God has a timetable. He is not doing things randomly. Neither is He sort of ad libbing as time goes along, seeing how things develop and then changing his plans accordingly. Instead, from the beginning, God has known and does know exactly when and how each event will occur.
Unlike God who is infinite and not confined to time, we human beings are finite and are limited by both time and space. We cannot know the future unless God reveals it to us. We are entirely dependent upon Him.
When discussing the end-times or the end of this present age, there has been a lot of speculation through the years. Teachings, opinions, predictions and interpretations have and still do abound. I know of no other area of Bible interpretation which is fraught with so much confusion, differing opinions and error.
Many of the mistakes which have been made in the past have been made because people interpreted the prophetic scriptures in the light of their current events. They looked at the Bible through the lenses of their present sociopolitical situation. For example, many people during World War II thought that Hitler was the antichrist. This is understandable. Certainly he was an evil person who persecuted the Jews. Others have predicted the second coming of Christ. Perhaps some of you readers remember the brief furor created by a little book claiming that He was returning in 1988. None of these things have turned out to be true.
These observations are intended to convey the following understanding. When this author engages in speculation: for example concerning the identity of Babylon or how the coming antichrist might carry out his agenda, it must be understood that these things might only work if these events occur within the next 30 years or so. Since the world changes over time, if our Lord delays beyond this period, these speculations may no longer be valid.
The prophecies which we read in Daniel and Revelation are and certainly will always be true. The location from which the antichrist and his ten nations will emerge will not change. You can be assured of this. But when we move beyond the clear words of scripture and begin to imagine how these events could play out in our time, then of course we are on less firm ground.
However, these ideas are being given here for a good reason. They are food for thought. If the man of sin is manifested in our time, then there are certain events which will have to occur to fulfill the scriptures. What is being presented as speculation is given to show the reader how easily such things could happen in our day. Our time is rife with the possibilities of how the antichrist could arise and how he would or could operate in our present world context. These ideas give the believer directions in which to look. If nothing happens as we have imagined, well and good. But if the very events, or similar events to what we have been discussing begin to unfold then we will know that the time has come.

These things being said, God does reveal to us part of His timetable. He does give us a kind of chronology of events to guide us. It is true that no one knows the day or the hour of Jesus’ second advent (Mt 25:13). But, even though it is impossible to nail down exacts dates for the coming events, we are given somewhat general guidelines. God has not left us entirely in the dark. My favorite of these guidelines is the explanation given by Peter.
Peter was a fisherman. He was not an educated man. Yet, he became someone who was intimate with God and heard clearly from Him. While teaching us about the end of this age and Jesus’ second coming he speaks to problem of the skeptics. He addresses those who will be faced with many “scoffers...in the last days” who will say, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (II Pet 3:3,4). He asserts that they “willfully forget” how God has judged the earth before and will do so again (II Pet 3:5-7).
Then he urges his readers not to forget one thing. There is an important fact about this subject which he is very keen for them to remember. It is this: “...that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (II Pet 3:8). Here Peter is reminding them of God’s timetable. It is something which the Lord has revealed to him and that he is urging them (and us) to remember.
Many seem to suppose that Peter is simply waxing poetic here. They imagine that he is merely saying something like: “Oh, its just going to be a long time.” “Who knows how long.” Or, “You never know. You never can tell with God, He’s just so much beyond us.” But could this really be what Peter is so anxious for us to remember? Could this be his anointed response to all the skeptics? Is something so vague and wishy-washy what he really intended to communicate? Or could it be that Peter was really explaining something concrete which he urgently wanted us to understand and remember?
What might happen if we took Peter’s words literally? What if he is giving us a literal equation? Then we would have a simple, divinely inspired formula for the end of the age. This formula would be: one day = one thousand years. If we would apply this formula to the six days of creation and the seventh day of rest, we would arrive at the following idea. God designed from the beginning for this earth to exist for 6,000 years plus a 1,000 year millennium. This would give a total of 7,000 years or seven days.
Applying this formula in this manner is not stretching the scriptures beyond their context. Peter is talking here about “the beginning of creation” (vs 4), the heaven and earth which were created and the future judgment or end of the world. So it is very logical to apply his formula in this way. If we do so, then we would expect the return of Christ to be about 6,000 years after the creation of Adam.
