Welcome to this week’s blog post everyone. If you’re enjoying these or previous blogs, we’d love to hear from you. You can leave comments in the box below, or send us an email.
So, we’ve looked at some of the characteristics of the antichrist, the ten kings, the empire etc. over the last few weeks. Before we finish this chapter, we wanted to give you some clues as to how to spot him when he comes (if you’re still here!).
In the book of Daniel, we find a lot of prophecy. Some of which has already come true, like the timing and sacrifice of the Messiah. One of the most encouraging things about all this prophecy coming true is that it shows we can trust the Word of God above all things. In fact, diving deep into God’s Word this way shows us the depth of God’s wisdom, His desire for us to know Him and His ways and His love for us. His love for us? Yes, His love for us is so great that He put all this incredible knowledge, information and wisdom for the future in our hands! That’s why the least we can do is study it out and do our best to understand it. We are so blessed to have Pastor Richard guide us through all of this with his incredible knowledge and understanding of it all.
So, how we will recognise the antichrist when he arrives? Don’t you love the fact that we can recognise him, that we don’t have to have the wool pulled over our eyes and be deceived along with the rest of the world? Being prepared means we won’t be surprised, we can’t be duped or fooled and we won’t get sucked in to anything the devil is trying to do.
The antichrist will broker a peace treaty for Israel. This will be a sign. You’re thinking this is a good thing, right!? To confirm this as a sign, we need to go back to Daniel.
Daniel 9:24-27
Hundreds of years before, Daniel (with a little help from the Angel Gabriel!) predicts the arrival and the sacrifice of the Messiah, which is amazing! Remember, a ‘week’ is translated as 7 years. So if you’re reading the KJV, you need to know that a week is a 7 years period. The NLT puts it nicely as ‘sets of 7’.
Then, in the third section of Gabriel’s remarks to Daniel, he says the antichrist will enter into some kind of an agreement. Most scholars believe that this is referring to a peace treaty in the Middle East. And it’s not hard to imagine considering the conflict that’s been going on there for so long. It says he shall ‘confirm the covenant with many’. We can find it again in 1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.’ Peace and safety. Once that deal has been brokered, that’s the beginning of the 7 years period.
Daniel then says ‘in the midst of the week’ (so half way through the 7 year period), the abomination of desolation will occur. Jesus referred to this in Matthew 24:15 when He said “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand)”. This is the great tribulation. In the NLT it says ‘reader, pay attention!’ Wow. All scripture is important, right?! All the Word of Jesus are very, very important. But here, Matthew tells us to pay special attention to this verse. When the antichrist sets himself up in the temple as God, we will know.
But Daniel said, in the middle of the 7 year period. Half of 7 years is 3 and a half years. So the ‘great tribulation’ is only 3 and half years. Praise God! And praise God that the Bible has already told us ahead of time so we can be prepared and ready.
Next week we’re going to look at a common belief with the Body of Christ for a long time but that, we think, isn’t accurate. That belief is that all this has already happened. Watch out for that teaching next week.
Until then, keep your eyes on Jesus and your mind on His Word. The promise of God are yours today and forever. You can build your house on them, amen!
Have a great week, church!
Upstream Ministries
DON'T FORGET TO WATCH PASTOR RICHARD'S EXTENDED TEACHING CLIP FROM THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE. JUST CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW.
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