceremony sounds just a bit intimidating, it doesn’t have to be so. God’s holy view of what constitutes acceptable, even superior, service as His royal ambassadors is almost assuredly different to the way awards are given out by award-givers of the human variety here on earth.

Jesus told us that the last shall be first, and the first shall be last:

And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all. (Mark 9: 35)

A truly humble spirit in serving the Lord through serving others–putting others first and ourselves last–will bring the believer to front and center of the bema seat–in Heaven’s Awards Ceremony.

–Terry

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***Endorsement from Terry James!***

In addition to being blind due to a retinal disease, I now also have some hearing loss due to aging –as many of us do.

my family finally got tired of my saying “Huh?” after every statement they made, so insisted I look into hearing aids.

I finally gave in and did so, but found the prices were much higher than i cared to pay. My wife didn’t give up so easily and found a company that offered hearing aids at a cost less than one-third the price that most others charge.

Bottom line, I tried them for several months and they are nothing short of terrific. i get no financial reward for mentioning these, nor do I have any interest whatsoever in the company. I just know that there are many in our RR Family who need hearing help and need it at a much, much lower cost than charged by most hearing aid companies.

These are great and have made a big difference in my life. I suggest that you look into getting this product if you want to hear as closely to normal as possible.

The company is:
MD Hearing Aid
The web address is:

mdhearingaid.com
The phone number is:
(312) 366-3899

In my opinion, this is a great product!
–Terry

Attempts to Revise History Will Not Resolve the Real Problems of Moral Depravity

The morally bankrupt left has become increasingly fixated on removing the names of Confederate leaders from public places. This spring, the city of New Orleans spent weeks removing large statues of  the Confederates General Robert E. Lee, General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, and President Jefferson Davis. These statues stood for 102-106 years, and now suddenly in 2017 they have become a problem.

Last Monday, the city of Hollywood, Florida voted to rename streets that have honored three Civil War-era generals: Robert E. Lee, John Bell Hood and Nathan Bedford Forrest (who was also the first grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan). An effort 15 years ago to rename the street was ignored.

It’s not just in the South that the Confederate Army’s best-known leaders have streets named after them. In New York City the borough of Brooklyn has streets named, Stonewall Jackson Drive and General Lee Avenue. We now have elected officials pushing to have these names changed.

The U.S. Army was asked by the Associated Press why it still has military installations named after Confederate soldiers. Army spokesman Major General Malcolm Frost issued a statement saying, “Every Army installation is named for a soldier who holds a place in our military history. Accordingly, these historic names represent individuals, not causes or ideologies. It should be noted that the naming occurred in the spirit of reconciliation, not division.”

The Army posts named after Confederate figures are: Forts Lee, Hood, Benning, Gordon, Bragg, Polk, Picket, A.P. Hill and Rucker, as well as Camp Beauregard.

Many of our Founding Fathers were slave owners; they have around 20,000 streets named after them. George Washington has 5,052 streets bearing his name. Our nation’s capital and the one dollar bill are linked to America’s first president.

If social justice warriors want to be consistent in their motives, they also need to take down statues of Sherman, Sheridan & Grant. In the 28 year span of the Plains Indian wars from 1862 to 1890 Generals Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Philip Sheridan were the top military commanders in the U.S. Army’s war of genocide against the Plains Indians.

General Sherman, who was second in command wrote this to Supreme U.S. Army General Grant, “We must act with vindictive earnestness against the Sioux, even to their extermination, men, women and children.”

Later, Sherman announced the U.S. Indian policy under President Grant: “All the Indians will have to be killed or maintained as a species of paupers.” That it was to be a policy which entailed a “racial cleansing of the land.” Sherman said, “During an assault, the soldiers cannot pause to distinguish between male and female, or even discriminate as to age. As long as resistance is made, death must be meted out.”

