All Things Prophecy: Volume I

The Rapture Gap

As of late, I have noticed some within our Pre-Trib community who have begun to shift their thinking regarding the timing of the Seal Judgments and where those align within the 70th Week of Daniel-proper (i.e., the literal seven years). Some have even suggested that the Seal Judgments do not even begin to open until the mid-point of the Tribulation (or 3.5 years into the 70th Week).

I believe that part of their reasoning for departing from the traditional view (i.e., the simple chronological understanding of Revelation), is that their previous assumptions about the Rapture have not yet come to pass. If we think back to all the high-watch, rapture years (1993, 2000, 2011, 2017, and 2018), it seems these teachers relied on a faulty timing-based scenario that aligned the Rapture at either 40 or 70 years. Since we are now in 2019, many have begun to rethink their understanding, which is why they are moving into a hybrid, mid-tribulation Rapture scenario.

I do not subscribe to a mid-trib (for lack of a better term) scenario. Although I will tie up my thoughts in the summary of his volume, I want to give some context as to the why our Rapture is at the beginning of the 70th Week, rather than the middle. Furthermore, if we understand that Scripture never ties the Rapture with the start of the 70th Week of Daniel, we can see how and why a gap must be necessary.

Why the Gap?

The reasons I do not support a mid-trib Rapture (or even a 3.5-year Tribulation) are many, but many theologians ignore one of the more practical reasons I can think of. There is a military truism I have oft heard repeated throughout my career, which is amateur’s talk of strategy, while professionals study logistics. In other words, you can be the best tactically trained force on the planet, and have the best strategic plan ever devised, but if you cannot resource it, it is never going to work. Logistics is truly how the U.S. beat the Japanese and the German’s in WWII. It is not that we had better weapons, tanks, ships, or aircraft; it was that we out-produced them while simultaneously decimating their ability to replenish theirs.

A logical assumption (based on second and third order effects) then is that immediately after the Rapture of the Church, the world is cast headlong into a temporary state of chaos. That is somewhat hard for us to wrap our minds around, given we have largely benefited from a stable world over the last 70-plus years. Despite the issues we have had since the last period of global chaos (World War II), life on terra firma has largely held steady and provided a period of relative normalcy.

The nation-states (for the most part) have operated in a functional manner. Wars were largely confined to individual nations (ex. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan) rather than across the globe. International trade and currencies proliferated amongst the nations. Aside from the occasional weather phenomenon, global travel has greatly expanded and remained unimpeded. IOW, things have remained relatively stable and peaceful. That has all been a result of a stable and somewhat benevolent super-state like the United States. Given the state of the world as it is currently, the United States is still the largest economy, still has the most powerful military, and is still the single greatest roadblock to global governance.

[For the purposes of this article, we will simply use 10% of the American population as a mark on the wall.]

If the Rapture happened tomorrow and ten-percent of the U.S. population simply disappeared in an instant that would equal around 31 million Americans who are no longer contributing to our economy and society. Since the early 1980s, the Greatest Generation has begun being replaced with the Baby Boomers. Each subsequent generation has continued to deteriorate in terms of national identity and unanimity. Our society today is more akin to America in 1860 than we are America 1960. If the Rapture happened in 1945, the U.S. may have recovered. But we are far too divided and weakened today to survive a major natural disaster, much less something like the Rapture.

1. The U.S. is highly polarized today, with about half the nation ideologically/politically pitted against the other. Whether it is liberal versus conservative, or capitalist versus socialist, black vs. white, gay vs. straight, or simply Democrat versus Republican, we are a much-divided nation ideologically. The elections of Barack Hussein Obama and Donald Trump have only further heightened that division.
2. The U.S. recently crossed the $22T threshold regarding our national debt. If we included all the future promised expenditures, i.e., the unfunded liabilities (Social Security, Medicare, etc.), we are well over the $100T mark in debt. This means that even without a Rapture-event scenario, the United States as we knew it, will not survive into the near future without some kind of radical governmental overhaul.
3. The rest of the industrialized/modernized world is in equally similar (or worse) shape economically speaking. Most of the industrialized world either have a huge debt to GDP ratios, have failing economies, or do not have the adequate infrastructure to sustain their economic growth.

Therefore, if the Rapture took place tomorrow, and 31 million Americans were instantaneously removed, the sudden loss of income, wages, rents, taxes, and the loss of the societal contributions would absolutely destabilize an already fragile political and economic system. That destabilization would trigger a domino effect across a world that is equally fragile and unstable.

About the best example we can come to see what this looks like, was the 1929 Stock Market crash. That crash triggered a series of economic collapses around the world and crushed nations who were already struggling financially. The Stock Market Crash of 1929 also provided the perfect opportunity for a man like Adolph Hitler to rise to power in Germany. A future scenario similar to that of 1929 would create the prime opportunity for a man like the Antichrist to emerge from the shadows.

And after the sixty-two weeks
Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself;
And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;”
Daniel 9:26-27

From somewhere within the boundaries of the old Roman Empire, will come one, who will confirm (or increase) some covenant with the many (many nations), for one week of years (or seven years). We can be certain that this has not happened historically, so we know that this is still a future event.

How it happens

European leaders such as Winston Churchill, Nicolas Sarkozy, Emmanuel Macron, Donald Tusk, Jean Claude Juncker, and others have long had on their mind a vision to revive the greatness of Europe. As of 2019, they have not yet had the means to do so. Going back to 1947, Europe has undergone a process of piece-meal unification via treatise to make that happen. So far, this has resulted in a fractured and somewhat dysfunctional economic and political alliance. They barely have an Army, and practically no Air Force or Navy. NATO (the current military force for the EU) is truly only functional because it is being led by the United States. Once the US is no longer taking the lead in NATO, it will fall apart and NATO will be drafted into the European Defence Force.

