Thoughts on 2 Thessalonians 2:3, part one.

I know I touched on this passage as I was finishing up Micah 3, and I apologize if it seems redundant. I referenced it in that post because it fit, but I could not convey the aggravation I feel as my friend keeps coming back to this particular verse, especially after his pastor, a notable radio pastor, has also answered his question to the best of his ability.
For two weeks, in our very small group, we have gone over 2 Thessalonians 2:3 extensively to no avail.

As I try to figure out why my friend refuses to grasp anything anyone has said to him about the verse, I can't help but think that this is a common problem for many, and therefore needs to be explained. After all, Paul had to readdress issues as he wrote to the churches in Thessalonica and Corinth, and Paul conveyed the idea that it was a good and appropriate thing to revisit items that are basics of our faith and a foundational aspect of our hope.

The verse in question is 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (NIV)
I want to make you aware of a few things up front;

1. There are so many ways to be deceived, however, most of the deception comes from those we trust, like religious leaders. Many years ago, here in California, there was a decent man named Jim Jones and he was a church leader. At first, things went well, but over time he led his congregation to Guyana South America, where several of his members, at his bidding, murdered the investigators who arrived at the jungle airport. So what did “pastor” Jim Jones do to fix this aberration? He convinced the members to drink a Cyanide laced children's drink called “Kool-Aid.” Of course, all those deceived who drank the “Kool-Aid” died. The point here is that people can be misled, with horrendous results.
2. This verse falls within a context and should not be considered by itself; the full context ends with verse 12, but it is what is in between verse 3 and 12 that enlightens or changes our understanding.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 NASB (1) Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, (2) that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. (3) Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (4) who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. (5) Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? (6) And you know what restrains him now so that in his time he will be revealed. (7) For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (8) Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; (9) that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (10) and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. (11) For this reason, God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, (12) in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness.

So there it is,

• “ you know what restrains him now,” What restrains him is the praying church. Obviously, we are not all carrying our weight. If we had not been resisting the work of the enemy how much farther along would the chaos be?
• “so that in his time he will be revealed.” With the church out of the way, the Antichrist will be exposed or uncovered. This is the same word (apokalúptō,) that Paul used in verse 3. If I wanted to get snagged and unable to move forward, I might focus on the terminology “so that in his time he will be revealed.” It almost sounds like the Antichrist is setting the ground rules for this Godly chess game, and he is not. All things are in the Father's hand; to think any differently merely diminishes God in your eyes.

The passages read from certain versions, use obsolete and bewildering language; those language issues require extra work on your part if you are going to understand what is being said. An example of this is seen in verse 3 where the italicized words, (added to provide clarity,) only cause some people more grief. (The NASB and the KJV have the italicization, however, the NIV took some unwarranted liberties by integrating the italicized words into the sentence.)

The word revealed is the Greek word “apokalúptō.” Apokalúptō has several meanings, most of which convey a similar theme. It means to remove a veil or covering, exposing to open view what was before hidden. To make manifest or reveal a thing previously secret or unknown. (Word Study Dictionary)

So allow me a moment to expose some things that were previously unknown.
Having grown up in a religious setting, no one, it seems, ever thought for a second that the things we are dealing with today would come to pass, and Islam is one of those things. Islam was an ideology that was practiced quietly somewhere else. Movies like the Maltese Falcon, with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, which was set in Morocco; a  war-torn but tourist friendly place. Not anymore.

The date, as I work on this post is 12/22/2018, and in just the last two days the “not so headline news” has informed us that several young Muslim men have raped and murdered two pretty blond European girls, decapitating one and attempting the same on the other. And all this happened in Morocco, a name I merely picked out of the air.

The Islamic revolution of 1979 brought down the Shah of Iran's regime and restarted the rule of the Caliphate and Sharia law.

The Ottoman Empire, an Islamic Caliphate, created somewhat global havoc for centuries until it was subjected to the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920. That treaty was rejected by Turkish nationalists but eventually lead to the abolition of the monarchy by the Government of the Grand National Assembly based in Ankara. The Ottoman Caliphate was, for many years, effectively abolished in 1924 by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey.

By the way, the Ottoman Empire played a huge role in this young country of America, forming the Marines, as Islamic pirates, coming off the coast of Libya, were capturing merchant vessels, including some of our own. Not all these ships were merchant's vessels and many were put in Muslim prisons or made slaves. As long as it did not affect the young American country we did nothing, but when Americans were taken prisoners and abused, is when the Marines were formed as a counter to the piracy. For the doubters, I make note of the words of the Marine Corps anthem, which says, “to the shores of Tripoli.” Tripoli, is of course, in Libya, a Mediterranean, coastal, country. (Much of this information on the Ottoman empire has been extracted from Wikipedia)

I believe that the Ottoman Empire is that head that "appeared to be slain and his fatal wound was healed."

Revelation 13:3 NASB I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;

Before you move on or away from this thesis, you should understand that all of history, is God's history, as players have moved into position, simply for the purpose of God restoring and rescuing those He calls his own; and, therefore, we should not ignore the role of history, as many of those players have managed to command a role in future events, like end times eschatology. An example of this can be understood as you look at the Grecian Empire, the third empire depicted in the statue dream of Nebuchadnezzar. The largest portion, the breast, is understood by most to be Alexander the Great. Alexander dies and in time, only two generals retained control, Seleucus in the North, and Ptolemy in the South. We are impacted by these empires still today. (You have to study Daniel 11, the Assyrians, and the Scythian empires to grasp how they play a role in eschatology. Fortunately, most of this information can be extracted from your Bible.)

Should you decide to base your eschatology on verse 3 alone, you would be considered a mid-tribulation believer.
Sadly, if your dream came true, then your belief system would put you under the subjection of the wrath of God, which is exactly what the seven-year time frame is all about; and, your theology would be in direct opposition to one of the primary reasons Jesus went to the cross.

In opposition to mid and post tribulation theories, there are verses like this.

