THE OLD WORLD BIBLE BEAST IS TODAY’S FINAL MIDDLE EAST BEAST!

TODAY’S BEAST IS A HISTORICAL UNION OF SEVEN BEAST KINGDOMS THAT ALL AFFECTED GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE NATION OF ISRAEL!

Before 1951 all I knew about Islam was what I had been taught in history classes. I knew there had been a vast historical Islamic Caliphate begun by Muhammad, and the history of the chain of European Crusades against it. I also knew about a death blow struck against it by the great Mongolian Empire. I had been taught about the Islamic Caliphates expansion into southeastern and southwestern Europe, and how the last small Turkish Caliphate became “the sick man of Europe.” But I knew nothing about the Islamic faith, had never touched the Koran, or met a Muslim in my 19 years on the earth.

All that began to change in 1951 when I began to meet Muslims in USAF-IHL’s. I was introduced to their cultures and beliefs through personal contact with those who came from Islamic to study in Military Schools. In 1952 I was assigned duty in the Holy Land in Islamic countries. I was raised in an environment where Christian teachers taught me a great deal from the Bible. I have been amazed over the years as I have studied the Koran how it matches perfectly what the Bible describes as the very spirit and essence of Antichrist. After I retired from the USAF-NSA in 1971, I then graduated from Little Rock Missionary Baptist Seminary and Arkansas Tech University in the seventies.

I never taught what you are about to read outside Dardanelle MBC until 2008. I am now 76 years and believe I will soon stand before Christ to be judged for the things I did in my life. I do not want to be found guilty for something I was supposed to teach, but failed to do so. Based on the many things I have learned from the Muslim faith and the Koran over the last 56 years, none of which I believe, I believe both the Antichrist and False Prophet will be of the Islamic faith. Before this series is over, Lord willing, you will see precisely why I believe what I have just stated. So please, no questions or arguments until the series is finished.

REVELATION 13:1 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

The Sea is the Mediterranean, on which the great Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, and Roman ships of the past have sailed.

The beast is a combination of the evil kingdoms of man associated with this sea that have affected the people of Israel since God began to raise them as his people in Egypt.

The seven heads represent the seven evil kingdoms of man under which Israel has been, is, or will be affected since God delivered her from an Egyptian bondage. The seven kingdoms in chronological order are: the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Grecian, Roman, and Islamic Kingdoms.

The ten horns are ten Islamic kings that will join with the Antichrist in the final Islamic Kingdom to attack Israel and drive her into the Negev for some three and one-half years. Their ten crowns represent their power which will be surrendered to the Antichrist.

There are seven Koine Greek letters in the New Testament name for the anointed one, the Messiah, the CHRIST (CH)(R)(I)(S)(T)(O)(S), one letter for each head, and antichrist claims to be God, which is the ultimate blasphemy.

REVELATION 13:2 – And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

First, John works backward to the kingdom from which Daniel was writing while in captivity, the Kingdom of Babylonia. John is writing during the time of the sixth head, the Roman Kingdom, the strange fourth beast of Daniel 7 with iron teeth and brass feet, so he does not mention it, but goes back to the Grecian Kingdom (leopard) crushed by the brass feet of the Iron Roman Kingdom Beast, then proceeds back to the Persian Kingdom (bear) the Grecian Kingdom overran, and finally gets back to the time of Daniel’s writing in the Babylonian Kingdom (lion).

The dragon (Satan) also has seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, which represent the same things as the beast of Revelation 13:1.

Revelation 12:3 – And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

The Devil’s kingdom has been located in the great Tigris-Euphrates River Valley since Adam’s fall in the Garden of Eden.

Genesis 10:6-11 – And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. [7] And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtechah: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. [8] And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. [9] He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord. [10] And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. [11] Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,

Genesis 11:1-4,8 – And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. [2] And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. [3] And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. [4] And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. [8] So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

EVIL KINGDOMS OF HISTORY HAVE SURROUNDED HIS SEAT.

BEAST’S ATTACK WILL COME FROM SATAN’S SEAT IN THE MIDST OF HIS DEMON KINGDOM OF FALLEN ANGELS LED BY KINGS AND PRINCES

Daniel 10:12,13 – Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. [13] But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. [20] Then said he, Knowest thou wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.

Revelation 13:1,2 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. [2] And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, AND HIS SEAT, and great authority.

Revelation 16:10-16 – And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, [11] And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. [12] And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. [13] 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.[14]For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

Daniel 2:32-34,42-45 – This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, [33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. [34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces [42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. [43]And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. [44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. [45] Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

THE OLD WORLD BIBLE BEAST IS TODAY’S FINAL MIDDLE EAST BEAST!

TODAY’S BEAST IS A HISTORICAL UNION OF SEVEN BEAST KINGDOMS THAT ALL AFFECTED GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE NATION OF ISRAEL!

THE RESURRECTED BEAST AND ITS HEAD!

REVELATION 13:3 – And I saw one of his heads as it were WOUNDED TO DEATH; AND ITS DEADLY WOUND WAS HEALED: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The seventh head on the beast actually represents two Islamic Kingdoms separated by hundreds of years, both were started by the same false prophet and are the very essence of the spirit of Antichrist, so they are considered as the same head on the beast, but are identified as the seventh and eighth kingdoms in Revelation 17:9-13.

