Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication"…3 I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet Beast (Antichrist)… 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 On her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, the mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the earth. 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints…15 He said to me, "The waters…where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. (Rev. 17:1-6, 15)
A. Before the angel shows John the wealth and counterfeit beauty of the Harlot religion, he shows him her inevitable judgment and sure defeat (v. 1). This system will fail and be utterly destroyed.
B. The Harlot will sit on many nations (v. 1) or will have authority over the nations by seducing and controlling the world’s most powerful leaders (kings and merchants) through global networks. It is a religious network (Rev. 17) and an economic network based in Babylon (Rev. 18).
C. The Harlot’s system will cause the nations to be drunk with her seductions that offer great benefits, including humanitarian aid, a unified religion (that minimizes wars) and a prosperous world economy. The nations will rejoice and get drunk or intoxicated with her promises of goodness, prosperity and compassion and theology of tolerance based in deception.
2 The inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication. (Rev. 17:2)
D. The Harlot religion will have great prominence. It will be arrayed in purple (royal status) and will be respected by the elite financial leaders of the earth who will give their allegiance to her.
4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet (royalty), and adorned with gold…having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. (Rev. 17:4)
E. The Harlot will be adorned with gold. It will be the wealthiest religious network in all history. The Harlot will have a golden cup in which she “serves” the nations. It will appear golden (valuable and good). She will offer the nations unprecedented humanitarian service in helping the poor. As the Harlot emerges with religious unity, war will disappear and for first time in modern history there will be world peace (1 Thes. 5:3).
F. She will have an evil cup of abomination and filth. Abomination refers to being filled with demonic activity. In the OT, abominations refer to idolatrous (demonic) activity. Filthiness points to being filled with moral perversions.
G. The Harlot will deceive the nations by sorcery which is a combination of drugs and demonic power (witchcraft). Her dark supernatural power will fascinate people and appear to be good. Her worship music will be powerful in that it will have a supernatural demonic element to it.
23 For by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. (Rev. 18:23)
H. Sin will be allowed to reach its fullness in the End-Times. The Harlot Babylon is the context in which the nations will reach the heights of sin and their experience of the demonic realm.
23 In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, a king (Antichrist) shall arise…who understands sinister schemes. (Dan. 8:23)
I. We evaluate a ministry by the lifestyle it produces in others and not by how fast it grows or how much money it has. Because serving the poor and walking in unity is foundational to preaching the gospel, many will think that all who proclaim this represent the truth. This statement by Jesus will reach its greatest fulfillment in the End-Times.
15 For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Lk. 16:15)
J. The influence of the Harlot will cause multitudes to be drunk or intoxicated with the blood of the saints who expose her (v. 6). The more she kills, the bolder she will become in killing the saints. The one great enemy of the Harlot religion will be the saints of Jesus in the prophetic Church.
6 I saw the woman (Harlot Babylon), drunk with the blood of the saints… (Rev. 17:6)
K. The Praying Church must expose the Harlot for who she really is. The Church will be hated by all nations for this. We declare the seductive nature of her perversion and her judgment.
9 They will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. 10 Then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. (Mt. 24:9-11)
L. The kings (political leaders) will understand some of the lies that empower the Harlot system. However, they will support her agenda to gain her wealth. In this way, they will knowingly prostitute themselves or commit fornication with her in knowingly supporting her lies for money.
2 The kings of the earth committed fornication…the inhabitants were made drunk… (Rev. 17:2)
M. The Harlot will depend on the Antichrist who will carry her (provide resource and protection).
3 I saw a woman sitting on a Beast (Antichrist) which was full of names of blasphemy…7 I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the Beast that carries her… (Rev. 17:3, 7)
N. Surprisingly, the Harlot worldwide religion will be hated and destroyed by the jealousy of the ten primary kings who serve the Antichrist (Dan. 7:7, 20, 24). They will burn the Harlot at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Satan’s kingdom is filled with hatred, not unity. We prophesy that after a short season of prominence, she will be burned by leaders of the Antichrist’s empire.
12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings… 16 The ten horns…on the Beast will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. (Rev. 17:12, 16)
O. In the middle of the final 7 years of this age, the Antichrist’s plan is to replace the Harlot religion of tolerance with Antichrist worship. This new worldwide religion will be strict and without any toleration. All who refuse to worship the Antichrist will be killed (Rev. 13:4-18). Satan’s purpose for the Harlot religion is as a “forerunner” to prepare the nations for Antichrist worship.