Hebrews 9:28 NIV  so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

While the entire book of Hebrews goes into great detail about our hope and why it is so valid, this verse wraps it up nicely when it says, "he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." We, as a church, should be aware that there are two "returns" of Jesus.

First, He will return for His church. He does not physically return to the earth but will catch us up to meet Him in the clouds. This moment in time is no secret, as we are told every eye will see Him.

The second time He returns, it will be as the warring Messiah. The having been collected seven-years prior, will be riding with Him. There is no polite way to say this, blood will run in the streets at this return. This point in time will mark the transition into the millennial reign.

Stay tuned for part two.

Daniel 11, the rise of the king of the North. Verses 17-27

I hate making rookie mistakes, but I am prone to the same errors many of you have encountered; that is, as I was going through my notes I noticed Daniel 11:15, 16 were missing. That would mean that I might have skipped by them when I did the bible study; maybe not. So, for the sake of completion I quickly added them in the previous post; however, this is where I made the rookie error. Note my comments in red
.

Daniel 11:16 NASB "But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him; he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.

As you saw in verse fifteen, there will be no strength to make a stand.

• “ But he who comes against him will do as he pleases, and no one will be able to withstand him;”

  Antiochus III – also known as Antiochus the Great, is a forerunner and interchangeable with the Antichrist that is coming.

• “he will also stay for a time in the Beautiful Land, with destruction in his hand.”

  The Revised Version translates the verse this way, “and he shall stand in the glorious land, and in his hand shall be destruction.”
  This is indicative of what will happen to Israel by the hand of Antichrist.

It seems harmless enough, but the most direct descendant would be Antiochus Epiphanes (IV), for he is the one who desecrated the temple; and, he is the one scholars tend to agree, if they agree, is the pattern for the Antichrist that is coming. But, as I looked again at the descriptives I see in Antiochus the III, are there things here that fit the Antichrist? Yes. Are there exceptions? Yes. An example might be:

Daniel 11:42-45 RV He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43) But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. 44) But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: and he shall go forth with great fury to destroy and utterly to make away many. 45) And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the sea and the glorious holy mountain; yet, he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

We will get to Daniel 11:42-45 eventually, but for the moment pay attention to the idea that "he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." One might say that this alone indicates that he is not invincible, and he isn't, but it is only the return of Jesus Christ to earth that puts a stop to this guy.

Look at the context of the verses I included and you can see things like Egypt shall not escape; he shall have power over the treasures; "and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps."
In case there is any doubt that this guy meets his end, I give you:

Revelation 19:19-20 RV And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army. 20) And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image: they twain were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:

Yes, the Antichrist persona is also known as the beast.

---

Let's continue on with Daniel 11; and yes, it actually took me four weeks to cover my notes, but I rushed through chapter 12 and I wish I had not done that.

Antiochus the Great and Ptolemy V come to terms. Antiochus gives Ptolemy his daughter who later helps her husband defeat the plans of Antiochus.

Daniel 11:17 NIV He will determine to come with the might of his entire kingdom and will make an alliance with the king of the South. And he will give him a daughter in marriage in order to overthrow the kingdom, but his plans will not succeed or help him.

He, is Antiochus the Great/AKA, Antiochus III.

• To set one’s face in any direction is to determine to go there. The meaning here is, that Antiochus, flushed with success, and resolved to push his conquests to the utmost, would make use of all the forces at his disposal to overcome the Egyptians, and to bring them into subjection to his sway. He had driven Scopas from Coelo-Syria, and from Sidon; had subjected the land of Palestine to his control, and now nothing seemed to prevent his extending his conquests to the utmost limits of his ambition. [Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible]

• From the IVPBBC - Antiochus III's defeat by the Roman, Scipio (191, 190). The increasing Roman control in Greece was established by a peace accord in 196. The Greeks who were unhappy with this new state of affairs made contact with Antiochus, urging him to come to their aid. 
  By this time, Antiochus, anticipating that he would need to neutralize Egypt, had entered a marriage alliance, sending his daughter, Cleopatra, to be Ptolemy V's bride. He expected her to also be a useful spy, but in this, he was disappointed as her loyalties turned to her new husband.

Daniel 11:18 NIV Then he will turn his attention to the coastlands and will take many of them, but a commander will put an end to his insolence and will turn his insolence back on him.

Nevertheless, he made his move toward Greece in 192.

Constantly shifting alliances eventually worked against him, and he lost a large portion of his ten thousand troops at Thermopylae in 191.

Antiochus III then resorted to sea battle to try to keep the Romans out of Asia Minor but was again unsuccessful.

By 190 the larger Seleucid army of seventy-thousand men had arrived to reinforce Antiochus's positions. Roman troops under Scipio were only half this strength when the forces met at Magnesia (about fifty miles north of Ephesus). Yet due to lack of training and tactical errors on the part of the Seleucid army, Antiochus was defeated and much of his army slaughtered.

Daniel 11:19 NIV After this, he will turn back toward the fortresses of his own country but will stumble and fall, to be seen no more.

The terms of surrender were humiliating, devastating and accepted without argument. IVPBBC

Daniel 11:20 AMPC+ Then shall stand up in his place or office one who shall send an exactor of tribute to pass through the glory of the kingdom, but within a few days, he shall be destroyed, [yet] neither in anger nor in battle.

Let's try reading it from the NIV.

Daniel 11:20 NIV "His successor will send out a tax collector to maintain the royal splendor. In a few years, however, he will be destroyed, yet not in anger or in battle.

Who is this successor?

• Seleucus IV Philopator (187-175). This son of Antiochus III had a relatively peaceful reign and appeared to have maintained favorable relations with Jerusalem. The exception alluded to in this verse was when he dispatched one of his chief officials, Heliodorus, to Jerusalem to seize funds that were reported to be either in excess of what was needed or hoarded by anti-Seleucid factions. Before the high priest, Onias III could get to Antioch to appeal the decision and offer explanation,
• Seleucus was assassinated in a plot carried out by Heliodorus, with Antiochus IV suspected by historians of complicity. IVPBBC

Who gained the most from the murder of Seleucus IV's murder? Antiochus IV.

