With my Pastor’s permission, I am sharing his post with you today.
We are studying Revelation on Wednesday nights. In Revelation 17, we find the destruction of the godless world religion that the antichrist will allow to prosper until the 10 kings who rule with the beast destroy it ushering in the antichrist as being the one that all people will be forced to worship. In verses 10 and 11, there is a bit of a riddle as to the five kings that are fallen and the one that is and the two more that are to come. Remember that John is writing during the Roman empire’s world domination. Rome fell, but it will be revived according to Daniel 2:41-43. The revived Roman empire is the the seventh head, and the eight head is of the seventh but reflects the false resurrection of the antichrist who goes into perdition when assassinated (Rev. 17:11). The ten kings then give their strength and power to the antichrist giving him complete allegiance.
We are living at the point in time in which the seventh head is the next head to appear. We are living in a time in which the idea of absolute truth is scoffed at. We are living in a time in which the world is globally tied in its finances and goods. We are living in a time in which Christ could return at any moment, yet there are those who laugh at the idea.
The Bible also tells us that the day of the Lord comes after there is a falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2:3. What is this falling away? The Greek word used here is the word apostasy, but what exactly is that? The apostasy can refer to dissertion or to rebellion. While the believers are warned not to be deceived, the apostasy seems to refer more to the unsaved people who are deceived in verses 11 and 12. The context of 2 Thess. 2 is that of encouragement to those who are suffering persecution that they have not been abandoned by the Lord and that He will come. It seems that the point being made is that prior to the day of the Lord people at large will not want anything to do with God- a time when people will reject God, His Word, and the worship of Him. There will be an abandonment and rejection of God; thus the warning to the believer and an encouragement to standfast holding onto the content of what they have been taught- the truth (2 Thess. 2:13-17).
Here are a few passages to consider:
- Matthew 24:11-12 “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.”
- 2 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;”
- 1 Peter 4:17-19 “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
There will be an abandonment and rejection of God; thus the warning to the believer and an encouragement to standfast holding onto the content of what they have been taught – the Truth (2 Thess. 2:13-17).
In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}
In Christ I am SHE 