Are the Elect the only ones saved?

how to be saved

11 (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls),
12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! (Rom. 9:11-14 NKJ)

A Thought Experiment: Imagine the Elect aren’t the only ones saved. What shall we say then?

Paul names two Groups that will be saved: The ELECT and Israel.

Israel was blinded at first but “have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not!”

Therefore, both Elect and Non-Elect (their fullness) will be saved.

7 What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
8 Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.”
9 And David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, and bow down their back always.”
11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles.
12 Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness (4138 πλήρωμα pleroma)! (Rom. 11:7-12 NKJ)

4138 πλήρωμα pleroma
Meaning: 1) that which is (has been) filled.-Strong’s

Compare:

Now if their stumbling brings riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full number bring! (Rom. 11:12 CSB)

Where and When was their “fullness” achieved?

In hell. They were blinded, didn’t obtain salvation. They died “enemies of the gospel” so they went to hell and in hell they repented and believed in Christ:

25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.
26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob;
27 For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience,
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Rom. 11:26-33 NKJ)

Paul began distinguishing Israel (who was blinded and did not obtain salvation) from “the Elect” (who weren’t blinded and did obtain salvation) Rom. 11:7. Therefore, “election for the sake of the fathers” (Rom. 11:28) is an “election” of the Nation of Israel granted for the sake of the fathers. Israel as a nation was Elect, not individually as in Romans 11:7.

Its a different kind of election, not equivocation.

There certainly is no unrighteousness with God when He Elects individuals unto salvation whoever He chooses to have mercy upon, because He did not thereby Reprobate unto damnation those He did not elect.

Do other scriptures imply its not just the Elect that can be saved? Yes, in the symbolism of the book of life:

The names of the Elect are in the Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8) but other names written in this Book cannot be of the “Elect” because those names can be blotted out (Rev. 3:5; Exod. 32:32; Ps. 69:28) or written in (Ps. 69:28; 87:6; Mal. 3:16).

Blotted Out:

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev. 3:5 NKJ)

32 “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin– but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written.”
33 And the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book. (Exod. 32:32-33 NKJ)

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28 NKJ)

Written In:

Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, And not be written with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28 NKJ)

The LORD will record, When He registers the peoples: “This one was born there.” Selah (Ps. 87:6 NKJ)

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. (Mal. 3:16 NKJ)

As God did not arbitrarily exclude people from the Book of Life when He wrote the names of the Elect in, others beside the Elect can be saved. Therefore, all the scriptures inviting everyone to believe, to choose life, aren’t a charade. They are genuine offers for life.

Moreover, everyone assumes Esau is unsaved. He clearly wasn’t one of God’s Elect. But is he unsaved eternally?

Although the writer of Hebrews describes him as a Godless profane person who sold his birth right for a meal (Heb. 12:16), he also notes Esau and Jacob both were blessed “concerning things to come”:

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. (Heb. 11:20 NKJ)

It doesn’t appear from this “concerning things to come” Esau is eternally damned. Just the opposite.

Although the sins of the descendants of Esau led to their destruction, God enriched Esau’s first descendants and destroyed the Horites from before them just as He did for Israel:

The Horites formerly dwelt in Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them and destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their place, just as Israel did to the land of their possession which the LORD gave them.) (Deut. 2:12 NKJ)

3 `Then I took your father Abraham from the other side of the River, led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his descendants and gave him Isaac.
4 `To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. To Esau I gave the mountains of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. (Jos. 24:3-4 NKJ)

Although Paul focuses on God’s right to do with His creation as He wills, that wouldn’t exhaust all the reasons why “there is no unrighteousness with God”. When it comes to salvation, God isn’t partial:

4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality;
8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness– indignation and wrath,
9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek;
10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. (Rom. 2:4-16 NKJ)




Will the real Continualist Stand Up? The Alleged Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts

baptism in the Spirit

From Frame 5:15

John MacArthur explains Continuationist vs. Cessationist

“I think the argument is when you read the chapter and you see how unique the apostles were and when they passed away what finality that was; that defines cessationism when you cease to have apostles you cease to have the signs that were unique to the apostles. So when someone says he’s Cessationist…[he doesn’t] mean the Holy Spirit ceased to work or Christ ceased to work. I only mean that the things that attended the apostles have ceased when the apostles ceased.” -John MacArthur

[Host]
“One of the arguments I’ve made is that every charismatic except the really bizarre quirky ones if you take the better charismatics the ones whose theology are more on the sound end of the spectrum they’re all Cessationists as well because and in fact they would admit this. Wayne grudem says contemporary prophecy the prophecies we’re hearing today are fallible; everybody would acknowledge that the tongues people speak today are not like the tongues at Pentecost, they’re not translatable languages. So clearly something has changed and unless you want to deny that you’ve embraced the kind of Cessationism.” – Interviewer