Antiochus Epiphanes and dealings with Israel are pictured in Daniel 11:21-34.

He obtains his rule by flattery.

Daniel 11:21 AMPC+ And in his place or office [in Syria] shall arise a contemptuous and contemptible person, to whom royal majesty and honor of the kingdom have not been given. But he shall come in without warning in time of security and shall obtain the kingdom by flatteries, intrigues, and cunning hypocritical conduct. [Dan 8:9-12, Dan 8:23-25]

CJB "There will arise in his place a despicable man not entitled to inherit the majesty of the kingdom, but he will come without warning and gain the kingdom by intrigue.

a contemptuous and contemptible person – The NASB translated this as despicable. The Hebrew word is, bāzāh: A verb meaning to hold in contempt or to despise. The verb means to hold in disdain, to disrespect. It can mean to prefer something more than the thing despised,

• Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164). Antiochus IV, the brother of Seleucus, had been in Rome as a political hostage and was just returning (he had got as far as Athens) when the assassination of his brother took place.
• His goals included converting Jerusalem into a center for Greek culture and helping the Jews to make the transition to becoming Greek citizens with Greek ways.
• The intrigues that he became involved in were many, but certainly, the main one concerning Jerusalem was how he handled the high priesthood.
• The text calls him contemptible, and indeed he was. His title “Epiphanes” means “god manifest”—but the people preferred “Epimanes”—“madman.” While he was certainly a member of the royal line, the throne should have gone to Seleucus's son, Demetrius (who instead was taking Antiochus's place as a hostage in Rome). Another intrigue concerned the throne. He set up a coregency with his nephew (a minor), who a few years later was murdered. IVPBBC

Keep in mind that Antiochus IV Epiphanes is the forerunner for the false prophet of the end times.

Question? How many beasts are we talking about? The Antichrist gets that title, as does the false prophet, and then there are the four empires with lions heads and bears paws, and also that multi-headed beast that emerges from the sea and one of the heads sustains what seems to be a mortal wound. The point is that both characters, the Antichrist and the false prophet, have such similar and destructive characteristics, and, they are both called beasts.

He makes a league with the high priest; deals deceitfully and becomes strong.

Daniel 11:22 CJB Large armies will be broken and swept away before him, as well as the prince of the covenant.

I need to show you a contrasting version.

Daniel 11:22 KJV And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant.

And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken,... That is, with the help of the forces of Eumenes and Attalus, which were like an inundation of water, the party that was on the side of Heliodorus the usurper were bore down, crushed, and destroyed; and thereby Antiochus had a peaceable settlement in the kingdom: or, "the arms of a flood shall be overflowed from before him, and be broken" (r); either the arms of Heliodorus, the forces he had got together; or the armies of the Egyptians, which, like an overflowing flood, had used to run over Judea, Coelesyria, Phoenicia, and other places, and carry all before them, now should be overflowed, and bore down themselves. [John Gill's commentary]

• prince of the covenant. Onias III was detained by Antiochus, and in the interim Jason, his brother conspired to usurp his position. He (Jason) paid a considerable sum to Antiochus and offered to be cooperative in the Hellenization of Judea (promotion of Greek culture at the expense of Jewish practices).
• Three years later Menelaus, with the probable support of the Tobiads, paid a larger sum and, the precedent having been established, was awarded the office over Jason.
• According to 2 Maccabees, Onias was murdered about 171.
• Many identify him as the prince of the covenant referred to in this verse, but others attach that title to Ptolemy VI (see below). The overwhelming army in some way represents the opponents to Antiochus's reign. This could include internal political opponents, Jewish antagonists or foreign opposition such as that which develops in Egypt. IVPBBC

Daniel 11:23 CJB Alliances will be made with him, but he will undermine them by deceit. Then, although he will have but a small following, he will emerge and become strong.

“The meaning of this seems to be, that at first, his own forces would be small; that he would go up in such a way as not to excite suspicion, but that, either by an increase of his forces there, by uniting himself to confederates, by alluring the people by the promise of rewards, or by gradually taking one town after another and adding them to his dominions, he would become strong. Jahn (Heb. Commonwealth, p. 263) says, “with a small body of troops he made himself master of Memphis, and of all Egypt as far as Alexandria, almost without striking a blow.” IVPBBC

Daniel 11:24 NET. In a time of prosperity for the most productive areas of the province, he will come and accomplish what neither his fathers nor their fathers accomplished. He will distribute loot, spoils, and property to his followers, and he will devise plans against fortified cities, but not for long.

“into tranquillity, and the fattest places of the province" (s); that is, into such places as were in great tranquillity, and men thought themselves safe and secure, and had no suspicion of his designs upon them, and which abounded in wealth and riches: these were either the principal cities in the kingdom of Syria, which he visited in order to establish himself in their good opinion of him; or the chief places of the province of Phoenicia, where he endeavoured to make himself acceptable by his munificence; or it may be the best parts of the kingdom of Egypt are meant, the richest of them, such as Memphis, and the places about it; where, as Sutorius in Jerome says, he went; and which places being fat, producing a large increase, and abounding in wealth, invited him thither; and which wealth he took, and scattered among his friends and soldiers, as in the following clause: "and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers;" none of his ancestors, more near or more remote; not Antiochus the great, nor Seleucus Ceraunus, nor Seleucus Callinicus, nor Antiochus Theos, nor Antiochus Soter, nor Seleucus Nicator, the founder of the Syrian empire; for, however greater these might be in power or riches, they were inferior to him in success; though they all, or most of them, however, had their eye upon Egypt, and would gladly have been masters of it; yet none of the kings of Syria prevailed over it, as Antiochus did; and this may also refer to what follows: "he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches;" which he took from the places or rich cities he entered into; and these he plentifully and liberally dispersed among his followers, his soldiers, "the small people" he became strong with, Dan_11:23, whereby he gained their affections and attached them to his interest; and in this his liberality and munificence he is said to abound above all the kings that were before him, in the Apocrypha: John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Makes war against Ptolemy of Egypt who is betrayed and killed and his army defeated.

