End Times

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 3 — The Four Beast Kingdoms

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Daniel declared, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the great sea. And four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.”

Daniel 7:1-2

Having spent some considerable time unpacking the imagery in Daniel 2, I would now like to turn my attention to the greater portion of Daniel’s prophecies, which is found in chapters 7-12. The metallic image in Daniel 2 is the foundational passage that provides the comprehensive context for the rest of Daniel’s visions. Although Daniel prophesied in part about historical Babylon, Persia, and Greece, his focus remains to be the summation of pagan kingdoms that will converge into the final end-times empire of the Antichrist.

Daniel 7 is one of the most fascinating portions of his prophecy and will take some time to unpack. For this post, I would like to simply identify the four beast kingdoms in Daniel 7 and connect them to the same four kingdoms portrayed in the metal image of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2. As I hope to demonstrate, these prophecies are describing the same four empires but simply using different imagery.

The Great Mediterranean Sea

The first clue to understanding Daniel 7 is to get a geographical framework on these kingdoms. When Daniel makes reference to the great sea [see Daniel 7:1-2], it is universally recognized to refer to the Mediterranean Sea. Again, we must always retain a Middle-Eastern, Israel-centric focus when studying Bible prophecy. When Biblical authors refer to the “sea,” or especially the “great sea,” they almost always are referring to the Mediterranean because it was the largest body of water in the context of the ancient Near East.

The reference to the great sea also alludes to Gentile nations in general, since Israel historically has been surrounded by pagan, Gentile nations. Once we put these two clues together, we get a clearer picture of the four beasts mentioned in Daniel’s vision. These beasts represent pagan, Gentile kingdoms from the Middle East or ancient Near East.

The Apostle John also draws from Daniel’s vision when describing the end-times kingdom of the Beast — aka Antichrist.

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.”

Revelation 13:1-2

Like Daniel, John would have been using the sea to represent the region of the Mediterranean Sea and also to the pagan, Gentile nations surrounding the sea and Israel. Notice how John takes the very same beast imagery from Daniel 7 and combines them to describe the final “fourth” kingdom of the last days.

The Four Beast Kingdoms

Now just for reference, I would like to clarify how the four beast kingdoms described in Daniel 7 perfectly align with the four divisions described in the metallic image in Daniel 2. This will help ensure accurate interpretation of Daniel’s overall prophecy. Unfortunately, the majority of Biblical scholars and teachers today continue to perpetuate a Roman, or “European,” interpretation of the fourth kingdom, but I have provided my reasons for rejecting that view entirely.

I believe it is well established that the fourth and final beast kingdom will come from the Middle East — the same “ara” or territory — that includes ancient Babylon, Persia, and Macedonia (Greece).

As demonstrated by the illustration above, Daniel 7 can be interpreted as follows.

  1. Babylon — The Head of Gold = the Lion with Eagle’s Wings
  2. Medo-Persia — The Chest and Arms of Silver = The Bear Raised on One Side
  3. Greece [Macedonia] — The Belly and Thighs of Bronze = The Four-Headed Leopard
  4. End-Times Kingdom of the Antichrist — The Legs of Iron and Feet mixed with clay = The Dreadful Terrifying Beast with 10 Horns

As we dive deeper into Daniel 7 next time, I will take more time developing the four beast kingdoms and how they are relevant to what is happening today in the Middle East.

The stage is being set for such a terrifying empire to arise out of the great sea, and Israel dwells in the midst of it all.

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 2 — The Iron Kingdom of Islam

Marcus Walker Van Every6 Comments

“And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these.”

Daniel 2:40

In Part One of this series, I established that all four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream would occupy the same general land mass — or “ara” [אֲרַע] — see Daniel 2:39. The historical empires of Babylon, Persia, and Greece [Javan] were subsequent kingdoms that dominated the same territories in the Middle East and parts of Northern Africa. The geographical context provides the key to understanding the fourth and final kingdom that will emerge in the latter days.

By discovering the Middle Eastern context of the fourth kingdom, we can eliminate any chance for a “revived” Roman Empire as a valid candidate for the end-times kingdom of Antichrist. You can read here to get a more in-depth explanation as to why I reject the Roman Empire as the legs of iron in Daniel 2.

Furthermore, I established that the fourth and final kingdom — the legs and feet of iron mixed with clay — represents the end-times kingdom of the Beast [Antichrist]. This iron kingdom will be shattered by a “stone” not cut by human hands — meaning that this “stone” will originate from the God of heaven [Daniel 2:44]. Immediately after the “stone” from heaven destroys the fourth kingdom, God will establish His everlasting kingdom — his holy mountain — that will fill the whole earth.

When I take all of these things into consideration, there is only one legitimate candidate for the fourth kingdom of the last days. The legs of iron mixed with clay will be the Iron Kingdom of a revived Islamic Empire. While the European Union is weakening and disintegrating, Islam remains the fastest growing religious ideology in the world and remains a formidable force in the Middle East and around the world.

Let’s consider some more details that support Islam as the iron legs and feet mixed with clay.

Islam is Brutal but Fragile

Daniel 2 provides an interesting detail about this fourth and final kingdom in the last days. On the one hand it will be strong like iron, shattering and crushing everyone it conquers. From its inception, Islam has thrived in military conquest, using terrorism, oppression, and total domination of its enemies. The brutal tactics of Islam are well documented in both Muslim and secular sources. Islam is a merciless ideology that either kills or subjugates all conquered peoples and forces them to completely conform to the oppressive measures of shariah law.

As powerful as the Roman Empire became at its zenith, it never was characterized by annihilating other civilizations but rather allowed most conquered peoples to retain their cultural and religious identity. Not so in Islam. It is fiercely dominant and forces everyone to comply with sharia law and bow at the feet of Allah.

On the other hand, however, Islam is surprisingly fragile in and of itself and historically has been characterized by inner turmoil, religious factions, and political instability. Daniel speaks to this instability by saying that the fourth kingdom, although strong as iron, will at the same time be a “brittle” and “divided” kingdom — symbolized by the iron mixed with clay.