The EU has many serious issues (both foreign and domestic), of which they really cannot get a handle on, let alone, take on the mantel of replacing the U.S. as the world’s next superpower if we were to collapse. Since there is presumably far fewer born-again Christian’s in the EU than the U.S., it would be another logical assumption that internally, the EU would take far less of a hit than the U.S. would when the Rapture does occur. That is to say, the EU would be in better shape after the Rapture than it is before. The same could be said for much of the Middle East, Russia, and Asia.

Presupposing a U.S. collapse (breakdown of all normal societal and governmental functions), what remains in the U.S. is a hodge-podge of secure zones, surrounded by large swaths of lawless areas. At this point, the world has about three choices for who can/will take the mantle of becoming the new top dog: Russia, China, or the European Union. Given that, the world has seen what Russia and China are capable of (Stalin, Iron Curtain, Great Leap Forward, etc.); the world will likely favor a European-led confederacy. Add into this, the demise of the Gog-Magog coalition (Russia, Turkey, Libya, Sudan, and Iran), the choices are now largely the Kings of the East (a China-led coalition), or the European confederacy, comprised of ten regions.

In order for the EU to propose any sort of challenge to China or Russia, it would need to capitalize on the things it has excelled at, which is technology and economics. The EU still wants its great military forces (as treaties and stability are meaningless without the threat of power). Logistically speaking, it would take time to transfer the wealth, power, and people of those who were left behind in the U.S. to the newly ascending European Union (and/or Union of the Mediterranean). This is also assuming that people would want to leave the New World for the Old World, but if the U.S. were to return to its wild and ungovernable roots, many would flee the Americas to get back to some sense of normalcy.

So how does the Antichrist take power and revive the old Roman Empire (the EU and UfM) to take over the entire earth in the last days?

The same way Hitler did.

He took advantage of chaos and uncertainty.

This is why I believe there is a gap in time between the Rapture and the start of the 70th Week of Daniel (aka…the Tribulation). Note that Adolph Hitler did not rise to power at a time when Germany was prospering and politically stable; he rose to power when things were in utter shambles. Back then in 1929, the U.S. Stock Market crashed, triggering numerous economic crashes around the world. Germany was still suffering under the auspices of the financial penalties from the post-WWI Versailles Treaty. When the stock market crashed, they literally hit rock bottom. Using Hitler, as an example as an antichrist, the one thing we take note of is that it took time for him to do what he did.

• Hitler’s political climb to power started in 1929 and continued through his ascension to the Chancellorship in 1933 = four years.
• Hitler’s domestic consolidation of power began in 1933 and continued through 1938 when he annexed Czechoslovakia and the Sudetenland = five years.

Therefore, it took nine years from 1929 to 1938 before Hitler’s true ambitions came to the forefront. If the Rapture of the Church triggers a similar economic shockwave around the world such as the 1929 Stock Market Crash, then conservatively speaking, we could see the Antichrist rise to power in half that time or about 4.5 years.

The timing would have to be right for a leader to step in and fill the vacuum that the absent U.S. would present. However, this man would still need the logistical means to resource and finance his ambitions. This is where advancements in technology and the Mark of the Beast system comes into view. This man (the Antichrist) would first have to contend with a number of systemic and emerging issues and problem sets that would prevent him from completely taking over IF the Rapture happened tomorrow:

1. The sudden removal of 31M U.S. citizens would destabilize the U.S. Dollar causing it to collapse. When it does, it will drag every other fiat currency down with it. This means not only economic instability ensue, but also political, military, and societal chaos. The only solution to this problem is to convert the world’s economies over to a new form of currency. This means that the world would already have to be close to such technology for that to be feasible. In 2019, we are already there.
2. The war on truth (fake news, information leaks, disinformation, etc.) has become every bit as real as any other military conflict. IF the economies of the world collapse and societal chaos ensues, no one will know whom to trust to a far greater degree than even today. The Antichrist would need to use this new financial system as a forcing-function to create absolute, politically loyalty.
3. The world is currently divided amongst nationalists and globalists. The happy medium between these two polarized viewpoints is regionalization. Divide nations amongst regions, so that the nation states can still keep some semblance of autonomy (the EU is largely like this today), but are grouped in regions so that they can be more manageable. The Club of Rome (See here) have already created a map detailing this plan.
4. While the political world of today refuses to acknowledge the spiritual domain, the Antichrist will absolutely embrace it. He will do so through infusing technology (some form of quantum-based artificial intelligence) into his body. His super-power as it were, will be the most superior intellect the world has ever seen. He will have the perfect ability to recall any bit of information ever conceived of by man and use it for his advantage. Through the help of another person called the False Prophet (who really does have supernatural powers), the Antichrist will begin to consolidate his power amongst the other regional leaders (Dan. 7:7-8, 19-25). Lastly and most importantly, Satan will give him all the kingdoms of the earth (Luke 4:5-7).

In Summary

• According to 2nd Thessalonians 2:7-8, the Antichrist cannot be revealed until AFTER the Rapture of the Church.

For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed…

• According to Revelation 4:1-2 and 5:8-10, Christ begins to open the Seals after the church has already been caught up to heaven.

