The word Antichrist has two meanings: 1) against the Christ, and 2) instead of the Christ.

The Antichrist will be against the Christ, meaning he will be an enemy of the Christ, and he will try to replace the Christ, meaning he will be a false Christ.

In the New Testament, we read that:

• He is called the man of sin, the wicked one, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit, and a beast (II Thess. 2:3, 8; Rev. 11:7, 13:1).
• He will oppose God and claim that he is God (II Thess. 2:4).
• His coming will be the work of Satan who will empower him with lying wonders that appear to be supernatural (II Thess. 2:9).
• He will blaspheme God and everyone in heaven (Rev. 13:6).
• He will be given power over everyone and every nation on earth (Rev. 13:7).
• He will be worshipped by everyone on earth whose name is not written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, but all that refuse to worship him will be killed (Rev. 13:8, 15).

Many people have opposed Christ, but other than Satan, who caused Him to sweat great drops of blood, there has never been a more sinister or worthy opponent of God on the face of planet Earth.

Many false Christs, false prophets, and deceivers have come and gone, but there has never been a greater or more evil deceiver than this man.

On Aug. 29, 2023, LifeSiteNews posted an article by Michael Haynes about an interview with Catholic Archbishop Vigano.

As I understand it, here are some of the things Vigano said (in mine and his words):

• The rise of globalism is preparing humanity for the rise of the Antichrist.
• The corruption of society is corrupting the Catholic church.
• Globalism and satanism are remarkably similar.
• World leaders will serve Satan by surrendering the sovereignty of their nations to the Antichrist.
• World leaders are trying to remove Christ from the institutions, culture, and life of citizens.
• The Antichrist will be a dictator, and by the time world leaders discover what they have done, it will be too late to do anything about it.

Here is a link to the article.

https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archbishop-vigano-globalism-is-satanic-preparation-for-the-rise-of-the-antichrist/?utm_source=digest-world-2023-08-31&utm_medium=email

Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that society is getting close to the Antichrist’s arrival.

One, concerning the next president of the U.S.: on Aug. 30, 2023, Resist the Mainstream reported that Tucker Carlson believes that former Pres. Trump could be a target for assassination.

Carlson believes that some of Trump’s enemies are desperate to keep him from getting the Republican Party nomination and then being elected to the presidency again.

Trump’s enemies have falsely accused him, impeached him, and indicted him on several charges. They are trying to keep his name off the ballots in some states, and every effort has failed up to now.

The article does not say it, but Trump’s enemies want to replace “America First” with “Globalism First.”

Guess what?

According to Bible prophecy, God will soon allow them to bring America into a world government, cause them to give power to the satanic Antichrist, and their fate will be sealed forever.

This is not something to rejoice about, but it is God’s Word, so it must happen.

Two, concerning deceit at the end of the age: on Sept. 6, 2023, the staff at Prophecy News Watch (PNW) posted an article that people are using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to produce realistic-looking fake videos.

PNW reported that NBC recently viewed 50 videos that were posted on social media websites (Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, etc.) that appeared to be created to swindle people out of their money.

According to the article, “Some experts are warning the first ‘deepfake election’ will arrive next year, when a substantial number of voters will see political disinformation videos online and not be able to tell with certainty whether they’re real.”

Here is a link to the article:

https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=6336

Three, concerning recent reports that Pres. Biden is tentatively planning to declare another pandemic, gradually move to a full-scale lockdown, and try to force everyone to wear a face mask and get vaccinated against a new very bad virus by Dec. 2023: on Aug. 30, 2023, it was reported that former Pres. Trump expressed his opinion that Biden (or those who support him) are planning to steal another election.

Trump believes the purpose of declaring another pandemic is to “justify more lockdowns, more censorship, more illegal drop boxes, more mail-in ballots, and trillions of dollars in payoffs to their political allies heading into the 2024 election.”

(More: On Sept. 3, 2023, it was reported that a growing number of people are declaring that they will not comply with another round of lockdowns, mandates to wear a face mask, forced vaccinations, etc.)

Four, concerning pandemics, hunger, and beasts that will kill multitudes during the Tribulation Period (Rider on the Pale Horse): on Mar. 16, 2023, Fresno County Health Officials discovered an abandoned biolab in Reedley, Cal.

On Sept. 5, 2023, Resist the Mainstream reported that a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation has “identified 20 different infectious agents inside the building, including tuberculosis, dengue, HIV, COVID-19, and malaria.”

