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Date Posted: 04:03:55 08/02/02 Fri
Author: SOLA SCRIPTURA!!!!!
Author Host/IP: 66.141.144.190
Subject: Mondo Some Related Info: Babylon the Great and Antichrist

Babylon the Great and Antichrist
1. The Revived Roman Empire
from The Gospel Hour Archives

The hope for every believer is the Lord's coming. Jesus comforted
His disciples, sorrowing over the fact that He must soon leave
them, with these words: "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I
go and prepare a place for you, I WILL COME AGAIN, AND
RECEIVE YOU UNTO MYSELF: that where I am, there ye may
be also" (John 14:2,3).

The Bible declares: "We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your
hears" (2 Peter 1:19). It is important that we take heed to prophecy.
I went through seven years of university and seminary and never
heard on word on prophecy, yet God says, "take heed." so many are
not taking heed today.

Prophecy is not given to satisfy curiosity. It is given to be a light
flooding our souls so that we shall not grope in the darkness of this
world. By the light of prophecy we may know the real course of
things and the end toward which all things are moving.

After the return of our Lord and the snatching away of believers to
meet Him in the air, will come the Great Tribulation Period and
the rise of the Revived Roman Empire. Rome will be the head of
this great empire composed of ten united kingdoms under
Antichrist.

In Daniel 2 we have Nebuchadnezzr's dream of a great image with
its head of gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of
brass, its legs of iron, and its feet part iron and part clay. God
revealed the meaning of this dream to Daniel. The image portrayed
four different world empires. The head of gold represented the
Babylonian Empire which was followed by the Media - Persian
Empire, then by the Grecian Empire, and finally by the Roman
Empire. The iron Roman empire, with its Eastern and Western
branches represented by the two legs of iron, is now a matter of
past history, but its final form represented by the ten toes is yet
future.

In revelation 17 we see the Roman Empire under the figure of the
beast ascending to power again. The revival of this empire will
come in the form of a ten-power kingdom as taught in Daniel
2:32-45. Christ, "the stone...cut out of the mountain without hands"
falls in judgement upon it and breaks it in pieces. He sets up in its
stead His own millennial kingdom which fills as a mountain the
whole earth. We see the stage being set today for the Revived
roman Empire in the formation of the European Common Market
which is striving for economic and political power. The Threat of
Russia's strength is driving Western Europe to a closer alliance.
The European Common Market is gradually controlling imports
and exports of commodities worldwide. We feel its effect here in
Canada in respect to fish, lumber, vegetables, and other
commodities.

In Daniel 7:7-27 we are taught other important details. The beast
here mentioned is the empire from its beginning to its final doom.
In the final form that the empire will take, ten kings represented by
ten horns will arise, and after them will arise another, A LITTLE
HORN, which will subdue three of these kings. the little horn
becomes the final dictator of the revived Roman Empire, and it is
because of his doings that judgement falls upon the empire.

In Revelation 13:1-8 and 17:3 the little horn of Daniel's prophecy
is symbolized by the beast itself. he unites and controls the whole
government of the empire. The ten kings, or heads of the ten
kingdoms, give supreme dictatorship to the beast, and they are
subordinate to him. He will become the head of a one-world
government, a one-world economic system, and a one-world
ecumenical church. There are several things to notice in
connection with the revival of the Roman Empire. The power
behind this Empire will be Satan himself. He will ascend out of the
bottomless pit according to Revelation 17:8. in revelation 13:2 we
are told: "...the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great
authority." Antichrist will be energized by Satan. This is the result
of complete apostasy from God when man takes sides against God
and His Word and becomes a part of the work of Satan.

When we look at the moral aspect of the Revived Roman Empire
we see it promoting everything that is wicked and sinful while
opposing everyone whose desire is to honour God. In Revelation
13:4 we read: "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power
unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast." This man,
Antichrist, as the head of the empire, will be worshipped along
with Satan, the dragon. This worship is enforced by a decree for
the death penalty (Rev. 13:14-19) which brings down the fierce
wrath of God upon them. We look over the land today and see
man being worshipped instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. The
leaders of many of the false cults, like the Moonies and
Armstrong, have become as gods to their followers. They reject the
true gospel and all who preach it.

