THE LAST DAYS
Anita Clark
“And I stood upon the sand of the sea and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And I saw one of the heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed; and all the world wondered after the beast. And they worshiped the dragon which gave power unto the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.” Revelation 13:1-5
This is speaking of the man empowered by Satan, we call the Antichrist. We see that he will come up out of the sea (Gentiles), and he will be allowed to continue his infamous reign for forty-two months (3 ½ years). He will be killed by some means that will create a wound that will be healed, thus fooling many people of the world into thinking that he is someone supernatural. They will worship him as a god. He will speak blasphemy against the true God, and persecute the saints (believers in Christ). He will be given power over “... all kindreds, and tongues, and nations (Vs. 7).” The unbelievers will worship him (Vs.8), sealing their fate to be cast into the Lake of Fire for eternity.
HIS COUNTERPART will be the man called the False Prophet of Revelation 13:11-17. He will come up from “the earth,” which some believe means he will be of Jewish descent. As we read in Revelation 13:11, “...and he had two horns like a lamb.” He will be a religious leader. In many ways he will mimic Christ, but in make-believe meekness as a lamb, but his speech will betray him, for he will be very forceful and have extraordinary powers given him by Satan (Vs. 13-15.) Unbelieving people will be taken in by him, and will go along with his demands and worship of the Antichrist as God. He will initiate the “mark of the beast” (Vs 16) which will be the only way anyone can buy or sell. He will somehow give life to the image of the beast that he will set up in the Holy Place of the Temple (Vs.15). II Thessalonians 2:3-12 speaks of the Antichrist “...exalting himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”
ABILITY TO ENFORCE THE MARK – As we look around at the world today, we see signs that this world is moving to one world government. Recently, we hear news of nations turning to “Cashless societies.” This would be very instrumental is promoting the control of buying and selling by the Antichrist and False Prophet. Several countries of the world are now pushing for cash free purchasing power. Sweden is close to becoming a Cashless Society, while Israel is striving for it and the drive for this is gaining momentum in Rwanda. The UN World Food program is pushing Smart Cards and digital Payments for purchasing food. The world has the technology now. You can see how this would be a tool to bring about the control of buying and selling during the reign of the Antichrist.
CHRIST JESUS WILL REIGN IN HEAVEN – Before AntiChrist can reign on earth as a counterfeit of Jesus Christ. Jesus will take His throne in the heavens at the beginning of the seven years of tribulation, from which He will orchestrate the judgment He will pour out upon the earth. The overcoming believers will be in heaven helping Him call forth the judgments on the earth during the seven years (Rev. 6:1, 5:8). Then, Revelation 19:11-20 shows Jesus coming back with His mighty army of believers who are already in heaven with Him. He will put down the Antichrist and False Prophet (Vs.20). And then will establish His Kingdom on the earth for one thousand years.
Be ready to go when He calls his overcomers, His Bride to come up to meet Him in the air! (I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