According to various Bible chronologers, we are very close to that date now. Many learned brethren have traced the often slender thread of dates through the Bible. They calculate their conclusions based on the ages of individuals, the reigns of kings and other numbers given in scriptures. Although no two seem to agree with one another exactly, they all arrive at approximately the same conclusion. This is that from the creation of Adam and Eve until God’s covenant with Abraham was about 2,000 years, from Abraham to Christ was about 2,000 years. From Christ until today about 2,000 years. This last number is easy to figure. We can simply look at any modern calendar and find that about 2,000 years have passed since the birth of Christ.
Therefore, Peter’s simple formula works just as we might expect. From the six days of creation until today, more or less 6,000 years have passed. So, we should be expecting the end of the age at any moment. However, we must remember that these dates are not exact. Scholars argue, for example, over the precise date of Jesus’ birth. Also, some of the Old Testament chronologers differ with each other by as much as 85 years. So we can only conclude that we are now about 6000 years from the beginning.
Another factor which we might consider is that the crucifixion of Christ was much more of a pivotal date in world history than his birth. So if we were to count 2,000 years from the cross, rather than the manger, (approximately the year 27 to 33 A.D.) then we would not expect Jesus to return until the year 2,027 to 2,033. This would put the second coming about 23 to 28 years from today. Such a rudimentary calculation is nothing to base your life on. But it does give us an idea of about where we might be on God’s calendar.
One other thing we know clearly from the scriptures is that the “day” of the Lord’s appearing will not come until two events occur. One of these is called a great “falling away” (II Thess 2:3). Literally, this means ”defection” or “revolt.” Incredibly, some Bible teachers have tried to make this into the rapture. They teach that this word can mean “departure.” From this basis, they insist that Jesus will not come until the church has “departed.”
It is interesting to note that the Greek word here is “apostacia” which is literally translated “apostacy.” Thus, we have the honor of being the only generation in the history of the church which has managed to twist the scriptures to such an extreme point. We have managed to convert the greatest apostacy of all time into the rapture. But, getting back to our original thought, this great apostacy or departure from the true following of Jesus must occur first.
The second event is that the “man of sin” must be revealed (II Thess 2:3). This means that the antichrist will be seen and known for what he is before the day of Jesus’ return. It is not clear from the word of God exactly when the antichrist will be “revealed.” Some think it will be at the beginning of a seven year period known as the tribulation. Others speculate that it will be in the middle of this time, three and one half years before the end.
But there is no verse which demands either of these two interpretations. It is possible that the beast will emerge in an identifiable manner many years before the events which will mark the beginning of the tribulation. We will probably be able recognize the antichrist by seeing him involved in the events which we are studying in this book. These things could occur a number of years before he consolidates his power or begins his persecution of the saints.
Our rough calculation above gave us 23 to 28 years until the end of the age. Subtracting 7 years of tribulation from this would give us 16 to 21 years from today. But, it will take some time for the antichrist to establish his kingdom and consolidate his power. This will not happen overnight. So, the antichrist could be recognizable some years, let us say 10 to 15 years before the beginning of the tribulation. This could mean that very soon we may be able to identify someone who is fulfilling the prophecies concerning him.
This timetable cannot be thought of as being exact, prophetic or dependable. Only the passage of time will tell us if our speculations are correct. But these ideas do give us a direction in which to look. They are useful as some kind of point of reference to compare to current events. So, if we see things beginning to fall into place according to the scriptures which we have been examining, then we can know that the time is indeed short.

Another passage which comes into play in our discussion is found in Luke chapter 21. Here Jesus is teaching his disciples about the signs of the times and the end of the age. As part of this dissertation he says: “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things are fulfilled” (Lk 21:32). This verse has been the subject of much debate. Just what Jesus meant by “this generation” is often disputed. However, it seems clear that He meant the generation which sees certain signs. Among these signs is that “Jerusalem shall be trampled by the Gentiles [remain in the possession of the Gentiles] until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Lk 21:24).
