And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and those sitting upon them, having breastplates of fire, and jacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses [are] as heads of lions, and out of their mouths proceedeth fire, and smoke, and brimstone;

and the number of the forces of the horsemen [is] two myriads of myriads, and I heard the number of them.

and loosed were the four messengers, who have been made ready for the hour, and day, and month, and year, that they may kill the third of men;

 saying to the sixth messenger who had the trumpet, `Loose the four messengers who are bound at the great river Euphrates;'

And the sixth messenger did sound, and I heard a voice out of the four horns of the altar of gold that is before God,

The first woe did go forth, lo, there come yet two woes after these things.

and they have tails like to scorpions, and stings were in their tails; and their authority [is] to injure men five months;  and they have over them a king the messenger of the abyss a name [is] to him in Hebrew, Abaddon, and in the Greek he hath a name, Apollyon.

and they had hair as hair of women, and their teeth were as [those] of lions, and they had breastplates as breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings [is] as the noise of chariots of many horses running to battle;

 And the likenesses of the locusts [are] like to horses made ready to battle, and upon their heads as crowns like gold, and their faces as faces of men,

and it was given to them that they may not kill them, but that they may be tormented five months, and their torment [is] as the torment of a scorpion, when it may strike a man;

 

and in those days shall men seek the death, and they shall not find it, and they shall desire to die, and the death shall flee from them.

And out of the smoke came forth locusts to the earth, and there was given to them authority, as scorpions of the earth have authority, and it was said to them that they may not injure the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but the men only who have not the seal of God upon their foreheads,

And the fifth messenger did sound, and I saw a star out of the heaven having fallen to the earth, and there was given to it the key of the pit of the abyss, and he did open the pit of the abyss, and there came up a smoke out of the pit as smoke of a great furnace, and darkened was the sun and the air, from the smoke of the pit.

And I saw, and I heard one messenger, flying in the mid-heaven, saying with a great voice, `Woe, woe, woe, to those dwelling upon the land from the rest of the voices of the trumpet of the three messengers who are about to sound.'

And the fourth messenger did sound, and smitten was the third of the sun, and the third of the moon, and the third of the stars, that darkened may be the third of them, and that the day may not shine the third of it, and the night in like manner.

 And the third messenger did sound, and there fell out of the heaven a great star, burning as a lamp, and it did fall upon the third of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters,  and the name of the star is called Wormwood, and the third of the waters doth become wormwood, and many of the men did die of the waters, because they were made bitter.

And the second messenger did sound, and as it were a great mountain with fire burning was cast into the sea, and the third of the sea became blood,  and die did the third of the creatures that [are] in the sea, those having life, and the third of the ships were destroyed.

and the first messenger did sound, and there came hail and fire, mingled with blood, and it was cast to the land, and the third of the trees was burnt up, and all the green grass was burnt up.

 And the seven messengers who are having the seven trumpets did prepare themselves that they may sound;

and the messenger took the censer, and did fill it out of the fire of the altar, and did cast [it] to the earth, and there came voices, and thunders, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

and go up did the smoke of the perfumes to the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the messenger, before God;

and another messenger did come, and he stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given to him much perfume, that he may give [it] to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar that [is] before the throne,

and I saw the seven messengers who before God have stood, and there were given to them seven trumpets,

And when he openeth the seventh seal, there came silence in the heaven about half-an-hour,

because the Lamb that [is] in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and wipe away shall God every tear from their eyes.

because of this are they before the throne of God, and they do service to Him day and night in His sanctuary, and He who is sitting upon the throne shall tabernacle over them; they shall not hunger any more, nor may the sun fall upon them, nor any heat,

and I have said to him, `Sir, thou hast known;' and he said to me, `These are those who are coming out of the great tribulation, and they did wash their robes, and they made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb;

And answer did one of the elders, saying to me, `These, who have been arrayed with the white robes, who are they, and whence came they?'

And all the messengers stood around the throne, and the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell upon their face, and bowed before God, saying, `Amen! the blessing, and the glory, and the wisdom, and the thanksgiving, and the honour, and the power, and the strength, [are] to our God to the ages of the ages! Amen!'