Revelation 17:9-13 – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mount-ains on which the woman sitteth. [10] And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. [11] And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. [12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The seven heads represent the seven kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Islam.

The seven kings represent the lines of kings which are associated with the seven kingdoms. But the last king is “thought” to be the resurrected king of the first Islamic kingdom known as the 12th Imam or al Mahdi, the Islamic Messiah.

Revelation 17:10 – And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

The five lines of kings that were fallen when John wrote Revelation were the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Grecian king lines – The “one is” was the Roman line which was still alive when John was writing – The one that had not yet come when John was writing was the Islamic line, which Muhammad brought in long after the New Testament was completed. The last king in the Islamic line of Kings with a DNA link back to the founder of Islam was the 12th Imam, and he only continued a short space before he went into what Shiites call “the occultation.” According to their teachings he has been hidden in deep caverns in the earth until it is time for him to rise again. At which time he will return as the al Madhi, and as the Islamic Messiah, lead them to world conquest. So, the 12th Imam would be the last King of the kingdom destroyed by the Mongolian kingdom’s sword, as well as the current Islamic Kingdom being resurrected from ashes of a dead kingdom.

Head seven is the same Islamic kingdom separated by hundreds of years with the same king.

12th Imam - Muhammad al-Mahdi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to Twelver Shi’as Imam Hujjat al-Mahdī (or Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali) is the twelfth Imam and the Mahdi, the ultimate savior of humankind. Other Shi’a schools adhere to different Imam successions and do not, along with Sunnis, consider ibn-Al-Hassan the Mahdi. Twelver Shi’as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 and has been hidden by God (referred to as the Occultation) to later emerge to fulfill his mission.

Birth and early life according to Twelver Shi’a

Twelver Shi’as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 AD as Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali. His mother, Narjis (Melika), was a Byzantine princess who pretended to be a slave so that she might travel from her kingdom to Arabia. His father, Hasan al-Askari, is believed to have been the eleventh and penultimate Shi’a Imam. Shi’as believe that his birth was kept a secret due to the persecution that the Shi’a were facing during this time at the hands of Al-Mu’tamid, the Abbasid Caliph.

To support Mahdi’s claim, Twelver Shi’as quote the following Hadith: “I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Allah, and whoever denies us also denies Allah, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali’s descendants are my grandsons al-Hasan and al-Husayn, who are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from al-Husayn’s descendants shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qa’im and Mahdi.” (These Hadiths are not recognized as authentic by Sunnis)

The eleventh Shi’a Imam Hasan al-Askari died on 1 January 874 AD (8th Rabi’ al-awwal, 260 AH) and since that day, his son Mahdi is believed by Shi’as to be the Imam, appointed by God, to lead the believers of the era. The most popular account of al-Mahdi in Shi’a literature is taken from his father’s funeral. It is reported that as the funeral prayer was about to begin, al-Mahdi’s uncle, Jafar ibn Ali approached to lead the prayers. However, al-Mahdi approached and commanded, “Move aside, uncle; only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam.” Jafar moved aside, and the five-year-old child led the funeral prayer for his father. It is reported that it was at this very moment that al-Mahdi disappeared and went into ghaybat, or occultation.

Significance of the Twelfth Imam

Some hadith indicate significance to the twelfth generation of descendants of the prophet Muhammad.

A hadith from the Shi’a text (Kitab Al-Kafi) containing a conversation between the first Shia Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib and a man named al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, as well as a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in which Muhammad speaks of Twelve Successors.

From Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, “There will be twelve Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world).” He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, “All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish.”

In a hadith widely regarded as authentic, Muhammad said,

Even if the entire duration of the world’s existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before the Day of Judgment, God will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of Ahl al-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will then fill the Earth with peace and justice as it will have been filled with injustice and tyranny before then.

The Occultation

Main article: The Occultation

Shi’as believe that, for various reasons, God concealed the twelfth and current Shi’a Imam, al-Mahdi, from humankind.

The period of occultation (ghaybat) is believed to consist of two parts:

Ghaybat al-Sughra or Minor Occultation (874-939) is the shorter of the two periods, during which deputies of the Imam maintained communication to the rest of the world.

Ghaybat al-Kubra or Major Occultation began 939 and is believed to continue until a time decided by God, when the Mahdi will reappear to bring absolute justice to the world.

Minor Occultation

Main article: Minor Occultation

During the Minor Occultation (Ghaybat al-Sughra), it is believed that al-Mahdi maintained contact with his followers via deputies (Arab. an-nuwāb al-arbaʕa). They represented him and acted as agents between him and his followers.

Reappearance

Twelver Shi’as cite various references from the Qur’an and reports, or Hadith, from Mahdi and the twelve Shi’a Imams with regard to the reappearance of al-Mahdi who would, in accordance with God’s command, bring justice and peace to the world by establishing Islam throughout the world. Mahdi is reported to have said: “During the last times, my people will be afflicted with terrible and unprecedented calamities and misfortunes from their rulers, so much so that this vast earth will appear small to them. Persecution and injustice will engulf the earth. The believers will find no shelter to seek refuge from these tortures and injustices. At such a time, God will raise from my progeny a man who will establish peace and justice on this earth in the same way as it had been filled with injustice and distress.”