Daniel 11:25 NIV "With a large army he will stir up his strength and courage against the king of the South. The king of the South will wage war with a large and very powerful army, but he will not be able to stand because of the plots devised against him.

First Egyptian War, 169. Antiochus's dreams of adding Egypt to his kingdom were finally acted on in 169. His invasion was prompted by Egypt's growing animosity and may even have been in response to Egypt's military action, since the first encounter (November 170) was between Pelusium and Gaza. Nonetheless, Antiochus succeeded in capturing the city of Memphis and securing the surrender of Ptolemy VI. IVPBBC

Daniel 11:26 NIV Those who eat from the king's provisions will try to destroy him; his army will be swept away, and many will fall in battle.

Ptolemy VI Philometor (181-146). Ptolemy VI was young when he came to the throne and was aided by two officials, Eulaeus and Lenaeus, who stirred up antagonism against Syria. The humiliation of Ptolemy in the First Egyptian War is thought to have been the result of bad advice given by his two advisors with the intention of undermining him. IVPBBC

Daniel 11:27 NIV The two kings, with their hearts bent on evil, will sit at the same table and lie to each other, but to no avail because an end will still come at the appointed time.

Unsuccessful siege of Alexandria. After his successful siege of Memphis, the citizens of Alexandria defied him by making Ptolemy's younger brother king. Antiochus took immediate steps to break their revolt but was unable to take the city. As soon as he had returned to Syria, Ptolemy VI disavowed any loyalty to Antiochus and his coregency with his brother was reinstated. IVPBBC

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Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Daniel chapter 2

As the self-appointed pastor of the hamburger stand was losing his voice I was asked to step up and lead the Bible study. My friends and I had been through two years of tedium as the leader of the Monday morning Bible study guided us through his convoluted ideas about the Revelation and the Millenial reign; so when I asked them what they would like to have me cover, they strangely jumped at the idea of Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's statue.

What I am giving you are the notes that I put together in order to lead a Bible study on Daniel chapter two. I will tell you that we had a great time.

What I am giving you are the notes that I put together in order to lead a Bible study on Daniel chapter two but especially Nebuchadnezzar's statue. I will tell you that we had a great time.

Forgive the artwork but it made the point.

Nebuchadnezzar's statue. 

The head of fine gold; the first Kingdom
Daniel 2:38 You O' King are that head of Gold.



Breast and arms of silver; the second kingdom
Daniel 2:39 After you there will arise another kingdom inferior to you, (Medo-Persian)

Belly and thighs of brass; the third kingdom
Daniel 2:39 and still a third kingdom of bronze [Greece under Alexander the Great] which shall bear rule over all the earth.

Legs of iron; the fourth kingdom
Daniel 2:40 An unnamed kingdom, but becomes more clear when you pursue Daniel chapter 7.

Daniel 7:24-25 KJV And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and, he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. 25) And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

This descriptive personifies the false prophet. The ten kings and their kingdom comprise the Feet of iron and clay

I use the NASB. If I use another translation I will indicate so.

Daniel 2:31-38

• "The head of that statue was made of fine gold,
• its breast and its arms of silver,
• its belly and its thighs of bronze,
• its legs of iron,
• its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.

Daniel 2:38 AMPC+ “...

• You [king of Babylon] are the head of gold.”

The direct inference is to Nebuchadnezzar.

The statue does not represent five kingdoms. I believe that it is apparent that this is not the case because the feet, though mixed, are still an aspect of the legs.

Daniel 2:39

• “After you (Nebuchadnezzar) there will arise another kingdom inferior to you,”

The Amplified Bible was kind enough to define this as the Medo-Persian empire.

• “then another third kingdom of bronze, which will rule over all the earth.”

Again this is spelled out in the Amplified Bible as the Grecian empire under Alexander.

This should evoke some questions.

Who came immediately after Nebuchadnezzar's reign?It was not Belshazzar, and he was not Nebuchadnezzar's his son.

Take the time to read Daniel chapter 4. It speaks of Nebuchadnezzar's seven-year loss of sanity and restoration. All this was meant to demonstrate that there was none other than God. Restored, It seems Nebuchadnezzar then quietly slips off into death. Chapter five then opens with Belshazzar, whom we assume to be the king's son, sitting on the throne. Chapter five verses 21-23 speak of God's admiration of Nebuchadnezzar, and then this, "Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven;”

Timeline from Nebuchadnezzar to Darius - Bible Timelines, Copyright © 2006 - Rick Swartzentrover

Overnight Belshazzar is stripped of power and killed; the kingdom was taken over by Cyrus, the Persian. 

Alright, let's get something straight here, there are others involved. 

• Armel Marduk, who reigned for 17 years came immediately after Nebuchadnezzar
• Nabonidus Belshazzar reigned for 17 years. The confusion we encounter comes from his reference to Nebuchadnezzar as a father. We come to understand that it was a term of respect for an elder, but Belshazzar was not his son. According to history, we learn that Belshazzar served as co-regent while Nebuchadnezzar was in another palace. By the time Cyrus and his troops were marching into Babylon Belshazzar, fully aware of the ominous news, decided to throw a huge party. And, just to make it over the top, while the party is going on, he orders the golden vessels taken from Israel to be brought in so that he and his guests could drink out of them. This was sure to make him look good.

What then is going on in Daniel 5:30-31 NASB

"That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. 31- So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two."

It appears that God just made an eighteen-year leap in time, with no open explanation. 

• Cambyses reigns after Cyrus for 9 years.

Daniel 6:28 is one of the pieces of evidence that ties Daniel to the reigns of Cyrus and Darius. However, it makes no mention of Armel Marduk or Cambyses.

Daniel 6:28 NASB So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Cyrus the Persian and in the reign of Darius the Mede.

For some reason God does not separate Darius and Cyrus, calling them merely Medes and Persians.

Daniel 2:40.