 After these things I saw, and lo, a great multitude, which to number no one was able, out of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands, and crying with a great voice, saying, `The salvation [is] to Him who is sitting upon the throne to our God, and to the Lamb!'

of the tribe of Judah 12 thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Reuben 12 thousand were sealed;
of the tribe of Gad 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Asher 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Naphtali 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Manasseh 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Simeon 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Levi 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Issachar 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Zebulun 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Joseph 12 thousand were sealed;

of the tribe of Benjamin 12 thousand were sealed.

And I heard the number of those sealed, (144 thousands were sealed out of all the tribes of the sons of Israel):

and I saw another messenger going up from the rising of the sun, having a seal of the living God, and he did cry with a great voice to the four messengers, to whom it was given to injure the land and the sea, saying,`Do not injure the land, nor the sea, nor the trees, till we may seal the servants of our God upon their foreheads.'

And after these things I saw four messengers, standing upon the four corners of the land, holding the four winds of the land, that the wind may not blow upon the land, nor upon the sea, nor upon any tree;

and they say to the mountains and to the rocks, 'Fall upon us, and hide us from the face of Him who is sitting upon the throne, and from the anger of the Lamb,' because come did the great day of His anger, and who is able to stand?

and the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich, and the chiefs of thousands, and the mighty, and every servant, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains,

and the stars of the heaven fell to the earth as a fig tree doth cast her winter figs, by a great wind being shaken and heaven departed as a scroll rolled up, and every mountain and island out of their places they were moved;

 And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and lo, a great earthquake came, and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood,

and there was given to each one white robes, and it was said to them that they may rest themselves yet a little time, till may be fulfilled also their fellow-servants and their brethren, who are about to be killed even as they.

And when he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony that they held, and they were crying with a great voice, saying, `Till when, O Master, the Holy and the True, dost Thou not judge and take vengeance of our blood from those dwelling upon the land?'

and I saw, and lo, a pale horse, and he who is sitting upon him -- his name is Death, and Hades doth follow with him, and there was given to them authority to kill, (over the fourth part of the land,) with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and by the beasts of the land.

And when he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, `Come and behold!'

and I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, `A measure of wheat for a denary, and three measures of barley for a denary,' and `The oil and the wine thou mayest not injure.'

And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, `Come and behold!' and I saw, and lo, a black horse, and he who is sitting upon it is having a balance in his hand,

and there went forth another horse, red, and to him who is sitting upon it, there was given to him to take the peace from the land, and that one another they may slay, and there was given to him a great sword.

And when he opened the second seal,
I heard the second living creature saying, `Come and behold!'

 And I saw, and lo, a white horse, and he who is sitting upon it is having a bow, and there was given to him a crown, and he went forth overcoming, and that he may overcome.

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying, as it were a voice of thunder, `Come and behold!'

and the four living creatures said, `Amen!' and the twenty-four elders fell down and they bow before Him who is living to the ages of the ages.

and every creature that is in the heaven, and in the earth, and under the earth, and the things that are upon the sea, and the all things in them, heard I saying, `To Him who is sitting upon the throne, and to the Lamb, [is] the blessing, and the honour, and the glory, and the might to the ages of the ages!'

 And I saw, and I heard the voice of many messengers round the throne, and the living creatures, and the elders and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a great voice, `Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive the power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!'

And when he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell before the Lamb, having each one harps and golden vials full of perfumes, which are the prayers of the saints,and they sing a new song, saying, `Worthy art thou to take the scroll, and to open the seals of it, because thou wast slain, and didst redeem us to God in thy blood, out of every tribe, and tongue, and people, and nation, and didst make us to our God kings and priests, and we shall reign upon the earth.'

 And I was weeping much, because no one was found worthy to open and to read the scroll, nor to ehold it,  and one of the elders saith to me, `Weep not; lo, overcome did the Lion, who is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, to open the scroll, and to loose the seven seals of it; and I saw, and lo, in the midst of the throne, and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb hath stood as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the Seven Spirits of God, which are sent to all the earth, and he came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who is sitting upon the throne.

 and no one was able in the heaven, nor upon the earth, nor under the earth, to open the scroll, nor to behold it.

and I saw a strong messenger crying with a great voice, `Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose the seals of it?'