Shi’as believe that al-Mahdi will reappear when the world has fallen into chaos and civil war emerges between the human race for no reason. At this time, it is believed, half of the true believers will ride from Yemen carrying white flags to Mecca, while the other half will ride from Karbala, in Iraq, carrying black flags to Mecca. At this time, al-Mahdi will come wielding God’s Sword, the Blade of Evil’s Bane, Zulfiqar (Ar, the Double-Bladed Sword.

THE RESURRECTED BEAST AND ITS HEAD!

REVELATION 13:3 – And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered AFTER THE BEAST.

II Thessalonians 2:3 – Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

II Thessalonians 2:8 – And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Revelation 19:15,19-21–And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.[20]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. [21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

REVELATION 13:4 –And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

II Thessalonians 2:9-17 – Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, [10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. [11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: [12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had plea-sure in unrighteousness.[13] But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren be-loved of the Lord, because God hath from the be-ginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: [14] Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. [15] Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. [16 ]Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, [17] Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work.

REVELATION 13:5 – And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to CONTINUE FORTY AND TWO MONTHS.

Revelation 17:11-13 – And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. [12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Daniel 7:24-27 – 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. [26] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. [27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.

REVELATION 13:6 – And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

John 1:14 – And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt (skenoo) among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

SKENOO – To live in a tabernacle or temple

Colossians 2:9 – For in him dwelleth (katoikio) all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

KATOIKIO – To live fixedly in a place

II Thessalonians 2:4 – Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is wor-shipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

Temple - NAOS

PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 79

August 3, 2002

WILL THE TEMPLE BE REBUILT IN JERU-SALEM?

I long ago lost count of the number of men and women who have reminded me that the temple MUST be rebuilt before Jesus returns. A majority of believers are certain that it must be rebuilt because antichrist must set in it “showing himself that he is God.”

As a young man I believed that it would be rebuilt before Jesus returned. But as I studied the Greek language in Seminary, I began to say it would “probably” be rebuilt. I now do not believe it will be rebuilt until the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ. Why?

Much of what follows is quoted primarily from the “New Testament Greek-English Dictionary of the Complete Bible Library,” Volumes 13 and 14.

In the New Testament the word “hieron,” translated as “temple,” is found ONLY in the Gospels, in Acts, and in I Corinthians 9:13, where Paul’s ONLY use of the word appears as “temple.”

I Corinthians 9:13 – Jerusalem’s Literal Stone Temple

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple (hieron)? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

“Hieron” refers to the entire temple including its precincts and the temple hill or, in a limited sense, any portion of the temple, such as the court of the women (Luke 2:37) where Jesus stood before the altar after his triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Mark 11:11), the court of the Gentiles out of which Jesus drove the money changers (John 2:15), or the temple proper where the veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (Matthew 27:52). “Hieron” is ONLY used in a literal sense in the entire New Testament. This is in very sharp contrast to its closely related term “naos,” which is used both literally and figuratively in the New Testament. It is used figuratively at times to refer to the human body or a local church body.

I Corinthians 6:19 – The Human Body – Naos

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

I Corinthians 3:16,17 – The Local Church Body – Naos

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? [17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

(All the “ye’s” in this verse are plural, and the “in” of verse 16 may be translated with equal validity as being “among” you, because “you” is plural.)

Now, let’s take a look at the word “naos,” translated as “temple” in the New Testament. “Naos” denotes the “dwelling place of a god.” Consequently, the “naos” was the inner “sanctuary” of a temple where the image of the God was placed, or where he dwelled. It is frequently translated as “temple,” but the association with the word “sanctuary” should not be overlooked.

The following verses contain ALL the uses of the word translated “temple” in the writings of the Apostle Paul.

TEMPLE – HIERON – I CORINTHIANS 9:13

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

(This is absolutely referring literally to the great temple of stone in the city of Jerusalem)

TEMPLE – NAOS – I CORINTHIANS 6:19

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

(This is absolutely referring to the body of someone who has experienced the new birth as figuratively being a temple)

TEMPLE – NAOS – I CORINTHIANS 3:16,17

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? [17] If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

TEMPLE – NAOS – II CORINTHIANS 6:16

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

(All the “ye’s” and the “them” and “they” are plural, and the two “in’s” may be translated as “among”)

TEMPLE – NAOS – EPHESIANS 2:21,22

In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: [22] In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

(The “ye” in verse 22 is plural)

It is perfectly obvious in the verses in the two books of Corinthians and Ephesians that Paul was not referring to the literal temple in Jerusalem, and it is also equally obvious he knew the distinction between “hieron” and “naos.” That is why his ONLY other use of the word “naos,” occurring in I Thessalonians 2:4, is so puzzling. I am convinced that if he meant the literal stone temple in Jerusalem, then he would have used the word “hieron.”

TEMPLE – NAOS – II THESSALONIANS 2:4

Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

The precise meaning of “naos” in this verse is uncertain. I believe Paul pictures the antichrist sitting on the temple mount in a sinful body of flesh, with his inner soul and spirit claiming he is God to prove it to himself, and to show the world he is God. This would parallel his use of the word “naos” in I Corinthians 6:19. In any case, I Thessalonians 2:4 falls far short of proving that the temple must be rebuilt before the return of Jesus.

