The Antichrist and the Great Tribulation to come are great themes and truths of the Holy Bible that the Lord spoke of through the prophets for thousands of years. This article will be divided into 4 sections – first speaking of the Antichrist, then the 3 paths. Jude (Judas; the inspired letter before Revelation), written by the half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55) speaks of Enoch’s book and his warning of the coming of the Lord in power with His angelic host.
But before this ‘great and awesome and terrible day of the LORD, when the sun shall be darkened (Joel 2:31),’ the prophets and apostles spoke of the Antichrist to come. The Didache or ‘Teachings,’ which was an appendix to several early Bible codex before our current Bible of 66 books (an actually Chronicles and Kings are still two scrolls divided into 4) says: “…In the last days false prophets and corrupters shall be multiplied, and the sheep shall be turned into wolves, and love shall be turned into hate; for when lawlessness increases, they shall hate and persecute and betray one another, and then shall appear the world-deceiver (Antichrist) as Son of God, and shall do signs and wonders, and the earth shall be delivered into his hands, and he shall do so iniquitous (evil) things which have never yet come to pass since the beginning. Then shall the creation of men come into the fire of trial, and many shall be made to stumble and shall perish; but those who endure in their faith shall be saved (Matt. 24:13) from under the curse itself. And then shall appear …the sign of an outspreading in heaven, then the sign of the sound of the trumpet. And third, the resurrection of the dead…”.
Without getting into the works of Ignatius, Tertullian, Augustine, the apostles and others on the position and fallibility of the bishop of Rome, let us just start in history at a dark time of Church schism when the Pope or bishop of Rome (actually from 1414 to 1418 – 3 men simultaneously claimed to be and were supported by their followers as the true Pope) lead the Catholic Church and was opposed by Reformers that came after and in the likeness of Wycliffe, Luther, Calvin, Knox and Wesley.
Mid-16th century, a decade after Luther wrote Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520), most of the Reformers without ceasing begin to teach that the Antichrist would be a pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
And here in, by Calvin’s time in the mid-1500s, they were looking to find the Antichrist and among the tops search choices where the Catholic Pope and the Mohammedans or followers of Mohammad, now called Muslims (Arabic word roughly meaning: ‘one who submits’ – implied to God; but in truth it is ‘one who submits to God and Mohammad’).
see the article: ISIS: who, what, why, how? located under ‘Pages’ on the sidebar to your right.
Who is this 12th Imam; the Mahdi? Shiite Muslims or those of Shia Islam make up about 12% of all Muslims. About 85% of these are referred to as Twelver Shia. That is they believe in the 12 Imams; 11 which have already lived and 1 which is to come. Imam is a term for their highest Leaders. The 12th Imam is said to have come from Muhammad’s linage and was born in 868 AD and God has hidden him (as in the heavens – known as the occultation) until his return. He is also call the Mahdi, Arabic term conveying guide or messiah. One of the reasons for Iran and Iraq’s differences is in a world of about 12% Shiites, Iran has over 80% and they dominant their government and religious leadership. So this Mahdi, ‘Guided One;’ he also is called by some by another title – Antichrist.
Above: Millions of Muslims in Mecca seeking to be near the Kaaba.
IV. Path Three: That the Antichrist will be a or the leader of the United Nations or the European Union. Around the time the EU was picking Javier Solana (former Sec. Gen. of NATO) to be the their Secretary General; and at a time when he was significantly involved in a TREATY that would basically reestablish what many saw as the old-Roman Empire (Eastern), may Christians where digging into Daniel’s prophecy and putting Solana on the list of possible Antichrist candidates. After all it was European Council ‘recommendation 666’ drafted by Javier Solana in 2000, that would grant him great control of the EU military powers. And he was in fact the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy from 1999 to 2009 and held two other Sec. Gen. positions during that period. Nevertheless, he will be 74 this July 2016 and other than roaming around his Club of Rome and Bilderberg connections including King Juan Carlos (age 78; another former Antichrist candidate by some), he will remain behind the scenes.
Now, for sure, the United Nations communication system will be used under the Antichrist 42 month reign. But more significantly is what many reputable theologians say is a requirement for the Antichrist. Although i disagree with Finis Dake’s Pretribulation Rapture teachings, he does deserve great respect. Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible contains over 500,000 cross-references and about 35,000 notes and he claims took him 100,000 hours in 43 years to do – i don’t doubt it seeing Calvin did the same with several of his works and through i don’t compare to either – i have put over 10,000 or 15,000 hours into my biblical studies and research.
So Dake’s who was followed by many in many subjects, including Swaggert and a great many Pentecostal ministers, states: ‘Antiochus Epiphanes (is) not Antichrist;’ and in another places: ‘…that Antichrist will come from Rome and Italy is false, he will come from Babylon and future enlarged Syria. (However, Dakes says ‘he will not come into prominence… until after the Rapture’ and this is wrong – see my hundreds of pages under Topics: concerning the Pretribulation Rapture Theory.
No doubt among these Egypt and Greece have little power and it is not likely Turkey will be the seat of power for the Mahdi or any Antichrist. Thus, it is very likely concerning these lasts days that our eyes should be on Palestine; especially on Israel and Temple progress and on Syria and its Muslim role.
Concerning Syria it is interesting that according to certain Jews the Geula or Geulah (Redemption of the Jews by the Mashiach) will not come without War World III and Syria’s involvement. Rabbi Alon Anava at Atzmut.com – goes on for hours with tons of Jewish Midrash (commentary on the Torah by certain rabbis and sages) in his ‘Mashiach is coming – are YOU ready?’ He talks about the significance of the time and with mathematical midrash concluded that ‘the beginning of the redemption’ will be in 2016; but what is interesting is his Jewish prophecies on WWIII and even Syria.