In 1967 the entire city of Jerusalem, especially the older, historic part fell into the hands of the Jews after almost 2,000 years had passed. This event is probably the fulfillment of the above mentioned pronouncement of Jesus. This then would tell us that the end will be within one generation of this event. (Some have mistakenly begun their calculations from the time when Israel became a nation. But the verse here specifically says “Jerusalem” not Israel.)
But what is a biblical generation? There are verses which mention the figure 40 years. Other verses seem to say 100 years. Due to their sin, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness until one generation died out. This took 40 years. But this group was all 20 years old or older when their rebellion took place (Num 14:29). So, some of this “generation” which died out could have reached 60 years of age or even more, depending on how old they were when they were cursed.
The 40 year figure in the Bible must mean that it takes forty years for one generation to generate or reproduce another generation. This does not mean that a generation is limited to 40 years. The exact words which we have read in Luke are “this generation will by no means pass away.” So the “generation” which has seen Jerusalem come back into the possession of the Jews would all have to die out in order for them to “pass away.” This would take roughly 70 years if we count the average life-span of modern man in today’s world.
But remember here that this generation will not pass away. So we must be looking at a period of years which is less than this, let us say 60 years. If we would take our 1967 date and add 60 years, this would put is at the year 2027. This number dovetails very nicely with our calculations using Peter’s formula.
You can no doubt see that there is a lot of guesswork involved in our mathematics here. These figures can by no means be thought of as exact. They only give us some ideas about what might take place. Therefore, the only reliable source we have to confide in is Jesus Christ. He is the one who will be showing us how the events of our day fit or do not fit into His plan. It is only if we are walking in intimacy with Him, that day will not “come on you unexpectedly” (Lk 21:34).

In the following section,we will engage in some speculation about how some future events could unfold. Therefore, these ideas should be held somewhat lightly as we wait to see what will actually occur. But, if and when these things begin to become real in our world, when the news is full of stories along these exact lines, then it is time to take the warnings contained in this series about the end-times seriously.
The future antichrist will have a problem, a very formidable problem. He will want to consolidate his power in the Middle East. His ambition is to dominate the world and make the inhabitants of the earth do his will. But, if he is manifested in these days, there is one nation in which will stand in his way. That pesky “world policeman,” the United States, will no doubt oppose his rise to power and also his control over the oil fields. They, as they have done in the past, would certainly send troops, ships and missiles to try to stop any such endeavor. So, if he is to accomplish his will, he must eliminate the United States from the picture.
At the time of this writing, the U.S. is involved in a very messy war in Iraq. From the vantage point of today, there is no prospect for things to get better, but only to become worse. The word “quagmire” readily springs to mind. This situation has all the possibilities of becoming another Viet Nam for America. If this were to happen and the U.S. eventually pulled out of Iraq with its tail between its legs, this would have a tremendous psychological impact on the American people. They would never, ever want to be involved in any kind of conflict in that region again.
For example, I don’t believe that the U.S. would ever send troops back to Viet Nam. Almost anything could happen there, and the United States would not go to war. The emotional pain over the past is too great. Something very similar could easily occur in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East. This has already happened with the mighty Red Army of Russia.
Such a humiliating exit from Iraq could play into the hands of the coming antichrist. He could use the power vacuum which this would create, along with the unlikely possibility of the U.S. returning, to rise up and overthrow the governments of three nations. Such a scenario would play into his hands. Osama bin Laden, just to take him as an example, would have to be an idiot not to realize this. Consequently, he and his cohorts will do everything in their power to make sure that this happens. The terrorist attacks will not stop, but probably only escalate. He, or someone like him, could easily take advantage of the current state of affairs to springboard himself into power and influence in this region.
If, as we have been suggesting, the U.S. creeps out of Iraq licking her wounds and someone like Osama takes over and unites ten countries, he would still eventually have the threat of the United States resisting him when he tries to begin controlling the rest of the world. Therefore, the antichrist must find a way to paralyze her and/or eliminate this threat.
A terrorist attack, especially using a nuclear device of some kind, would probably work as a strong deterrent. This could even be done before the antichrist comes to power in any nation. This would leave the U.S. with no way to strike back at any visible enemy.