[John MacArthur resumes]
“Yeah you just put your finger on what I think is the knockout punch in the final chapter of the book. The last chapter is an open letter to my continuationist friends—and my continuation friends are my friends even friends theologically in many cases, and they want to be continuationist. But in that chapter and exactly what Phil said is the case:
1) they believe in tongues that aren’t languages whereas clearly in the New Testament they were languages.
2) they believe in miracles that aren’t necessarily like the miracles Jesus and the apostles did.
3) and they say that they believe in revelation divine revelation but not infallible revelation.

So, they have miracles that aren’t the same as the New Testament miracles; terms that aren’t the same as the New Testament tongues; prophecies that aren’t the same as the New Testament prophecies; that’s not continuation that is cessation and inventing something else.

So, we need to come up with a new name for them, you know they are “inventionists”. I don’t know what but that that is not a continuity— once you say it’s not what was then you’re not really a continuationist. So I try to back them into a corner and make them admit that they’re not really continuationist but rather they’re guilty of putting the stamp of divine approval and labeling the work of the Holy Spirit on things that have no biblical parallel.”-John MacArthur

Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts?

4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
5 that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge,
6 even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you,
7 so that you come short (ὑστερεῖσθαι) in no gift (μηδενὶ χαρίσματι), eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
8 who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household , that there are contentions among you.

22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; (1 Cor. 1:4-11, 22 NKJ)

Continualists claim the words “ANY [3367 μηδείς medeis lit., not one] GIFT” in 1 Corinthians 1:7 requires all gifts remain till our LORD comes. However, that does not logically follow because then those manifesting those gifts would continue till Christ come also. The verse does not separate them. However, Paul only spoke about their present situation without regard to the future, the verb 5302 ὑστερέω hustereo is in the present tense. At that time they were like all other churches, not behind in spiritual gifts, as they eagerly waited for the LORD.

Nor does “[God] will also confirm you to the end” imply the gifts will continue because the apostle always wrote as though Christ would return soon even though he knew it could be a long time off (Mt. 24:42-51). Moreover, this “confirmation” must refer to something apart from the revelatory gifts as both those who manifested gifts and those who wanted to forbid some of them (1 Cor. 14:39) receive this promised confirmation.

Rather than “Continualism”, the entire epistle implies Cessationism, that the tide of gifts was ebbing and that caused divisions among the majority “have nots” against the minority of “haves”. Paul’s reference to those “who seek wisdom versus those who seek signs” also implies this general division (1 Cor. 1:22). The “have-nots” must have been the majority because only a majority could successfully “forbid the speaking of tongues” compelling Paul’s direct intervention (1 Cor. 14:39). Most of the epistle treats other concerns. In context Paul’s greeting has the appearance of “reassurance” not to believe the ebbing gifts indicated God was displeased with them. On the contrary, the same situation was evident in other churches.

Paul devotes almost an entire chapter to end the schism caused by the ebbing of the gifts, rising to the defense of those suffering spiritual abuse because of their lack of gifts. As God gifts as He wills it is not their fault:

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body– whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free– and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,
24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Cor. 12:4-30 NKJ)

That would explain why Paul felt compelled to discuss the cessation of these gifts in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13, they were already ceasing causing divisions in the church (1 Cor. 12:3-12). It is noteworthy he begins this discussion reminding Corinthians of their former occult practices and how it led them by the nose to idols who can neither speak or hear (1 Cor. 12:1-3), and giving them objective means by which to identify when a demon spirit was inspiring the prophecy (1 Cor. 12:4). After Pastoring to restore unity in the body, Paul seeks to lessen their dismay over the ceasing of the revelatory gifts noting that was always inevitable.

Paul believed Christ might return in the 1st century. Therefore, the implied date for the cessation of tongues prophecy and [supernatural] knowledge is the 1st century.

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect (5046 τέλειος teleios) has come, then that which is in part (3313 μέρος meros) will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Cor. 13:8-13 NKJ)

Continualists misread this text, what must remain until the teleios is the meros, not any particular item in it.
Paul did not say WHEN prophecies tongues and [supernatural] knowledge would cease, he only says “it will happen” once the “complete revelation” arrives possibly in the 1st century. Paul only says there is no need for partial revelation once the complete has arrived. Just as childhood things are no longer needed in adulthood.