And I saw upon the right hand of Him who is sitting upon the throne a scroll, written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals;

`Worthy art Thou, O Lord, to receive the glory, and the honour, and the power, because Thou, Thou didst create the all things, and because of Thy will are they, and they were created.'

fall down do the twenty and four elders before Him who is sitting upon the throne, and bow before Him who is living to the ages of the ages, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

 and when the living creatures do give glory, and honour, and thanks, to Him who is sitting upon the throne, who is living to the ages of the ages,

And the four living creatures, each by itself severally, had six wings, around and within [are] full of eyes, and rest they have not day and night, saying, `Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is coming;'

and the first living creature [is] like a lion,
and the second living creature [is] like a calf,
and the third living creature hath the face as a man,
and the fourth living creature [is] like an eagle flying.

and before the throne [is] a sea of glass like to crystal, and in the midst of the throne, and round the throne, [are] four living creatures, full of eyes before and behind;

and out of the throne proceed do lightnings, and thunders, and voices; and seven lamps of fire are burning before the throne, which are the Seven Spirits of God,

And around the throne [are] thrones twenty and four, and upon the thrones I saw the twenty and four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and they had upon their heads crowns of gold;

 and He who is sitting was in sight like a stone,  jasper and sardine: and a rainbow  was round  the throne in sight like an emerald.

and immediately I was in the Spirit, and lo, a throne was set in the heaven, and upon the throne is [one] sitting,

After these things I saw, and lo, a door opened in the heaven, and the first voice that I heard [is] as of a trumpet speaking with me, saying, `Come up hither, and I will shew thee what it behoveth to come to pass after these things;'

He who is having an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies.

He who is overcoming  I will give to him  to sit with me in my throne,  as I also did overcome and did sit down with my Father in His throne.

lo, I have stood at the door, and I knock; if any one may hear my voice, and may open the door, I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

As many as I love, I do convict and chasten; be zealous, then, and reform;

I counsel thee to buy from me gold fired by fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white garments that thou mayest be arrayed, and the shame of thy nakedness may not be manifest, and with eye-salve anoint thine eyes, that thou mayest see.

because thou sayest  I am rich, and have grown rich, and have need of nothing, and hast not known that thou art the wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked,

So, because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth;

I have known thy works, that neither cold art thou nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot.

And to the messenger of the assembly of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the witness, the faithful and true, the chief of the creation of God;

He who is having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies.

He who is overcoming I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and without he may not go any more, and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, that doth come down out of the heaven from my God, also my new name.

Lo, I come quickly, be holding fast that which thou hast, that no one may receive thy crown.

Because thou didst keep the word of my endurance, I also will keep thee from the hour of the trial that is about to come upon all the world, to try those dwelling upon the earth.

lo, I make of the synagogue of the Adversary those saying themselves to be Jews, and are not, but do lie; lo, I will make them that they may come and bow before thy feet, and may know that I loved thee.

 I have known thy works; lo, I have set before thee a door opened, and no one is able to shut it, because thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name;

And to the messenger of the assembly in Philadelphia write:  The things saith he who is holy, he who is true, he who is having the key of David, he who is opening and no one doth shut, and he shutteth and no one doth open!

He who is having an ear
let him hear what the Spirit
saith to the assemblies.

 He who is overcoming, this one, shall be arrayed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the scroll of the life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before His messengers.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis who did not defile their garments, and they shall walk with me in white, because they are worthy.

Remember, then, how thou hast received, and heard, and be keeping, and reform: if, then, thou mayest not watch, I will come upon thee as a thief, and thou mayest not know what hour I will come upon thee.

 become watching, and strengthen the rest of the things that are about to die, for I have not found thy works fulfilled before God.

Never forget 911

And to the messenger of the assembly in Sardis write: These things saith he who is having the Seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars: I have known thy works, and that thou hast the name that thou dost live, and thou art dead;

He who is having an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith
to the assemblies,

and I will give to him the morning star.

and he shall rule them with a rod of iron as the vessels of the potter they shall be broken as I also have received from my Father;

but that which ye have hold ye,

till I may come; and he who is

overcoming, and who is keeping

unto the end my works, I will

give to him authority over the nations,

And to you I say, and to the rest
who are in Thyatira,
as many as have not this teaching,
and who did not know the depths
of the Adversary, as they say; I
will not put upon you other burden;

and her children I will kill in death,
and know shall all the assemblies that
I am he who is searching reins and hearts; and I will give to you to each according to your works.

lo, I will cast her into a couch, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation if they may not repent of their works,

and I did give to her a time that she might reform from her whoredom, and she did not reform;

But I have against thee a few things:
That thou dost suffer the woman Jezebel, who is calling herself a prophetess, to teach, and to lead astray, my servants to commit whoredom, and idol-sacrifices to eat;

I have known thy works, and love,
and ministration, and faith, and
thy endurance, and thy works and
the last [are] more than the first.