“And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle.” 

Daniel 2:41-42

It is interesting that almost every closed Islamic system quickly disintegrates into civil unrest and conflict. Peace and harmony are not common qualities found in Islamic society. This, of course, should come as no surprise since the Bible predicted the future plight of the descendants of Ishmael, who are predominately Muslim today.

And the angel of the LORD said to her,

“Behold, you are pregnant
and shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael,
because the LORD has listened to your affliction.
He shall be a wild donkey of a man,
his hand against everyone
and everyone’s hand against him,
and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.”

Genesis 16:11-12

Furthermore, Islam is especially fragile when one considers the perpetual schism between the Sunni and Shia branches of the Muslim faith. Although the Shia only represent 15-20% of Islam worldwide — mostly in Iran (Persia) — they retain significant influence and also represent a very extreme apocalyptic — almost fatalistic — ideology.

If the Antichrist — the Beast — is to emerge out of Islam, then one of his first objectives will be to somehow unify the Islamic world and bring the fragile factions of both Shia and Sunni together — perhaps through intermarriage [see Daniel 2:43]. Our study of Daniel 8 and 11 will provide more details about how this may happen, but for now, I would like to conclude by making mention of the ten toes in the metal image.

Ten Toes Represent Ten Kings

We discover that the ten toes in Daniel 2 are ten kings who will make an attempt at unification but ultimately will not hold together [Daniel 2:43-44]. This prophecy says that it will be in the “days of those kings” that the God of heaven will establish His kingdom that will never be destroyed.

The question is … what kings? Does the Bible provide any more support for a 10-king coalition brought together under the authority of the Antichrist in the last day?

Yes it does. Both Daniel and the book of Revelation further develop this important detail. I will leave you with some critical passages that are connected to the ten toes in Daniel 2.

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.”

Thus he said:

“As for the fourth beast,there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,
which shall be different from all the kingdoms,
and it shall devour the whole earth,
and trample it down, and break it to pieces.
As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,
and another shall arise after them;
he shall be different from the former ones,
and shall put down three kings.”

Daniel 7:7, 23-24

“And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.”

Revelation 13:1-2

“And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

Revelation 17:12-14

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Part 1 — The Five Kingdoms

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever.”

Daniel 2:44

Daniel 2 lays some of the most important groundwork in all of Scripture for understanding the geopolitical climate in the last days and particularly the emergence of the final kingdom of the Antichrist — aka the Beast.

Simply by taking a look at the details provided in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in addition to Daniel’s interpretation, one can begin to form a pretty clear picture of what to expect during the unique time of the end. Let us not forget that Daniel himself told King Nebuchadnezzar that his dream specifically revealed “what will be in the latter days” [Daniel 2:28], which is the first big clue to interpreting this prophecy.

The metal image, or statue, that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream represents four earthly kingdoms, but there is a fifth kingdom — a mountain not cut with human hands — that ultimately will crush and shatter the previous four kingdoms in the last days. Daniel says that this fifth kingdom — this mountain that fills the whole earth — will never be destroyed and will stand forever [Daniel 2:44].

The primary reason we know that this prophecy applies to the time of the end is because we know that the inauguration of God’s eternal kingdom will not be realized until the King of kings returns from heaven to earth to crush His enemies and sit down on His glorious throne. This prophecy, therefore, will not be fulfilled until that Day when Jesus comes in power and glory to establish His kingdom on earth.

Now that we understand the timing of this prophecy in Daniel, it is important that we spend some time brushing up on our geography.

Building a Geographical Template

One of the most essential disciplines for any serious Bible student is to access the original languages by utilizing the various Hebrew and Greek lexicons and concordances at our disposal. Anyone who has a desire to rightly interpret Scripture should have these tools in their own personal library if at all possible, especially with the advantages provided by online resources and digital software.

I would like to demonstrate an unfortunate example of how the English translation of one simple Hebrew word can create an unnecessary obstacle to the accurate interpretation of Daniel 2. Trust me. This type of extreme examination may seem like technical overkill, and I would agree if it didn’t have such a significant impact on the meaning of the text.

In Daniel’s interpretation of the metal image, he explains to Nebuchadnezzar that the divisions in the statue represent subsequent kingdoms, beginning with his own kingdom — ancient Babylon as the head of gold. Now this is where an unfortunate English translation comes into play. Let’s read Daniel 2:38-39.

“You [Babylon] are the head of gold. Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.” 

Daniel 2:38b-39

Now stay with me because this is critical. I would not belabor this point unless it was necessary.

It is universally recognized that the first three kingdoms in Nebuchadnezzar’s image represent the ancient kingdoms of Babylon, Persia and Greece. Few will dispute that.

My issue, however, is with the English translation in Daniel 2:39 that reads, “inferior to you” because it fails to convey the real meaning of the Hebrew word used in the text. The Hebrew word used in Daniel 2:39 is “ara” — אֲרַע — which means earth or land. This particular Hebrew word is used 21 times in the Hebrew Bible and 20 out of the 21 times it simply is translated as earth or ground or land.

But for some bizarre reason, every English translation of Daniel 2:39 renders this Hebrew word — אֲרַע — as “inferior.” Now I have yet to find one good explanation that supports this translation. There is absolutely no rhyme of reason behind choosing the English word, “inferior,” in this verse. Something certainly was “lost” in translation.

The only thing that even begins to make sense is that there is some latitude within the meaning of “ara” that could possibly mean INTERIOR — with a T — but NOT INFERIOR — with an F. It is possible that translators somehow meant to translate this word as interior — meaning territory or land mass — but somehow transcribed it with an “F” instead of a “T.”

I’m not sure, but the reason all of this matters is because if this verse were translated properly in English to reflect the Hebrew, then it would read as follows.

“You [Babylon] are the head of gold. Another kingdom from your land shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.” 