More than one company has been involved, they are not fully cooperating with the CDC, and combined, they have received 16 known shipments from China in recent years.

(Question: If the U.S. is going to keep its border with Mexico wide open, why does it matter if China is sending unidentified materials to an illegal biolab in Cal.?)

Five, on Aug. 28, 2023, Pres. Biden’s Press Sec., Karine Jean-Pierre, said an updated Covid-19 jab will be available in mid-Sept. and Pres. Biden wants Americans to take it.

(Reminder: On Aug. 11, 2023, it was reported that a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report says 120,000 children in the U.S. have died suddenly following an mRNA vaccination for COVID-19.)

Six, concerning deceit and a population decline: in 1996, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Ivermectin as safe for human use against a variety of diseases.

Then, on Aug. 21, 2021, and on Aug. 26, 2022, the FDA posted ads on its website advising people to stop using Ivermectin for the treatment of Covid-19.

The FDA had already declared it safe for human use; some called it a miracle drug, it was saving lives, and then the FDA recommended that people stop using it to treat COVID-19.

Three doctors sued the FDA in Federal Court for suggesting that a medicine that the FDA had approved as safe for human use was unsafe against Covid-19.

The FDA’s lawyers argued that the FDA was not mandating that people stop using Ivermectin because it was unsafe; they were just recommending that people stop using it.

One of the doctors was suspended and later forced to resign from her job for prescribing Ivermectin.

On Sept. 1, 2023, a Federal Judge ruled that the FDA abused its authority by urging people to stop using Ivermectin.

The judge ruled that the doctors can now sue the FDA for suggesting that the doctors were prescribing a medicine that was unsafe.

Society is witnessing lying, deceit, and corruption at the highest levels of government.

Unfortunately, many medical professionals went along with it, or people would not have lost their jobs over this issue.

Seven, concerning deceit and wickedness: on Sept. 3, 2023, it was reported that Louisiana has had more than 440 wildfires this year, and the largest wildfire in the state’s history (called the Tiger Island Fire) is burning right now.

Was it caused by climate change?

For your information, state officials have confirmed that it was started by arson.

Eight, concerning the decline of America, deceit by the media and many politicians: in an interview on Sept. 2, 2023, Fox News Anchor Sean Hannity asked former Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard about the politicization of a recent shooting in Florida, and Gabbard responded:

• We used to be able to trust the AP to just report the facts. No more. AP now stands for Associated Propaganda, politically biased, publishing articles that read more like opinion pieces than news reporting. They and the Democrat elite treat the American people like we are fools, unable to think for ourselves and make our own decisions. They couldn’t be more wrong.

America cannot be united if the media and many politicians do not start telling the truth.

(More: We now know that 51 government officials, former government officials, etc., put their signature on a false story when they signed a letter saying the Hunter Biden laptop story was a Russian information operation. When will the U.S. Dept. of Justice prosecute these people? Probably never because many of them worked for or once worked for the FBI, CIA, etc.)

Nine, concerning a normalization agreement (peace) between Israel and Saudi Arabia: on Sept. 4, 2023, it was reported that a senior Israeli official said an agreement hinges on U.S. defense guarantees (safety) for Saudi Arabia (not Israeli concessions to the Palestinians).

“Peace and safety” are words that every student of Bible prophecy understands.

Ten, concerning an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters at the end of the age: the India Meteorological Dept. (IMD) recently reported that on Sept. 2, 2023, there were 61,000 lightning strikes in two hours in Odisha that killed 12 people and injured 14.

IMD warned that extreme conditions (heavy rain, flooding, and lightning) could continue for the next five days.

FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

I constantly receive e-mails from readers who want me to give them my opinion on how close we are to the Rapture.

Some keep rephrasing the question and asking again and again.

Some say, “I know you don’t know the day or the hour, but will it be in the next few weeks, before the end of this year, what do you think, etc.?”

Many readers have been expecting the Rapture to happen for several years, but it has not happened, and they want to know, “How much longer will we have to wait?”

One reader recently wrote this:

• I thought for sure the Rapture was going to happen during the Obama administration, then I thought for sure it was happening during Covid. I see things like AI, cashless society coming, LGBTQ and Trans. I see people who just don’t care anything about God or morals. I mean, we have to be on the cusp of this happening sometime soon, right? I’m not asking for a date; my question is, always, is there any chance we’re just wrong? Or seeing what we want to see?

This reader has gone from expecting the Rapture to happen anytime to wondering if it might still be a long time or if we could be misunderstanding the Bible.

I totally understand.