After these things (after the church age) I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this (after the church age).” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. (Emphasis mine)

• The Antichrist cannot begin his conquest until Christ opens the first Seal.

Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’ And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
Revelation 6:1-2

• Therefore, the Antichrist will not be in a position to confirm any covenant with anyone, until he is politically/militarily/economically in a position to do so and…

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;”
Daniel 9:26-27

• One cannot negotiate from a position of weakness. Antichrist must be in a position of power to set the terms, enforce the regulations or laws of the treaty, in order for anyone to abide by it.

So many things have to happen between the Rapture and the start of the Tribulation (Gog and Magog War, the rebuilding of the Third Jewish Temple, power transfer to the EU) that it becomes logistically impossible to do it all within the seven-year period of the 70th Week proper. With that said, if you understand the gap required, you need not to manipulate your Pre-Tribulation Rapture position to fit current events.

All Things Prophecy: Volume II

The Mark of the Beast

Last week I got to thinking about the true purpose (the why) behind the Antichrist’s need for a system like the Mark of the Beast. Aside from the already stated economic and religious reasons given in Scripture (Revelation 13), my opinion is that there is also a very practical reason for it. By the time, he begins to come to power; the war on truth will have reached a crescendo of sorts. So much fake news and information leaks will be ongoing everywhere, it would seem that in order for him to secure his position of authority, he would require a plan that demands absolute loyalty.

Much in the same way Nazis had to wear the swastika as a symbol of political loyalty to the Reich; this mark will also be a symbol of allegiance to the Beast. Not only that but will also likely influence the bearer’s ability to reason to such an extent, that once you receive it, you will have permanently abdicated your right to free will. That will be the ultimate form of sacrifice this man will require.

Therefore, while we do not know who this Antichrist is, nor do we know what exactly how the number 666 fits into this technology, we know it is coming because the technology is already here. From Deep-brain neurostimulators to electronic tattoos, there are numerous types of wirelessly controlled implantable technology. While most of this technology is being used benignly for medical purposes, this man will conceive of a way to use them as a form of control. He will figure out a way to tie this into the new form of digital currency that will arise once our current fiat system has collapsed.

Interestingly, both regimes (the Nazis and the Beast) will have only truly ruled for seven years. While it is true that Adolph Hitler came to power in 1933, he really did not get around to his true intentions until 1938, when he invaded Czechoslovakia. From 1933 until 1938, Hitler seemed like a great man of peace and enterprise. He was praised all over Europe and even in America by many political leaders and captains of industry for bringing Germany back from the economic brink with his Four Year Plan. However, from 1938 until 1945, Hitler’s true colors came out and he was bent on conquering everyone he could, at whatever price. Similarly, the Antichrist will first come out as a man of peace; riding on a white horse, as a man on a mission (Dan. 8:23-25, 9:27; Rev. 6:1-2).

As outlined in my Volume I, after the Rapture, the world will be thrown into chaos. This rider on the white horse will seemingly have all the answers to the issues that will be plaguing mankind at that time. Since Satan is the de facto ruler of this earth and age (Luke 4:5-7, 1 John 5:19), he is the primary instigator of all the problems which have always plagued mankind. As such, Satan will hand over the keys of the earth (metaphorically speaking) to this man and he will do the impossible. The world will marvel after him, and for the briefest of moments, he will seem like the answer to their godless prayers.

So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’”
Revelation 13:4

What gets lost in translation here, is the timing of all this. So as a bit of a recap, allow me to list out how I believe things will transpire.

• The Rapture of the Church decimates the US and triggers a global collapse of the present world order
• The Rapture is immediately followed by a three to four and a half year gap in which the following occurs
• The formation of the Beast (government) and Harlot (religious) world system begins
• The calamitous destruction of Damascus by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) prompts the hook in the Jaw for Gog. The chaos will be used as justification for Israel’s nuclear first-strike policy against perceived threats (Isaiah 17)
• After this great victory, Israel receives global condemnation for the use of excessive force and begins to largely dismantle their IDF believing they are finally out of harms’ way (Ezekiel 38:8-9)
• The global collapse of the West, coupled with Israel’s disarmament triggers the Gog-Magog invasion (and why the US is unable to come to Israel’s aid) (Ezekiel 38-39)
• After spectacular divine deliverance, Israel unanimously approves the building of third Jewish temple (Rev. 11:1-2)
• The building of the third temple prompts the arrival of the Two Witnesses to arrive and begin their three and a half year ministry (Rev. 11:3-7)
• The world is realigned under ten regional commands (Dan. 2:41-43)
• Using subterfuge, the Antichrist dislodges three other regional leaders to garner the controlling interests of the Beast system (Dan. 7:7-8, 19-24)
• The ousting of the three kings by the Little Horn (The Antichrist) will signal his arrival on the global stage as The Antichrist (Rev. 6:1-2)
• The Antichrist is now in a position to confirm the covenant with the many. Presumably some treaty between Israel and the Beast system, which allows her to operate independently of the Beast (Dan. 9:27
• Seals 2-6 occur in conjunction with the ensuing conquest by the Antichrist to secure his global dominion

This season of conquest is why Antichrist will require unwavering loyalty by use of this permanent mark with his name. Much like the current Social Credit System, China is currently employing, the Mark of the Beast will be everything, and without it, you cannot do anything. Furthermore, to deny receiving it, will mean a forfeiture of all property and certain execution. The mark itself will most likely genetically alter your DNA and will corrupt your mind (loss of free will) possibly causing the bearer to enter into some form of demonic possession that never lets go.