Daniel 2:38-39

Now can you see why this unfortunate English translation completely alters the original meaning of this verse? The silver arms and chest of Persia were never “inferior” to Babylon! On the contrary, the Persian Empire first conquered and later covered vastly more territory than Babylon. Persia and Greece were in no way inferior to Babylon but both did occupy the same territory — אֲרַע — as Babylon.

What we discover with a little linguistic homework is that the interpretation of this prophecy has everything to do with subsequent kingdoms that share the same geographical land mass or territory. In other words, the kingdoms of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and the fourth kingdom will emerge from the same part of the earth and occupy the same land, or אֲרַע.

Now that we have tackled this interpretive obstacle and established a geographical profile, let’s take a closer look at how the three previous kingdoms provide the composite picture of the fourth kingdom.

Babylon — The Head of Gold

The statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream must be understood as a composite of four kingdoms that occupy the same geographical land mass. Three of these kingdoms have come and gone — Babylon, Persia, and Greece — but the fourth kingdom is a future kingdom that will be comprised of the same geographical territories of the previous three.

Let’s take a look first at Babylon — the head of gold.

Notice that at the height of the empire, Babylon covered a vast territory from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea.

Medo-Persia — The Arms and Chest of Silver

The Medes, and later the Persians, combined to form one of the greatest empires in history. You can see in the map above that the Babylonian territory was engulfed by the Persians, but also notice that the Persians expanded control into Northern Africa and modern-day Turkey.

Javan [Greece] — The Core and Thighs of Bronze

The Biblical name for Greece is “Javan,” and it represents the historical Macedonian Empire that reached its height under the leadership of Alexander the Great. This is important because when we think of modern Greece today, we often limit our scope to the European Greek Isles, but the ancient Macedonian Empire was a vast and powerful kingdom that covered more territory than the Persians.

Once again, notice how Javan covered the Middle East, parts of Northern Africa and all of Persia. In other words, ancient Greece occupied the same land mass as Babylon and Persia before it.

The geographical profile provides very important clues about the potential territory of the fourth kingdom in the last days that will be shattered to pieces by King Jesus Himself. One of the other key points of interpretation is that all three of these historical empires were foreign occupiers of Israel and oppressors of the Jews.

There is only one other historical kingdom that fits the profile of the previous three — a kingdom that occupied the same territory and that also oppressed the Jewish people. This empire, I believe, provides another critical clue in understanding what the fourth kingdom of Daniel 2 will be.

Just consider the map below until next time.

A Deep Dive into Daniel — Introduction

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.”

Daniel 2:47

While delivering His most comprehensive discourse on the last days and disclosing the signs preceding His return, the Lord Jesus emphasized one particular prophet by name — Daniel. Although the Lord alluded to most if not all the prophets at various times in His teaching, there was something unique about Daniel that made him especially noteworthy.

Daniel’s story in and of itself is fascinating and worthy of study. He lived a distinguished life of faith which took him from the horrors of Jewish exile to the hallways of Babylonian royalty and even to the heart of the lion’s den. In humility he was greatly favored by God and highly exalted before men, eventually becoming the chief prefect over all the wise men in Babylon [Daniel 2:48-49].

But this study will not focus as much on Daniel’s life and prophetic career as it will on the prophecies themselves.

Daniel was given visions and prophecies that were to be sealed for the latter days, which means that the book of Daniel was inspired by the Holy Spirit and has been preserved by God for over 2,500 years, only to be unsealed in the last days. If we are the generation entering into the unique time of the end, then the puzzle pieces of Daniel’s prophecies should begin falling into place and coming into focus like never before.

“So when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand) …”

Matthew 24:15

If Jesus knew that Daniel’s prophecies provided critical clues to unraveling the mysteries of the end times, then it seems to me that a deeper dive into Daniel is well in order. This is my first official dive into Daniel, and I am expecting it to be both prophetically significant and practically relevant for our day.

VIsions of the Latter Days

The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days.”

Daniel 2:26-28

As I work through the mysteries of Daniel’s prophecies, I will be using a futurist approach of interpretation — meaning that I believe that the overwhelming majority of the prophecies found in the book of Daniel apply to the future time of the end and have not yet been fulfilled. Even portions of Daniel that have already been fulfilled in history, such as the Messianic prophecies in chapter 9, obviously were yet future from Daniel’s perspective.

Yet there are many prophecies that we will discover only apply to the latter days or the appointed time of the end. The reason is because the Scriptures plainly say so.

Take Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2 for example. When God gave Daniel both the dream and the interpretation, He revealed “what will be in the latter days” [Daniel 2:28]. That means that we must view the metal image in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and the different kingdoms it represents through the prophetic lenses of the last days.

Although many prophetic passages can be interpreted with both a near and far fulfillment in view — or with a partial and final fulfillment — the book of Daniel provides some of the most comprehensive details concerning the latter days in all of Scripture. Therefore, I plan to interpret those passages with a future fulfillment in view.

One of the first mentions of the “latter days” comes from Moses in the book of Deuteronomy, but the end-times thread is woven throughout the rest of Scripture to the very last book of Revelation. As we will see later, without Daniel, the book of Revelation cannot rightly be understood.

“When you are in tribulation, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, you will return to the LORD your God and obey his voice. For the LORD your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.”

Deuteronomy 4:30-31

Next time I will take a dive into the interpretation of the metal image in King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and try to discover how it will be fulfilled in the last days. You may be surprised to find out that this dream and its meaning is unfolding before our very eyes.

My Corona Journal — Day 9 — What is the Rapture?

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

1 Corinthians 15:51-52

With the COVID-19 crisis in full swing, I have seen several memes circulating in social media circles referring to the rapture. Most of these memes are comparing the surprising nature of this virus outbreak with the supposed surprising element of the rapture.

In other words, if Coronavirus took you by surprise, imagine what the rapture will do.