The Pope's visit to Canada this year brings before us the plain fact
that he usurps the place of Christ. Notice his titles: "Most Holy
Bishop of the Catholic Church"; "Most Blessed lord"; "Chief of the
Church of the World"; "Vicar of Jesus Christ"; "The Sovereign
Pontiff"; "The Supreme See which cannot be judged by any other."
How sad that the Canadian Council of Churches, which includes
the Salvation Army, accepts this recognition and calls the Pope "a
brother in Christ" when he actually represents the Antichrist and
the whore church of Revelation 17. The Antichrist is described as
one who exalts himself in his own pride and has "a mouth
speaking great things" according to Daniel 8,9. He will be full of
his own importance and self-sufficiency.


Antichrist, who takes the place of Christ, will be found speaking
against God Himself and against His heavenly saints. "And he
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His
name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (Rev.
13:6). Those who dwell in heaven are the glorified saints who are
caught up to be for ever with the Lord when he comes for His own
before the beast comes to power.

Antichrist will oppose everything that is of God upon the earth.
"The same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against
them" (Dan. 7:21). The saints upon the earth are the godly remnant
from among the Jews who will refuse to worship the beast and
who preach the gospel of the kingdom, announcing that Christ is
coming to destroy the power of the wicked and to reign upon the
earth. The final step will be when Antichrist gathers the armies
together to Armageddon in Palestine to attack Christ at His coming
from heaven with His glorified saints: "And I saw the beast, and
the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make
war against Him (Christ) that sat on the horse, and against His
army" (Rev. 19:19).

Praise God, the Lamb will have the last say: "These shall make war
with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them" (Rev. 17:14). I
also read in Revelation 19:19,20: "And I saw the beast, and the
kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war
against Him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the
beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought
miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had
received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his
image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with
brimstone."

Let us keep in mind that the revived Roman Empire is definitely
anti-God. It will raise itself up in open and blasphemous
opposition against God and His interests on earth. We believe the
stage is being set today. The next great event is the Lord's return
for all who believe in His substitutionary blood-atoning work of
the Cross.

You can personally rest assured that just as our Lord has the last
say over the Antichrist, He will have the last word concerning your
life. He calls upon you today to forsake sin and receive Him by
faith as your own personal Saviour. 2. Babylon The Great

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven
vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will
shew unto thee the judgement of the great whore that sitteth upon
many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed
fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk
with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the
spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet
coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads
and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet
colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,
having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness
of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written,
MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE
EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the
saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when i saw
her, i wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me,
Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the
woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven
heads and ten horns" (Revelation 17:1-7).

This scarlet coloured beast "full of names of blasphemy" is the
revived Roman Empire under Antichrist. The great harlot who sits
upon the beast is the ecumenical professing church left behind
after the rapture of the true believers. it is interesting to see the
development of Babylon as portrayed in the Bible. In Genesis 10:1
we find the sons of Noah listed: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Verse 6
speaks of the development of the line of Ham through Cush. In
verses 8 and 9 we are told that Cush begat Nimrod who became a
mighty hunter before the Lord. Now notice verse 10: "And the
beginning of his kingdom was Babel (or Babylon)."

In Chapter 11 we have Nimrod and his people building the tower
of Babel as their way of approach to God. When God saw that the
people were of one language, He said, verses 7-9: "Go to, let us go
down, and there confound their language, that they may not
understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them
abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off
to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; (or
confusion)." Nimrod's desire in building the tower of Babel was to
establish a new religious system and to offer the people a new
approach to Heaven. But this was a false system. God came down
and pronounced this system confusion. That is why the Apostle
John speaks of Babylon as the "MOTHER OF HARLOTS" for this
was the beginning of every false religious system and of the
ecumenical church. In order to understand something of the final
form of Babylon in the Tribulation Period, let us examine the
teachings of Nimrod, the first apostate. Nimrod married a girl by
the name of Semerimus and when their son Tammuz was born
they claimed him as the fulfilment of the Messianic promise of
Genesis 3:15. She instituted a religious system in Babylon and
became the high priestess making herself and her son the objects
of worship. The symbol of this religion was a figure of a mother
holding a child in her arms. She adopted the title, "the queen of
heaven."