• (NET) Then there will be a fourth kingdom, one strong like iron. Just like iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything, and as iron breaks in pieces all of these metals, so it will break in pieces and crush the others.
  Unfortunately, the Amplified, like many commentators, attributes this to the Roman empire.

Allow me to point out some of the reasons why the fourth empire is not the Roman empire.

Daniel 7:23-26

"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth,"

Is there a distinction between the letter "a" and the word "the"?  Apparently, for in using an "a" God leaves the room for variability. In this case, four generals who served under Alexander who was eventually reduced to two.  How do we know that? Daniel chapter 11, a rather exacting history, spells out how the four will take power and eventually end with the reigns of Seleucid in the North (These were the Assyrian nations, also known as Syria, and included Asia Minor, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and South to the southern borders of what is now Israel)  and Ptolemy in South (Egypt and the Northern African Nations.)

These two kingdoms, though Grecian at the core, ruled independently. Cooperation was secured through marriage, espionage, murder, and intrigue; it was a way of life.

Chronologically, this was not the Roman empire.

Bible Timelines indicates the region involved in Nebuchadnezzar's rule was under the Persian Empire from 550-358BC.

The Grecian Empire lasted, through the Reigns of Seleucid and Pompey until 64BC and 43BC in Egypt.

In order to make this chronological, we have to bypass 28 Kings and 507 years.

Why does God ignore 28 kings? That is unknown to us. The best approach is to understand that God controls the clock and the timing of His prophetic actions.

Let's pause at Daniel 7:24 for a moment.

'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.

• Out of this kingdom (the fourth kingdom)

  We make the assumption that the kingdoms will hold to the core, and the scripture does not tell us that.

• ten kings will arise

  Again, we do not have the timing of when they arise, nor, do we have their “religious” affiliations.

• and another will rise after them,

  We are given a cryptic clue: “he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings.”

  I believe we are seeing the overthrow of the three kings as we speak.

  Daniel's retelling of the dreams meaning does not end here. Look then at Daniel 7:25.

7:25 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.

Does this sound like anyone we know? The answer should be, yes.

Revelation 13:4-7 NASB they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" 5- There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him. 6-  And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7- It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

I desperately wanted to assign this beast to the false prophet, but I am not sure I can or should.

Revelation 13:11-14 NASB 11- Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon. 12- He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed. 13- He performs great signs so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. 14- And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life.

If we are trying to make a logical connection to Rome, there is none with one exception Titus, the Emperor who ruled over Jerusalem during its destruction in 70 AD.

The so-called logical path here is Daniel 9:26 which tells us that, “the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary.”

Because we attribute the destruction of Jerusalem to Rome, we make the assumption that this future prince is an aspect of Rome.

The problem here is that both Tacitus, the Roman historian, and Josephus, documented that the destruction of the Temple was the act of Assyrian conscript troops, under the Roman flag, who refused to cease from their actions when ordered by Titus. It is also known that Titus was under pressure to keep peace and saw no good coming to his reign because of the actions of the Assyrians.

There is one other reason why our assumptions about Rome are wrong. It is because, we, in the Western church, seem to think that this Bible we are reading is a book in tune with the Western culture. Oh sure, God has seen fit to make it work for all who believe, but never forget that the Bibles we carry are Jewish books, centered around a Jewish Messiah, and are exclusively Middle Eastern-centric. Trying to bend things and events to fit our Western culture will only confuse you more than you are.

which shall be different from all other kingdoms

What was the goal and purpose of all other kingdoms? Divide and conquer. But what did the Roman empire do? Establish a nonreligious legal system; build aqueducts, and promote trade and economy through road building. Not exactly a divide and conquer concept.

Revelation 13:3-4 NASB I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4- they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"

Note: While describing, almost to the letter, the beast of Revelation, this EMPIRE, sustains a mortal wound. Consider for a moment the allegory we are confronting. There are no beasts anywhere near this description, so the logical assumption should be that we are dealing with an entity or better yet multiple empires. Empires typically have solitary rulers (kings, monarchs, or emperors.) If they were ten in league with one another and one of the heads sustained a mortal wound, would the beast be killed? Not likely, as we would see someone else ready to take their place. Such is the case here. 

An example of such an event has already happened in the course of history, and it happened to the Ottoman Empire, an Islamic Caliphate, in the 1920's. The Caliphate was ransacking an area comparable to the Alexandrian Empire, and they seemed to rule the Mediterranean seas.They needed to be quelled and the British Empire effectively did just this by shutting down the Ottoman Empire.

How did the Islamic Empire come back to life? The Muslim Brotherhood never really died and raised its ugly head several times. The ultimate revival came with the Islamic revolution in 1979. In this, the Islamic Caliphate took control over Iran, once again.

• and shall devour the whole earth, tread it down, and break it in pieces and crush it.
  We like to use terms like, “the known world,” however, there was more to the world than just the Mediterranean, and yet, this was the primary sphere of influence of all these empires we consider. This so-called global concept applies to the Grecian empire, the Seleucid, and Ptolemaic empires as well.
  One Empire, (under various names – like Rashidun and Ottoman Caliphates,) attempted to control the entire world extending into the realm of WW1. It took a combined effort, but Britain played a huge role in shutting the Ottoman empire down in 1924.

I found myself asking, why do we have kingdoms?

I suppose a part of the answer lies in public safety, at least that is what they tell you. However, the truth is, those who have obtained power, by whatever means, fight desperately to maintain it, and that requires money and loyalty. Sadly, loyalty must often be bought or created through marriage or a truce. In reality, the desperate methods used to maintain power causes the commoner to suffer. If the Islamic Caliphate is the kingdom in question, do they operate on these terms? The answer is, not necessarily. While the people who are NOT Islamic suffer tremendously, if they pay the Jizya tax, they have a chance to live as others do. Typically, NON-Islamic people are deemed infidels and killed by various means. The preferred method is beheading.

Daniel 7:24

• And as for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise; and another shall arise after them, and he shall be different from the former ones, and he shall subdue and put down three kings.
  
  

  Revelation 13:1 NASB And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.