If we assume that the United States will pull out of the Middle East with wounded pride, some kind of assault on her with weapons of mass destruction might be enough to back her off even further. This would give the antichrist time and breathing room to consolidate his power and promote his agenda. However, eventually, due to her overwhelming military might, the United States would have to be removed from the world picture if the antichrist is to accomplish all his will.
Another piece of this puzzle is the tremendous hatred that the Islamic zealots have for the U.S. Supposing her to be a Christian country and witnessing the luxury in which she lives along with the enormous amount of sexual impurity and filth in which she indulges, Osama and others have developed an intense hatred for her. In their hearts they have a firm purpose to destroy her. This should be evident to anyone who is familiar with the present world situation. Don’t think that 9-11 was enough to satisfy them. Their goal is the total destruction of the United States.
This fact harmonizes exactly with what we have studied about Babylon in the first book of this series. There, from the book of Revelation, we saw her revealed as a self-indulgent, opulent, sinful location. She is proud, world-dominating and unrepentant. Her wealth, extravagance and lust for more and more things requires the services of every ship, ship owner and mariner in the sea (see Revelation 17 and 18).
Babylon is isolated from the rest of the world and mainly thinks about herself. Her sinfulness, in terms of adultery, fornication, murder of the unborn, homosexuality and other such things, has become rampant. She has abandoned God as her Protector, casting Him out of her government and schools and turned instead to idols of so-called science and humanism. Consequently, God decides to judge her.
Interestingly, He chooses the antichrist and his ten nations to be the instruments of His judgment. They are the ones who will attack her and thoroughly burn her with fire. We read: “And these are the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the prostitute, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill his purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled” (Rev 17:16,17).
It is possible that the antichrist will first humiliate the U.S. The words “make her...naked” and “eat her flesh” could refer to some humiliating terrorist attacks before her final destruction. This might be done through an ugly defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan along with some use of weapons of mass destruction within her borders. Through the fear that this could create, he could possibly get her to tolerate his agenda, at least for a while. Finally, after humiliating her and getting her reluctant cooperation for a time, he will then destroy her with great hatred.
A passage in Daniel chapter 8, verses 23-25, says a lot to confirm that a wealthy, powerful, sinful nation as we have described Babylon will be destroyed by the antichrist. Let us take some time and analyze this passage together.
We read: “And in the latter time of their kingdom [the kingdoms of the other three beasts, possibly England, Russia, Germany] when the transgressors have reached their fullness, [Here we see that the sinfulness of the prostitute must reach a peak as it did in the land of Canaan before the Israelites destroyed them (Gen 15:16)] a king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power. [We have already seen how the antichrist will be empowered by the devil.] He shall destroy fearfully, [Possibly referring to the use of terrorist attacks.] And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty [this could be the U.S.] and also the holy people [this would refer to the coming slaughter of the saints].”
Going on in this passage we read: “Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, he shall destroy many in their prosperity. [This too is probably speaking about the destruction of prosperous Babylon.] He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without human hand.” Another verse which indicates the destruction of some especially strong nation or nations is Daniel 11:39 where we read: “And he [antichrist] shall act against the strongest fortresses.”
Today, in the area of the globe once occupied by the Ottoman Empire (from which will come the kingdom of the antichrist) there are several countries which have or soon will have nuclear armaments. These same countries also have and are further perfecting missiles which can deliver these warheads. Some of these countries also have ships and “decommissioned” nuclear submarines bought from the former Soviet Union.
As we have speculated in the book Babylon, it would be very easy for the U.S. to be “destroyed in one hour” “by fire” through a nuclear attack. This attack could be accomplished with only about 10 ships and another 10 submarines, each carrying 10 missiles apiece. These vessels could keep well outside the territorial waters of the United States and yet hit every major city, even in the interior of the country. Such an attack of 100-200 nuclear missiles, hitting many or most of the major cities would completely destroy the country.
I am told by a friend of mine who is a scientist that someone with a really evil intention could make this attack even worse. If a significant amount of the metal cobalt is included in a warhead (for example the casing around the actual bomb) the area where the missile hits would be contaminated by radiation for as long as seven to eight hundred years or even longer. This means that that region would be uninhabitable and no one could safely travel through it or near it for centuries.