This idolatrous religious system had a very definite influence upon
Israel. Ahab, king of Israel, married Jezebel, a foreigner who was
brought up in this mother-child cult. It was not long before the
people of Israel gave themselves over to the worship of Ashteroth
and Baal, the mother-child cult. In Jeremiah 44 we read why God
said He would send the children of Israel into Babylonian
captivity. This message, delivered by Jeremiah, was a warning of
the judgement of God that would surely come upon them because
of their idolatrous practices. The people answered Jeremiah
saying: "As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name
of the Lord, we will not harken unto thee. But we will certainly do
whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn
incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings
unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our
princes...since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all
things" (verses 16-18). As a nation, Israel repudiated the worship
of Jehovah for the worship of Ashteroth and Tammuz, or Baal.

In Ezekiel 8:6-18 we find that the mother cult had come right into
the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem: Notice verse 13: "Turn thee
yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do."
Ezekiel was shown one after another the manifold idolatries that
were being carried on in the very house of God. Verse 14: "Then
he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which
was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for
Tammuz." Here the people are found doing special penance to
honour the queen of heaven and her miracle son Tammuz. Such
abominations made it necessary for the Lord to withdraw. His
people having so defiled His house, He could no longer dwell
there. A careful study of God's Word reveals the development of
this whole system which will culminate during the Tribulation
Period under the title of Babylon or the Ecumenical Church of the
Antichrist.

But there is another interesting development that is an important
background to our study.

In the days of Christ, when the Caesars were crowned, they were
crowned not only as Emperor of the Roman Empire, but as
PONTIFEX MAXIMUS or High Priest. Every Roman Emperor
from the time of the Caesars were thus given the title of high priest
of the same mother-child cult that had spread to Rome. There was
now a definite union of church and state with the Roman Emperor
administering and controlling the system of worship. This
mother-child cult brought in the observance of lent, hot-cross buns,
easter eggs, the tree and the mid-winter birthday of the child
Tammuz, and all the rest that went with it. In the year 312 when
Constantine defeated Maxentius, as PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, he
declared Christianity to be the religion of the Roman Empire and
said that everybody in the Roman Empire was to be a Christian.
There was, however, no change of heart. The people went to the
same temple and worshipped the same mother-child god. They
followed the same calendar year, the same rituals of lent and
Easter with Easter eggs and hot-cross buns and all had officially
become Christians.

As this whore church comes to its final development there will be
a close alliance with secular government. The woman rides the
beast and the beast upholds the woman. We see this today with
special ambassadors to the Vatican and in the way our
Governments in Canada gave millions of dollars for the Pope's
visit in 1984. Revelation 17 gives a brief but comprehensive
description of the wickedness and final judgement of the
professing Church. This church is the seat and fountain head of a
system of idolatry that surpasses in subtlety and corruption that of
ancient Babylon. So it falls heir to its name and becomes the
instrument of Satan. 3. Babylon And The Church Contrasted

The mystery religion of Babylon has been symbolically described
in the last book of the Bible as a woman "arrayed in purple and
scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and
pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and
filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name
written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER
OF
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH"
(Revelation 17:4,5). In relation to all our study of the Bible, I want
to share with you a very important rule of Bible interpretation that
will help you understand the Word of God. "WHEN THE PLAIN
SENSE OF SCRIPTURE MAKES COMMON SENSE,
SEEK NO OTHER SENSE. THEREFORE, TAKE EVERY
WORD AT IT'S
PRIMARY ORDINARY, LITERAL MEANING; UNLESS THE
FACTS OF THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT, STUDIED IN THE
LIGHT OF RELATED
PASSAGES AND AXIOMATIC AND FUNDAMENTAL
TRUTHS, INDICATE
CLEARLY OTHERWISE."

Now when the Bible uses symbolic language, a "woman" can
symbolize a church. The true church, for example, is likened to a
bride, a chaste virgin, a woman without spor or blemish. I read in
Revelation 19:7,8: "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to
Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath
made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the
righteousness of saints." In striking contrast to the true church, the
woman of our text is spoken of as an unclean woman, a defiled
woman, a harlot, a whore. If it is correct to apply this symbolism to
a church system, it is clear that only a defiled and fallen church
could be meant. She is called "MYSTERY BABYLON."

What are the characteristics of this ecumenical church of
Antichrist during the Great Tribulation Period?