The popular Christian view is that the rapture will be a secret, surprise event when Jesus suddenly removes the church from the earth, leaving the entire world behind to face the great tribulation. Furthermore, this view proposes that the rapture could happen at any minute and that the removal of the church from the earth will be the prophetic sign that triggers the seven-year tribulation period. That is why the popular view has been labeled the “pre-tribulation” rapture of the church.

But as surprising as that would be, what many well-meaning Christians don’t realize is that the Bible does not teach a “pre-tribulation” rapture. You will not find one verse in all of Scripture that teaches a secret removal of the church before the tribulation.

Although I have written more extensively on this topic in the past, I wanted to use the COVID-19 crisis as reason to revisit this topic because I do believe the timing of the rapture matters. Feel free to go back and read these previous posts I have written for a more in depth study

  1. Three Comings of Christ? — https://days-of-noah.com/2019/06/04/the-pre-tribulation-rapture-and-three-comings-of-jesus-christ/
  2. Will Jesus Just Appear? — https://days-of-noah.com/2019/06/05/will-jesus-secretly-appear-at-the-rapture-and-come-again-later/
  3. The Timing of the Rapture — https://days-of-noah.com/2019/06/13/jesus-tells-us-the-timing-of-the-rapture/

What is the Rapture?

For starters, I do believe in the rapture of the church because the Bible clearly teaches it. Although the English word rapture — derived from the Latin word rapturo — is not found in the original Greek text of the New Testament, the concept is clearly portrayed in Scripture.

Biblically, the word rapture comes from the Greek word, harpazo, which simply means to “catch up” or to “snatch away.” The primary text for the rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, which we will look at in a moment, but there are other passages that convey the same idea.

For example, after Philip was sent down the road toward Gaza to share the gospel with an Ethiopian eunuch, he was raptured out of sight. The Spirit of the Lord supernaturally snatched Philip away and relocated him.

“When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing.”

Acts 8:39 – NASB

Another example is when the Apostle Paul was “caught up” to the third heaven and given a vision of paradise. The same greek word — harpazo — is used to describe Paul’s supernatural experience.

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise —whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows — and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. “

2 Corinthians 12:2-4 – ESV

These two examples help us better understand what the term rapture really means. We see that the rapture involves the Spirit of God supernaturally snatching away or catching up individuals from the earth into another dimension and then bringing them back to earth.

Now that we have defined the word rapture, let us look more closely at how and when this future event will take place.

Rapture, Resurrection, Return

As I mentioned earlier, the primary passage of Scripture that describes the future rapture of the church is 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, although the Apostle Paul also implicates the rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:50-52. There are many other passages that speak of the “gathering” of God’s people at the return of Jesus, such as 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 and Matthew 24:29-31. I believe these passages also describe the rapture event, but we will save them for another day.

Let’s focus on 1 Thessalonians 4 for now. I encourage everyone to take the time and carefully read how the Scriptures describe the rapture.

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

So what can we learn by this one famous passage?

This passage clearly involves the visible, triumphant, return of Jesus Christ from heaven to earth in the clouds in power and great glory

I have said before and I will say it again. There are only two comings of Jesus Christ. He appeared the first time on earth to suffer and die and be raised to life. He will appear a second time to judge the living and the dead and establish His kingdom on earth.

No one will ever convince me that this passage is describing some secret event where Jesus comes “halfway” to remove the church and then takes everyone back to heaven and then comes again later to the earth. Read it again. That is not what the Bible says.

This is one of the most vivid descriptions of the return of Jesus Christ to earth in power and great glory. It certainly is not a secret event. Every eye will see Him return. It certainly could never be missed any more than a lightening storm flashing across the night sky.

Consider just a few of the elements in this passage.

  • This is the “coming of the Lord”
  • The Lord will “descend from heaven” in the clouds
  • There will be shout, a cry of a command from heaven at the voice of the archangel
  • There will be the sounding of the trumpet of God
  • This is the bodily resurrection when all believers of all time receive their glorified bodies to inherit the kingdom
  • This is the rapture of the church — those who are alive on the earth to witness the return of Jesus.

There is so much more I could say, but I at least will mention that when we compare this passage to other second coming passages like Matthew 24:29-31 and Revelation 6:12-17, it is clear that the rapture takes place when Jesus returns as King to the earth.

This passage clearly involves the bodily resurrection of the righteous saints

Jesus tells us multiple times that the resurrection occurs “on the last day,” and Paul also confirms this in 1 Corinthians 15.

“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

John 6:40

“But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” 

1 Corinthians 15:23-24

This passage teaches that there will be a generation of believers who live to see the return of Jesus

The generation that lives to see the return of Jesus this side of heaven will be raptured, which simply means that they will received their resurrected bodies in the twinkling of an eye.

Jesus reminded us about this unique generation.

“So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.”

Matthew 24:33-34

What have we learned?

  1. The rapture is not a secret event but rather it coincides with the visible, glorious, triumphant return of Jesus to the earth
  2. The rapture coincides with the resurrection of the righteous at the end of the age on the last day
  3. Jesus returns at the end of the great tribulation (Matthew 24:29-31) and therefore the timing of the rapture is after the tribulation … NOT BEFORE!

Maybe the biggest surprise will be when the church realizes that we all must go through the great tribulation and face Antichrist and endure in faith to the end — whether that be our death or the Lord’s return.

Even so … come quickly Lord Jesus!

My Corona Journal — Day 7 — Putting on Prophetic Lenses

Marcus Walker Van EveryLeave a comment

“He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law; and they shall be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.”

Daniel 7:25

Like so many others, I have been trying to view the COVID-19 crisis through several different lenses and process the changes with each passing day. There is so much to take into consideration. We have never experienced a global shut down on this scale in human history.

We must look at this from every angle — medically, economically, governmentally, constitutionally, spiritually, and prophetically.

First, we must look at this outbreak through the healthcare lens — or should I say health-scare. The truth is, we really don’t know just how serious SARS-CoV-2 is, as we are getting new information daily about symptoms, treatments, and long-term affects.

