There have been many times when I’ve been reading prophetic passages in the Bible, and I wondered how people do not realize that prophecy is being fulfilled right before their eyes. The rapture alone should be a dead giveaway that the last days are here.
It just seems that the Antichrist (AC) would have no ability to operate with the Bible describing his true nature. The removal of everyone with clear knowledge of the end times will be a huge help to him. People should still be able to gain fast insight by dusting off their Bibles and reading up on what is about to take place.
If someone comes on the world stage as the most powerful political leader of all time, you would think hordes of people would say, “Hey, Aren’t You the Antichrist?” Few people will make the connection because the Beast of Revelation is generally viewed as someone who is totally evil. The AC, at first, will be a man who solves the world’s problems. He will have incredible skills at deception.
“Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule” (Daniel 8:25 NKJV).
Another way that the AC will win over the world is that he will have supernatural powers. This ability to perform miracles is probably the key reason why Israel will believe that he is their long-awaited Messiah. By the time Israel realizes that the AC is a fraud, he will be too powerful to resist.
“For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24).
Few Germans questioned if Adolf Hitler was the AC because he was on a massive political and military winning streak. After gambling and winning so many times, his people could only conclude that he was a genius. When he went to war with France, many Germans feared a repeat of the quagmire of World War I. It was a huge shock to the world when Hitler’s troops blitzkrieged their way to Paris in only a few weeks. It wasn’t until the onset of a cold winter at the gates of Moscow that Hitler’s luck ran out.
The stage is perfectly set for the AC because prophetic awareness is at a very low point. I can go back 120 years and find a series of books that drew the public’s attention to Bible prophecy. John Walvoord, Hal Lindsey, and Tim LaHaye are three key figures in my lifetime. For decades, we had a book on prophecy at the top of the best-seller list. Today, it has been over a decade since a prophecy book has been a major seller.
With most experts in the field of prophecy having died and few people rising to take their place, fresh end-time commentary is becoming hard to find. There will be plenty of supernatural events during the tribulation, but the AC will be free to provide his own interpretation. He may say that the rapture was God removing evil people from Earth.
One of the most repeated events in the tribulation is God pouring out His wrath on mankind and their refusal to repent. As the punishment gets stronger and stronger, the people of Earth will cling more stubbornly to their evil ways.
“Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk” (Revelation 9:20).
There will be a vast number of people who will repent and turn to God. Most of these people will suffer martyrdom for their faith.
People will not fail to turn to God because of a lack of knowledge. As the tribulation progresses, the world will know what is happening. They will be so committed to the AC that they cannot change their allegiance. They will first see him as their savior. When they take the mark, their fate will be sealed. Once people reject salvation, God will send them a strong delusion that will make them believe a deeper lie. When the tribulation draws to a close, people will be so desperate they will cry for rocks to fall on them.
The wonderful thing about this time before the rapture is that we can use it to avoid the tribulation by turning to Christ for salvation. After the rapture, salvation can only be achieved by a willingness to endure suffering. If any of you are unsure about your standing with God, you need to resolve your doubts. It is so clear to me that this world is run by the devil, and the only way someone could miss out on God’s offer of grace is through profound negligence.
“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (II Corinthians 6:2 NKJV).