1. It is a religious system essentially of the earth though she claims
to be the true church of God. It is earthly in origin, associations,
and character. She is the "MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND
ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." She is
the guilty associate and friend of the "kings of the earth" and the
kings and governments of the earth will honour her with large gifts
of tax money and a reception that supersedes all other dignitaries.
She reigns over the kings of the earth (17:18) and "...did corrupt
the earth with her fornication" (19:2). Jesus said concerning His
little flock: "they are not of the world, even as I am not of the
world" (John 17:14). The true church is heavenly in its citizenship:
"our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven' (Phil. 3:20). The true
church is heavenly in its blessings: "God...hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 1:3). The
affections of the true church are set on heavenly things. "Seek
those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right
hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on
the earth" (Col. 3:1,2). The true church is united to Christ: "Who
gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this
present evil world (system)" (Gal 1:4). 2. It has the name
"MYSTERY BABYLON" and her shameless character is written
upon her forehead. Her name is MYSTERY, yet it is written on her
forehead. Her character is plain, if only you can read it. If you are
pure, you may soon know that she is not. If you are true, you may
quite easily detect her falsehood. In lands where she bears sway, as
represented in this passage, she has managed to divorce morality
from religion in such a manner that all the world knows the width
of the breach. The "mysterious" religious rite of transubstantiation
is an affair of the hands, combined with the magic of a little
breath, by means of which the most sinful of His creatures can
create the God that mad him! This great mystery which she herself
conceives as a sacrament, you may see clearly on her forehead
then.

In contrast, the true church has the name of Christ on her forehead.
Christ is Lord. Christ is uplifted - not the cross. Christ is all in all.

3. Babylon seeks a place of supremacy over the world, in contrast
to the true Church which is "subject unto Christ" (Eph. 5:24). It is
now the portion of true believers to be witnesses of the Lord Jesus
Christ before a world that has rejected Him, while awaiting the
time when they shall reign with Him (Rom. 8:17 and 2 Tim 2:12).
The great whore "sitteth upon many waters" (Rev. 17:1) and the
waters are explained in verse 15 as "peoples, and multitudes, and
nations, and tongues." This shows her power and domination over
many nations. She sits upon the "beast full of names and
blasphemy" (vs.3) and "reigneth over the kings of the earth" (vs.
18). Think of her power. No wonder we read: "Babylon the great is
fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the
hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of very unclean and hateful
bird" (Rev. 18:2). Instead of being a vessel through which the Holy
Spirit works in divine power and grace, the professing ecumenical
church of Antichrist becomes the habitation of devils and the
instrument of Satan to suppress every true voice that is raised for
Christ and the truth.

4. Another awful characteristic of the church of the Antichrist is
given in Revelation 17:6: "And I saw the woman drunken with the
blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus."
Instead of being an ambassador for Christ to carry the life-giving
message of God to a lost world, she is found shedding the blood of
the saints and suppressing every voice that is raised in true
testimony for God.

This description reminds us of the torture-chambers and of the
countless victims who were cruelly tortured and burned to death,
and of the unspeakable horrors of centuries of violence and
murder.
In Revelation 6:9,10, when the fifth seal was opened, the Apostle
John wrote: "I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain
for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And
they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and
true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell
on the earth?" In Chapter 7 verse 9 we see other martyrs: "After
this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could
number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues,
stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white
robes, and palms in their hands." Verse 14: "These are they which
came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

5. Let us notice that the whore is decked with gold, pearls, jewels,
etc.. It requires a lot adorning to make her look beautiful.
Wherever this church goes to hold her celebrations money is
poured into the outward making of beauty on altars and luxurious
and colourful clothing. But all this outward show is to distract
from her true form. The true church, on the other hand, is clothed
in purest white, without any make-up. SHE is His adornment - HIS
pearl of great price. 6. An illicit union with the world is another
characteristic of the whore church, whereas union with Christ is
the portion of the true church. notice Revelation 17:2: "With whom
the kings of the earth have committed fornication." The kings of
the earth love her adultery as well as her idolatry.

