Posted on 01/24/2017 6:29:36 PM PST by grumpa
As far back as I can remember people have been speculating about the identity of the "Antichrist," an evil figure referenced in portions of the New Testament.
After President Ronald Wilson Reagan was shot and miraculously recovered in 1981, people made the ridiculous assertion that he was the prophesied evil figure of “end-times.” It didn't help that his first, middle, and last name all had six letters (666).
At that same time, others argued that the Antichrist was Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev or Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. Less than a decade later Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians were insisting that the "Man of sin" was actually Iraqi Saddam Hussein in the land once known as Babylon.
Later, I learned that previous generations believed that the Antichrist was Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister of Italy, or Adolf Hitler of Nazi Germany. The actual listing of individuals identified with this role is quite long and ludicrous. Whatever nation happens to be the current enemy of America (or Israel) usually supplies us with the current candidate for the antichrist.
Obviously there’s a lot of misunderstanding and misapplication here. Many of our collective anxieties and fears are coloring our readings of the Bible. We’re bringing into the text things Scripture never actually articulates. Much of this happens because of our confusion about the Bible and ignorance of the apocalyptic genre. We don't comprehend its intended meaning or its use of fierce imagery and symbols.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldrevivalnetwork.blogspot.com ...
The Bible clearly states that the true meaning of antichrist is that which rejects Christ.
2 John 1:7 - For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
1 John 2:22 - Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
1 John 4:3 - And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
As far as the “Anti-Christ” goes, as an end times figure - it’s all speculation. It’s best to follow the Gospel of salvation and not to let eschatology become too big apart of ones faith. Far too many have argued for far too long over prophecy.
This is only one huge problem for the Preterists who claim to rely on "modern scholarship" for their views and completely discard the earliest church fathers, pick the ones that "seem" to make this theory work and twist meanings completely around as well as make numerous argument's from silence.
For example, the weakest most lame argument where they claim that Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:2 is making a reference to John (of Revelation) to attempt to place the writing of Revelation at an earlier date is such a huge stretch that it is laughable. It is so obvious that Paul was referring to himself. To stretch it out of context there is as bad as the cults who twist scripture.
Holding that John referred merely to Nero completely ignores the fact that Emperor Domitian is the one who took upon himself the titles of Lord and God and had gone beyond Nero's self obsession to the point where he was so loathed in Rome for his maniacal self-importance that the Romans wanted to strike him from history itself and did attempt to do so.
This is far more in keeping with the nature and spirit of "anti-christ" than even Nero, and in line with Daniel's view of such in the book of Daniel. I should mention that the same mentality in relegating revelation to the fulfilled past has been used by scholars to say that the abomination of desolation referred to by Daniel was also passed and fulfilled with/in Antiochus Epiphanes. Yet Jesus himself refers to the Abomination of Desolation as yet future. So the errant Daniel Scholars are the same ones with the same arguments to throw revelation's future references out the window because it suits them and doesn't fit their preconceived theology/eschatology.
We could spend days refuting the Preterist's teachings but many have already done that work so I'll refer to them for reference.
Preterism seems to be the newly repackaged amillenialism, for the most part, and as it has always has been historically, and is by nature anti-jewish. And I sat under professors who were fierce amillenials and they were RABIDLY and angrily anti-semites in the truest sense of the term.
I was very disappointed to learn that Hank Hanegraaff had departed from the teachings of his predecessor Dr. Walter Martin, who was not only a millenialists but also, at least at one point, a post tribulationist. Hopefully Hank will come back around at some point and swallow his pride.
So again, to discard Polycarp/Irenaeus is foolishness.
Reading the challenges by the preterists is fine if you also read the counter view points. But to those without knowledge of these matters, and a long eschatological study of years, they can by easily led into the preterist camp and get stuck there because it seems easier to accept to those who feel they have waited "long enough" for the end of the age to come and have previously been misled by cults or have an inflated self-view of their own scholarship.
The “Beast” is a World Empire that lives, endures a deadly head wound(toppled from power) then reborn under the leadership of what some would call THE Antichrist. The Beast is the Babylonian Empire reborn IMO. To me it means instead of one language being split into many, the many will return to one language and nation. The original Tower of Babel story in reverse. This is an off the cuff analysis, I could do much better scripturaly but it will have to do.
The antichrist -- the man of sin, son of perdition -- has not yet been revealed. He hasn't yet made himself to be god, standing in the [restored] temple of God. These events happen shortly before Christ's return. Christ has not returned. When he does, all the world will know it.
For a great explanation for the timing of these events which compares all scripture with scripture accurately to give a reasonable time line, see this video:
The Pharisee’s also made the mistake of looking for a Political Messiah when in reality the Real Messiah was right before their eyes.
A simple reading of Revelation will tell you that these events are yet to come.
Same with Ephesians and both books of Thessalonians.
What covenant did Nero confirm with many?
What “mark” did he force on all?
I wonder how he forced those Mayans to take that mark also?
The Preterist argument is amateurish and sophomoric when you look at the actual scriptures. There is nothing allegoric about them.
Look at Hosea 6:2
There are more than a few who believe this verse is a direct reference to Israel’s punishment and diaspora. A day is like a thousand years with the Lord right? (2 Peter 3:8)
Two days are almost up. The third is coming.
Absolutely. The features of the beast of Revelation clearly reference the beasts revealed to Daniel. (Lion, Leopard and Bear) and the beasts Daniel saw were revealed to represent civilizations or empires.
When Jesus says that these things will shortly happen, it makes any other suggestion non-sense. Once you accept what Jesus said, then the rest makes sense.
2 Peter 3:8 - it’s still short to Him.
I still say it is Barry Obama
I know - but he was getting his disciples ready for what would happen to THEM (and the seven churches) - not someone in a few thousand years.
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The millennial reign begins when the Bride of Yeshua returns with him from the wedding feast.
That will be at Tabernacles, 2024
This thread makes no sense at all.
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“ the moon turning blood red, the sun being black as sack cloth, the stars falling from the heavens...”
All the result of a nuclear war.
The result of the suspended debris in the atmosphere,much like a forest fire causes similar appearance of the sun and moon.
Yes this thread is nonsense, Biblically speaking.
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>> “When Jesus says that these things will shortly happen” <<
He said that about only a few things.
Don’t make a stretch job out of it.
Basically, the temple was taken out in 68 AD.
Presently we are in the early 6th seal period.
Stuff starts to happen this fall at Yom Kippur.
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If Christ returns in 2024, that means the Tribulation starts in 2017?
Hmm, that is like this year, right?
That means the Rapture occurs this year in September at the feast of Trumpets?
Not long now.
sschu
Right now he's on his throne in Rome...And he's working really hard to get to Jerusalem...
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Your math is defective.
24-3.5 = 21.5
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What begins this year is the 70th Sabbath.
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Satan is presently in the throne room of Yehova, doing his job of accusing the assembly.
When he is cast down, I’m sure it will quickly become obvious.
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Not arguing, but 24-3.5 = 20.5
I agree that the end time events line up with the Leviticus feasts of Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles.
sschu
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