| | "Looking for that blessed hope, and THE GLORIOUS APPEARING of the great God and OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST". Titus 2:13 KJV (Capitals are mine for emphasis)
"But OF THAT DAY AND HOUR KNOWETH NO MAN, NO, NOT THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN, BUT MY FATHER ONLY". Jesus, Matthew 24:36 KJV (Capitals are mine for emphasis)
THE WORD ANTICHRIST IS WRITTEN FOUR TIMES, WHILE THE NAME OF CHRIST IS PENNED IN SACRED WRIT AT LEAST 568 TIMES
I have just finished counting the words "Antichrist" and "Christ" in the King James Version (KJV) of the New Testament. The word Antichrist is written four times, while the name Christ is penned in Sacred Writ at least 568 times. The name Christ is found 142 times more than the name Antichrist. This count does not include the names "Jesus" and "Lord".
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON THE CHRIST AT LEAST 142 TIMES MORE THAN WE DO ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ANTICHRIST
The message seems quite clear. We need to focus on the Christ at least 142 times more than we do on the subject of the Antichrist. The interpretation of the word "Christ", is "the Messiah", or "the Anointed One". "Antichrist", by contrast, is "the false Christ", who leads the rebellion against the kingdom of God in the last days, and is "a puppet in the hands of Satan" to do his bidding. According to the book of 1 John, "the spirit of antichrist" has been with us from the first century church.
SCHOLARS ARE DIVIDED HERE AS WELL
Prophecy teachers do not always agree on the various aspects of eschatology--"theology of the end times". Some believe that the Antichrist is a person, also called "the Man of Sin", while others think it is "a system" which will be based among 10 major nations--along with smaller ones--called "the revised Roman Empire". Scholars are divided here as well, as some feel it will be confined to Europe and the Middle East, while others believe it will be worldwide, in "a one world government".
AS JESUS TOLD US, "THIS IS THE BEST-KEPT SECRET IN THE UNIVERSE"
Most evangelicals are "pre-trib", which means they believe Jesus will come before the tribulation. They date everything from the formation of the nation of Israel in 1948, and claim that a generation spans 40 years. Minus the seven years of tribulation, that would put "the catching away of the saints" in the year 1981. Major prophecy teachers in Christian circles predicted "a 1981 rapture". If this be so, "we have all been left behind", and are in the 29th year of tribulation. Then they revised it by dating the events from the reunification of Jerusalem in 1967, which ends the 40 year generation in the year 2007. Taking seven years from that would land us in the year 2000. Just in case anyone is counting, we are now in the year 2010. As Jesus told us, "This is the best-kept secret in the universe".
IN THE FIRST CENTURY THE CHURCH THOUGHT IT MIGHT EITHER BE ANTIOCHUS EPIPHENES, WHICH IS TRANSLATED, "GOD IS MANIFESTED", OR THE ROMAN EMPEROR NERO, WITH THE NUMERICAL VALUE OF THE LETTERS IN HIS NAME CAME TO 666
To take attention away from their date predictions which failed to materialize, they are now focusing in on "who might be the antichrist". In the first century the church thought it might either be Antiochus Epiphenes, which is translated, "God is manifested", or the Roman Emperor Nero, with the numerical value of the letters of his name came to 666. Antiochus sacrificed a sow, an unclean animal, on the altar of the Temple, to defile it, and show contempt for Jehovah, as he proclaimed himself to be God. Nero set the city of Rome on fire, played his fiddle while it burned, and blamed it on the Christians.
MORE RECENTLY THE ACCUSATORY FINGER HAS BEEN POINTED IN THE DIRECTION OF KISSINGER, ONE OF THE KENNEDYS, GORBACHEV, OR THE PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
During World War II, preachers labeled everyone from Mussolini to Hitler to Stalin, "the Antichrist". More recently the accusatory finger has been pointed in the direction of Kissinger, one of the Kennedys, Gorbachev, or the President of the European Union. With a socialistic agenda, Christian books and telecasts are right now all but saying that it is the current President of the United States.
AS FOR ME, I WANT GOD TO USE ME TO "HELP MAKE OTHERS READY FOR HIS COMING", WHENEVER IT MAY BE
What is my viewpoint? I am here on planet Earth to win souls, and bring in the last day harvest. It is my mission to disciple new converts, and establish them in the Word, as "citizens of the kingdom of God". I believe in "the glorious church without spot or wrinkle", whose Head is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He is washing away its stains with His own precious blood, and ironing out the wrinkles with the heat of persecution. For those whose "thing" is to identify the Antichrist, go ahead. Just make sure that you are lifting up the real Christ at least 142 times more than you are Antichrist hunting. As for me, I want God to use me to "help make others ready for His coming", whenever it may be. Personally, I am not looking for the Antichrist, but for the Christ. |
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