And to the messenger of the assembly
of Thyatira write:
These things saith the Son of God,
who is having his eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet like to fine brass;

He who is having an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming, I will give to him to eat from the hidden manna, and will give to him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, that no one knew except him who is receiving [it].

Reform! and if not, I come to thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

so hast thou, even thou, those
holding the teaching of the
Nicolaitans which thing I hate.

But I have against thee a few things: That thou hast there those holding the teaching of Balaam, who did teach Balak to cast a stumbling-block before the sons of Israel, to eat idol-sacrifices, and to commit whoredom;

I have known thy works, and where thou dost dwell where the throne of the Adversary [is] and thou dost hold fast my name, and thou didst not deny my faith, even in the days in which Antipas [was] my faithful witness, who was put to death beside you, where the Adversary doth dwell.

And to the messenger of the assembly
in Pergamos write:
These things saith he who is having
the sharp two-edged sword:

He who is having and ear,
let him hear what the Spirit
saith to the assemblies:
He who is overcoming  may not be
injured of the second death.

Be not afraid of the things that thou art about to suffer; lo, the devil is about to cast of you to prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days; become thou faithful unto death, and I will give to thee the crown of the life.

I have known thy works, and
tribulation, and poverty,
yet thou art rich,
and the evil-speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and are not,
but [are] a synagogue of the Adversary.

And to the messenger of the assembly of the Smyrneans write: These things saith the First and the Last, who did become dead and did live;

He who is having an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the assemblies: To him who is overcoming, I will give to him to eat of the tree of life that is in the midst of  the paradise of God.

but this thou hast,
that thou dost hate the works of the Nicolaitans, that I also hate.

remember, then, whence thou hast fallen, and reform, and the first works do; and if not, I come to thee quickly, and will remove thy lamp-stand from its place if thou mayest not reform;

But I have against thee:
That thy first love thou didst leave!

and thou didst bear, and hast endurance, and because of my name
hast toiled, and hast not been weary.

I have known thy works, and thy labor,
and thy endurance, and that thou are not able to bear evil ones,
and that thou hast tried those saying
themselves to be apostles and are not,
and hast found them liars,

To the messenger of the Ephesian assembly write: These things saith he who is holding the seven stars in his right hand, who is walking in the midst of the seven lamp-stands, the golden:

the secret of the seven stars that
thou has seen upon my right hand,
and the seven-golden lamp-stands:
the seven stars are messengers
of the seven assemblies,
and the seven lamp-stands that thou
hast seen are seven assemblies.

'Write the things that thou hast seen,
and the things that are,
and the things that are about to come
after these things;

 and he who is living, and I did become dead, and lo, I am living to the ages of the ages. Amen!
and I have the keys of hades and of the death.

And when I saw him,
I did fall at his feet as dead,
and he placed his right hand upon me,
saying, to me, 'Be not afraid;
I am the First and the Last,

and having in his right hand
seven stars, and out of his mouth
a sharp two-edged sword is proceeding,
and his countenance is as the
sun shining in its might.

 and his feet like a fine brass,
as in a furnace having been fired,
and his voice as a sound of many waters,

and his head and hairs white,
as if white as snow,
and his eyes as a flame of fire;

and in the midst of the seven
lamp-stands,one like to a son of man,
clothed to the foot, and girt around
at the breast with a golden girdle.

And I did turn to see the voice that did speak to me, and having turned, I saw seven golden lamp-stands,

I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the First and the Last; and
What thou dost see, write in a scroll,
and send to the seven assemblies
that are in Asia; to Ephesus, and to Smyrna, and to Pergamos, and to Thyatira, and to Sardis, and to Philadelphia, and to Laodices.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day,
and I heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet, saying,

I, John, who also am your brother, and fellow-partner in the tribulation, and in the reign and endurance, of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, because of the word of God, and because of the testimony of Jesus Christ;

`I am the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and end, saith the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is coming, the Almighty.'