The companion Old Testament Scripture often used to link with I Thessalonians 2:2 to prove the temple must be rebuilt is Daniel 11:45.

Daniel 11:45 – And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

However, the word translated “palace” is “appeden.” It is never translated as “temple” in the entire Bible. So it means, in the context of this verse, that antichrist returns to Jerusalem just before the battle of Armageddon, and puts up a command post palace pavilion on the temple mount, from which he plans to sit and direct the final battle. The tents (tabernacles – ohel) are the tents of all the troops from Europe, Eurasia, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa which have poured into Israel in answer to his call, and he will direct their final attack against Israel in the Negev from his “appeden” on the temple mount. I have heard about the rebuilding of this temple for some 54 years. For better or for worst, I do not believe the temple will be rebuilt until Jesus returns.

TODAY’S BEAST IS A HISTORICAL UNION OF SEVEN BEAST KINGDOMS THAT ALL AFFECTED GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE NATION OF ISRAEL!

REVELATION 13:7 – And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Zechariah 13:8 – And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein.

Revelation 12:5,6 – And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. [6] And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Revelation 7:4 – And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Revelation 12:15-17 – And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. [16] And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. [17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

REVELATION 13:8 – And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

SPECIAL PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 73A

USE OF THE HYPERBOLE IN PROPHECY

June 23, 2002

THE WORD HYPERBOLE COMES FROM THE GREEK – IT MEANS “TO DELIBERATELY THROW OUTSIDE OR INSIDE A MARKED LINE FOR EFFECT, MAKING THE AREA LARGER OR SMALLER THAN IT ACTUALLY IS, EXAGGER-ATION FOR EFFECT, NOT MEANT TO BE TAKEN LITERALLY, EXAGGERATING OR DIMISHING BEYOND THE FACT, EXCEEDING THE TRUTH.” IT IS USED AT TIMES IN PROPHECY TO IDENTIFY A SMALL AREA AS ONE THAT IS MUCH LARGER. IT IS NOT A LIE BECAUSE THE HEARER OR READER IS ACQUAINTED WITH THE USE OF HYPERBOLE AS AN EXAGGERATED STATEMENT. THE EXPRESSIONS “THE WHOLE EARTH, ALL THE WORLD, WHERESOEVER MEN SHALL DWELL ON THE EARTH, ETC. ARE, AT TIMES, NOT REFERRING TO THE ENTIRE SURFACE OF THE EARTH FROM POLE TO POLE AND AROUND ITS EQUATOR. I BELIEVE THIS HAS CAUSED MANY TO EXAGGERATE THE SIZE AND STRENGTH OF THE FINAL EMPIRE OF ANTICHRIST.

WE KNOW THAT NONE OF THE FOLLOWING EMPIRES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT EVER DOMINATED WHAT WE IDENTIFY AS THE WORLD OF TODAY.

Daniel 8:5,21,22 – And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. [21] And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. [22] Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power.

Daniel 2:32-34,38,39 – This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, [33] His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. [34] Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. [38] And WHERESOEVER THE CHILDREN OF MEN DWELL, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler OVER THEM ALL. Thou art this head of gold. [39] And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule OVER ALL THE EARTH.

Daniel 7:3,23-27,11-14 – And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another. [23] Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour THE WHOLE EARTH, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. [24] 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. [26] But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. [27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [11] I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. [12] As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. [13] I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. [14] And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. (Please note that his millennial empire of Christ will take in everything “UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN.” This expression would include the earth as we know it today.)

I BELIEVE THE FOLLOWING SCRIPTURES CON-TAIN HYPERBOLE THAT MEAN THE KNOWN WORLD OF JOHN’S DAY, NOT ALL THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT TODAY.

Revelation 13:1,2,5-12,16,17 – And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. [2] And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. [5] And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. [6] And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. [7] And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over ALL kindreds, and tongues, and nations. [8] And ALL THAT DWELL UPON THE EARTH shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. [9] If any man have an ear, let him hear. [10] He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints. [11] And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. [12] And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth THE EARTH AND THEM WHICH DWELL THEREIN to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. [16] And he causeth ALL, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: [17] And that NO man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

Revelation 17:12-18 – And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. [14] These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. [15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. [16] And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. [17] For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. [18] And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over THE KINGS OF THE EARTH.

AS INDICATED PREVIOUSLY, SCRIPTURES THAT USE THE HEAVENS TO DESCRIBE THE AREA OF THE EARTH INTENDED TO BE CONVEYED TO US, MEAN THE WHOLE EARTH AS WE PRE-SENTLY KNOW IT. THESE THREE SCRIPTURES WHICH FOLLOW ARE OF THAT TYPE:

Daniel 7:27 + Matthew 24:31 + Mark 13:27

[27] And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom UNDER THE WHOLE HEAVEN, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. [31] And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, FROM ONE END OF HEAVEN TO THE OTHER. [27] And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the UTTER-MOST PART OF THE EARTH TO THE UTTER-MOST PART OF HEAVEN.

BUT THE FOLLOWING FOUR SCRIPTURES MEAN THE WORLD AS IT WAS KNOWN WHEN JOHN WROTE THE BOOK OF REVELATION.