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Two Stages of Satan's Plan
A. There are two stages in Satan’s End-Time plan to be worshipped by all nations and to rule them.
4 They worshiped the Dragon (Satan)…and the Beast, saying, "Who is like the Beast? Who is able to make war with him?"…8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him... (Rev. 13:4-8)
B. Satan knows that it is too big of a step for a compromising Christian, Muslim or Hindu, etc. to suddenly become a devoted Satan worshipper. Therefore, he will first call all to join a one-world religion of tolerance that will declare that all paths lead to God and salvation. As multitudes are seduced into joining this Harlot Babylon religion it will weaken their conscience concerning their religious heritage. Next, Satan will demand that they all become Satan worshippers.
C. The emergence of this false worship movement will lead to a falling away in the Church. The two signs that Paul gave to indicate the time of Jesus’ Coming are a falling away from the faith combined with the revealing of the Antichrist on the world stage to establish peace (1 Thes. 5:3).
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (Jesus’ Second Coming) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed… (2 Thes. 2:3)
D. The nations will rejoice in the unity it brings and that it will help to establish world peace.
3 When they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them. (1 Thes. 5:3)
E. People will defile their consciences and break relationships related to their religious heritage by renouncing their former beliefs in absolutes and the people who hold to those absolutes. Once people leave their religious ideals, whether Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc., there will be no absolute truth to keep them from worshipping Satan as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
F. The Harlot religion will prepare the nations to receive the Antichrist. It will be a religion of affirmation and toleration without absolutes. It will be a counterfeit justice movement that will feed the poor and be deeply involved in humanitarian projects. He will inspire acts of compassion but for all the wrong reasons. The goal will be the dignity and happiness of man. Humanism is man seeking to make God in man’s image.
G. The voluntary Harlot Babylon religion will be replaced by a mandatory Antichrist religion.
First, people will voluntarily join the Harlot Babylon one-world religion of tolerance (Rev. 17).
Second, all will be forced to be Satan worshippers in the Antichrist religion (Rev. 13:4, 8, 15).
H. Many believers will fall away in the seductions and deceptions of the Harlot’s religion. There will be a falling away from the faith at the end of the age (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5; 2 Pet. 2:1-3). A doctrine of a demon is a teaching inspired by demons.
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry… (1 Tim. 4:1-3)
I. Sound doctrine teaches obedience to Jesus and His plans. It requires endurance. To turn the ear away means that the people will no longer hear what God intended in various Bible passages. They will heap up teachers or zealously follow many teachers who support their desires.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables… (2 Tim. 4:3-4)
J. Love of the truth is more than adherence to it. This love takes a firm stand for truth regardless of the cost. Loving truth requires that we commit to accept any new ideas as long as they are substantiated in the Scripture regardless of how different they are from our religious background.
9 The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) is…with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and unrighteous deception…because they did not receive the love of the truth (2 Thes. 2:9-10)
4 They worshiped the Dragon (Satan)…and the Beast, saying, "Who is like the Beast? Who is able to make war with him?"…8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him... (Rev. 13:4-8)
B. Satan knows that it is too big of a step for a compromising Christian, Muslim or Hindu, etc. to suddenly become a devoted Satan worshipper. Therefore, he will first call all to join a one-world religion of tolerance that will declare that all paths lead to God and salvation. As multitudes are seduced into joining this Harlot Babylon religion it will weaken their conscience concerning their religious heritage. Next, Satan will demand that they all become Satan worshippers.
C. The emergence of this false worship movement will lead to a falling away in the Church. The two signs that Paul gave to indicate the time of Jesus’ Coming are a falling away from the faith combined with the revealing of the Antichrist on the world stage to establish peace (1 Thes. 5:3).
3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (Jesus’ Second Coming) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin (Antichrist) is revealed… (2 Thes. 2:3)
D. The nations will rejoice in the unity it brings and that it will help to establish world peace.
3 When they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them. (1 Thes. 5:3)
E. People will defile their consciences and break relationships related to their religious heritage by renouncing their former beliefs in absolutes and the people who hold to those absolutes. Once people leave their religious ideals, whether Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, etc., there will be no absolute truth to keep them from worshipping Satan as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14).
F. The Harlot religion will prepare the nations to receive the Antichrist. It will be a religion of affirmation and toleration without absolutes. It will be a counterfeit justice movement that will feed the poor and be deeply involved in humanitarian projects. He will inspire acts of compassion but for all the wrong reasons. The goal will be the dignity and happiness of man. Humanism is man seeking to make God in man’s image.