Sure, this Coronavirus is especially cruel on the elderly and the immunocompromised, but after at least six weeks of observation here in the U.S., the numbers just still don’t add up in relationship to the extreme measures being taken. I understand the concepts of mitigating a virus. I’m not against practicing safe health measures, but I am still not convinced that this COVID-19 outbreak warrants the mass hysteria and social panic that has taken our world and our nation by storm. Only time will tell.

Economically, COVID-19 certainly has caused serious distress on the markets and revealed how financially fragile the U.S. truly is. Some analysts are predicting a downward turn leading into a recession, or another depression. Others believe the U.S. economy could recover and rebound with historical gains after the outbreak is over. Only time will tell.

From a governmental and constitutional perspective, our civil liberties are being threatened in unprecedented fashion. Never before in our nation’s history have American civil rights been put in jeopardy like this. The COVID-19 scare has emboldened politicians at every level to enforce civil mandates and executive orders that cut into the very heart of our constitutional rights.

Basic First Amendment rights like religious liberty and the right to peaceably assemble are being challenged head on. One constitutional attorney, Robert Barnes, says that the threat of losing our civil liberties through COVID-19 far outweighs the health threat posed to American citizens. I must say that I do not disagree.

“Our founders were intimately familiar with pandemics, viruses and plagues, yet they did not allow any to suspend our Constitutional liberties. Not one word in the Constitution about plagues or pandemics to exempt the government from any of our Bill of Rights. Why do our current courts allow it? Because the public is asleep at the wheel. Think the pandemic threatens to kills us all? A review of the data shows the pandemic is more panic than plague.”

Attorney Robert Barnes – https://www.rt.com/op-ed/483758-coronavirus-constitutional-rights-government/

The only thing about government officials overstepping their authority and limiting our freedoms is that once politicians gain more control and power from the people, they almost never give it back. Only time will tell.

While I am doing my best to keep an eye on all of these sensitive scenarios, I am committed above all to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus — the Author and Finisher of my faith. The Bible says that “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” [Rev 19:10], and like so many of God’s children, I am intently searching the Scriptures in order to understand the bigger angle at play in all of this — the prophetic angle!

Putting on Prophetic Lenses

As I shared in a previous post, I do believe that the Coronavirus crisis is at the very least a preliminary sign that qualifies as the beginning of birth pains. There are so many variables that make this particular “pandemic” unique, such as the …

  1. Global scale
  2. Rapid change
  3. Misinformation
  4. Media influence
  5. Social response
  6. Government control
  7. Medical protocols
  8. Economic impact

Beyond the unprecedented reaction to this COVID-19 outbreak, I also have been seeing some troubling proposals from the likes of Bill Gates and others, who are using this crisis to push agendas that frankly should make us shudder. Not only is Bill Gates proposing a universal vaccine to administer worldwide but also a national tracking system that will use GPS technology to track and quarantine infected citizens during any future outbreaks.

Gates has proposed to use invisible ink to tattoo the vaccination status on the skin of the recipient. You can’t make this stuff up. Furthermore, Gates is a founding parter with the ID2020 Alliance, which is committed to giving every human being on the planet a “digital identification.”

Now I need to stop right here and make sure you understand that I am not saying Bill Gates is planning to initiate the mark of the beast, but what I am saying is that the COVID-19 outbreak and response certainly presents a potential example of how the end-times system and mark of the beast could be implemented. I wrote recently in a previous blog about the possible applications of this end-times mark and the economic system that will follow. One can see how a mandated universal vaccination and tracking system certainly could become a very real application.

This COVID-19 pandemic has provided an eye-opening scenario of how all it takes is one major “trigger” event to flip the world on its head and initiate a new world order to control the masses.

These are some of the things that we do know about the Antichrist and his coming kingdom in the last days.

  1. The Antichrist will be given authority to rule for 42 months, or 3.5 years.
  2. The Antichrist will concentrate his rule over a Middle Easter coalition of nations but his reach eventually will extend around the world [Daniel 7, Revelation 13, 17].
  3. The Antichrist will seek to change the times and the laws [Daniel 7:25], which most likely means that he will wield political power and influence over most, if not all, of the world governments.
  4. The Antichrist will introduce some type of mark, or number identification system, to enable global monitoring and economic control [Revelation 13:16-18].
  5. The Antichrist will concentrate his interests in the Middle East and Israel, and more specifically Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.
  6. The Antichrist will launch an all out assault against Jews and Christians worldwide [Daniel 7:25, Revelation 13:5-10].
  7. The end of the Antichrist and his kingdom will come when King Jesus returns from heaven to earth to crush the forces of evil and deliver the saints once and for all [Daniel 7:13-14, 26-27].

There is a prophetic angle to this entire situation, and we as God’s children had better wake up and take notice. The time is nearer than ever before.

While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

1 Thessalonians 5:3-6

666 & The False Prophet

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

Revelation 13:18

The Biblical meaning of a false prophet is someone who speaks falsely “in the name of God.” Therefore, I believe the end-times False Prophet will emerge from within a Judeo-Christian context, having an outward appearance of a godly man of the “cloth” but at the same time speaking blasphemous lies in the name of Jesus. The False Prophet will also possess immense supernatural powers, using signs and working wonders to deceive the world.

Beyond using supernatural and spiritual powers, however, the False Prophet is described as using two additional methods of influence during the great tribulation.

  1. The Image of the Beast
  2. The Mark of the Beast

Many have undertaken the task of trying to decipher what these two mysteries may be. In full disclosure, I don’t claim to know what the image and the mark of the Beast will be, but I do have some thoughts concerning the possibilities.

The Image of the Beast

“And by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

Revelation 13:14

What is the image of the beast? Some have proposed that it is some type of satanic statue or idol that will be set up in the Third Temple, which will involve the abomination of desolation [see Matthew 24:15, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4].