Romans 1:8 + Colossians 1:5,6 + Acts 19:27 + 24:5

[8] First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD. [5] For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; [6] Which is come unto you, as it is IN ALL THE WORLD; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth: [27] So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom ALL ASIA AND THE WORLD WORSHIPPETH. [5] For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes:

Revelation 12:9,17 – And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth THE WHOLE WORLD: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. [17] And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 2:39-44 – And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule OVER ALL THE EARTH. [40] And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. [41] And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be DIVIDED; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. [42] And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be PARTLY strong, and PARTLY broken. [43] And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall MINGLE themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not CLEAVE one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. [44] And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

The conclusion that I draw from all these Scriptures is as follows:

The Antichrist will only dominate the known world of John’s day.

His empire will be weak because of a composition of nations that don’t hold together well.

When an expression is used referring to the size of his empire in Revelation it is used as a hyperbole, and does not refer to the entire world as we know it today.

I do not believe the mark of the beast will be put on residents of the western world.

I do believe it will be put on in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and parts of Asia.

The antichrist will certainly have influence in the nations of the western world, but he will not dominate them.

I am certainly prepared to be wrong in my belief of the size of his empire and in the degree of his domination. In other words, I know the popular teachings of many men and women on this subject, and I am prepared for their antichrist, but they are not prepared for mine?

Most of the believing world is prepared for an antichrist that arises in Europe and dominates the entire world as we know it today. The area of the size of his empire, as it is taught today, arose in the early 19th century, and was solidified by most writers in the 20th century.

Revelation 13:9,10 – If any man have an ear, let him hear. [10] He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

Hebrews 11:36 to 12:4 – And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: [37] They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; [38] (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. [39] And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: [40] God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. [1] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, [2] Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. [3] For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. [4] Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Luke 18:7,8 – And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? [8] I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

THE FALSE PROPHET WE KNOW AS JESUS!

Revelation 13:11 – And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

I have taught for many years that this second beast was the false prophet who would be the Pope of Rome, but I believe I was wrong. I have always taught the Antichrist would be a Muslim coming out of Syria or Lebanon, but one of the problems I had was linking the Pope up to a religion that did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. I have been very comfortable with the woman on the beast in Revelation being the Catholic Church, but I was never really comfortable with the Pope being the false prophet. It was my time among the Muslims and what I learned about the Islamic faith that caused me to believe the beast in Revelation was an Islamic beast, and the ten horns were Islamic kings of the Middle East. I knew that as early as 1967. But after I continued to study the beliefs of Islam, I came to change my mind about the beast of Revelation 13:11. He fits the description of one of the main figures in Islamic belief.

Revelation 13:11 – And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jesus in Islam (Īsā) is a messenger of God who had been sent to guide the Children of Israel (banī isrā’īl) with a new scripture, the Injīl (gospel). The Qur’an, believed by Muslims to be God’s final revelation, states that Jesus was born to Mary (Maryam) as the result of virginal conception, a miraculous event which occurred by the decree of God (Allah). To aid him in his quest, Jesus was given the ability to perform miracles, all by the permission of God. According to Islamic texts, Jesus was neither killed nor crucified, but rather he was raised alive up to heaven.

Islamic traditions narrate that he will return to earth near the day of judgment to restore justice and defeat al-Masih ad-Dajjāl (lit. “the false messiah”, also known as the Antichrist). Like all prophets in Islam, Jesus is considered to have been a Muslim, as he preached for people to adopt the straight path in submission to God’s will. Islam rejects that Jesus was God incarnate or the son of God, stating that he was an ordinary man who, like other prophets, had been divinely chosen to spread God’s message. Islamic texts forbid the association of partners with God (shirk), emphasizing the notion of God’s divine oneness (tawhīd). Numerous titles are given to Jesus in the Qur’an, such as al-Masih (”the messiah; the anointed one” i.e. by means of blessings), although it does not correspond with the meaning accrued in Christian belief. Jesus is seen in Islam as a precursor to Muhammad, and is believed by Muslims to have foretold the latter’s coming.

Muslims believe that Jesus will return at a time close to the end of the world.

According to Islamic tradition, Jesus’ descent will be in the midst of wars fought by the Mahdi (lit. “the rightly guided one”), known in Islamic eschatology as the redeemer of Islam, against the Antichrist (al-Masīh ad-Dajjāl, “false messiah”) and his followers. Jesus will descend at the point of a white arcade in Damascus, dressed in yellow robes - his head anointed. He will then join the Mahdi in his war against the Dajjal. Jesus, considered in Islam as a Muslim, will abide by the Islamic teachings. Eventually, Jesus will slay the Dajjal, and then everyone from the people of the book (ahl al-kitāb, referring to Jews and Christians) will believe in him. Thus, there will be one community, that of Islam.

After the death of the Mahdi, Jesus will assume leadership. This is a time associated in Islamic narrative with universal peace and justice. Islamic texts also allude to the appearance of Ya’juj and Ma’juj (known also as Gog and Magog), ancient tribes which will disperse and cause destruction on earth. God, in response to Jesus’ prayers, will kill them by sending a type of worm in the napes of their necks. Jesus’ rule is said to be around forty years, after which he will die. Muslims will then perform the funeral prayer for him and then bury him in the city of Medina in a grave left vacant beside Muhammad, Abu Bakr, and Umar (companions of Muhammad and the first and second Muslim caliphs respectively).