At this moment, the United States is working very hard to develop a missile shield. They are inventing various means to intercept and shoot down incoming missiles. But, if these attacks are launched close to her borders, it may be that there will not be enough time to detect them, activate the defenses and then intercept these missiles. The Bible says that God will work against Babylon and help her enemies destroy her. He will anoint the antichrist and his ten kings to execute His judgment against Babylon. Don’t put your hope in some kind of missile defense.
The reader may wish to take some time here and read Jeremiah, chapter 50 and 51. Here we have detailed for us the destruction of Babylon. But while you are reading, please remember that part of this prophecy refers to the ancient Babylon and part to the modern one. Some of these verses have already been fulfilled and some have a future fulfillment. It is very possible that many have a dual significance and apply to both “Babylons.” Which exact verses refer to each one and which to both is almost impossible to tease out. As you read, you will no doubt see some verses which speak to you. There are however, a few points which seem certain.
Babylon is destroyed by someone who comes “out of the north” (Jer 50:3), “an assembly of great nations from the north country” (Jer 50:9) and “a people” who “come from the north” (Jer 50:41). You may remember that much of the old Ottoman Empire was “north” of Israel.
These passages do not seem to demand that the nations which destroy the “end-times Babylon” be literally “north” of her geographically. For example, the only nation literally north of the U.S. is Canada. It could merely indicate where they are located in relationship to Israel, therefore demonstrating a geographical position which the Jews of that day could understand. This interpretation corresponds exactly to what we have been seeing about the antichrist empire coming from the Middle East.
As you read these two chapters, you will no doubt notice that there is a strong emphasis on “arrows.” Babylon is principally destroyed by arrows. We read: “Their arrows shall be like those of an expert warrior” (Jer 50:9). “...against Babylon all around, all you who bend the bow; shoot at her, spare no arrows” (Jer 50:14). “Call together the archers against Babylon. All you who bend the bow, encamp against it all around” (Jer 50:29). The attackers from the north “shall hold the bow and the lance” (Jer 50:42). “Against her let the archer bend his bow” (Jer 51:3). “Make the arrows bright” (Jer 51:11).
These verses about arrows could refer to missiles being launched at Babylon. For example, missiles fly through the air like arrows and are often “bright” because of their metallic skins. Of course, this idea cannot be proven. In the days of Jeremiah, there were no missiles. Arrows or lances would have been the closest thing to a missile that the people of that day would know or understand. So it is not impossible that God used the word “arrows” to symbolize something in the future.
It is perhaps worth considering that ancient Babylon was not destroyed by arrows. It was conquered by shovels. The Medes and Persians spent their time digging a canal to divert the Euphrates river. This river ran under the wall of Babylon, through the city and out the other side. By diverting the river, the attacking armies lowered the level of the river enough so that they could come in under the wall, thus conquering the city. These invaders encountered little resistance. The defenses of ancient Babylon were rendered useless. Since ancient Babylon was not literally destroyed by archers or arrows, we might easily imagine that these verses could apply to the end-times Babylon .
Another feature of these two chapters is the destruction of Babylon by “fire” and the desolation that results. The result of being uninhabitable is also mentioned. Jeremiah 50:3 says that the attack “will make her desolate.” “Because of the wrath of the Lord she shall not be inhabited, but she shall be wholly desolate. Everyone who goes by Babylon shall be horrified and hiss at all her plagues” (Jer 50:13). We are told that Babylon will “become a desolation among the nations” (Jer 50:23) and that her attackers will “destroy her utterly” (Jer 50:26). God will “kindle a fire in his [Babylon’s] cities [it is significant here that this says more than one city] and it will devour all around” (Jer 50:32).
Babylon “shall be inhabited no more for ever, nor shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation” (Jer 50:39). The destruction of Babylon is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah in which a fire fell from heaven that made it uninhabitable (Jer 50:40). God will make Babylon “a burnt mountain” and she “shall be desolate for ever” (Jer 51:25,26). She will become “an astonishment and a hissing, without an inhabitant” (Jer 51:37). “Her cities [again plural indicating a nation] are a desolation, a dry land where no one dwells, through which no son of man passes” [possibly because of the residual radiation] (Jer 51:43).