I personally believe that demonic forces can possess technology. Just think about all the creepy things Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already saying these days with simple systems like Alexa and Siri. My theory is that the Antichrist will be a man who is embedded with some form of quantum-powered (quantum dot), AI infused, technology that will give him unfettered and immediate access to all the digitized information stored around the world. Perhaps this is why places like the Utah NSA Data Center exists. This data center (one of many) can hold upwards of five zettabytes of data [a zettabyte equals a billion terabytes]. Furthermore, our DNA itself can hold massive amounts of information (around 700 terabytes in a single gram of DNA), which may also be how he accesses it.

Imagine how powerful a man could be if he could perfectly recall any information ever conceived of in mere milliseconds by accessing this data with the assistance of AI. Now imagine that same man who is embedded with a form of quantum-based AI that is also possessed by Satan himself. Satan and his fallen angels were here before Creation, so they certainly understand how everything works down to a molecular level.

He will know where all the hidden treasure is buried. He will know every dark secret conceived of on earth. He will be able to manipulate everyone whose name is not written in the Lamb’s book of Life, simply by knowing all their dirty secrets. Francis Bacon once noted that knowledge is power. If that is the case, then this man will be the smartest unredeemed man to have ever lived.

Not only will he have access to all the conventional knowledge in the world, but he will also be able to access the secret (multi-dimensional) knowledge that is hidden from our reality. He will have the dutiful support of the False Prophet, who can summon up supernatural demonic powers. The world at this time will want to worship this man. He will be for all intents and purposes, the world’s first superhero. This is why a supernaturally charged False Prophet, who can do signs and wonders, directs all worship towards him. Antichrist will be (my opinion) the physical embodiment of the Singularity, or at least, that is what people will think of him as being.

Nevertheless, by worshipping this man for temporary respite, he or she will be condemning themselves to an eternity in hell. Whatever temporary enjoyments they have here on earth, will be extremely fleeting because, before hell, they will endure the divine judgments increasingly compounding upon the earth. From cataclysmic natural disasters to the bloodying of the waters, scorching the earth, devastating heat, and tongue-gnawing darkness. Their messiah will not be able to stop the wrath of God from being poured out upon the earth.

Even still, the mark of the beast will so pollute their minds, that they will be incapable of repenting. All they can do is curse and blaspheme God. If the mark of the beast involves some form of neuro-engineering, those who bear it will not be able to reverse it.

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’”
Revelation 14:9-11

All Things Prophecy: Volume III

The Politics of the Beast

Thinking about the final week of years (the 70th Week) and all that must occur therein, and I struggle to see how it all takes place within just those seven years. As noted in previous briefs, I believe there will be a gap in time between the Rapture of the Church, and the official start of the 70th Week. Looking at it purely from a logistical and operational standpoint, the man of lawlessness will have an incredible amount of things to do in a very short period of time (even with a gap).

Example: If you have ever been involved in setting up a charity event, or hosting a wedding or some other type of formal occasion, you know how time and task intensive it can be. Even seemingly, insignificant actions can become extremely taxing when one has to rely on other people to make the necessary arrangements. Now, consider how much time and resources it would take, to take over the entire world.

Perhaps it has been glossed over and lost in the context of the bigger picture, but for one man to control the entire world, to me, seems like the mother of all ambitious plans. Many have tried, and none (to date) has succeeded. However, where they have failed, the Antichrist, or rather, The Beast will succeed. Even still, the stage must be set in order for there to be a global coup to occur, and that in and of itself is no small feat. For clarification between the two, the Beast is in my understanding, the final government system that arises. At a certain point, a singular man (the Antichrist) will become the head of the Beast and becomes the personification of it. Before we start, let us look at the current ideological coup that is ongoing and how that has come to a culminating point in these past ten years.

Marxism was a 19th-century social-construct that mixed class struggle, social conflict, economics, and psychology into a singular philosophy of governance. Its theoretical goal was to create a more equitable society. The reality has resulted in a series of totalitarian governments controlled by a small group of people (an oligarchy), or even by a lone individual (ex. Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and Kim). Its method for achieving totalitarian control is by the use of propaganda, class relations (divide and conquer), political correctness, a cult of personality, and the suppression of free speech. It pits people groups against each other and specializes in creating false narratives (ex. Fake news, Reconstructionist history, political correctness, etc.) to keep the facade going. Considering how one of our two political parties is now openly advocating for socialism as well as academia, the media, and the entertainment industry, I would say this ideological coup has been somewhat successful.

Even still, it has taken over a century for this to come as far as it has.

The Antichrist will have anywhere from 7-10 years (at best) to conquer the world.

So how does this Beast take over the entire world in such short order?

Assessment

Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?’”
Revelation 13:1-4

Therefore, when considering this final week of years and the governmental system we see managing it, we must come to a certain conclusion that it will be the most comprehensive, complete, and perfect governance system ever devised by man. I say perfect only in its ability to be an authoritative control over the earth, not perfect as in a force for good. In fact, it will become the evilest and destructive system ever created. Moreover, it will have two advantages no previous empire has ever had, which is the full backing of the god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), and an advanced artificial intelligence system that will be completely taking over through some form of demonic possession.

The numbers seven and ten play significant roles throughout the Bible. The number seven is viewed in biblical numerology as the number of divine perfection. It is the combination of the number of the divine (three) and of creation (four). The number ten is often seen as the number of completion or perfection and is used 242 times throughout the bible. The most famous examples are the Table of Nations (of which there were ten), the ten plagues put on Egypt by God, the Ten Commandments, and the ten toes of the multi-metallic stature (representing nations) that King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed and Daniel interpreted. [Of note, there were seven combinations of materials used in Nebuchadnezzar’s statue: Gold, silver, bronze, two legs of iron, and iron mixed with miry clay.]