Jesus is described by various means in the Qur’an. The most common reference to Jesus occurs in the form of “Ibn Maryam” (son of Mary), sometimes preceded with another title. Jesus is also recognised as a prophet (nabī) and messenger (rasūl) of God. The terms wadjih (”worthy of esteem in this world and the next”), mubārak (”blessed”, or “a source of benefit for others”), `abd-Allāh (servant of God) are all used in the Qur’an in reference to Jesus.

Another title frequently mentioned is al-Masih, which translates to “the Messiah.” This does not correspond to the Christian concept of Messiah, as Islam regards all prophets, including Jesus, to be mortal and without any share in divinity. Muslim exegetes explain the use of the word masīh in the Qur’an as referring to Jesus’ status as the one anointed by means of blessings and honors; or as the one who helped cure the sick, by anointing the eyes of the blind, for example. Qur’anic verses also employ the term “kalimatullah” (meaning the “word of God”) as a descriptor of Jesus, which is interpreted as a reference to the creating word of God, uttered at the moment of Jesus’ conception; or as recognition of Jesus’ status as a messenger of God, speaking on God’s behalf.

Islamic texts regard Jesus as a righteous messenger of God, and reject him as being God or the begotten Son of God. This belief, according to Islam, is tantamount to shirk, or the association of partners with God; and thereby a rejection of God’s divine oneness (tawhid). The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is similarly rejected in Islam. Such notions of the divinity of Jesus, Muslims state, resulted from human interpolations of God’s revelation. Islam views Jesus as an ordinary human being who preached that salvation came through submission to God’s will and worshiping God alone. Thus, Jesus is considered in Islam to have been a Muslim, as with all prophets in Islam.

Muslims believe that Jesus was a precursor to Muhammad, and that he announced the latter’s coming. They base this on a verse of the Qur’an wherein Jesus speaks of a messenger to appear after him named Ahmad. Islam associates Ahmad with Muhammad, both words deriving from a root which refers to praiseworthiness. Muslims also assert that evidence of Jesus’ pronouncement is present in the New Testament, citing the mention of the Paraclete whose coming is foretold in the Gospel of John. Muslim commentators claim that the original Greek word used was periklutos, meaning famed, illustrious, or praiseworthy - rendered in Arabic as Ahmad; and that this was substituted by Christians with parakletos.

Revelation 13:12-18 – And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. [13] And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, [14] And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. [15] And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. [16] And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: [17] And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. [18] Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

If he has all those killed in his kingdom who will not worship the beast, it will cause all who remain in his dominion, if they want to buy or sell to do one of three things: (1) exhibit his mark, (2) be named as one of his, or be numbered as one who follows him.

Food shortages in his vast African, Middle East, and Southeast Caliphate Kingdom will be in full sway by the arrival of the mark of the beast on the scene following the seals and trumpets.

Revelation 6:6-8 –And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [7] And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. [8] And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell follow-ed with him. And power was given unto THEM OVER THE FOURTH PART OF THE EARTH, TO KILL with SWORD, and with HUNGER, and with DEATH, and with the BEASTS of the earth.

Revelation 9:14-19 – Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. [15] And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. [16] And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them. [17] And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone: and the heads of the horses were as the heads of lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. [18] By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their mouths. [19] For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt.

THE OLD WORLD BIBLE BEAST IS TODAY’S FINAL MIDDLE EAST BEAST!
TODAY’S BEAST IS A HISTORICAL UNION OF SEVEN BEAST KINGDOMS THAT ALL AFFECTED GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE, THE NATION OF ISRAEL!

THE WOMAN IS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SOME OF THE PROTESTANT HARLOTS TO WHICH SHE GAVE BIRTH.

SHE RIDES THE RESURRECTED BEAST BY SUPPORTING HIS CONQUEST OF THE JEWS, BUT HER RIDE IS A TEMPORARY ONE, AND IN THE END THE ISLAMIC BEAST WILL BURN ALL HER BUILDINGS AND CHURCH REPRESENTATIVES WITH FIRE.

Revelation 17:1-6 – And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: [2] With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. [3] So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. [4] And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: [5]And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. [6] And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

The “many waters” on which the “whore” (Satan’s bride) sits are identified as “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” This great religious prostitute from the truth is identified and geographically located in Revelation 17:18 as “that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. In John’s day that city was Rome. Today, the most widespread religious organization in the world has its tentacles spread across the earth from its headquarters in Rome.

The kings of all the earth have had continuous dealings with the great Vatican government of Rome down through the ages. The history of the Catholic Church has long been one of political involvement in the affairs of nations and kings. Many nations and kings have been intoxicated with her religious wine that dulls the conscience of lost souls.

In verse three John sees the “woman” setting on the back of a “scarlet colored beast.” This is the same beast described in previous chapters as having “seven heads and ten horns” – It is the Antichrist. But here, in Chapter 18, he has a new color – he is “scarlet colored.” Why has he changed colors between Revelation 13 and 17? Because, when we saw the first beast in Revelation 13:1, he had not been “wounded to death” – he was still alive – he was still a non-resurrected man. But now, here in Revelation 17:3 we seem him as counterfeiting Christ in shedding his blood. He claims his wound by a sword was the shedding of his blood for his religious world followers, but that he had now risen from the dead to be their eternal king. He is the blood colored Lamb of Satan. Satan is going to counterfeit the real Christ so well that only those who really know the truth will recognize his counterfeit. I worship the blood stained Lamb of God – They will worship the scarlet colored beast of Satan.