Others still have suggested that it will be some type of holographic/virtual image that the Beast uses to appear before the masses.

Consider what the Greek word, image, means in Strong’s Concordance.

  • Strong’s 1504 eikṓn (from 1503/eíkō, “be like”) – properly, “mirror-like representation,” referring to what is very close in resemblance (like a “high-definition” projection, as defined by the context).

When we understand that Jesus Himself is called the “image” of the invisible God — the exact imprint of His nature and likeness — it helps provide some context to the “image” of the Beast. The image of the beast will most likely be some type of human-like representation of the Antichrist. Here are some possibilities.

  • The image of the Beast could be some type of cyborg replica of Antichrist who is given “life” by the False Prophet. By life, I believe that either artificial intelligence or a demonic spirit is in view.
  • The image of the Beast could be some type of genetic hybrid who resembles the Antichrist and is given “life.”

But why would the Beast — who already will be a man in physical form — need a human-like replica of himself?

I believe the answer is most likely found in the second half of Revelation 13:14. The Beast — or the human leader — apparently will suffer some type of mortal wound and either appear to die or actually die, only to be brought back to “life” as the image of the Beast. All things considered, this could be a pseudo-miracle performed by the False Prophet that astonishes the whole world and causes them to worship the Beast, whose mortal wound was healed.

If we understand Satan’s desire to mimic and pervert all that God has done, then it is not unreasonable to believe that the Antichrist will perform some type of “resurrection” from the dead to imitate Christ. I am of the opinion that this demonic resurrection will produce the image of the Beast, further deceiving the lost inhabitants of the earth to worship him. Any failure to follow suit will most likely result in martyrdom.

“And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.” 

Revelation 13:15

The Mark of the Beast

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

Revelation 13:16-17

Finally, we see the False Prophet using economic control over the masses, preventing anyone to buy or sell without first being “marked,” either on the right hand or the forehead.

What is this mark of the Beast?

The Greek word for mark used here in Strong’s Concordance is number 5480 xáragma. It can refer properly to an engraving (etching), brand or stamp and also can refer to an identification symbol or badge, giving irrefutable connection between parties. Think of the Jews in the Holocaust who were forced by the Nazis to wear the star of David for identification. Notice that the mark is also called the “number” of the name of the Beast, or 666.

Once again, I can’t be dogmatic about this mark, but here are my thoughts.

  • The mark of the Beast is at the very least a universal identification system that can be globally monitored through modern technology.
  • The mark of the Beast could employ some type of microchip or nanotechnology that can implanted into the skin of willing individuals or delivered via some form of vaccination or inoculation campaign.
  • The mark of the Beast will be in some way outwardly recognizable and visible as to distinguish between those who have taken it or not.
  • The mark of the Beast, in my interpretation, is the “seal” of the Antichrist, which is the antithesis of the seal of the Holy Spirit.
  • True believers who are sealed with the Holy Spirit and who possess the mind of Christ will refuse to voluntarily take the mark, even if it costs us our lives.

Although the Beast and his kingdom will be concentrated in the Middle East, his reach and control will be global because of the technological component of the mark. Global tracking and data gathering has never been an option until now, and the Antichrist will take full advantage of GPS monitoring systems and 5G technology.

The Revelation of Jesus warns believers that the kingdom of darkness and the rule of Antichrist will last 42 months (3.5 years) and that we must be prepared not only to face the Beast, but also to be willing to suffer and die in resistance to his satanic system. This is just one of many reasons why I believe the church will be present on the earth during the great tribulation — or the last 3.5 years — before the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself gives a personal call to the saints to have endurance through this time of great trouble.

Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

“If anyone is to be taken captive,
to captivity he goes;
if anyone is to be slain with the sword,
with the sword must he be slain.”

Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

Revelation 13:7-10

Furthermore, I believe only those who are seduced, deceived, or intimidated by the False Prophet to take the mark — and do so willingly — will be taking the seal of the devil and deliberately rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. I do not believe a true believer who is sealed with Holy Spirit should worry that he or she will somehow be tricked or forced into the taking the mark of the Beast. For those who truly belong to Christ, they will not love their lives, even unto death. The words of Jesus ring true.

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.19When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” [Matthew 10:16-23]

Those who willingly take the mark, however, are consciously pledging full allegiance and giving themselves over to the Beast. Their end is sealed.

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

Revelation 14:9-10

We are living in the last days. May all God’s people be prepared for what is coming upon the earth in the years to come. We will need God and His presence and power more than ever, and we will need one another like never before.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

The Superpowers of the False Prophet

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The False Prophet is called a “beast” in Revelation 13. The term beast in this context is best understood as a leader/ruler with authority and power over a designated group of people. His purpose is to promote allegiance and worship of the first beast — the human leader known as the Antichrist — and also to utilize the supernatural powers of the Dragon to deceive the whole world. Whereas the first beast — the Antichrist — is described in terms of a political/military figure, the second beast — the False Prophet — is portrayed as a religious/spiritual figure of significant influence.

In my last post I made the case that the False Prophet will be a renown religious leader who speaks lies and heresies “in the name of God,” which means that he will almost certainly emerge from within the modern Christian “church” as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He outwardly has the appearance of a lamb (false christ), while inwardly he is a ravenous wolf speaking like the devil himself [Revelation 13:11].

Authority and Idolatry

“It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.”

Revelation 13:12

The False Prophet will exercise authority on behalf of the Antichrist, and his job will be clear. He is to use whatever means possible to cause the inhabitants of the world to submit and worship the Beast. As the verse above says, the False Prophet will “cause” or “make” the peoples of the earth bow down to Antichrist and pledge full allegiance to him.

Just as a side note, there is one primary belief system in the world today that gains “converts” by using force, intimidation, terror, and subjugation — Islam. The essence of Islam is jihad — or holy war — which is designed to introduce shariah law to every newly-conquered territory. Shariah forces infidels — those who do not believe in Allah or his prophet Mohammed — to convert, die or become a classless slave of the Islamic system.