G. The voluntary Harlot Babylon religion will be replaced by a mandatory Antichrist religion.
First, people will voluntarily join the Harlot Babylon one-world religion of tolerance (Rev. 17).
Second, all will be forced to be Satan worshippers in the Antichrist religion (Rev. 13:4, 8, 15).
H. Many believers will fall away in the seductions and deceptions of the Harlot’s religion. There will be a falling away from the faith at the end of the age (Mt. 24:9-13; 2 Thes. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-7; 4:3-5; 2 Pet. 2:1-3). A doctrine of a demon is a teaching inspired by demons.
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry… (1 Tim. 4:1-3)
I. Sound doctrine teaches obedience to Jesus and His plans. It requires endurance. To turn the ear away means that the people will no longer hear what God intended in various Bible passages. They will heap up teachers or zealously follow many teachers who support their desires.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables… (2 Tim. 4:3-4)
J. Love of the truth is more than adherence to it. This love takes a firm stand for truth regardless of the cost. Loving truth requires that we commit to accept any new ideas as long as they are substantiated in the Scripture regardless of how different they are from our religious background.
9 The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) is…with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and unrighteous deception…because they did not receive the love of the truth (2 Thes. 2:9-10)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Coming One World Religion
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPHECY
A. Rev. 17-18 is one of the most significant End-Time prophecies because it gives us insight into Satan’s strategy to deceive the nations while causing many Christians to fall away from the faith. Those who are deceived by the Harlot will end up in the Lake of Fire and some saints who resist the Harlot will be killed (Rev. 17:6). This prophecy deserves much careful study and dialogue.
B. The main message of Rev. 17 is easy to understand. The main themes are the seductive power, and cruel persecution along with the inevitable destruction of this Harlot system. The Harlot is the counterfeit of the Bride that the Holy Spirit is raising up.
C. Rev. 17 is the most symbolic passage in Revelation with many intricate details. These intricacies make it the most difficult chapter in Revelation to understand. Since the angel gave John the meaning of the symbols, we have a solid foundation for understanding this passage. Why is this most important prophecy veiled in such cryptic language? One reason I think it is veiled is because it causes us to pour over every line and discuss it often to understand its every nuance.
D. Rev. 17:1-6, gives us details about the emergence of the Harlot Babylon as a one-world religion, describing her evil seductions and cruel persecutions. She will be a counterfeit justice movement that unifies multitudes from the largest religions on earth. The rest of Rev. 17-18 describes her relationship with the Antichrist and how she is finally destroyed.
E. The five chronological sections in the Book of Revelation tell us the main storyline of judgment events that are released on the earth by the Praying Church in the order they occur. After each of the chronological sections, an angel explains to John why the events just described are necessary. These explanations function as a parenthesis that puts the story line on “pause” as they answer questions such as Why is God’s wrath is so severe? and What will happen to the saints?
F. In the angelic explanation in Rev. 17-18, we are told why the bowls of wrath are necessary and we are assured of the defeat of Babylon. The angel explains why billions of people will be killed in the bowl judgments and why the infrastructure of the nations will be dashed into pieces by Jesus. It is because the seduction of Babylon’s religion of evil will permeate so many of these structures.
8 I will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance…9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Ps. 2:8-9)
26 The nations…27 shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels (Rev. 2:26-27)
G. The 7th Trumpet focus is on replacing evil leaders and the bowls focus on replacing the social infrastructures (tax codes, education or business policies, etc.).
A. Rev. 17-18 is one of the most significant End-Time prophecies because it gives us insight into Satan’s strategy to deceive the nations while causing many Christians to fall away from the faith. Those who are deceived by the Harlot will end up in the Lake of Fire and some saints who resist the Harlot will be killed (Rev. 17:6). This prophecy deserves much careful study and dialogue.
B. The main message of Rev. 17 is easy to understand. The main themes are the seductive power, and cruel persecution along with the inevitable destruction of this Harlot system. The Harlot is the counterfeit of the Bride that the Holy Spirit is raising up.
C. Rev. 17 is the most symbolic passage in Revelation with many intricate details. These intricacies make it the most difficult chapter in Revelation to understand. Since the angel gave John the meaning of the symbols, we have a solid foundation for understanding this passage. Why is this most important prophecy veiled in such cryptic language? One reason I think it is veiled is because it causes us to pour over every line and discuss it often to understand its every nuance.