The left can only go so far with this name change stunt. Their next move appears to be to desecrate graves of Confederate soldiers. During the Memorial Day and July 4th holidays a militant left-wing group asked supporters to “find their local Confederate graves” in order to burn confederate flags and urinate on tombstones. Dan Thomasson, a liberal writer for Tribune News Service called for the removal of Confederate graves from Arlington National Cemetery:

“Perhaps then, those Southerners buried in the sacred grounds of Arlington should be disinterred, their memorials removed. Would that finally heal the wounds of slavery? Or would it be better to continue to acknowledge that history is unchangeable.”

It is a lie from the devil that we can heal the wounds from slavery by taking these hollow politically correct measures. After the Civil War, the union was quickly restored. There is nothing in history that needs to be changed.

The only thing we need to acknowledge is that we are a nation of free people.

I live in the Little Rock, Arkansas area. A couple years ago, the PC police noticed that there was a Confederate Boulevard. By an 8-2 vote, the street name was changed to Springer Boulevard. Since one of the main roads was changed to Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., our capital should be a southern paradise with no problems.

Over the past decade, I’ve noticed that Little Rock has become more dangerous with each passing year. A week ago, some of the violence made national news when over 20 people were shot in a downtown nightclub. It was a black on black crime. The cause of the crime wave must be because of some obscure alley that is still named after a Confederate soldier. Our city managers have no interest in more obvious explanations for the mayhem.

The fixation with Confederate names is another indication of the profound lack of discernment on the part of people. They chase after minor issues, while ignoring glaring problem that are destroying our nation.

“Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:24).

–Todd

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End Times Trending

Setting the stage for prophetic fulfillment continues at a quickening pace. Progression related to end times matters spread across the eschatological horizon, making choosing which particular topic to write about somewhat of an exertion—but a not unwelcome exercise.

News of the hour presents some fascinating directions in which to aim our attention. I’ve chosen three items for consideration in this commentary.

The first area of possible, even probable prophetic relevance is China’s increasingly hegemonic activity. Sino-expansionism is among the most blatant signals of stage setting for prophetic fulfillment.

Chinese leadership is projecting two-faced influence and manipulation through its new-found power as king of the kings of the east. They are employing their usual, inscrutable methodologies to convince the world community they are reliable partners with which to do business. On the other hand, the leadership—communists all—are not only building an enormous military capability, but making moves to intimidate their neighbors through provocative bullying encounters upon the high seas.

This bullying even includes flying military aircraft from the China Sea island bases they are creating in deliberate, near-miss incidents with American aircraft. China’s increasingly powerful navy more and more moves near the point to ramming some of our naval ships in the region. Thus, as the U.S. military challenges China’s obvious intention to claim increasingly territorial waters that are not theirs.

The following gives a flavor of China’s dangerous activity as of late:

The expansion of China’s military is no secret. Beijing raised the People’s Liberation Army budget by 7% this year, typical of its annual increases…

On Wednesday, the PLA Navy announced it had finished work on a destroyer warship that can displace 10,000 tons, according to the state-run China Daily News website. This is a particularly major advance. The extra-hardy, domestically built destroyer not only helps Beijing double down on its disputed claims in the East and South China Seas but also gives it new deterrent weight against its most powerful Asian rivals such as Japan and India. ***[Source: New Chinese Navy Destroyer Can Best Japan, India And Maybe the United States, Rapture Ready News, July 2, 2017]***

Chinese leader Xi Jinping, despite meetings with American President Donald Trump while smiling, promising to make an effort to corral the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, is presenting his own dictatorial propensities these days. Chinese President Xi Jinping has warned against “impermissible” challenges to Beijing’s authority over Hong Kong.

Mr. Xi was speaking at the swearing-in of the territory’s new leader Carrie Lam, as Hong Kong marked 20 years since its handover to China from Britain. In a speech, he said that Hong Kong needed to “improve its systems to uphold national sovereignty, security and development interests.”

“Any attempt to endanger China’s sovereignty and security, challenge the power of the central government… or use Hong Kong to carry out infiltration and sabotage activities against the mainland is an act that crosses the red line and is absolutely impermissible,” he said.