If this author is correct and modern Babylon will be destroyed by an atomic attack, this would produce all the effects about which we have been reading. No doubt such a large scale strike would also contaminate the air, which as it moves across the globe, will have some effects on other nations also. It may be that other countries will make attempts to deal with the fires and the sources of this radiation, as they did when the Chernobyl accident occurred in the Soviet Union, but they will have little success. Perhaps this is why “The people will labour in vain, and the nations, because of the fire, and they shall be weary” (Jer 51:58).
The consequences of this attack are extremely severe and very lethal. Therefore, God constantly warns his people to get out of Babylon. God says: “Go forth from Babylon!” (Is 48:20). And again he says: “Move from the midst of Babylon” (Jer 50:8). He warns: “Flee from the midst of Babylon, and every one save his life!” (Jer 51:6). God further exhorts: “My people, go out of the midst of her! And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the Lord” (Jer 51:45). Finally, God admonishes us with a voice from heaven saying: “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Rev 18:4).
It may be possible that after this attack, some inhabitants of Babylon will still be able to escape. As mentioned in the book Babylon, it is probable that many millions will survive this attack. Some of them, because of where they live, may be able to get across the borders or put to sea and still escape some of the aftermath – the plagues and death which will come. To them God says: “You who have escaped the sword, get away! Do not stand still!” (Jer 51:50). This means that those who survive should take every opportunity to leave and keep going until they get to somewhere safe. Incredibly, even after such an attack, some still seem to be reluctant to leave! But God urges them to do so for their own good.

At the very bottom of the antichrist agenda (or perhaps I should say the top) is the issue of worship. His contention with the rest of the world is, in the end, all about religion. It is a question of who will be worshipped, who will be the god (or God) of this world. This struggle is really an earthly manifestation of the spiritual battle which is going on in the heavens. It is a contest between God and the devil, between light and darkness, between truth and the lie. The antichrist himself is in fact, simply a pawn in this deadly serious game. The people of God, who are called “the saints” in the prophetic word, also play an important role.
As part of this struggle, a war begins. It is called a “war on the saints.” Although this battle has been going on all through the ages, the end-times manifestion of it seems to begin around the time in which Satan is thrown out of heaven to the earth (Rev 12:9). He has just lost his foothold in the heavens. The only place he has left is the earth. So, he will try to fully assert his authority over it. The only way he can do this is by eliminating all people who do not worship him. In order to demonstrate to the universe that he is the rightful ruler of this planet, all the inhabitants must accept his rule. Consequently, his goal will be to rid the globe of Christians and Jews alike.
The antichrist, because his heart is under the control of Satan, will also be promoting this eradication program. He too will be full of hatred toward God’s people along with anything and everything which is labeled “Christian.” Just as Haman in the book of Ruth determined to destroy God’s people and as Hitler had a hatred for the Jews, so the antichrist will try to exterminate both believers and Jews. With time, it seems he will adopt a philosophy of “convert or die.” Although many of its adherents try to deny this, the religion of Islam has often used such tactics before.
As the antichrist’s power and influence grow, he begins to think very highly of himself. His ego grows alongside of his successes. It is this writer’s belief that he will gradually modify Islam to suit his own purposes. If so, as we have already pointed out, he will not be the first one to do so. Over time, he himself will want to be seen as a kind of supernatural savior. He will begin to demand worship of himself along with the dragon. Satan will put his power behind this surge to the top. This will be a substantial amount of power. The antichrist’s new buddy, the false prophet will also lend a hand in urging the world to worship the beast.
This new antichrist religion seems to reach a peak with the construction of a large image which resembles the beast. The second beast, the false prophet, is granted power to do miracles with this image. He can make it speak (Rev 13:14). One of things that this talking image says is that everyone who does not worship the beast should be put to death. Of course, any believer in Jesus Christ will not want to be a worshiper of the beast. Consequently, he will soon be looking death in the face. So we see that not only will the antichrist destroy Babylon, but he will also begin a campaign to rid the world of real Christians.