D. Rev. 17:1-6, gives us details about the emergence of the Harlot Babylon as a one-world religion, describing her evil seductions and cruel persecutions. She will be a counterfeit justice movement that unifies multitudes from the largest religions on earth. The rest of Rev. 17-18 describes her relationship with the Antichrist and how she is finally destroyed.
E. The five chronological sections in the Book of Revelation tell us the main storyline of judgment events that are released on the earth by the Praying Church in the order they occur. After each of the chronological sections, an angel explains to John why the events just described are necessary. These explanations function as a parenthesis that puts the story line on “pause” as they answer questions such as Why is God’s wrath is so severe? and What will happen to the saints?
F. In the angelic explanation in Rev. 17-18, we are told why the bowls of wrath are necessary and we are assured of the defeat of Babylon. The angel explains why billions of people will be killed in the bowl judgments and why the infrastructure of the nations will be dashed into pieces by Jesus. It is because the seduction of Babylon’s religion of evil will permeate so many of these structures.
8 I will give You (Jesus) the nations for Your inheritance…9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel. (Ps. 2:8-9)
26 The nations…27 shall be dashed to pieces like the potter's vessels (Rev. 2:26-27)
G. The 7th Trumpet focus is on replacing evil leaders and the bowls focus on replacing the social infrastructures (tax codes, education or business policies, etc.).
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Heavenly Rewards
A. There will be many different types of heavenly rewards that believers will receive at the time of the Second Coming. These rewards are not of secondary importance but rather are an important part of our destiny. Therefore, all believers should be familiar with them. The heir of a great financial fortune or one investing in venture knows the main details of what they hope to gain.
B. In Rev. 2-3, Jesus gave His most in-depth teaching on rewards (mentioning 22 rewards). He knew what we would need to be properly motivated and stabilized during the release of the glory and crisis in the End-Time move of God as seen in the Book of Revelation.
C. There will be a vast difference in the measure of glory of each one’s reward. Some in the Kingdom will be called the least and some the greatest (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:11; Rev. 11:18; 19:5).
19 Whoever breaks (consistently) one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches (encourages)them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:19)
D. There are various levels of fulfillment of these rewards in this age as well as in the age-to-come.
E. Rewards are not given automatically but only to those who fulfill specific conditions. This is the time in our life when the “exchange rate” for obedience is the highest. To believe means to “respond to Jesus in confidence and consistency”. One aspect of being blessed is in receiving eternal rewards that are far beyond a “100-fold return” for all that we offer Jesus in love and obedience (Mt. 19:29; Mk. 10:30; Lk 8:8; Mt. 13:8; 23).
29 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (Jn. 20:29)
F. God pays so well in our few things. To have confidence in this is to greatly impact our heart.
29 Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. (Mt. 19:29)
G. There will be varying degrees of fruitfulness and reward: 100-fold, 60-fold and 30-fold.
23 He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Mt. 13:23)
H. Jesus reveals the great exchange of “few things” to “many things”. God esteems, remembers and rewards our small expressions of obedience in our mind, emotions, and will. Those who were faithful in “very little” will have “government over ten cities” in the Millennial Kingdom.
21 You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. (Mt. 25:21)
17 Well done…you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. (Lk. 19:17)
B. In Rev. 2-3, Jesus gave His most in-depth teaching on rewards (mentioning 22 rewards). He knew what we would need to be properly motivated and stabilized during the release of the glory and crisis in the End-Time move of God as seen in the Book of Revelation.
C. There will be a vast difference in the measure of glory of each one’s reward. Some in the Kingdom will be called the least and some the greatest (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 8:11; Rev. 11:18; 19:5).
19 Whoever breaks (consistently) one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches (encourages)them, he shall be called great in the Kingdom of heaven. (Mt. 5:19)
D. There are various levels of fulfillment of these rewards in this age as well as in the age-to-come.
E. Rewards are not given automatically but only to those who fulfill specific conditions. This is the time in our life when the “exchange rate” for obedience is the highest. To believe means to “respond to Jesus in confidence and consistency”. One aspect of being blessed is in receiving eternal rewards that are far beyond a “100-fold return” for all that we offer Jesus in love and obedience (Mt. 19:29; Mk. 10:30; Lk 8:8; Mt. 13:8; 23).