I have been expecting the Rapture to happen anytime for a long time myself.

Having said this, I want to speculate for just a minute, and hopefully, it will be helpful to some who are wondering about how long it will be.

I believe:

• The Rapture will happen before the Tribulation Period begins (often called the Pre-Trib Rapture).
• The Mark of the Beast (a global ID, cashless society, forcing everyone to take the name, number, or Mark of the Antichrist) will begin at the middle of the Tribulation Period.
• The Tribulation Period will last for seven years (2,520 days) on the Jewish calendar.

If I am correct about these three beliefs, it means the Rapture will take place a minimum of three and one-half years before the Mark of the Beast (global ID, cashless society, forcing people to take the Mark, etc.) and perhaps more than that (because there could be a gap between the Rapture and the Tribulation Period).

The globalists’ goal is to establish a world government by 2030 or sooner.

If their world government begins in 2030, the Rapture would be between now and 2030.

If they intend to have a global ID, a cashless society, force everyone to take the Mark, etc., by 2030, the Rapture would be in 2026 or sooner (and if there is a gap between the Rapture and the Tribulation Period, the Rapture could be very soon).

If the Battle of Gog and Magog were to take place soon, it would accelerate the development of world government (and, therefore, accelerate the Rapture).

It may not happen, but a breakthrough in the peace negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia might speed up the seven-year covenant with many (and, therefore, accelerate the Rapture).

Anyway, as I said, I am speculating.

Obviously, I could be wrong, but I do not think so, and I hope that my speculation helps those who are getting concerned because the Rapture has not happened.

God is in control; the Rapture will happen when He wants it to happen, and it will come upon the earth like a snare (catch multitudes by surprise), so be ready and stay ready.

Here are some signs that seem to indicate that we are getting close:

One, concerning pestilence and persecution: on Aug. 23, 2023, it was reported that the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Anthony Fauci, expressed his support for another global lockdown and the punishment of those who refuse to be vaccinated.

(More: I have seen several reports that say White House staffers have leaked reports that Biden is planning to declare another pandemic and order a few people (airline employees, passengers, etc.) to start wearing face masks as soon as Sept. or Oct. Then, starting in Dec., he hopes to order a full-scale lockdown, try to force vaccinations on everyone again, and require everyone to wear face masks. Some reports say there is no pandemic, but the Biden administration is already signing contracts, buying equipment, and hiring people to push pandemic protocols on the American public for the next several years.)

(More: On Aug. 24, 2023, it was reported that a new type of Covid-19 booster shots could be available by mid-Sept.)

(More: On Aug. 25, 2023, Pres. Biden told a group of reporters, “People should plan to receive another Covid-19 booster shot in response to a new rising variant.” It was also reported that Biden said, “I signed off this morning on a proposal to present to the Congress requests for additional funding for a new vaccine.”)

(More: On Aug. 26, 2023, it was reported that Riverton, Utah Mayor Trent Staggs said he will not enforce a repeat of the Covid protocols. He believes citizens should be allowed to make their own decisions about getting jabbed, locking down, wearing a mask, etc.)

(More: I have also seen one report by a Fact Check group that said most of the things reported above are false. It is an established fact that Biden lies, Biden gets confused, deceit is rampant, and it is hard to know what to believe. I find it more difficult by the day to believe everything he says and even what some Fact Check groups say. Biden said he “tentatively” plans to recommend another round of jabs, and that may be where the problem is. “Tentatively” could mean likely but not definitely. Nevertheless, there is a problem: Why has he already signed contracts if he is unsure about what he intends to do?)

Two, concerning deceit and pandemics: on Aug. 17, 2023, the Russian Embassy in Washington D.C. said (as I understand it):

• The U.S. is conducting illegal research on biological agents that can be used to manage artificial pandemics.
• The U.S. has established labs all over the world to carry out this illegal research under the guise of “epidemiological monitoring.”
• The U.S. is seeking ways to create crises that can be used to advance their interests.

According to the article, in March of this year, Russia said the U.S. had built labs and was doing biological research in Ukraine, but the U.S. quickly dismissed it as Russian propaganda.

Since that time, the U.S. has admitted that it was supporting more than 40 labs in Ukraine that were working on worthy causes.

It makes me wonder, if the U.S. government was deceiving us in March, could they be deceiving us now?

Is Russia telling the truth when it accuses the U.S. of working on biological agents that can be used to manage “artificial pandemics?”