  
  
  The obvious thing here is, that there were to be ten kings come out of this fourth kingdom. Again, with the Islamic empire, it is more difficult to ascertain a king. It is not, however, difficult to count the Imams; the leaders of the Caliphates. Currently, the President of Turkey, Princip Erdogan, is trying to establish himself as the leader of the final Caliphate.

Here is where the clues get intense and more specific.

Daniel 7:25

• And he shall speak words against the Most High [God] and shall wear out the saints of the Most High
  
  

  These words are almost identical to the descriptions of the Antichrist character we see in the Revelation.

• and think to change the time [of sacred feasts and holy days] and the law
  
  

  Here is where an understanding of Islamic goals comes in handy, for this is exactly what they intend to do. They wish to instill Sharia laws that supersede established law. This gives them the right to behead for blasphemy against Allah, a demonic entity.

  
  

  Another aspect of this change includes their own calendar. Anything we have will be done away with.

• and the saints shall be given into his hand for a time, two times, and half a time [three and one-half years]

This is a specific reference to the martyred of Revelation.

Revelation 13:7 NASB It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.

Daniel 7:26

But the judgment shall be set [by the court of the Most High], and they shall take away his dominion to consume it [gradually] and to destroy it [suddenly] in the end.

• This is another reference to future judgment by Jesus.

Revelation 20:10-11 NASB 10- And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. 11- Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them.

I wish it was more explicit but you should get the point.

If you intently study Daniel 2:41-43, you find that the Aramaic word for mixed is ‛araḇ. An Aramaic verb meaning to mix, to mingle, to join together. The implications are widespread, as one can mean unification, while others suggest non-cooperation beyond a point.

Daniel 2:41

• • “In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron,

    Anyone, with any experience building, knows this is structurally unsound.

  • it will be a divided kingdom;

    Divided is Aramaic word pelag̱: An Aramaic verb meaning to split,

  • but it will have in it the toughness of iron,

    Toughness is the Aramaic word that also means strength.

  • inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay.

    Most everyone understands what iron is, a high carbon steel that has strength. However, when applied to people, it can mean inflexible and unyielding.

If this fourth kingdom we are talking about is Islam, the problem is that there are differing sects, none of which get along,. Add to this “mix” God's declarations concerning Ishmael:

Genesis 16:12 NASB "He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him, And he will live to the east of all his brothers."

Daniel 2:42

• "As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle.

  Brittle means fragile. Keep in mind are talking belief systems; ideologies, and people.

The word arab also means intermingled. Intermingled with whom?

Daniel 2:43

And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.

As we have already witnessed that a form of Jihad is mass integration and intermingling. Raping the citizens produces children that they claim for their own as a Muslim. In this way, they reproduce rapidly.

As we migrated through the body of Nebuchadnezzar's dream statue, we end with four kingdoms, and none other is described to us.

The fourth kingdom, however, is different, but it is up to us figure out why.

Without breaking stride, we transition to the fourth kingdom, one that is split into two and progresses down to the feet, which are mixed with clay. This picture tells us that it becomes structurally unsound.

God considers all of those ruling under this empires title to all be aspects of the fourth kingdom. (We see this in Revelation 13, for the fourth, comes out of the ten.) During the days of these kings “the God of Heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed,” What is this? The Millennial reign.

Daniel 2:44

"In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.

Luke 1:31-33 NASB "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32- "He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33- and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

Revelation 11:15 NASB Then the seventh angel sounded; and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever."

Yes, you are right, Daniel does not end there, but foregoing one more verse we are done. If you were like me and read about the statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw, then you were quite probably befuddled about some of the same things I was. An example: where do people get the idea that the fourth empire is the Roman empire, and, what about those feet? Having God lay out the first three empires for us is a good thing, but to be honest, you have to do your homework in order to find out that the fourth, loosely defined empire is the remnants of his Alexandrian Empire.

One more question. Why is any of this important to us?

As my pastor recently said, these end times things you speak of are really peripheral. The implication is that they mean nothing or at best little to our Christian lives. Is that true? The answer is NO, and the reason why, as I see it, is because we are currently living in the last days. Now why would I say such a thing, as clearly, there are events that must take place and haven't happened yet, such as the apostasy of the church - oops, that has happened; or a ten nation confederation attacking Israel, and quite soon. But staying attune with the global news gives you an understanding of how painfully close we are to seeing Israel attacked. An aspect of the end times, at least more precisely "the great tribulation" is the persecution of those who missed the snatching away of the church and are now having to prove their allegiance to God by giving their lives, primarily to the sword. Again, look around you. Is that happening all around us? The answer is YES.

We are there and He is coming soon to catch away those who are waiting for Him.

This calls for wisdom. Revelation 13:16-18

The phrase, “This calls for wisdom” falls in the middle of verses 16 – 18. I think understanding most of the Revelation calls for wisdom, but this section happens to be one the hardest to comprehend. If you have followed my posts at omharris.com then you know that our introduction to the beast, is really an introduction to a succession of violent empires or governing bodies. Our next introduction is to the spokesman for the beast, we also know him as the Antichrist, but he too gains the title of beast, and he is a man (No, we do not know who this guy is as yet). There is a third usage of the designation, beast, and “It” happens to be the second beast, also a human.

Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of everyone. Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. (Revelation 13:11-14 TNIV)

“Then I saw a second beast”

In some ways God is making no distinctions between the two beasts for they are both evil, possessed by evil, and serving the same intent - taking God's people to destruction. Odd, but only if you caught it, I said God's people, but what is so odd about that. The “rapture” has already come, possibly three and half years earlier, and yet as you study scripture you begin to see a common thread that runs through all time; up to the day of judgment they are all God's saints. I hope this begins to give you a new perspective on how you look at those around you, especially those you pass judgment upon.

“but it spoke like a dragon” Revelation 13:11

Plain and simple, the dragon is Satan, and the deceiver. If this character speaks like a dragon, then he is speaking like Satan, fully representing him. Now how would we know what that would be like? Take a look at Luke 4:6. Here Satan is tempting Jesus by offering him all the wealth of the world.