29 Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. (Jn. 20:29)
F. God pays so well in our few things. To have confidence in this is to greatly impact our heart.
29 Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life. (Mt. 19:29)
G. There will be varying degrees of fruitfulness and reward: 100-fold, 60-fold and 30-fold.
23 He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Mt. 13:23)
H. Jesus reveals the great exchange of “few things” to “many things”. God esteems, remembers and rewards our small expressions of obedience in our mind, emotions, and will. Those who were faithful in “very little” will have “government over ten cities” in the Millennial Kingdom.
21 You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. (Mt. 25:21)
17 Well done…you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities. (Lk. 19:17)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Understanding More of Abomination of Desolation
A. Scripture exhorts us to understand the vision (which included the Abomination of Desolation).
23 Therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision… (Dan. 9:23)
B. We are exhorted “read and understand” or to take the necessary efforts to understand.
15 The abomination of desolation…whoever reads, let him understand… (Mt. 24:15)
C. The Abomination of Desolation is directly referred to by name 6 times in Scripture, 4 times by Daniel (Dan. 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and twice by Jesus (Matt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14). The Abomination of Desolation is the scriptural name for the Antichrist’s image that is placed in the Temple. The Abomination of Desolation is described without using the name 4 more times in Scripture (Rev. 13:11-18; 14:9-11; 2 Thes. 2:3-4; Dan. 3:1-30)
D. The Abomination of Desolation cannot occur unless Israel rebuilds the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. For the Antichrist to stop the daily sacrifices in the Temple, the Tribulation Temple must exist. The Temple does not currently exist, but we know that it must be rebuilt (Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2; 13:12-18; Dan. 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11). Even now plans to rebuild the Third Temple are being pursued aggressively in Israel. This may occur just before the beginning of the final 7-year period.
E. The Abomination of Desolation will need to be “set up”. In other words, the whole system needs to be “set up”. This will involve setting up the statue of the Antichrist in the Jerusalem Temple and setting up a worldwide infrastructure so that all can worship the image (Rev. 14:9-11). The Abomination involves stopping the animal sacrifices to replace them with the image of the Beast. It is referred to in the singular as “the” Abomination of Desolation.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the Abomination of Desolation is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. (Dan 12:11)
1. Jesus spoke of the statue of the Antichrist ‘standing in’ in the Temple.
2. The Antichrist’s armies will take the statue and ‘place it there’ in the Temple.
F. Daniel 8:13 gives us details to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do.
13 I heard a holy one (angel) speaking…"How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host (army of Israel) to be trampled under foot?" (Dan 8:13)
1. The Antichrist will act in a way that concerns the daily sacrifices.
2. He will lead the nations into “the transgression” that leads to the desolation of nations.
3. Someone or a group of people will “give” the sanctuary and the host to be trampled. Does this refer to God, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, or another person or group?
4. The transgression will involve giving the sanctuary to be trampled under foot or to be degraded or defiled. The sanctuary or Temple will not be torn down, but the furniture and activities will be defiled and degraded. The Abomination involves desolating the Temple with the image of the Beast and stopping the animal sacrifices offered there.
5. The transgression will involve giving the host (army of Israel or army of the Lord) to be trampled under foot. This speaks of persecuting the host. The army of Israel will be small yet it will be anointed of the Lord at the end of the conflict (Zech. 12:5-8).
G. Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV; 175-163 BC) defiled the Temple in a way that would prophetically foretell how the Antichrist will defile it in the End-Times. Daniel 11:31 gives us details from Antiochus’ example to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do. Antiochus’ forces defiled the sanctuary fortress or the Temple complex. Antiochus’ forces took away the daily sacrifices. Antiochus’ forces placed the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple.
H. The sacrifices will be taken away. This was emphasized three out of the four times that Daniel referred to the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). The sacrifices are “daily” showing us Israel’s commitment to host “daily” sacrifices.
I. The Antichrist will operate on the wing (pinnacle or extreme expression) of abominations.
J. Daniel 11 provides us a picture from history of the abomination of desolation which is such a significant End-Times event that an entire chapter was needed to give us an adequate historical context to make the picture clear. Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered thousands of Jews and desecrated Israel’s temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and setting up a statue of a Greek god in it, then he stopped the daily temple sacrifices (Dan. 11:31).
K. The Third Temple is NOT the same as the Millennial Temple. There are two distinct Jerusalem Temples prophesied in Scriptures i.e. the Tribulation Temple (Third Temple) which will be built by unbelieving Jews and then desecrated by the Antichrist. The Millennial Temple will be built by Jesus (Isa. 2:3; 60:6, 10, 13; Ezek. 37:26-28; 40-48; Zech. 2:11; 6:12-15; 14:16-21).