The number seven is used 735 times (the book of Revelation uses it 54 times). The word created is used seven times in Genesis 1 and 2, and God rested on the seventh day. There are seven days in the week, and it is in Jewish tradition that Adam was created in the seventh month. The seventh day is considered the Sabbath. There are seven major divisions of the Bible. (Source)

As fascinating as the numbers are, I believe it just goes to exhibit the kind of system it will be, and why it will be different from any empire before it. Clearly, there are more than ten nations now in the world. In order for the more than 190 nations to be consolidated down into ten, means a process of regionalization. I believe regionalization is the interim fix between the goals of nationalists and globalists. The scope and breadth this government must become in order to do all Scripture say it must require much stage-setting first. This stage setting may shed some light into the lunacy we see going on in today’s political theater, and why these issues are critical to The Beast’s overarching aims of global domination. In no particular order:

1. Climate change: Part of the pre-70th Week narrative is this idea that man causes climate change. While mankind may contribute too, and/or exasperate certain climate issues, we certainly cannot control it. Nevertheless, the current political green movement we see today (Al Gore, AOC, Bernie Sanders, et. al) is not as concerned with fixing the world as it is in controlling and taxing it. The final government will need the narrative firmly entrenched into the common citizen’s psyche ahead of the Rapture, to provide the justification for implementing it in a time of crisis (think Patriot Act). This will provide the governing authorities then legal authority to begin controlling the entire world’s natural resources, to include, the air they breathe (UN Agenda 2020/2030). Secondly, the Beast will need man-caused climate change to be the escape-goat (excuse) necessary to shape the narrative regarding the divine judgments wreaking havoc upon the earth. If you take into consideration all the particular judgments of which deal with natural catastrophes (Seal Judgments 3 & 4, Trumpets 1-4, Vials 2-6, etc.), there will need to be an excuse that excludes the possibility of divine wrath. Paradoxically, we read that by the Sixth Seal Judgment, man begins to attribute the cosmic disturbances as the Wrath of the Lamb (Rev. 6:16-17).

The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.”
Revelation 8:7

2. Ecumenism: No exclusive religions will be tolerated inside the 70th Week aside from the one being promoted by the False Prophet (the Harlot). Given the plurality of religions in the world today, there will need to be two convergent efforts underway to make this happen. First is the oppression of exclusive religious views, and the promotion of inclusive (one size fits all) ones. We see the oppression of Christianity today throughout the government, media, academia, and elsewhere, however, ALL views (Hindu, Buddhism, Islam, et. al) will one day be forced into this mandatory ecumenism.

The exception to this absolutely intolerant position will be that of Orthodox Judaism, as they will be allowed to rebuild their third temple. It may also be that the Beast will not be able to stop the Jews from doing so with the arrival of the Two Witnessesprotecting/distracting the Beast’s efforts in Jerusalem for three and a half years. However, all that changes with the death of the Two Witnesses, which seems to be near the mid-point of the Tribulation. At this point, the Antichrist (head of the Beast) betrays the Jews and desecrates the Holy of Holies in this new Temple by declaring himself God and making people worship him (see 2 Thess. 2:3-4).

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”
Revelation 17:1-2

3. Digital Money: In order for the Beast to control the world, it will need to control the money, which means doing away with all national currencies and going to a centralized one. The world will be forced to wean itself off paper money by taking advantage of the right global crisis. As I have noted numerous times in the past, I believe that the perfect crisis to be the Rapture of the Church. Whereas there have been global crises in the past (ex. WWII), what was lacking was the technology for a suitable replacement to said physical currency. Think of the days/weeks just after the Rapture, and the likely geopolitical chaos and upheaval that will ensue with millions, perhaps even a billion people all of a sudden disappearing. This would be the opportune time for the governments then (perhaps the UN) to implement a Bretton-Woods Agreement 2.0, which instead of replacing the gold standard with the U.S. Dollar will replace the U.S. Dollar with some new form of International Digital currency.

Currently, governments around the world hate physical currency because it is not easily traceable, ergo, more difficult for authorities to control. This is why criminals and others who do not want the government to know what they are doing and where they are doing it, prefer physical money. I believe this is also why the globalist entities today (IMF, UN, World Bank, Federal Reserves, etc.) are allowing nations to bury themselves in national debt, because the greater the debt accrued, the lesser the crisis needed to become the tipping point toward this new digital currency.

He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”
Revelation 13:16-17

4. Peace & Security: There has been much ado these days about building walls, especially along our southern border. Whilst all this has been garnering the bulk of the news feeds as of late, another type of wall is being built without much fanfare. That wall is the technological iron curtain, which is being laid quietly around the world. Techno-giants such as Google, Amazon, Alibaba, Microsoft, IBM, Apple, and others are all racing to develop technologies, which they believe will aid in the evolution of mankind. Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum computing, blockchain technology, digital currency, unmanned and autonomous weapon systems, global surveillance, Nano-technology, and biometrics to name a few, are supposed to make the world a better place.

