Great Article on where we find ourselves… (This weeks Nearing Midnight commentary from RaptureReady.com)
Maranatha Lord, come quickly!
-myblessedhope
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Nov 19, 2012
The stunning reelection of President Obama has caused several of us in the field of Bible prophecy to question the possibility of him being the Antichrist. I still look for a leader to come out of the area that was once part of the Roman Empire. Since we don’t have a clear vision of the ten-horned confederation that will elect the Beast, it would be unwise to slam the door on any non-European leader.
I did a search on “Is Obama the Antichrist?” and found very little current information on this subject. One search pointed right back to Rapture Ready. So, I guess I need to provide my own answer the question.
There was once a time when you couldn’t be called a world leader unless there was some group identifying you as the Antichrist. Lately, pin the tail on the AC has become a dying art. Back in the nineties, every prophecy conference that I would visit had someone labeling a political leader as the AC. I remember attending an afternoon session at a God’s News Behind the News conference where four speakers in a row tagged Bill Clinton as the Beast.
Today, we’ve gone in the opposite direction. I was recently at a prophecy conference where Barack Obama’s name never came up once. He seems to be mysteriously coated with Teflon when it comes to any speculation of him having an end-times role. When you have someone who would have to hold a news conference while wearing horns and the number “666” tattooed on his forehead to get the attention of Bible scholars, that is the guy you need to keep an eye on.
Robert Jeffress, senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas, deserves credit for daring to state the obvious fact on this subject. He said if Obama wins the election, his victory would lead to the reign of the Antichrist:
“I want you to hear me tonight,” he said. “I am not saying that President Obama is the Antichrist, I am not saying that at all… But what I am saying is this: the course he is choosing to lead our nation is paving the way for the future reign of the Antichrist.”
The statement by Jeffress became yet another example of how Obama is being shielded from any criticism. Here we have a leading pastor comparing Obama to Satan’s evil spawn, and the press turned the story into a debate on why Jeffress recommended people voting for Romney, a member of the Mormon cult. Jeffress argued back that when you have a choice between two evils, you go for the lesser one.
As Christians, we are responsible for understanding the signs of the times. One of the best ways to know how close we are to the Tribulation hour is to track how ready the world is for the rise of the Antichrist. Here is a quick overview of what the Bible says about the Antichrist:
Daniel 11:36-43: He will magnify himself above God.
Daniel 8:23-25: He will be a problem solver.
Revelation 6:2: Everyone will think he wants peace.
Revelation 13:2: Satan is behind the Antichrist’s power.
Revelation 13:5: He will have great political power.
Daniel 9:24-27: He will make a seven-year pact with Israel.
Revelation 13:7: He will wage war against the saints.
Revelation 13:8: He will be worshiped by all.
Revelation 13:16-17: He will require all to receive a mark.
Revelation 17:11-17: The Antichrist will betray the apostate church.
Revelation 19:19: The Antichrist will fight against Christ.
The devil has no way of knowing who will be the Antichrist until we reach the point that it is obvious that we are in the Tribulation. Until we reach the point of clarity, Satan will always have someone who has his unholy blessing. Right now, Obama would seem to be the front runner. When or if that mantle passes from him, time will only tell.
I’ve been surprised by how many end-times bloggers used the Obama election victory as an excuse to shutter their operations. I think this was an incredibly foolish move on the part of these people. The Bible warns that people like Obama will prosper in the last days. When you are running a race and people are dropping out or falling back, it is a perfect sign that the finish line is drawing near.
“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits in God’s sanctuary, publicizing that he himself is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 HCSB).
— Todd
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Click on the article title for a link to full original referenced article.
In Romans 10 Paul lays out how salvation is open to all, Jew and Gentile. He writes:
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Romans 10:4-5
What he is saying is now it is not about works or how closely to a “T” you follow the law. But that it is through God’s gift of grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. It is really that simple, and yet a hard step for some of us.
“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
Christ is the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14), through faith in Him you will be saved. It is the only “works” that God requires for eternal salvation.