Luke 4:6 NIV And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

Apparently Satan, with ease, offers up what looks good upon initial inspection, but scripture tells us that the world, and all that is in it, runs contrary to God. I find myself thinking about a show on television called “Holmes on Homes”. In it this man goes through homes that have been previously inspected and deemed good. On the outside they look fine, but serious problems begin to show up; quickly the man – whom is a skilled and meticulous craftsman - points out the real problem. Isn't that the way things seem to happen when we play with the world?

Since God made the world perfect to begin with, then something had to have corrupted it. We know that as the fall of man. Man gave up his right to the earth when Adam committed treason, in the garden. Satan through deception became the owner / the one who now had dominion over it, and he immediately gained the right to disperse it however, and to whomever he chooses. Therefore Satan is not presenting himself as gloomy and poor, but glamorous and wealthy. Jesus, if you noticed, did not argue the point.

Scripture gives us some clues about who this second beast is; “It had two horns like a lamb”.

Who do we, in the Christian community understand the lamb to be? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the lamb of God slain for the sins of the world.

Satan tries to mimic God's plan of salvation by using characters that have some similar characteristics.

The first thing Jesus says, in response to the disciples question, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" is: “see to it that no one deceives you!” Why? “For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Messiah,' and will deceive many.” Consider Jesus statement for a moment. I understand from scriptures that Jesus will only touch down on this earth one more time. At that time, scripture tells us that he is coming on the clouds and every eye will see him (he is not sneaking up on anyone). He will be bathed in light and fire; He will have a sword coming out of his mouth, and He will land on the Mount of Olives splitting it in two. The Messiah will not show up standing in some farmers field, in the middle of a crop circle, admonishing people to follow him, while demonstrating that he is “the lamb” through powerful signs.

Now with that in mind, all the cracked pots that claimed to be Jesus or his mouth piece, have only been just that, cracked pots. Think about that analogy. No one buys a pot that is cracked on purpose, that is just stupid, but over time the pot that was once useful, and served a purpose lost it's

A cracked pot

ability to hold anything properly. It is possible that you did not discover the crack until it spilled its contents where you did not want it.

Here in Southern California, we have a radio program called The Jesus show. That seems safe enough, but the man is skillful with his words; he knows scripture, and he speaks with authority. The problem is that he speak as if he were Jesus, and he gets people to call him Jesus.

A cracked pot leaking water.

Is it that the cracks in men are not as obvious? What if, because we are not paying attention or we choose not to see the cracks, we do not notice or care when they spill their contents all over us. Often, by the time that happens it is too late, and that is why we see good people follow these leaders to a tragic death. As I reread this the thought races through my head, many will not believe this conclusion. Allow me then to apply it to my life. Prior to my first marriage I had prayed hard to get accepted into bible school. Surprisingly, they accepted me. I say surprisingly because I had undiagnosed learning disabilities back then and was not a very good student. When I met her I knew I was supposed to keep on moving but she was cute, blond, and I liked her smile. Those attributes prompted me to ignore good sense because I wanted what I saw. Following her wrecked my life for the next nine years, and ended with her cheating on me twice, depression and divorce. Now, do you think I chose not to see the cracks in the pot; Absolutely.

There is only one thing that will keep you from following a counterfeit Christ (by the way, that word Christ means messiah) and that is by knowing the real thing. How would you do that? Study the scriptures, for in them you will find life.

(CEV) It worked for the beast whose fatal wound had been healed.

Get something clear, you are not looking for a man to take a head wound, because taking out a national leader does not end an empire as others will rise in his place. Allow me to refresh your memory:

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. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. (Revelation 13:1-3 ESV)

A common body with multiple heads that looks like ravaging animals. Does that sound like a man? No, they are empires. They are the same empires that Daniel saw on multiple occasions, and the first was identified as the Babylonian empire. We know very clearly who the next two are: The Medo-Persian, and the Grecian. The fourth is not defined, although many think it is.

This second beast is working on behalf of a violent, dominant, global entity. “It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.” I just showed you from scripture what the first beast is. Out of that beast comes a mouth piece and we call him the Antichrist. Now we are dealing with the false prophet. But this false prophet exercises all the authority of the “entity.” Since it is less than easy to define what is the common thread? We have to do some research to find the answer, and I can guarantee you that few will do that.

Here is my short synopsis:

• Since we know that the Babylonian empire was the first. What begins this common thread? Violence against God's people; the taking captive, and possibly the religion or ideology. The Babylonian empire definitely fulfilled two of those.

  

  Nebuchadnezzar's statue

• The next one we saw was the Medo-Persian empire. Daniel served under Darius the Mede. What we also know about them is that they were Assyrians. They continued to hold Israel captive (although that was part of God's plan), we know of their ideology, but the level of violence against God's people can only be presumed.
• The Grecian empire under Alexander. Ideology or religion is the worship of gods. Well, that fits right in with the path Israel had chosen. Alexander was known as a man who would crush nations, so again we are left with a presumption of violence. It is also fairly clear that Israel had returned to Jerusalem by this time. What is dramatically different about the Alexandrian empire comes about after his death. The result is that two of his former Generals, now controlled what Alexander controlled. Seleucid to the north, and Ptolemy to the south. While the Seleucid empire was primarily Assyrian population – the same Assyrians that Jonah despised, they all, north and south, have become the dominant Islamic world. Their level of hatred for God's people, the violence they perform, and the commonality of their ideology Islam, makes them my choice for that common thread of the beast.

“whose fatal wound had been healed”

The only global entity that fits this description is the Ottoman empire and they were forcibly disbanded in 1924. Since 1924, there has been no degree of an accepted claim as Caliph. With that, the world thought it had peace, that is until 1979, when the Islamic empire or revolution sprang to life and the American embassy was taken hostage for over a year. No one has rested since.

This man corresponds with the false prophet.