This period of persecution will be a terrible time for believers. It will be a time of “...great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Mt 24:21). It may also be the “time of Jacob’s trouble” mentioned in (Jer 30:7). Possibly this refers to the Jews also being persecuted. This will be a time of war. But it will not be a war in the usual sense. Instead, the antichrist will wage a one-sided war against believers.
We read that the “...horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them” (Dan 7:21). We also are told that he: “...shall persecute the saints of the Most High” and that “...the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time” (Dan 7:25). In the book of Revelation it is reaffirmed that God permits the beast to prevail against his people for a time. Verse 7 of chapter 13 reads: “And it was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.”
Not only are these faithful believers persecuted, but they are frequently put to death. Significantly, one of the principal methods which the beast will use to kill these Christians is beheading. In Revelation chapter 20, verse 4 John sees an awesome sight. “And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshipped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.” I’m sure all readers know that one of the main ways that the Muslim radicals of our time use to kill their captives is beheading.
So we see that there is coming to this earth a tremendous slaughter of believers. It is so pervasive it is called a “war.” How might this work? Here again, we will indulge in some speculation as we seek answers.
As we have discussed, after the antichrist consolidates his power and his control over the oil fields, he then would be in a position to dictate his policies to the rest of the world. But what are his policies? Is it job creation? Is it universal health care, or more retirement benefits? Is it some new plan to stimulate the economy? No. Instead his agenda is principally religious. He will demand that the world convert to his new brand of Islam.
Some may think that this religious preoccupation of the antichrist is ridiculous. Much of the world today is very humanistic and has little orientation toward worship or God. But you must understand, for a religious fanatic, this is everything. The most important thing for such a person is his religion. Everything else is secondary. Also, for these fanatics, conversion of the world to their way of thinking is paramount.
It may also be hard for many readers to imagine that suddenly, modern, sophisticated men and women will start worshiping a new god. This possibility may seem extremely remote. How could much of the world suddenly be convinced to convert?
As time progresses, this will be the antichrist’s position, worship or die. This may seem a little ridiculous to you readers but it does not to him. It will not seem trite to you either when it is happening. If anyone refuses to cooperate with his program, then off with his head.
We have guessed that the nations will have to go along with these guidelines because if they don’t they won’t receive oil. Not only won’t they receive oil which they desperately need to keep their society functioning or even keep on living, but they might be subject to terrorist attacks using weapons of mass destruction.
Truthfully, the economies of this world are all very fragile. They depend upon the flow of imports, exports, transportation, etc. to continue functioning. If this is disrupted, economic disaster would quickly follow. Unemployment, default on national debt, riots and demonstrations by angry citizens, shortages of food and many other things could soon come to pass. So, unless these countries are willing to go to war with the antichrist to stop his program, they will have to go along.
Some may reasonably ask, “Why don’t these other nations just attack the antichrist and his nations to stop all this worship nonsense.” Well, there are very few nations in this world which have large standing armies along with the equipment necessary to do the job. At this writing, the U.S. is trying to subdue Iraq with very limited success and they are the acknowledged superpower of the world. The European nations do not have large militaries. Japan also does not. If the antichrist has nuclear weapons, this would serve to deter any invaders. The truth is that, the rest of the world outside of the U.S. is not well positioned militarily to stop the schemes of the antichrist.
Every government of the world will be required to participate in this worship. They and their populations will have to worship the dragon, the beast and his image. If not, no oil. This may seem strange to you, but it could soon become very real. Think about this for a moment. If your average person were required to perform a little religious duty to continue to be able to work, pay his bills and even eat, would he do it? Of course he would! If his family would starve on the streets unless he did a little genuflecting, well that would be a small price to pay.
You must understand the desperate situation in which these populations will find themselves. At first, no doubt the oil reserves of some nations would carry them along. Perhaps their alternative fuels would hold them for a little while longer. It is possible that nations such as the United States, if they could not get Middle East oil, would pressure other countries such as Mexico or Venezuela to make up the difference. But if these other nations were subject to threats of terrorist attacks with nuclear weapons, would they ship oil or protect themselves? Therefore, it would be quite easy for the situation in nations who depend on oil to become critical.