Verses four and five are perfect illustrations of all the wealth, pomp, power, ritual, and ceremony associated with the Catholic Church and world religion today. Verse six requires little comment – hundreds of volumes have been amassed by countless writers attesting to horrible killing and torture of true believers by the Catholic Church before and during the Reformation. One day she will answer for all long trail of blood of the saints.

The “woman” represents the great apostasy from worship in spirit and in truth. She rides on the Antichrist because he will support her after she confirms his resurrection as genuine. When he is resurrected the leader of the apostate church will recognize his resurrection as a true miracle, and the followers of this apostate church will believe it. The world religious leader will be the false prophet described in the previous chapter. After this all the great world religious leaders will fall into line one by one. Only the third part of Israel driven into the Negev, of which the 144,000 sealed Israelites are a part, and true believers, will fail to accept him as being the Messiah sent by God. The woman is the bride of Satan whose destruction is reported by John in Revelation 17:15-18.

Revelation 17:15-18 – And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. [16] And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. [17] For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. [18] And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

The ten horns are ten Arab kings who will soon come against Israel led by the Antichrist, who is the eleventh horn on Daniel’s fourth beast.

Daniel 7:24-28 – 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.

The ten Arab kings will accept the Antichrist as their leader “for God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” The Prophet Mohammad loudly proclaimed he was God’s prophet, and he was supposedly called by the angel Gabriel. Today some 400 million followers of Allah are scattered across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and southeastern Europe, and they believe that Allah is God. Allah is a word compounded of the article “al” and the word “ilah,” which means “the God.” I believe the Catholic faith will accept the Antichrist as a messenger from Theos” (the God), and the Islamic faith will accept him as Allah’s messenger. Most of the many faiths would love to have a flesh and blood man to lead them, one they thought returned from the dead. Many different faiths across the earth have multiple gods – some sects in India have hundreds of gods – but each sect always has one god who is more powerful than all the others. All the religions, both small and great, will believe that the beast represents the most powerful god in their worship system.

Unfortunately for the “woman,” the Arabs have always hated religious Christianity, and near the end of the tribulation period they will vent their full religious zeal on the religious woman of Rome. John attests to the woman’s final destruction by the sons of Allah in verse sixteen – “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.”

THE RESURRECTED BEAST AND ITS HEAD!

REVELATION 13:3 – And I saw one of his heads as it were WOUNDED TO DEATH; AND ITS DEADLY WOUND WAS HEALED: and all the world wondered after the beast.

The seventh head on the beast actually represents two Islamic Kingdoms separated by hundreds of years, both were started by the same false prophet and are the very essence of the spirit of Antichrist, so they are considered as the same head on the beast, but are identified as the seventh and eighth kingdoms in Revelation 17:9-13.

REVELATION 17:9-13 – And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. [10] And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. [11] And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. [12] And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13] These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

The seven heads represent the seven kingdoms of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Rome, and Islam.

The seven kings represent the lines of kings which are associated with the seven kingdoms. But the last king is “thought” to be the resurrected king of the first Islamic kingdom known as the 12th Imam or al Mahdi, the Islamic Messiah.

REVELATION 17:10 – And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

The five lines of kings that were fallen when John wrote Revelation were the Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, and Grecian king lines – The “one is” was the Roman line which was still alive when John was writing – The one that had not yet come when John was writing was the Islamic line, which Muhammad brought in long after the New Testament was completed. The last king in the Islamic line of Kings with a DNA link back to the founder of Islam was the 12th Imam, and he only continued a short space before he went into what Shiites call “the occultation.” According to their teachings he has been hidden in deep caverns in the earth until it is time for him to rise again. At which time he will return as the al Madhi, and as the Islamic Messiah, lead them to world conquest. So, the 12th Imam would be the last King of the kingdom destroyed by the Mongolian kingdom’s sword, as well as the current Islamic Kingdom being resurrected from ashes of a dead kingdom.

Head seven is the same Islamic kingdom separated by hundreds of years with the same king.

12th Imam - Muhammad al-Mahdi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

According to Twelver Shi’as Imam Hujjat al-Mahdī (or Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali) is the twelfth Imam and the Mahdi, the ultimate savior of humankind. Other Shi’a schools adhere to different Imam successions and do not, along with Sunnis, consider ibn-Al-Hassan the Mahdi. Twelver Shi’as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 and has been hidden by God (referred to as the Occultation) to later emerge to fulfill his mission.

Birth and early life according to Twelver Shi’a

Twelver Shi’as believe that Mahdi was born in 868 AD as Hujjat ibn Hasan ibn Ali. His mother, Narjis (Melika), was a Byzantine princess who pretended to be a slave so that she might travel from her kingdom to Arabia. His father, Hasan al-Askari, is believed to have been the eleventh and penultimate Shi’a Imam. Shi’as believe that his birth was kept a secret due to the persecution that the Shi’a were facing during this time at the hands of Al-Mu’tamid, the Abbasid Caliph.