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (Revelation 16:13 KJV)

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (Revelation 19:20 KJV)

And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10 KJV)

Islam has its own prophecies

Were you aware that Islam has its own prophecies about end times and they closely parallel our biblical scriptures, but with a perverted twist:The Muslim version of Jesus will be a subordinate of the Mahdi. According to Islam's sacred traditions, Jesus' return is usually described as taking place just outside of Damascus. At the time he descends it will be to meet the Mahdi and his army as it is preparing for battle. It will be just before the time of prayer. Islamic scholars seem to be in agreement that the Mahdi will ask Jesus to lead the prayers. Jesus will then refuse this request and will defer instead to the Mahdi to lead the prayer. The important thing here is that Isa' deference to the Mahdi is seen as a direct statement about his inferior rank to the Mahdi.

The Islamic Jesus will be a faithful Muslim. In keeping with his identity as a Muslim he will do the ritual pilgrimage to Mecca called the hajj.

The false Jesus will institute global Islamic law (Sharia). Tradition indicates that his primary purpose will be to oversee the institution and enforcement of sharia law all over the world. Within sharia men have the rights over women, even to the point of death. Sharia demands worship of only one god Allah, and Jesus will enforce that. Beheading is the method of choice.

Islamic tradition teaches that because Jesus declares himself to be a Muslim, he will lead many to convert to Islam. Regarding those who do not convert, Jesus will testify against them on the day of judgment.

Sura 4:159 There is not one of the People of the Scripture but will believe in him before his death, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be a witness against them.

Other names they use for their Jesus are:

• Isa al-Maseeh (the Messiah)
• Hadrat Isa (Honorable Jesus)
• Isa bin Maryam (Jesus son of Mary)
• Nabi Isa (Prophet Jesus)

With that being said, here are last verses of Revelation 13.

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. 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 13:16-18 ESV)

This person, whether by the power of the Antichrist (you may know him as the Mahdi at this point), or under the authority of Satan - the dragon himself, causes all - both small and great, both rich and poor – to be marked.

Let's hold up here for a minute. If this is Islam, and you have watched the not so mainstream news, then you know that ISIS is not taking the time (on an individual basis) to mark anyone. Christians in Islamic nations have attempted to blend in to some degree by covering their heads. Should you be unfortunate enough to live as an infidel (anyone outside of Islam, but especially the Christian and the Jew) and they choose not to kill you, then you are bullied into paying the Jizyah tax. I have heard it is as much as 90 percent of what ever you bring in. Here in America, we have or had the Mafia and they forced people to pay protection money. That merely meant that they won't kill you.

Suppose you choose to sell your soul to the devil, because that is what you will be doing in God's eyes if you convert.

Revelation 14:9-11 KJV And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, (10) The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: (11) And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.

Converted, how do you prove your loyalty to Allah? Take a chip? I doubt it, but hey, we have these great little armbands and headbands that you can wear, and they are really cheap to produce. Don't get me wrong, the NWO; Illuminati bunch will probably insist on marking you as well. Just know that if you take his mark and worship his name, you are toast.

Mujahid in London

Revelation 13:17 LITV even that not any could buy or sell, except the one having the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of its name. Pay close attention to that word “or.”

“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

Head and arm bands

number is 666.”

The Greek word for understanding is nous, and means the mind, comprising alike the faculties of perceiving and understanding and those of feeling, judging, determining.

Essentially a person willing to find out.

The marks of Islam

The word count means to calculate.

Revelation 13:18 CJB This is where wisdom is needed; those who understand should count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person, and its number is 666.

From the Jewish New Testament Commentary: "The number of its name. In both Hebrew and Greek each letter of the alphabet corresponds to a number-the first nine letters correspond to 1 through 9, the next nine to 10 through 90, and the last few letters to the hundreds. The number of a word or name is the sum of the numerical equivalents of its letters. In Jewish interpretation, gematria (the Hebrew word derives from the Greek word "geômetria," which underlies English "geometry") is a system of deducing the sod ("secret"; see Mat_2:15) of a text by positing a meaningful connection between words whose numbers are either identical or related by simple arithmetic. Example: in rabbinic literature, God is sometimes called the "Place" ("Makom"). Why this should be is not evident, so Gematria explains it in this way: the letters of "YHVH"-yud, heh, vav and heh-are equivalent to 10, 5, 6 and 5. The sum of the squares of these four numbers is 186, which is the same as the number of "Makom"-mem, kuf, vav, mem (40 + 100 + 6 + 40). Those who understand should count the number of the beast, for it is the number of a person, and its number is 666. This has evoked even more speculation than the beast's mark. Who is the beast? Certain forms of the name of the Roman Emperor Nero have that number; moreover, a first-century cult expected him to be resurrected after his death in 68 C.E. Napoleon and other historical figures have been suggested. Moreover, if one uses other languages and manipulates the numerical correspondences, then, as George E. Ladd writes, "Almost anything can be done with these numbers.... If A = 100, B = 101, C = 102, etc., the name Hitler totals 666." Thus wisdom is needed, so that one will remain alert but not be misled. The number could be entirely symbolic. The name of Messiah in Greek, Iêsous, equals 888; 7 is regarded as the perfect number; and triple repetition symbolizes absolute ultimacy (as in Isa_6:3, "Holy, holy, holy is Adonai of Hosts."). Therefore 888 means that Yeshua is absolutely and ultimately beyond perfection, while 666 means that the beast in every respect falls short of perfection and is therefore absolutely and ultimately imperfect and evil."

Walid Shoebat very passionately explained 666 this way, it all boils down to someone not understanding Arabic. He demonstrated what he said with this diagram:

Although Walid's was the sanest explanation I had heard, I still had questions. In trying to figure this out I came across a website called usbibleprophecy.com. Here Michael D. Fortner debunks the Shoebat theory and lays out some clear evidence that tends to coincide with my way of thinking.

An aspect of his conclusion and one that I appreciate is: “I expect that we will yet discover more information on the number, name, and the mark of the beast as time goes by.” The story is yet unfolding exponentially. The real question is: will you go in the rapture, or do you have the stamina to endure what is coming?

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