Most economies, except the most primitive ones, are completely dependent on oil. If you cannot fill up the tank of your car, you cannot work, you cannot buy food. Soon you won’t be able to pay your mortgage or bills. Without enough oil, rationing would be mandatory and so many individuals would not have enough. Then the citizens of these nations would begin pressuring their respective governments to give in a little. A general outcry would be heard to do whatever is necessary to restore the flow of oil and therefore their survival. When people become pinched financially because their govenments will not go along with the antichrist agenda, they will become vocal and even enraged.
Everyone desperately needs oil. So, when push comes to shove, most people will do whatever it takes to preserve their lifestyles. They will pressure their leaders to make some concessions so that they can continue to live at the level to which they have become accustomed.The respective governments of these countries will be forced to cooperate.
I think it is possible that the antichrist will offer a package which, at least in the beginning, will offer the minimum of offense to other religions. He may even seem to be a peacemaker, or unifier of the world. With the power of Satan backing it, there will certainly be a great amount of deception involved in his program. With this extremely powerful spiritual force behind him, he will succeed in deceiving many into thinking that his way is some sort of solution or even that he is right.
This is referred to in the Bible as “all unrighteous deception” (II Thess 2:10). Incredibly, God actually assists the antichrist with his deception. We read: “And for this reason God will send them [the unrighteous] strong delusion that they should believe the lie” (II Thess 2:11). Here we find an unbeatable combination. The devil puts his power behind this new religion which we could call “strong deception.” Then God aids this process by sending “strong delusion” on the unbelievers. Will this new religion succeed? Will people go along? You can count on it!
Many suppose that what people believe is based upon them being convinced of some fact. But this is not the case. People believe something because they want to believe it. The allow themselves to be “convinced” because it harmonizes with what they really want. Belief is really a question of choice. If then the incentive to believe is very strong, many will allow themselves to be convinced. When the financial impact begins to be felt, many will begin to rethink their ideas and opinions.
The pressure from the antichrist upon the nations to conform to his religion will not diminish. Once a few concessions have been made, he may demand more and more. Once a foothold has been gained and these nations have begun to compromise and accede to his demands, he will probably begin to exact even more cooperation.
It is possible that the first of such demands made upon nations in order to continue receiving oil might be to withdraw recognition of Israel as a nation. Next they might be required to declare that Allah is really the same God as the Jewish and Christian God. The antichrist might insist that these are just different names for the same God. Perhaps for many, this might seem to be a small concession to make to continue to live and work as usual. Perhaps with time, people would be required to confess that Allah is the true God and that Mohammed/Osama? is his prophet. It is probable that the demands will escalate as the nations give in more and more.
Eventually, this antichrist religion will arrive at the point where everyone must worhsip him and his image. They must worship or be put to death. If it comes to “believe or die” you will be amazed at how many believers sudden appear. When it comes down to a decision of life or death, converts become easy to get.
It is here that real Christians will enter into the battle. They will be in a battle for their souls. They will look death in the face. Then they will have to make a decision. Will they compromise a little? Will they simply go along and hope that God will forgive them later? Or will they willingly sacrifice their lives in order to remain faithful to Jesus?
It is probable that many will make some mistakes here. The thought that every Christian will suddenly make the right choices when many have been making wrong choices for years is unrealistic. The scriptures seem to indicate this where we read that “some of those of understanding shall fall” (Dan 11:35). This could mean that some believers, who should know better, will make some wrong decisions. God allows their mistakes for a purpose. It is “refine them, purge them, and make them white” (Dan 11:35).
If some take some wrong actions and make wrong decisions during this time, as the power of the antichrist grows and his agenda becomes evident, hopefully they will realize their error. Their consciences will torment them. Yet God will use their mistakes, as he does many of our errors, to chastise and correct them. The coming time of trouble will be a time of testing of our faith, of our love for one another and of our commitment to Jesus. It will reveal just where our hearts really are. It will bring to the surface any and all secret loves for other things besides our Savior.