 Lo, he doth come with the clouds,
and see him shall every eye,
even those who did pierce him,
and wail because of him
shall all the tribes of the land.
Yes! Amen!

and did make us kings and priests
to his God and Father,
to him is the glory and the power
to the ages of the ages! Amen.

and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood,

John to the seven assemblies that are in Asia:
Grace to you, and peace, from Him who is, and who was, and who is coming,
and from the Seven Spirits that are before His throne,

Happy is he who is reading,
and those hearing, the words of the prophecy,
and keeping the things written in it for the time is nigh!

who did testify the word of God,
and the testimony of Jesus Christ,
as many things also as he did see.

A revelation of Jesus Christ,
that God gave to him,
to show to his servants what things it behove to come to pass quickly;
and he did signify it, having sent through his messenger to his servant John,

God speaks

The presidents proposing this new world order didn't explain to us what the New World Order really means.

The truth is that the New World Order will cover the creation of a global government under the United Nations with a joint American and Russian partnership.

It will lead to the slavery of freedom-loving people throughout the whole world.

The U.S. government has cooperated in plans for a one-world government.

Presidents have worked to create what they have called a 'New World Order."

In this century in which we are living, we know of the tragic destruction of hundreds of millions from Communism and Nazism.

Now the greatest 'ism' is forming right before our eyes. It has many names and looks but its purpose is the same; the creation of a world government that will dominate the nations and their people for the benefit of a few leaders and their followers.

The Bible tells us that in the final generation of this age, the Antichrist will rule the entire world for more than seven years.

Revelation 13:7-8 tells us the Man of Sin, given power by Satan, will rule the planet for a time.

History has shown us that very few nation [if any] were able to overcome dictators without the help of an outside nation.

If all the nations were eliminated under a ruler of a world government, freedoms could be lost forever.

Without individual nations, if a future dictator ever gains power over such a world government, there will be no outside nation left to oppose him and provide the a possibility of defeating tyranny.

Because of the role of nations in
   preserving individual rights,
   assisting cultural development,
   and providing democratic rights,
it is irreverent to abandon the role of nations in human government.

In the end, this attack on the nations will fail because the Word prophecy that the saints shall rule the nations forever.

The book of Revelation says that in the New Earth "the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory and honor into it", in Revelation 21:24.

The Bible doesn't predict the extinction of nation-states in the future.

Prophecies tell us that Christ will judge the nations on the basis of how they treated their people and they will either be blessed or cursed during the Millennium [the 1000 yrear reign of Jesus Christ on the earth].

A New World Order is at the expense of the national governments that have preserved our freedoms and democracy for years.

Nation-states are one of the oldest institutions in human history.

Even though there has been thirteen years of war for every year of peace [throughout history], the nation-state is not the problem; because of the sinfulness of men, wars would have occurred regardless.

Today it's popular for the media to bash the nation as the cause of many or most all of the world's problems.

We are being persuaded by them and politicians about the great advantages of joining super organizations and reducing our independence, patriotism and loyalty of our  own country.

We are offered a one-world government as the solution.

Two and half thousand years ago Daniel predicted that no one would succeed in recreating the Roman Empire until the final generation when the Messiah would return.

The dream of a revived Roman Empire continues to inspire great men.

Despite the often violent efforts of world leaders, many countries resist any attempts to force them to come together into one political empire.

After centuries of successful growth the Roman Empire's political, military and economic systems began to disintegrate.

Chaos reigned for hundreds of years.
The fall of Rome brought in the Dark Ages.

The only ones who kept the culture and literature of the civilization were the Christians and their churches.

Mystics, Poets and Kings have dreamed of uniting the nations into a worldwide empire for centuries.

Horrors of wars and threats of nuclear war convinces many that a one-world government is the only hope of man surviving.

They want to world united as it was in the days of ancient Rome.

The last great enemy of the Jewish people who would appear after the War of Gog and Magog and would be finally slain by the real Messiah at the end of the age.

The old Jews had an understanding of the defeat of an anti-Messiah by the true Messiah before their deliverance into the promised Kingdom of God.

2 Thessalonians 2:8 is partly taken from Isaiah 11:4, "and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked one."

The evaluation of the importance of prophecy is still as true today as when they were written two hundred years ago.