Now while I do believe that the first “Beast” will emerge from an Islamic context and will rule over a Middle Eastern empire, I do not necessarily believe the False Prophet will be a Muslim imam. He most likely will use the terror of shariah law and exploit the authority of the Antichrist, causing many to worship the Beast for fear of their lives. All who would save his life, however, will lose it for bowing down to another god and worshiping this profane Beast. This is an assault of the first commandment of God. We are to have no other gods before Him.

Satan’s original sin was born out of his pride and arrogance and his desire to exalt himself above God [Isaiah 14:12-14, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4], and the False Prophet will be tasked with using whatever means necessary to make the whole world bow at the feet of the Dragon. Just as the Holy Spirit testifies to God the Son and points people to Jesus, the False Prophet will point the world to the Beast. The last days will reveal a wicked and corrupt generation that practices universal idolatry, blaspheming the One True God and His Son Jesus Christ, while giving glory to the devil.

The Scriptures reveal, however, that the False Prophet will use other means of influence to sway sinners to surrender to the power and control of the Beast.

Supernatural Signs and Wonders

“It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.”

Revelation 13:13-15

You can read other posts that I have written about the coming deception and the dangers of the apostate church. The spirit of the age is sweeping through our world and the stage is being set for mass deception. Satan is using a strategic combination of moral relativism, political correctness, doctrinal compromise, sexual perversion and seduction, governmental corruption, occult fascination, academic indoctrination, technological isolation, and substance addiction — among other things — to keep the world in his grasp.

I believe the False Prophet will employ all of these methods of seduction and deception when he arrives on the scene, especially when it comes to using artificial intelligence, virtual reality, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology.

But the False Prophet will also have a secret weapon — superpowers!

There seems to have always been a fascination with being superhuman — godlike. It’s the oldest lie of the devil … you shall be like gods!

The False Prophet will be able to access supernatural powers to woo the crowds and wow the masses. Revelation 13 says that he will be able to make “fire come down from heaven” and somehow give “breath,” or life to the image of the beast. His power is reminiscent of Satan’s vicious attack on Job by bringing fire down from heaven to destroy his herds [Job 1:16], as well as an imitation of the prophet Elijah during his standoff with the false prophets of Baal.

Although the Bible calls these “false” signs and wonders, that does not mean that they necessarily are “fake” like an elaborate magic show. The power of the False Prophet will be quite real, but it will be false in the sense that it will be used to deceive and lead the world astray.

The Apostle Paul also speaks of this coming supernatural demonstration of power in the last days. Those who have refused to love the truth and be saved will be deceived. Only those sealed with the Holy Spirit and possessing the mind of Christ will be able to resist the unbelievable powers on display in those days.

“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12

Finally we see the unholy trinity in Revelation 16 — the Dragon, the Beast and the False Prophet — sending three unclean spirits to the kings of the earth to gather for the battle of Armageddon. Again, these spirits perform supernatural “signs” in order to deceive.

“And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.”

Revelation 16:13-14

As God’s people, we must maintain a healthy balance between the supernatural power of God as demonstrated by the Spirit of God and the authoritative truth of God as revealed in the Word of God. Jesus warned the religious leaders of His generation, as well as ours, about being obsessed with signs and miracles and wonders and seeking those things above God.

And the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test him they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” So he left them and departed.

Matthew 16:1-4

In other words, we have all the validation we need from God in His revealed word and the true testimony of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is not to deny God’s ability to perform miracles and show mighty wonders. It is simply a warning about motivations. If we need a sign to validate God’s word, then we are dangerously setting ourselves up for deception.

Next time I will conclude this miniseries on the False Prophet by exploring the possible scenarios involving the mark of the beast and the image of the beast.

Who is the False Prophet?

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.”

Revelation 19:20

When it comes to the study of eschatology, or end times, the Antichrist — aka the Beast — usually gets the lion’s share of attention. The Scriptures speak of another “beast,” however, who will play a significant role in deceiving the world in the last days.

The False Prophet

My aim is to use the next several installments to build a Biblical profile of the False Prophet in order to help the body of believers become better equipped to identify him and his deceptive powers. The Lord Jesus consistently warned us about the spiritual deception and false wonders that will characterize the last days. If God’s people are not spiritually and doctrinally prepared, we are in danger of being led like lambs to the slaughter.

False Prophets and the Spirit of Antichrist

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.”

1 John 4:1-3

The Apostle John reminds us that the spirit of antichrist was at work in his day and that many antichrists have already come into the world [1 John 2:18]. John connects false prophets with the spirit of antichrist, which is the satanic spirit at work that blinds the minds of unbelievers and keeps the whole world in spiritual darkness.

John first heard this directly from the Lord Jesus Himself, when He taught his disciples about the coming dangers of the last days and the deceptive methods of the evil one. Concerning the signs of the end times, Jesus warned his disciples about false prophets and false “messiahs” more than anything else.

And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray … And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray … For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.”

Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24-25

Just as there have been many antichrists who have come into the world, there also have been many false prophets. All of the antichrists and false prophets up until this point have been precursors and predecessors to what the Bible identifies as “the” Antichrist and “the” False Prophet. These two dynamic and demonic leaders will emerge on the world stage in the last days as the very personification of evil and incarnation of the devil. We should only expect to see a rise in the satanic spirit of the antichrist and in the number of false prophets in these last days, leading up to the revelation of these two unique “beasts.”

And what are we seeing in our world today? Just a surface glance at the modern spiritual landscape of the world and the church at large reveals a mass departure from sound doctrine that has created a pseudo-religious culture with an obsession for occult spirituality, personal mysticism, and ecstatic, emotional experiences. Even more telling is how much the spirit of antichrist has infiltrated the “church” — aka modern Christianity.

The first thing we must understand about the False Prophet is that he will most certainly emerge from a Christian context as a representative of the church.

