October 19, 2006

The Last Days and the Man of Sin: Part 2



As the days grow darker and people grow more deceived, there will come a day in which this deception will ultimately prove to be the end of many. The Antichrist will appear on the world scene and men will listen to him. They will have ceased to think or have concern over what prophecy in the bible has shown about him. They will have rejected the light of the world, Jesus Christ. Because of this, they will be totally opened up to the deception that this wicked one offers. The following is what we read in the book of Thessalonians about the rampant deception in the upcoming days:

2 Thessalonians 2:

8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

This Antichrist will hold the answers to all of mankind's problems. And what problems am I referring to?

The Antichrist: Problem Solver

In the last days, there will be a money problem. Money has become the God of many even now. There will be a money problem in the last days on a grand scale. The answer to this problem will come through the Antichrist. Where will man’s concern be in the last days?

His concern will primarily be with money, food, and comfort. The comfort and care of their bodies will be of utmost concern to mankind during these days. What single thing makes or breaks power in the world today? The movement of money and all things monetary is what holds sway in every way. In the last days, the world’s financial situation will falter. The markets of the world will go through a vast change and hardship. I cannot tell what specific hardship that will prove to be, I only know that there will be one. With this in mind, we know that it will not only be the issue of Israel that the Antichrist will settle. He will also settle the issue of money and all things monetary.

Supply of the Earth’s Resources

In addition to monetary problems in the last days, there will be problems and hindrances with supply of natural resources.

One of these supply issues will involve oil. Another supply issue will be water. I feel that these will be major issues. There will be shortages of both and the deceiver that will come, the Antichrist, will offer a solution to solve these most important issues. What would you do or give in order to have gasoline to make it back and forth to work? What would you do or give in order to have a fresh supply of drinking water or a loaf of bread to feed your hungry family? Sure, we may all say that we would not bow the knee to anyone or anything to get these things we need to survive and that we would gladly give our lives in order to stay true to our Lord Jesus Christ, but will we really choose him over our own comfort and very life? Our professions seem to remind me of Peter’s profession that he would never deny Christ. What happened? Peter did end up denying him three times.

;It will be in times like these on the world stage that the Antichrist will come into view. He will come when there is much trouble and tribulation on the world scene. When man needs a problem solver and a savior, he will offer them one by offering them himself and his solutions to this world in crisis. Keep in mind that these men and women have rejected the true messiah, Jesus Christ. This Antichrist will appear to have the answers to mankind’s problems. He will surely come up with an answer to the problems facing the Palestinians and the Israelis, but he will also come up with a novel answer for our shortages of oil and our perplexing monetary issues also. We are told in the book of Revelation that there will be issued a “mark” and that all who buy and sell will have to have this mark.

Revelation 13:16 &17

16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

The Antichrist will come up with this scheme. There will never be a time greater than these days in which man must make the most important of decisions he will ever have to face. Will he bow the knee to the system of the Antichrist? Will he stay true to the God of the bible? This reminds me of the bible scripture:

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

The Antichrist: The Foolish Shepherd

Satan came to Christ and tempted him on the mountain. He told Jesus that all of the kingdoms of the world would he give to him if he would just bow down and worship him. In much this same way, the Antichrist will appear to the men and women who are left on this earth at that time and offer them security, comfort and everything they desire if they will only bow down and worship him. But this Antichrist will appeal to men's fleshly needs and desires. He will offer them food, just as Satan tempted Christ to turn the stone into bread. What did Christ say? Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Remember, bread is going to be hard to come by in the last days. Wide-spread famine is going to be unleashed upon this entire world when one the four horsemen of the apocalypse ride. So what will this Antichrist really be saying? I will give you bread if you will worship me. If you do not, your bread will be stopped. And how will mankind in those days worship this man of sin? They will worship him by receiving his MARK in the right hand or forehead. Through worshipping him, you essentially will be marked as his. This mark of the beast isn't just a physical mark. It is also a spiritual mark. By receiving it, you will be allowing yourself to be joined with the Antichrist, just as a man and woman are joined together in marriage.

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