History is the interpreter of prophecy.

Prophecy is history anticipated.
History is prophecy accomplished.

It has been concluded from Psalm 90 that the Lord would return to establish his kingdom at the end of six thousand years from Adam.

"the Gospel cries out, 'Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled"

The times will now be fulfilled with the end of the world already near and it shall please God to send the Antichrist, the head of all evil, who is to occupy Jerusalem the throne of the kingdom.

During the time leading up to the First Crusade, the Pope made a speech encouraging the Christians of Europe to regain the Holy Land. 

Even though prophecy wasn't focused on much during the Medieval period, there were manuscripts then that spoke of the future Antichrist in the last days.

When Christ comes and slays the wicked one by the breath of His mouth, desolation  will hold until the end; of the Church belief in a future Antichrist, the Great Tribulation and the premillennial return of Jesus to set up His Kingdom.

The final week of the end of the world is divided into the of the Antichrist, so that during the first 3 1/2 years of the last week the knowledge of God is established.

And as for the statement, "He shall establish a compact with many for a week" in Daniel 9:27, during the other 3 1/2 years under the Antichrist the sacrifice and offering shall cease.

Happy Mother's Day 2013

The early Church knew that the prophecies of Revelation would be fulfilled in the last days leading to the Second Coming of Christ.

The early Church understood Daniel's prophecy of the Seventy Weeks like we do today.

They expected the final Seventieth Week to be fulfilled at the end of this age by a seven-year treaty leading to the return of Jesus.

In Daniel 9:24-27, he points out the time that his [Antichrist's] tyranny shall last, during which the saints shall be put to flight, those who offer a pure sacrifice unto God.

"And in the midst of the week, the sacrifice and the libation shall be taken away, and the abomination of desolation [shall be brought] into the temple: even unto the consummation of the time shall the desolation be complete."

The kingdom of the Antichrist is identified with the future revival of the Roman Empire, the fourth beast of Daniel 7.

    He, Satan's prince, will violently overthrow three of the ten nations forming the revived Empire.

As Daniel was looking forward to the end of the last kingdom, the ten last kings, and upon the son of perdition that comes, declares that ten horns shall spring from the beast, and that another little horn shall arise in the middle of them, and that three of the former ten shall be rooted up before his face.

Irenaeus wrote regarding Daniel's prophecies of the coming Antichrist, "For when he [Antichrist] is come, and of his own accord concentrates in his own person the apostasy and accomplishes whatever he shall do according to his own will and choice, sitting also in the temple of God, so that his dupes may adore him as the Christ; wherefore also shall he deservedly 'be cast into the like of fire'. . ."

Irenaeus refers to the Antichrist sitting in a rebuilt 'Temple in Jerusalem.'

He says, "in which [Temple] the enemy shall sit, endeavoring to show himself as Christ, as the Lord also declares" quoting Matthew 24:15.

Irenaeus, a great writer in the second century after Jesus, gave a long discussion of the Antichrist at Christ's Second Coming.

He wrote, "For he [Antichrist] being endued with all the power of the devil, shall come, not as a righteous king, but as an unjust and lawless one; as an apostate, murderous and as a robber, concentrating in himself satanic apostasy, and setting aside idols to persuade that he himself is God, raising himself as the only idol, having in himself the multifarious errors of the other idols."

An early Church manuscript confirms the understanding that Daniel 9:24-27 prophesied a final seven-year tribulation period under the Antichrist at the end of the age.

The Antichrist "will set up his image before him in every city"; Revelation 13:14 declares that Satan will deceive "those who dwell on the earth to make an image, to the beast wounded by the sword and lived."

The Antichrist will act and speak in the name of God, saying he is God.

Jesus warned Israel, "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive", John 5:43

The Antichrist will perform signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

"And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, whose who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived."
Revelation13:13-14.

The Ascension of Isaiah indentifies the future Antichrist as a man possessed by Satan, the king of this world, who will assume the position of a great prince and lawless king.

The writer declares that he will come with all the powers of this world confirming Revelation 13:13-14.

The apocryphal Ascension of Isaiah refers to the future Antichrist under a different name.

"Many in Jerusalem and in Judah will he cause to depart from the true faith. He will dwell in Manasseh.