The Pseudo Prophet

The name “False Prophet” is one word in the Greek — pseudoprophétés — which means one who teaches what is false “in God’s name.” The same can be said of the term “false christ” — pseudochristos — which means a pretend Messiah. These terms are used purposely to convey to believers that these dangerous and demonic imposters will emerge from within the church itself.

A false prophet in general is someone pretending to speak the word of the Lord (prophesy) but in fact is phony (an imposter), acting as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So when it comes to “the” False Prophet, spoken of in the book of Revelation, we can be sure that he will be speaking deceptive lies and heresies in the very name of Jesus Christ.

The first mention of the False Prophet in Revelation 13 provides imagery that confirms his true nature as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He may outwardly represent the “Lamb,” but inwardly He is a servant of Satan — the Dragon.

“Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.”

Revelation 13:11

Stay tuned for next time, as I will begin to look more closely at the power and authority of the False Prophet and his role during the great tribulation.

The Year of the Locust

Marcus Walker Van Every1 Comment

“What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, What the devouring locust has left, the swarming locust has eaten; what the swarming locust has left, the young locust has eaten; and what the young locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten.”

[Joel 1:4]

The locust is a rather non-threatening insect, much like the grasshoppers I used to chase as a young boy. But when hundreds of millions of hungry locusts swarm together, they become a ominous force of devastation to millions.

Recent news reports coming out of Africa and the Middle East are bringing attention to some of the most threatening locust plagues in recent memory. Although these locust swarms historically emerge in regular cycles, the most recent locust plagues have caused greater concern, as authorities in these regions believe the plagues “of Biblical proportions” may only get worse.

Locust Swarm in Somalia 2020

Of course, the greatest concern is how the locusts will affect the crops in these regions, potentially causing food shortages and famines for millions.

Some predict the insect population to boom by a factor of 500 by June. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN is calling the situation in the Horn of Africa “extremely alarming,” and estimates that a swarm covering one square kilometer can eat as much food in a day as 35,000 humans.

The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is notorious. Found in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, they inhabit some 60 countries and can cover one-fifth of Earth’s land surface. Desert locust plagues may threaten the economic livelihood of one-tenth of the world’s humans.

A desert locust swarm can be 460 square miles in size and pack between 40 and 80 million locusts into less than half a square mile.

Is this just another regular cycle of locust swarms — business as usual — or should we pay closer attention to these signs from a prophetic perspective?

Famines and Pestilences

“There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”

[Luke 21:11]

Jesus warned us that the beginning of the birth pains would include signs of increased turmoil throughout the world, such as revolutions and wars, earthquakes, pestilences and famines. Sure, humanity has dealt with these things for thousands of years, so what’s unique about our day? What most people seem to miss is that Jesus implies that in the last days, we will have the ability to receive reports about such phenomena from all around the world — i.e. diverse places. Only in the past 100 years have we had the capacity to communicate around the world, and only in the past 25 years of mobile technology have we had instant access to such reports at our fingertips.

The recent Coronavirus outbreak in China, for example, has at least raised awareness and provided some context to how potentially dangerous a pandemic could be. Although it has been difficult to discern how severe this outbreak truly is, we must at least be paying attention to how the world health organizations are responding.

The recent locust plagues are no different. For the vulnerable economies in the Middle East and Africa, severe crop damage could create famines of epic proportions. Only time will tell how bad it will be.

Locusts in the Bible

Locusts are often associated with judgment in the Bible. The first mention of a locust plague is found in the Exodus account, as the LORD brought judgment upon Pharaoh for his obstinance. At least this plague was unique in that the LORD promised it would never be equalled again.

“So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and throughout that day and night the LORD sent an east wind across the land. By morning the east wind had brought the locusts. The locusts swarmed across the land and settled over the entire territory of Egypt. Never before had there been so many locusts, and never again will there be. They covered the face of all the land until it was black, and they consumed all the plants on the ground and all the fruit on the trees that the hail had left behind. Nothing green was left on any tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.”

[Exodus 10:13-15]

The LORD later warned the children Israel before entering the Promised Land that if they refused to keep His commandments and turned to worship other gods, He would bring judgment upon them as well.

“You shall carry much seed into the field and shall gather in little, for the locust shall consume it.”

[Deuteronomy 28:38]

Finally the prophet Joel describes an army of locusts associated with the last days and the Day of the LORD. Upon closer inspection, I am of the persuasion that Joel was describing a supernatural army of invaders in the last days that will swarm upon the mountains of Israel like locusts, devouring everything in its path.

“For a nation has come up against my land,
powerful and beyond number;
its teeth are lions’ teeth,
and it has the fangs of a lioness.
It has laid waste my vine
and splintered my fig tree;
it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down;
their branches are made white.”

[Joel 1:6-7]

Joel’s vision of this supernatural army is one of “darkness and gloom, a day of thick darkness and clouds,” which is typical of a locust swarm. Consider some of the details provided.

“Like blackness there is spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful people;
their like has never been before,
nor will be again after them
through the years of all generations.

Fire devours before them,
and behind them a flame burns.
The land is like the garden of Eden before them,
but behind them a desolate wilderness,
and nothing escapes them.

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,
and like war horses they run.
As with the rumbling of chariots,
they leap on the tops of the mountains,
like the crackling of a flame of fire
devouring the stubble,
like a powerful army
drawn up for battle.”

[Joel 2:2-5]

Interestingly enough, the book of Revelation provides even more context to this end-times army, confirming that it will be much more than a swarm of insects. Joel’s locust army is one that will emerge from the pits of hell in the last days to plague the people who have pledged their allegiance to the Beast. As you will see, John’s vision is drawing directly from Joel’s vision.

I will leave you with John’s vision in Revelation 9, which speaks for itself.

“And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. 2He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft.3Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. 4They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. 5They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. 6And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them. 7In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, 8their hair like women’s hair, and their teeth like lions’ teeth; 9they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. 10They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. 11They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon.”

[Revelation 9:1-11]