To support Mahdi’s claim, Twelver Shi’as quote the following Hadith: “I and `Ali are the fathers of this nation; whoever knows us very well also knows Allah, and whoever denies us also denies Allah, the Unique, the Mighty. And from `Ali’s descendants are my grandsons al¬-Hasan and al-¬Husayn, who are the masters of the youths of Paradise, and from al-¬Husayn’s descendants shall be nine: whoever obeys them obeys me, and whoever disobeys them also disobeys me; the ninth among them is their Qa’im and Mahdi.” (These Hadiths are not recognized as authentic by Sunnis)

The eleventh Shi’a Imam Hasan al-Askari died on 1 January 874 AD (8th Rabi’ al-awwal, 260 AH) and since that day, his son Mahdi is believed by Shi’as to be the Imam, appointed by God, to lead the believers of the era. The most popular account of al-Mahdi in Shi’a literature is taken from his father’s funeral. It is reported that as the funeral prayer was about to begin, al-Mahdi’s uncle, Jafar ibn Ali approached to lead the prayers. However, al-Mahdi approached and commanded, “Move aside, uncle; only an Imam can lead the funeral prayer of an Imam.” Jafar moved aside, and the five-year-old child led the funeral prayer for his father. It is reported that it was at this very moment that al-Mahdi disappeared and went into ghaybat, or occultation.

Significance of the Twelfth Imam

Some hadith indicate significance to the twelfth generation of descendants of the prophet Muhammad.

A hadith from the Shi’a text (Kitab Al-Kafi) containing a conversation between the first Shia Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib and a man named al-Asbagh ibn Nubata, as well as a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim in which Muhammad speaks of Twelve Successors.

From Sahih Bukhari:

Narrated Jabir bin Samura: I heard Muhammad saying, “There will be twelve Muslim rulers (who will rule all the Islamic world).” He then said a sentence which I did not hear. My father said, “All of them (those rulers) will be from Quraish.”

In a hadith widely regarded as authentic, Muhammad said,

Even if the entire duration of the world’s existence has already been exhausted and only one day is left before the Day of Judgment, God will expand that day to such a length of time, as to accommodate the kingdom of a person out of Ahl al-Bayt who will be called by my name. He will then fill the Earth with peace and justice as it will have been filled with injustice and tyranny before then.

The Occultation

Main article: The Occultation

Shi’as believe that, for various reasons, God concealed the twelfth and current Shi’a Imam, al-Mahdi, from humankind.

The period of occultation (ghaybat) is believed to consist of two parts:

Ghaybat al-Sughra or Minor Occultation (874-939) is the shorter of the two periods, during which deputies of the Imam maintained communication to the rest of the world.

Ghaybat al-Kubra or Major Occultation began 939 and is believed to continue until a time decided by God, when the Mahdi will reappear to bring absolute justice to the world.

Minor Occultation

Main article: Minor Occultation

During the Minor Occultation (Ghaybat al-Sughra), it is believed that al-Mahdi maintained contact with his followers via deputies (Arab. an-nuwāb al-arbaʕa). They represented him and acted as agents between him and his followers.

Reappearance

Twelver Shi’as cite various references from the Qur’an and reports, or Hadith, from Mahdi and the twelve Shi’a Imams with regard to the reappearance of al-Mahdi who would, in accordance with God’s command, bring justice and peace to the world by establishing Islam throughout the world. Mahdi is reported to have said: “During the last times, my people will be afflicted with terrible and unprecedented calamities and misfortunes from their rulers, so much so that this vast earth will appear small to them. Persecution and injustice will engulf the earth. The believers will find no shelter to seek refuge from these tortures and injustices. At such a time, God will raise from my progeny a man who will establish peace and justice on this earth in the same way as it had been filled with injustice and distress.”

Shi’as believe that al-Mahdi will reappear when the world has fallen into chaos and civil war emerges between the human race for no reason. At this time, it is believed, half of the true believers will ride from Yemen carrying white flags to Mecca, while the other half will ride from Karbala, in Iraq, carrying black flags to Mecca. At this time, al-Mahdi will come wielding God’s Sword, the Blade of Evil’s Bane, Zulfiqar (Ar, the Double-Bladed Sword.

REVELATION 13:3 – And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered AFTER THE BEAST.

II Thessalonians 2:3 – Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Revelation 2:8b – These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

II Thessalonians 2:8 – And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Revelation 19:15,19-21–And out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. [19] And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army.[20]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. [21] And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

REVELATION 17:12-18 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. [13]These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. [14] These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. [15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. [16] And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. [17] For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. [18] And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE, THAT YE BE NOT PARTAKERS OF HER SINS

Revelation 18:1-24 – And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. [2] And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. [3] For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. [4]And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. [5] For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. [6] Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. [7] How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. [8]Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. [9] And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, [10] Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. [11] And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: [12] The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, [13] And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. [14] And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are de-parted from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. [15] The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, [16] And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! [17]For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships and sailors and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, [18] And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! [19] And they cast dust on their heads and cried, weeping and wailing, saying Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her cost-liness! for in one hour is she made desolate. [20] Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apost-les and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. [21] And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. [22] And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; [23] And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. [24] And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.