There is growing concern that the Chinese central government is undermining Hong Kong’s more politically liberal traditions, despite its promise to give it a high degree of autonomy. ***[Source: Xi Jinping warns Hong Kong over sovereignty ‘red line’ – BBC News]***

Secondly, in the matter of end times trending, we look briefly at the coalescing, Turkey-Iran relationship. It is a most fascinating element of the prophetic, stage-setting development in these closing days of this dispensation.

It is more than of curious interest to me that the new American president appears to have been, wittingly or unwittingly, again a catalyst for development of key Biblically prophetic preparation.

Donald Trump’s recent visit to Saudi during his Middle East trip, and his more-or-less pledge to come down on the side of the Saudi Kingdom as they face increasing threats from the likes of Iran, has set in motion a closer tie of two key Gog-Magog partners.

The newly forming closeness between Turkey and Iran is in view as they deal with the controversy over Qatar.

The following excerpt enlightens a bit:

The latest Iranian comments, as well as Turkey’s decision to send troops to Qatar amid a dispute with Saudi Arabia represent the creation of a new Qatar-Turkey-Iranian sphere of influence that has potential to influence the region and Israel. Qatar and Turkey have both had close relations with Hamas over the last decade. The creation of a warmer relationship between Doha, Ankara and Tehran could threaten Israel and could bring Jerusalem closer to Riyadh and Cairo. ***[Source: Turkey’s power-play in Qatar leads to warmer relations with Iran, By Seth J. Frantzman, Jerusalem Post]***

Turkey, under the almost overnight dictatorship formed by Tayyip Erdogan, seems headed in the direction of becoming at some point the entity Ezekiel the Prophet called Torgomah. His regime is embraced, apparently, by the Ayatollahs of Iran (Persia). It is a most interesting development that presents even more interesting possibilities.

The third and last item I would like to look at with you in considering end times trending is the matter of the slap-down it looks as if President Trump is in process of giving the globalists within his administration. This, if it has legs—as they say—is, in my opinion, key to stage-setting for the days of Noah, days of Lot prophecy by the Lord Jesus. Again, that prophecy is found in Christ’s Olivet discourse in Matthew 24: 36-42 and in Luke 17: 26-30.

In brief, I continue to believe that America—and much of the world—is about to experience not an economic melt-down, but an economic boom, based upon Jesus’ words in that prophecy.

The globalists, I sense, were feeling as if they about had Mr. Trump pulled over to their sides in the matter of America’s trade relations. It looked very much like the president would put their agenda, rather than America first—continuing to let America’s wealth drift out without quid pro quo. Now, because of the president’s recent action, the Wall Street types are fearing a global trade war that would end their grasp on U.S. wealth in particular.

The news excerpt informs.

While one of Trump’s recurring campaign promises was that he would “punish” China and other key US trade counterparties if elected, for taking advantage of free-trade by imposing steep tariffs and duties on foreign imports to “level the playing field,” the president’s stance changed drastically after the election, U-turning following his amicable meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping in March, but mostly as a result of pressure by his ex-Goldman advisors to keep existing trade arrangements in place and not “rock the boat.”

Now, all that may be about to fall apart.

And what may be even more striking is that Trump overruled his cabinet, as “the sentiment in the room was 22 against, and 3 in favor — but since one of the three is named Donald Trump, it was case closed.” Axios adds that while “no decision has been made, the President is leaning towards imposing tariffs, despite opposition from nearly all his Cabinet.” ***[Source: Trump “Overrules” Cabinet, Prepares To Unleash Global Trade War, Zero Hedge]***

Needless to say, if Trump follows through, the outcome would have a profound effect on U.S. economic and foreign policy; Trump will formalize his decision in the coming days.

Donald J. Trump might just be president at this moment for the end times buying, selling, building, etc., prophesied by the Lord Himself. It is at just such a time Jesus tells us the following: “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” (Lk 17: 28-30)

–Terry