Three, concerning the return of Jews to the Promised Land at the end of the age: on Aug. 17, 2023, it was reported that about 75,000 Jews immigrated to Israel in 2022, another 34,530 immigrated during the first six months of 2023, and there are about 60,000 in Russia that want to immigrate, but Russia will only allow 2,500 to leave each month.

Four, Jesus revealed that there will be Jews in Judaea at the middle of the Tribulation Period (Matt. 24:16).

On Aug. 23, 2023, after a year of working on it, a group of architects, engineers, and others presented a plan to Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu for the construction of cities, industrial parks, a hospital, a railroad, and an airport to boost the Jewish population of Judaea and Samaria to one million people.

Five, the Bible teaches that Jerusalem will be expanded and be a cup of trembling and a burdensome stone for the entire world at the end of the age (Zech. 1:16-17; 12:1-3).

On Aug. 20, 2023, Israel approved a plan to spend the equivalent of $840 million on improvements and expansion in East Jerusalem over the next five years.

The Palestinians claim East Jerusalem; they want it to be the capital of their desired Palestinian state; the Temple Mount is there, and more, but Israel is now going to grow the area, make it more secure, and strengthen her sovereignty over it.

Six, concerning the Antichrist’s confirmation of a worthless seven-year covenant with many for peace in the Middle East: last week, I reported that UN Sec. Gen. Guterres has scheduled a meeting for Sept. 18-19 to push world leaders to commit to “seven years of accelerated, sustained, and transformative action, both nationally and internationally, to deliver on the promise of the SDGs” (Sustainable Development Goals that are in essence the creation of a world government).

I also noted that the Biden administration wants to conclude a deal by March 2024 (or at least in the next 9-12 months) to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel (something that they think will lead to peace and safety in the Middle East).

Now for the latest.

Following three recent visits by U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to Saudi Arabia, on Aug. 23, 2023, an unidentified senior Israeli official said on the condition of anonymity:

• Progress has been made in discussions between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and an agreement could be reached as “early as next year.”
• “We’re talking about a peace agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel next year, likely early next year.”
• “We’re navigating this diplomatically, and there’s still ground to cover. We’re in talks with both the Saudis and Israelis.”

Concerning the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, the talks have been mostly about the safety of Saudi Arabia (the U.S. protecting Saudi Arabia from Iran, the U.S. sending weapons to Saudi Arabia, helping the Saudis build a nuclear reactor, etc.).

Concerning the Palestinians and the demands that are being placed on Israel: Ron Dermer, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister, said the talks have been mostly about the U.S. and Saudi Arabia giving economic aid to the Palestinians, not about Jewish settlement construction or halts in Jewish settlement construction.

Understand that a UN agreement to establish a world government in seven years, a likely agreement to establish peace between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and protection (safety) for the Saudis against Iran in early 2024 are extremely big events in Bible prophecy.

(More: On Aug. 27, 2023, it was reported that the U.S. has advised Israel that it will have to make major concessions to the Palestinians for a deal to succeed.)

Seven, concerning the decline of America and an economic collapse: on Aug. 25, 2025, it was reported that the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) will be joined by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) effective Jan. 1, 2024.

Officials expected the BRICS nations to control 60% of the world’s oil.

The addition of these other six nations on Jan. 1, 2024, will give the group control of 80% of the world’s oil.

Biden’s decision to shut down the Keystone XL pipeline, suspend new oil and gas drilling permits, sell about 75% of America’s strategic oil reserves, etc., has now left the U.S. in a bad position.

It may take a while, but some officials say the price of oil will drastically increase, and that will drive up the price of everything average U.S. citizens buy.

(FYI: Russia and Iran are riding high right now, but they will be brought down, and BRICS will be weakened when the Battle of Gog and Magog takes place.)

Eight, it has recently been reported that the World Economic Forum (WEF) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are calling for a global digital ID and a global digital currency system that uses trackable Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs).

We have even been told that these could soon become a reality.

Leo Hohmann, a very highly respected researcher and writer, put it like this:

Digital ID + CBDC = Total control/tracking of all human activity.

Hohmann added, “Once these two totalitarian tools are in place, there will be no turning back.”

As I understand it, he was saying (and I agree with him) the system that will lead to the Mark of the Beast will be in place, and it will be unstoppable.

Nine, concerning the decline of America: on Aug. 22, 2023, it was reported that the Biben administration has opened 114 gates in Trump’s border wall and welded them open so they cannot be closed by border control agents.

(More: On Aug. 28, 2023, it was reported that the DHS has spent $770 million to facilitate illegal immigration.)

FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com