This speculation about the Antichrist dwelling in Manasseh [Samaria, Israel's West Bank] is fascinating in light of other verses connecting him to the Romans.

The Ascension of Isaiah is an interesting Christian apocalypse from the second century after Christ.

The first part is a Martydom of Isaiah and the second part contains apocalyptic material related to the coming of Christ.

This is a non-canon writing that provides additional insight into the early Christian's understanding of the Anichrist and the Second Coming.

Several modern scholars deny that the symbol of the fig tree in Matthew 24 represents Israel.

But, it is significant that this Apocalypse of Peter, written only a century after Christ, declares that the fig tree is the "house of Israel."

The Apocalypse of Peter reveals the early Christians understood that a series of false christs would be followed by a final Antichrist, but "this deceiver is not the Christ."

His words "this is the deceiver who must come into the world" suggests that he is quoting John's prophecy "For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" 2 John 7.

The Apocalypse of Peter is a commentary on the Mount of Olives Discourse recorded in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 that was composed by an unknown writer around 140 A.D.

It gives an insight into the views of the early Church about prophecy and the Antichrist.

Many Bible predictions have already been fulfilled and they were fulfilled precisely to the day as foretold by the prophets of God.

We know that the prophecies yet to be fulfilled will also be fulfilled just as precisely.

Many Christians of the first three centuries, wrote quotations from Daniel, Paul's Epistles and Revelation about the Antichrist, the "man of sin."

Several examples from that time illustrates their beliefs about the last days.

Each of the major prophets received visions of the coming Antichrist,
   the Battle of Armageddon and
   the victory of the Messiah.

Paul prophesied about the works and destruction of the Antichrist, in 
2 Thessalonians 2:3-12.

The Book of Revelation describes it in detail in chapters 4 to 19.

The Gospels were discussed much in the first Church.

The prophecies gave believers a clear understanding of the future prophetic crisis involving the Antichrist and his reign of terror in the last days.

The rise and fall of the Antichrist was of tremendous interest of the first church.

Jesus warned His disciples about the Antichrist's "abomination of desolation"

The words of Jesus, "Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation", spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains"  Matthew 24:15,16.

Jesus reminded His hearers that the prophet Daniel declared that the Antichrist, the 'prince who will come', will defile the 'holy place' in the rebuilt Temple.

Proverbs 18:10

It's expected that God will allow the evil Prince of Darkness to establish his tyranical rule over Israel for a time to cause them to repent and return to Him.

The Talmud suggests that God will allow the Antichrist, an evil tyrant to rule over Israel for a time to bring the Jews to repentance so the Messiah can appear.

This understanding that God "will set up a king over them" lines up with the Christian interpretation of Daniel's prophecies of the coming Antichrist.

For hundreds of years, rabbis and scholars debated about the timing of the Messiah's coming.

They also discussed the necessity for Israel to repent, before God would send their Redeemer.

Some believed that God would not send the Messiah until all of Israel repented in one generation; and others felt that God would finally send the Messiah whether or they all repented at one time or not.

Most rabbis believe that the Messiah will be born of a mother and father, who will live a righteous life of religious study.

Based on their interpretations of the Old Testament, the rabbis often connected the Messiah with King David and Moses.

They are looking for a man with a divine mission like Moses, rather than God being born in a body as Jesus did two thousand years ago.

The Talmud contains many prophetic opinions about the nature and workings of the coming Messiah.

These will prepare some in Israel to initially accept the false messiah, the Antichrist before they finally see the true Messiah face-to-face.

Easter is the Proof

There are those in Jewish authority who do not see all the signs of the birthpangs of the Messiah in negative terms.

Some the the prophetic signs are positive:
    rising prosperity in some places,
    growth in Torah study,
    great scientific advances,
    times of miracles.

The Jewish scholar's fear of these birthpangs of the Messiah led some rabbis to say, "Let the Messiah come, but let him come at a time when I will not see him."

Even though they longed for the Messiah's deliverance of the Chosen People, their fear of the terrible events leading to His coming caused some of them to pray that He comes after they have safely "gone to their fathers."

The Talmud lists the prophetic signs that will point to the coming of the Messiah:
          an increase in oppression,
          rampant inflation,
          pride,
          irresponsible government,
          wars,
          widespread poverty,
          despising of wisdom,
          lack of respect for elders
          and righteous men,
          and the breakup of families.