The band of Big Brothers (Russia, China, UK, and the U.S.) is the top endemic surveillance states on the planet today. They are working in tandem with the aforementioned tech-giants to develop an array of information processing platforms and networks, which are sold to the public as being for our own safety and security. Granted, this is not to say that these governments and companies’ purposes are doing all this is for purely nefarious reasons, because there are plenty of problems and issues both faces. From corporate espionage and national security to terrorism and crime, the world has become an increasingly dangerous place. This requires increasingly complex strategies to control it. However, the Antichrist will use this technology to cement his iron-fisted control over the entire planet. There will be nowhere to hide.

It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Revelation 13:7-8

5. The Hybrid Domain: The world’s current greatest military, the U.S. Department of Defense, has in large part, moved its priorities away from fighting small, regionally confined conflicts (insurgencies, counter-insurgencies, and terrorism), back to that of the nation-state threat on a global scale (think World War I or II). They have factored in the advancements in technology so that we are not just fighting on the domains of land, sea, and air anymore, but also in space and cyber-space. Furthermore, with the world’s population topping 7.5 billion, we now realize that any future major conflicts will likely take place in dense, urban areas such as megacities. This adds in still another factor, the subterranean domain (as most large cities have large underground infrastructures such as subway systems). However, what most governments and organizations fail to contend with is the spiritual domain.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12

Beginning with the Age of Enlightenment, the world’s academic and scientific elite have increasingly denied the existence of the spiritual realm. This has resulted in the rise of naturalism (that everything has some logical basis for being) and the explosion of human secularism. This has resulted in the academic promotion of atheism, Darwinian evolution, Big Bang theory, Freudian psychology, and other empty theories that deny the reality of the spiritual domain. This is problematic for humanists, atheists, etc., because science is now proving that there is a lot more to our reality than previously understood. This denial is something the Beast will paradoxically exploit as the world’s elite remain in shock at what just transpired.

The development in the understanding of quantum mechanics (late 19th-early 20th-century) is now beginning to bear fruit in the 21st-century. What Einstein once famously labeled “spooky action at a distance” is now being harnessed into the power of quantum computers. The first time I was introduced to the topic of the “quantum realm” was by the late, great Chuck Missler who often compared the truth of quantum physics to the truth of the Rapture by use of a quote.

The popular Cal Tech physicist Richard Feynman has summed up this paradoxical situation well: I think it is safe to say that no one understands quantum mechanics… In fact, it is often stated that of all the theories proposed in this century, the silliest is quantum theory. Some say that the only thing that quantum theory has going for it, in fact, is that it is unquestionably correct.”

Elon Musk, Geordie Rose, and other leaders within the technology industry are now openly commenting on the potential breakthroughs quantum physics has presented.

Imagine a world where all of the laws of physics as we know them are obeyed but different decisions were made along the way, different decisions at the level of tiny microscopic particles, different decisions all the way up to what you chose to eat for lunch, and whether you chose to come to this session or not. Quantum Mechanics makes a very specific prediction, that all of those are as real as the thing that you remember… But science has reached the point now where we can build machines that exploit those other worlds.”
– Geordie Rose, Founder of D-Wave (Source)

As it turns out, the Rapture will not only remove the believers from the earth but will also fundamentally change reality, as they (those left behind) know it. Although the rapture event will have to be explained by the authorities as something, I believe they will attribute it to something we are now being exposed to through the media, pop culture, false religions, etc. such as ancient aliens, UFOs, Maitreya, New Age Mysticism, the “Snapture,” etc. Which may be why there is a renewed interest in the post-apocalyptic genre these days. Likely, the days and weeks after the Rapture will be overflowing with every conceivable conspiracy theory as to where so many people (and children) vanished too. Simultaneous to this is the gateway (portals) that science-based organizations (NASA, CERN, DARPA, etc.) are actively attempting to open. Where they were unsuccessful in the past (pre-Rapture) in breaching these other dimensions (the spiritual domain), the barrier will now be removed and they will inadvertently unleash hell upon the earth.

Out of this door might come something, or we might send something through it,”
said Sergio Bertolucci, who is Director for Research and Scientific Computing at CERN, briefing reporters at CERN HQ earlier this week. (Source)

So how does the Antichrist exploit this?

Science is now introducing the possibility that through technology, they can explore other dimensions (DARPA, CERN, NASA, etc.). I believe the reason they have not crossed that boundary as of yet, is due to the restraining influence of the Holy Spirit (i.e., it takes a Spiritual Being to restrain the spiritual forces). However, once the Holy Spirit-filled believers are taken up at the Rapture of the Church, this divine barrier will be removed and there will be an explosion of supernatural unleashed upon the earth. The paranormal will become the new normal and the Antichrist and False Prophet will use this to deceive the entire world.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

All Things Prophecy: Volume IV

Why Prophecy Matters

I am going to begin this article with a reasonable presumption, in that; I believe Satan has read the bible. He may not believe its precepts or accept its outcomes, but I believe he is well versed in it (Luke 4:10-11). He would have to be well versed in it, in order to misquote and attempt to corrupt its message. This leads me into the discussion at hand, primarily, that a proper understanding of Bible Eschatology is vital to both the believer’s spiritual and physical well-being. Not only that but because of its perceived difficulty in understanding it, it is one of the most ignored of all biblical doctrines. This is something our enemy eagerly exploits. As the old maxim goes, it’s not what you know that is often a matter of life and death; it is what you don’t.

Humans are not just physical beings only made of flesh and blood, we are tripartite creatures (1 Thess. 5:23). The world is also not just, what we can perceive with our five senses, but also what we cannot see, feel, touch, etc. (2 Cor. 4:18). In fact, much of the problems the world has ever faced was ideological in nature. Whether people fight over politics or economics, religion or lack thereof, flawed man’s propensity to think, “what is best?” is often what is the chief cause of his demise (Prov. 14:12).