7. The whore church is the fountain head of the worst kind of
idolatry that Satan ever brought into his kingdom of darkness.
Revelation 17:4,5: "...having a golden cup in her hand full of
abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her
forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE
GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS
OF THE EARTH." In God's Word "abomination" is a term often
used for idols as being hateful to God and abominable in man. The
words "fornication and adultery" are constantly used for idolatry or
any false religious system to which men turn in unfaithfulness to
the Lord who has espoused His people to Himself (Ex. 34:15,16;
Lev. 17:7; Ezek. 6:9). What is more abominable than to worship
anyone else or to venerate anyone else above the Lord?

To sum it up in a few words, Babylon, the whore church, is a
widespread system of religious corruption claiming to be the true
church of God. She seeks supremacy over the political systems of
the world wile corrupting and stupefying the masses with her
religious ceremonies, thus giving the appearance of godliness
while denying the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:5). Under the guise of
worshipping God and while giving herself over to worldly splendor
and riches, she becomes the fountain head of a Satan-inspired
idolatry that surpasses the idolatry of all past history. She becomes
the bloodthirsty persecutor of all the saints who dare to bear
witness to Jesus and to the truth of God's Word that exposes her
guilt, whether it be the saints of the present Church Age or the
Jewish remnant that will bear witness after the rapture takes place.
Revelation 18:23,24 tells us clearly: "For by thy sorceries (that is
trafficking with Satan) were all nations deceived. And in her was
found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were
slain upon the earth."

There is now a tremendous movement towards this world whore
church. The ecumenical church is the growing interest of both
Protestant and Roman Catholic churches. The charismatic
movement also is working overtime to bring all religions together.

But the Bible teaches something different. God's people are
instructed to "believe not every spirit". We are told to TRY THEM
(1 John 4:1); MARK THEM (Rom. 16:17); REBUKE THEM
(Titus 1:13); HAVE NO FELLOWSHIP (Eph. 5:11); WITHDRAW
THYSELF (2 Thess. 3:6); RECEIVE THEM NOT (2 John 10:11);
HAVE NO COMPANY WITH THEM (2 Thess. 3:13); REJECT
THEM (Titus 3:10); BE YE SEPARATE (2 Cor> 6:17).

4. The Great Tribulation

While the term "Antichrist" is a vague one to many in these days of
neo-evangelical and liberal theology, yet to the early church and to
all Bible students it speaks of the last and the greatest of the
enemies of God and of His Christ. As we study the Bible we find
these facts clearly taught:
1. Before the end of the age of Grace, there will be apostasy which
will not only be a corruption of the Christian faith, but a total
denial of it. It will substitute "the lie" for "the truth." It will be
counterfeit faith.
2. That the last representative and leader of this apostasy will be a
man - the Antichrist, "the man of sin", "the wicked one", "the son
of perdition." 3. That during the Tribulation Period of seven years
following the rapture of the church, this man will attain universal
dominion, all nations being subject to him. The world today is
looking for such a man, a man of peace, a man that can unite the
nations, a man who will control the world.
4. The Antichrist will claim honours for himself and will persecute
all upholding the faith of Christ, suppressing, as far as possible, all
genuine Christian worship. 5. That the Jews as a whole will
receive Antichrist at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, and
then later on he will turn on Israel and persecute the Jews even
unto death.
6. That Antichrist and his adherents will be destroyed by the Lord
Jesus Christ at His appearance, at the end of the Tribulation
Period.

A careful study of the Bible will reveal that Antichrist will take the
place of God and will bring humanity to the place of worshipping
himself. We read in 2 Thess. 2:4: "Who opposeth and exalteth
himself above all this is called God, or that is worshipped: so that
he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is
God." He will be known as God. He will be one of the most
important theologians of all times. He will teach all mankind to
believe "the lie." Men will turn from the truth of God's Word.

We can see the stage being set today for the theology of Antichrist
to take over the thinking of the unsaved world. We are living in a
day of naturalism which denies the supernatural. It teaches that
scientific laws within nature account for all phenomena. It rejects
the revelation of God as the means of attaining truth. It denies the
existence of a personal God. They teach that if there be a God, He
is "One with nature" for all nature is God's body. This does away
with the Bible, with miracles, with supernatural power, and with
eternal life. This has always been the desire of the Devil. He told
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, "Ye shall be gods, knowing
good and evil." The devil wants to make gods out of men and he
himself want to be the chief god. This will come to a climax
during the Tribulation Period. Man will not have the man Christ
Jesus to rule over them, but they will choose another man - a man
who is humanity's representative - a man who finally ascends the
throne in the temple of God showing himself that he is God.