Other problems as final signs:
          famines,
          epidemics and plagues,
          blasphemies,
          international warfare,
          unspeakable suffering,
          hatred and betrayal,
          evil governments,
          hatred of religion,

These are called 'birthpangs' of the Messiah.

Throughout the Talmud the great Jewish scholars interpreted the Bible's prophecies about the last days and the time the Messiah would be coming.

The Talmud is a group of writings composed by the rabbis during their exile from Jerusalem.

The rabbis systemized the Jewish beliefs and interpretations of the Law. The Jews believed that Moses gave the instructions verbally to some fifty receivers who faithfully preserved the instructions God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai.

This verbal tradition was finally recorded in writing known as the Talmud.

In the New Testament Jesus described the prophetic events just before His return as "the beginnings of sorrows."

The Jewish scholars call this time of trouble the "Ikvot Meshicha", "the Time just before the Messiah."

Today the only Jews who can definitely determine their tribal origin are those named Levi or Cohen, indicating they belong to the Levites or Kohanim, the sons of Aaron.

It's possible that God will use Elijah as one of the two witnesses to miraculously determine the proper tribal identities to fill the choosing of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses during the tribulation period.

The book of Revelation declares that God will choose twelve thousand Jews from each of the twelve tribes as His special witnesses, 144,000 of them.

Ezekiel tells that God will divide the Promised Land between the twelve tribes in the Millennium in chapters 47 and 48.

When the Jews returned from the captivity in Babylon, Nehemiah determined the true lineage of each Jewish family based on witnesses.

Without the genealogical records that were lost when the Temple was burned, they couldn't determine who truly belonged to the priesthood "till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim" Ezra 2:63.

They hope this will happen when Elijah returns with the breastplate of the High Priest.

The Jewish religious scholars believe that the prophecies of the rebuilding of the Temple and the division of the land cannot be fulfilled unless someone is able to identify every Jews tribal linage.

They interpreted Malachi's prophecy that Elijah "will sit as a refiner and a purifier" to indicate that Elijah will return from heaven to supernaturally determine the tribal identities and linage of all the Jews worldwide.

They also believe he will identify who is qualified to be priests or Levites in the new Temple worship.

The Jewish religious scholars expected Elijah the Prophet to appear as a forerunner of the Messiah as detailed by the prophet Malachi,"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse"
Malachi 4:5,6

The Jewish expectation that the Messiah will rebuild the Temple may explain why many in Israel will accept the Antichrist as Messiah.

If this false Messiah actually helps Israel rebuild the third Temple many Jews would accept this as the Antichrist's proof that he is the true Messiah.

The Millennial Temple is predicted to have walls over a mile in length.

The size of it wouldn't fit in the whole of Jerusalem, let alone on the Temple Mount.

Ezekiel indicates that it will be located in the section of land known as the prince's portion [Ezekiel 45:7] about twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem in a new Millennial city of the Messiah. Ezekiel 40-48.

After the defilement of the Temple by the Antichrist, the Messiah will defeat him in battle during the Great Day of the Lord.

Then the Messiah will cleanse and sanctify the Third Temple.

When He establishes the Kingdom He will build the fourth Temple north of Jerusalem as described in Zechariah 6:12 and Ezekiel chapters 40 and 48.

Some sources believe that the Temple will be built by the Jewish people or by God just before the coming of the Messiah.

Christians understand that the Bible teaches that both positions are correct.

The prophecies teach that the Jewish people, inspired by God, will rebuild the Third Temple in Jerusalem on the Temple Mount.

The majority of Jewish commentators interpreted the prophecies to teach that the Messiah would build the Third Temple himself.

Zechariah 6:12 declares, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying: 'Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord.'"

The old Rabbis believed that Zechariah and Ezekiel predicted the Messiah would restore the Holy Temple in the last days.

After predicting the miraclulous return of the exiled Jews to the Promised Land, Ezekiel prophesied:
"Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, and it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary in the midst forevermore"
Ezekiel 37:26

The Bible identifies Daniel's "prince who is to come" in 9:26 as a leader of the Roman Empire.

Many Rabbis believe the last great enemy of Israel will arise from Rome.

This spirit rising in the last days will attack Israel until the Messiah defeats him.