Continuing my series first posted in 2007:
Damascus lies in nuclear rubble, completely cut off from ever becoming a city again. The major jihadist terrorist heads were cut off in Israel’s preemptive strike. But the collective wrath of the rest of the world’s nations–led by the UN Israel-haters—surrounds the tiny Jewish state, figuratively, at least.
The Islamic hordes of every stripe are in full rage. The battle cries scream from every media and diplomatic venue, as well as in the streets of Europe and other nations where Islam’s populations have grown exponentially.
Israel’s leadership—particularly the military leadership—knows that it is fight or die as a nation, as a people.
But, just as the Samson Option is about to be invoked (bringing the house of Israel and all its enemies down with nuclear holocaust), a man from the EU steps from among his fellows, speaking great things of the diplomatic sort:
“And of the ten horns that [were] in his head, and [of] the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even [of] that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look [was] more stout than his fellows” (Daniel 7:20).
This European leader tells Israel he is their friend—almost the only friend they have among the voices of the UN and the newly developed superstate, thanks to the Rapture of the Church and America coming under the European umbrella, bringing with it the most powerful and sophisticated nuclear weapons arsenal on the planet.
He may be but one voice, but what a voice! No one would dare make war with this man, who commands such awesome might. As a matter of fact, this man will one day be worshipped as a god. But not quite yet.
“And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who [is] like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4).
This leader promises Israel that he, personally, will guarantee they are not attacked, and that they’re accepted by other leaders of the nations now threatening an all-out assault on the Jewish state.
He will begin with his wondrous works of convincing all the mesmerized world that he is the man of the hour. He is the ultimate negotiator–the great, longed-for peacemaker.
He even promises Israel they can build a temple on the most sacred spot to religious Jews—atop Mount Moriah, the Temple Mount.
But, in exchange, Israel must agree to put down all its defense, especially its great nuclear arsenal. Israel must agree to rely totally on the leader to be their national protector, their savior. They once rejected their true Messiah but will readily accept this great leader’s overtures of peace. Jesus prophesied about this:
“I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive” (John 5:43).
Although Israel and the world have been forewarned, this proud, arrogant, nefariously ambitious man will invoke his peace. It will–ultimately—produce catastrophic results.
However, he will appear at first to be a miracle worker of unprecedented magnitude:
“And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify [himself] in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many” (Daniel 8:25).
He is called the “man of sin,” the “son of perdition,” “Antichrist,” the “Beast,” the “king of fierce countenance,” the “prince that shall come,” and other names. But interestingly, he is called “the Assyrian.”
I recommend that you get a book by my great friend, Phillip Goodman, The Assyrian Connection, to read about the Bible’s reference to this man. He and Antichrist seem to be one and the same in terms of considering the future tyrant referred to as “the Beast” most prominently in Revelation 13.
Antichrist, though coming out of the geographic area of the ancient Roman Empire, based upon Daniel 9:26-27, will nonetheless be of Middle Eastern extraction.
I will let you read Phillip’s much-studied thoughts on the whys and wherefores surrounding this postulation, but suffice it to say that the following prophecy seems to reference, to some extent, the Beast’s ethnic origin:
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all” (Daniel 11:37).
Who is this “God of his fathers?” If this terrible tyrant is Assyrian, based upon ethnic and/or religious history considerations, the “god” referred to might be the “god” of Islam. However, the “God of his fathers” could refer to God Jehovah, Abraham, and Abraham’s predecessors. The God of Heaven. The use of the capital G in God makes it almost certain that this refers to the One True God.
He rejects the true God of Heaven. (And I don’t mean that he will be a Jew. Abraham–and Abraham’s fathers before that great patriarch—sired many, many people who are not Jewish. The whole of the Arab nations, for example, have Abraham as their Gentile father-progenitor.)
This man, the son of perdition, who stands above all others of like mind–to rule the world, by hook or by crook—is out of the geographical area that comprised the old Roman Empire. While he is a prince who comes forth out of territories encompassed by the ancient Roman Empire, his ethnic origin is from people (his fathers) of Middle Eastern extraction.
He honors the “god of forces.” This is a most interesting proposition. And there are other fascinating factors and considerations in pursuing this line of conjecture.
But that will have to await next week’s space allowances.
—Terry
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