23 Therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision… (Dan. 9:23)
B. We are exhorted “read and understand” or to take the necessary efforts to understand.
15 The abomination of desolation…whoever reads, let him understand… (Mt. 24:15)
C. The Abomination of Desolation is directly referred to by name 6 times in Scripture, 4 times by Daniel (Dan. 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) and twice by Jesus (Matt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14). The Abomination of Desolation is the scriptural name for the Antichrist’s image that is placed in the Temple. The Abomination of Desolation is described without using the name 4 more times in Scripture (Rev. 13:11-18; 14:9-11; 2 Thes. 2:3-4; Dan. 3:1-30)
D. The Abomination of Desolation cannot occur unless Israel rebuilds the Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. For the Antichrist to stop the daily sacrifices in the Temple, the Tribulation Temple must exist. The Temple does not currently exist, but we know that it must be rebuilt (Mt. 24:15; Mk. 13:14; 2 Thes. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2; 13:12-18; Dan. 9:26, 27; 11:31; 12:11). Even now plans to rebuild the Third Temple are being pursued aggressively in Israel. This may occur just before the beginning of the final 7-year period.
E. The Abomination of Desolation will need to be “set up”. In other words, the whole system needs to be “set up”. This will involve setting up the statue of the Antichrist in the Jerusalem Temple and setting up a worldwide infrastructure so that all can worship the image (Rev. 14:9-11). The Abomination involves stopping the animal sacrifices to replace them with the image of the Beast. It is referred to in the singular as “the” Abomination of Desolation.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the Abomination of Desolation is set up, there shall be 1,290 days. (Dan 12:11)
1. Jesus spoke of the statue of the Antichrist ‘standing in’ in the Temple.
2. The Antichrist’s armies will take the statue and ‘place it there’ in the Temple.
F. Daniel 8:13 gives us details to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do.
13 I heard a holy one (angel) speaking…"How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation, the giving of both the sanctuary and the host (army of Israel) to be trampled under foot?" (Dan 8:13)
1. The Antichrist will act in a way that concerns the daily sacrifices.
2. He will lead the nations into “the transgression” that leads to the desolation of nations.
3. Someone or a group of people will “give” the sanctuary and the host to be trampled. Does this refer to God, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, or another person or group?
4. The transgression will involve giving the sanctuary to be trampled under foot or to be degraded or defiled. The sanctuary or Temple will not be torn down, but the furniture and activities will be defiled and degraded. The Abomination involves desolating the Temple with the image of the Beast and stopping the animal sacrifices offered there.
5. The transgression will involve giving the host (army of Israel or army of the Lord) to be trampled under foot. This speaks of persecuting the host. The army of Israel will be small yet it will be anointed of the Lord at the end of the conflict (Zech. 12:5-8).
G. Antiochus Epiphanes (Antiochus IV; 175-163 BC) defiled the Temple in a way that would prophetically foretell how the Antichrist will defile it in the End-Times. Daniel 11:31 gives us details from Antiochus’ example to give us insight into what the Antichrist will do. Antiochus’ forces defiled the sanctuary fortress or the Temple complex. Antiochus’ forces took away the daily sacrifices. Antiochus’ forces placed the Abomination of Desolation in the Temple.
H. The sacrifices will be taken away. This was emphasized three out of the four times that Daniel referred to the Abomination of Desolation (Dan 8:13; 11:31; 12:11). The sacrifices are “daily” showing us Israel’s commitment to host “daily” sacrifices.
I. The Antichrist will operate on the wing (pinnacle or extreme expression) of abominations.
J. Daniel 11 provides us a picture from history of the abomination of desolation which is such a significant End-Times event that an entire chapter was needed to give us an adequate historical context to make the picture clear. Antiochus Epiphanes slaughtered thousands of Jews and desecrated Israel’s temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar and setting up a statue of a Greek god in it, then he stopped the daily temple sacrifices (Dan. 11:31).
K. The Third Temple is NOT the same as the Millennial Temple. There are two distinct Jerusalem Temples prophesied in Scriptures i.e. the Tribulation Temple (Third Temple) which will be built by unbelieving Jews and then desecrated by the Antichrist. The Millennial Temple will be built by Jesus (Isa. 2:3; 60:6, 10, 13; Ezek. 37:26-28; 40-48; Zech. 2:11; 6:12-15; 14:16-21).
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