Adding to this is the general rise in ignorance over the past century. In part, this was a deliberate attempt to be political leftists who have gained control over much of the education system to “dumb down” the masses. While true ignorance is a risky thing, being in a state of willful ignorance can be downright precarious. Let us explore two categories of what I deem, the willfully ignorant.

The Deniers

Freethinkers (aka…atheists, skeptics) like to think of themselves as unburdened and enlightened having thrown off the “shackles” of organized religion. In reality, they are setting themselves on a path of self-destruction as foretold in Scripture (Rom. 1:16-32). The old adage of if you don’t believe in something, you’ll believe in anything couldn’t be any truer. If you deny that a Higher Power of supreme intelligence created the world, you will likely accept that an accidental, unprovoked giant explosion did.

If you do not believe God created man in His image, you will likely believe we evolved from swamp slime. Furthermore, skeptics accusations of Christian’s being brainwashed and backward rings hollow when simply looking at the complexity of our bodies, the world, and the systems that hold everything in place. Our existence could not be accidental. Too many things are precisely correct for all of this to be happenstance.

In terms of enlightenment, the credit really goes to those early 14th-century Christian dissidents (ex. Wycliffe, Huss, etc.) who dared to challenge the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Their role helped in diminishing the power of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, the 15th-century Reformers further weakened and succeeded in breaking up the monopoly the RCC had over Christendom in Western Europe. Their boldness in challenging the iron-fisted grip of the Catholic Church centuries before the Age of Enlightenment is what allowed the spark of change to begin to occur throughout Europe. IOW, the enlightenment could not have happened had not the Reformers (and their predecessors) begun to break away from the Roman Catholic oligarchy of the 14th-16th centuries.

The Religious

While skeptics, atheists, agnostics, flat-earthers, etc., are all in the same category of denying the painfully obvious, this group is the other side of the same coin. This group attributes religion (take your pick) with enlightenment and/or salvation. Religion of every stripe and flavor has been practiced throughout the earth since the beginning of time. From ancient Judaism, Canaanite, Minoan, Zoroastrian, Ashur religions, to the Buddhists, Hindus, Satanist, Pagan, and Christian religions of modern times. Religion of any kind cannot save you. Religion simply defined, is man’s attempt to appease a higher power through rites, rituals, dogma, and services. Religion can make people do and believe very stupid things.

Many of us would consider ourselves religious to varying degrees, but I am not addressing the born-again believers who hold to religious practices and views. I am addressing those who are not born-again, and simply view whatever their religion is as sufficient for salvation.

Skeptics love to point to the atrocities committed by the RCC in years past, as proof that Christianity has failed humanity. They ignorantly lump Christianity into religion as if attending church services were how someone becomes saved. I always counter (as should you), that Roman Catholicism is not Christian. It calls itself that, and perhaps some are born-again who still reside inside that system, but the system itself is not. When you look at the tenets Roman Catholicism holds too, you would see it is just another works-based religion. Christianity is grace through a faith-based relationship with the Creator of the Universe. One can make you a moral person (theoretically), while the latter, can save to the uttermost even the most wretched of sinners.

Assessment

Not only is ignorance a dangerous thing, but Biblical ignorance is equally hazardous, especially in a topic as expansive as Eschatology, (which makes up nearly 30% of the Bible). So here are some real-life examples of people who did not understand their Bible very well. During the 20th-century, more than 100M people were murdered under the atheistic regimes of the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and North Korea. They replaced God with the government, and created a theological worldview where there was no God, no afterlife, and thus, no divine judgment. Theology matters!

Skeptics often accuse Christians of past atrocities and are quick to point out the Crusades and the Inquisition as evidence. Is this a fair charge? What justification was there for the Crusades (1195-1291) which hundreds of thousands were killed in the name of Jesus Christ?

At the root of the cause for the Crusades, was the flawed eschatological position known as Amillennialism. Augustine of Hippo first created this eschatology back in the 4th-century as a replacement for the original pre-millennial position. Similar to how Communism replaced God with the government, Amillennialism replaced the Kingdom of God with the kingdom of the Catholic Church.

Amillennialism (the a being used in the negative) posits that despite what Scriptures say (Rev. 20, Isaiah 2, 66, etc.) that there was no literal, future, Christ-centric Kingdom coming to the earth. The Roman Catholic’s position then was that they were the fulfillment of the Kingdom (headed by the papacy) and that it was their “duty” to reclaim the Holy Lands from the infidels (Muslims and Jews) and force people into Christendom. Nowhere in scriptures does it charge the church to do this. Hermeneutics matter!

Faulty/erroneous hermeneutics can cost you your life and/or everything you own, especially if you buy into false doomsday predictions. Just look at those people who diligently followed Jim Jones (the People’s Temple), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Harold Camping (Family Radio), or Marshall Applewhite (Heaven’s Gate). Each of these groups had very flawed understandings of the Bible, and in particular, Bible prophecy. Eschatology matters!

Although I do not consider Eschatology in and of itself to be a salvific issue, I am hard pressed to believe that the Holy Spirit can indwell a full-Preterist or an Amillennialist devotee. Primarily, because although Eschatology is not in and of itself salvific, it is deeply interwoven into the other major Bible doctrines. Therefore, one’s eschatological view is often a weathervane for what a believer, believes regarding other major Bible doctrines.