Therefore we can easily see that the Great Tribulation Period will
have its religion. The false church, the worldwide ecumenical
church, will be the church of the Tribulation Period. In Revelation
17:1-6 we see the adulterous woman sitting upon the beast which
is a picture of the ecumenical church bringing together all the
apostates who have entered this period of time. We know that the
present ecumenical movement will succeed. But since all true
believers will be taken away in the Rapture of the Church, it will
be nothing more than a federation of unbelievers. This is the
reason why God calls His own children out of the ecumenical
movement of our day. How can God's people, in any way, support
or encourage or help the ecumenical movement by being a part of
it when they know from the Bible it is the building of the church of
Antichrist? Hear God's call in Rev. 18:4: "And I heard another
voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be
not partaker of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
Are we going to remain true to our Church or to our Christ? Are
we going to follow the teaching of men regarding the ecumenical
movement or the teach of God in His Word?

The next step for Antichrist in Rev. 13:2-4 is to destroy the harlot,
ecumenical church system, and from that moment on, will demand
that all people worship him. All kinds of deception and lies and
wonders will be employed by Antichrist to obtain worship from
man, and terrible persecution will fall upon those who refuse to
give him the place he demands.

The Great Tribulation is set forth in the Bible under various terms.
In Daniel 12:1 it is described as "a time of trouble." In Matthew
24:21-29 it is called "great tribulation." In Luke 21:34-36 it is
referred to as "that day", that is, the day that is described in the
previous part of the chapter. In jeremiah 30:4-7 it is called "the
day" and " the time of Jacob's trouble."

From the political point of view, it is taught in both Daniel and
Revelation that there will come a united political world just as
there will be a united ecumenical church religious system. There
will be the ten kingdoms in this revived Roman Empire. In Daniel
7:1-28 we have the picture of the ten horns. In Revelation 13:1-10
we have the same picture, and in addition the horns have a crown,
meaning the time of their power and rule have arrived. The rule of
this political world and power will be despotic and blasphemous.

There will also be one economic system. Let me read Rev.
13:16,17: "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor,
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their
foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the
mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." I
wonder if you realize that the pattern has already been set for one
world government under the United Nations 16 International
Agenies: 1. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) whose
aim is to promote peaceful use of the atomic bomb.
2. International Labour Organization (ILO) whose purpose is to
coordinate labour demands throughout the world.
3. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) which is set up to
standardize food qualities.
4. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World
Bank) which is designed to internationalize money standards, and
to develop and international currency.
5. International Development Association (IDA) which seeks to
control the natural resources of the world.
6. United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) is set up to promote collaboration among
nations through education, science and culture.
7. World Health Organization (WHO) to internationalize medicine,
surgery, and all treatments of diseases.
8. International Finance Corporation (IFC) which is a plan to take
over the "poorly developed" areas of the world. This will bring
smaller nations of the world in subjection to a one-world
government.

Then there are other world organizations such as the International
Monetary Fund (IMF); International Civil Aviation Organization
(ICAO); International Postal Union (IPU); International
Telecommunications Union (ITU); World Meteorological
Organization (WMO); Intergovernmental Maritime Consultive
Organization (IMCO); International Trade Organization (ITO);
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trades (GATT).

Jesus spoke of the time when the complex problems would result
in "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth" (Luke 21:26). It is then that
they will unite and look for a leader and that leader will be
revealed after the Rapture of the Church as Antichrist. Yes, and
we conclude by saying that while Antichrist will have full powers
during this seven year period, God will still have the final say.
Christ will return to this earth with miraculous powers to put down
the authority of Antichrist. May I read Rev. 19:20: "And the beast
was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles
before him, with which he deceived them that had received the
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both
were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone."

Sin always ends with death, whether it is in a nation or a person.
"The wages of sin is death." This is spiritual death and separation
from God. If you are not saved you are dead already in trespasses
and sin. Yet there is hope for you in christ for "the gift of God is
eternal life." Christ died to pay your sin debt. He took your place.
He was your substitute. Will you come to Him today, turn from
sin, and by faith receive Christ into your life?

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