Amillennialism and Preterism are so corrupt and extreme in their denial of Biblical truth that if one could adopt them (or either); they probably have no issue in denying other foundational spiritual truths. With that said, I am not saying it is impossible for one to be a born again Christian and still hold these views; I personally just find it very hard to believe that they could.

Loss of credibility can be devastating to one’s ministry or denomination, especially given that most ministries are based on the financial support of their followers. The Bible only teaches one Eschatological position (the Pre-70th Week Rapture, Pre-Millennial view). Any variant outside of this is therefore doomed to failure. See what WWI and WWII did to the Post-Millennial position. See what damage the Amillennial position has done to whole denominations (primarily mainline protestant denominations). See how Amillennialism and Preterism have wreaked havoc upon the Catholic Church worldview. Churches, who promote either the Preterist or the Amillennial view, are without fail, are either DYING on the vine or apostatizing. Let me sum up what that last point by comparison to atheism.

Atheism offers nothing and takes everything

Likewise, Amillennialism and Preterism offers nothing and takes everything from the believer. As shown above, having an accurate understanding of theology, hermeneutics, and eschatology matters. For instance:

Ecclesiology: If you believe the Church must go through the 70th Week of Daniel, then your understanding of the Church is confused or warped. You likely believe either that there is no coming judgment, or that the church is destined to go through it. The reason for this is that if you do not understand whom and what the Church is, you will most likely come to some conclusion that the Church has either replaced or has become Israel. This is the Church:

1. Created personally by Christ (Matt. 16:18-19)
2. Is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:12-27)
3. Is sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Eph. 1:11-14, 4:30)
4. Is neither Jew nor Gentile, but a new creation (Col. 3:11)
5. Is not subject to God’s wrath (1 Thess. 1:10, 5:9)

Soteriology: If you believe that the Church must go through any of the judgments outlined in Revelation 4-18, it is almost a foregone conclusion that you also deny the eternal security of the believer. This denial means you believe either that Christ’s sacrifice was insufficient to pay for your sins, or insufficient to keep you saved.

1. Jesus gives those who believe in Him, are given eternal life (John 3:16, 5:24)
2. No one can take or separate you from God (John 10:28-29, Romans 8:35-39)
3. Salvation means sonship and heirs to God (Gal. 4:1-7)
4. Salvation is a free gift; we cannot earn it (Eph. 2:8-9)
5. Christ is personally responsible for our salvation (Hebrews 12:2)

Pneumatology: If you believe the Church must go through the 70th Week (aka…The Tribulation), then you would also have to deny the role of the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer (2 Thess. 2:7). In layman’s terms, the Bible teaches very clearly that the Holy Spirit is God, and has always existed on earth throughout our history. That is to say, He (the Holy Spirit) was very busy on the earth prior to His arrival to the Church in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit performed differing roles, from the “energizer” at creation, to the “enabler” during the Old Testament times. The Holy Spirit would come upon and empower certain individuals for periods of time (ex. Samson, Saul, David), but it was only ever to select individuals, and it was not a permanent indwelling.

In the post-Acts 2 Church age, the Holy Spirit’s role is to permanently seal the believer (Eph. 1:11-14, 4:30), guide the believer into all truth (John 16:13), and convict the world of sin (John 16:8). What Paul posits in 2 Thessalonians 2, is that the man of sin (i.e., the Antichrist) cannot be revealed UNTIL the Restrainer is removed (2:8), which is to say, the vessels the Holy Spirit indwells. I fully understand God the Holy Spirit is omniscient and omnipresent, so I am not saying the Holy Spirit is physically removed from the earth. What Paul is saying here, is that in His present role of sealing the Church and convicting the world of sin, this particular role is what is removed. This allows for the floodgates of hell to be opened upon the earth during this final week of years.

1. The Holy Spirit as energizer (Gen. 1:2)
2. The Holy Spirit as an enabler (Judges 13:25, 1 Sam. 11:6, 16:13)
3. The Holy Spirit as the Helper (seals, guides, convicts) (Eph. 1:11-14, 4:30, John 16:13, and 16:8)

The removal of the role of the Holy Spirit (as restrainer) is just as necessary, as it was necessary to reboot (for lack of a better term) the Holy Spirit’s role from the Old Testament era to that of Acts 2 and beyond. (Luke 24:29, John 16:7, Acts 2:1-4)

Conclusion

As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 13:12, we currently see in the glass darkly, having a partial understanding of all that is yet to come. None of us has it perfectly figured out. However, the Holy Spirit can guide us into all truth, if we allow Him too. This means taking the Bible at face value, (literally), and keeping passages in their proper context (grammatically and historically).

Just remember, that while the whole the Bible is written for us, it is not necessarily all written to us. While having an incorrect Eschatology often has real-world ramifications, it is usually indicative of other errors in your biblical hermeneutics. The grace of God in all this is that the Rapture of the Church is going to happen regardless of our individual eschatological persuasions, and will correct all these issues the church is currently facing, instantaneously.

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’”
1 Corinthians 15:51-54

Even so, Maranatha!

Where the Antichrist comes from is very important. Everyone has their own ideas, America, Europe or even Russia. But what does the Bible say? Where will the Antichrist come from according to Daniel 8? Daniel 8 you might wonder why we picked a prophecy that has already been fulfilled. Well watch the video and see why it hasn’t been completely fulfilled. Also, learn what this chapter has to say about current worldly governments like Turkey and Iran and what the future of those nations looks like. Finally, learn how Christians should apply these prophecies in their day to day lives.