To illustrate, Paul is not promising the continuance of these gifts: Some in the audience had ice cream cones that were melting in the hot sun. They were sad about this, so Paul consoles them: “When the ice cream factory comes, which only sells ice cream by the gallon, ice cream cones will cease, vanish, be done away. No one will miss the partial portions of ice cream once the complete portions have arrived.”

Paul’s three-two arrangement confirms this.
8) prophecies tongues knowledge: 9)know in part, prophesy in part
11) spoke…understood….thought as a child: became a man, put away childish things
12) see in a mirror dimly, then face to face; know in part: know… as I am known
13) Now abide faith hope love: but the greatest is love. Love is repeated twice.

As neither “faith” nor “hope” are revelatory gifts verse 13 does not imply continuance, rather this reinforces the universal thought of “cessation.” No need for “faith in” and “hope for” the Kingdom to come after it has arrived. Only love remains.

Therefore, in context Paul seems to be saying “Pursue love because it will remain unlike prophecy tongues and knowledge (which are failing), but while these are still available like faith and hope, desire them to edify the church.

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. (1 Cor. 14:1-3 NKJ)

The NT is a “non-charismanic book”, the universal born-again experience was manifested by the 3000 saved on the Day of Pentecost, and it is precisely what believers manifest today. No mention of tongues or prophecy, rather the “outward physical evidence” is a changed heart, sincere devotion to God’s Word and love for their fellow believers:

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 “For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.”
41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.
44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common,
45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,
47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:38-47 NKJ)

Passages cited FOR the gift of tongues (Ac. 10:46-47; 19:4-7) actually prove how unusual it was, for these are cited as signs. In the first that the Way was open to Gentiles (Ac. 11:1-18), and the second that salvation can occur only in the name of Jesus (Ac. 19:3-6; 4:12).

That these gifts passed from the scene as the New Testament was being written is clear from a chronological survey of the data. About 67 A.D. these special revelatory gifts are spoken of in the past tense:

3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will? (Heb 2:3-4 KJV)

We see the “timeline of cessation” quite clearly in this survey of the NT data. While some will object “this is an argument from silence, therefore unsound”, that wouldn’t apply when “silence is impossible”. The NT writers made it a point to record all extra-ordinary events, it is impossible they not do so. To illustrate this principle, if a body is silent for hours not breathing, to a high degree of probability it is dead, a corpse. That deduction would not be unsound.

Pentecost was the time of maximum manifestation of the special gifts. If we calculate those present on that day, 120 receive the gifts while 3,000 do not (120/3120=.038) only 4% of the church manifested these gifts. Everything in the NT indicates this percentage decreased as the Bible grew, as Holy Scripture began to take the place of the revelatory gifts.

A.D.30 According to Scripture only 3.85% (120/(3000+120)) percent of believers spoke in tongues when they received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost-Acts 1:15, 2:1ff; 41-47.

A.D.49 Paul lists fruits of the Spirit rather than special gifts-Galatians 5:2-23.

A.D.51 Timothy brings Paul news about faith and love, not charismata-1 Thessalonians 3:6.

A.D.51 Paul says love is evidence of God’s choosing, not special gifts-2 Thessalonians 1:3-5.

A.D.51 “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.”-2 Thessalonians 3:5 NIV

A.D.53 The unusual is recorded: Twelve followers of John the Baptist receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues and prophesy-Acts 19:1-7.

A.D.55 Paul appeals to the Corinthians desire to excel in every sign of spirituality to add to their zeal generosity 2 Corinthians 8:7.

A.D.55 New birth confirms one is in Christ, not revelatory gifts-2 Corinthians 5:17.

A.D.55 Paul exhorts unto righteousness and holiness, not revelatory gifts-2 Corinthians 7:1.

A.D.56, Only prophecy is mentioned in a way that implies it is rare and the other gifts surprisingly are not named at all-Romans 12:4-13.

A.D.60 The absence here of revelatory gifts in this context is very conspicuous; it should be here in a number of places. The text lists prophets with apostles, signifying they are few in number-Ephesians 4:2-5:21.

A.D.60 This context would have been perfect to mention the revelatory gifts, he doesn’t Colossians 2:9-18.

A.D.60 Paul neither hears about revelatory gifts nor does he pray for Philemon to receive them-Philemon 1:4-7.

A.D.62 Renewing of the Holy Ghost connected to holy lifestyle and God’s grace, not gifts-Titus 3:1-8.

A.D.62 Revelatory gifts not part of the requirements for the office of overseer or deacon-1 Timothy 3:2-13.

A.D.62 Paul had to exhort Timothy to use his gift (ministry? cp. 2 Tim. 1:6f) and the example he is to set is for holy living, not gift seeking-1 Timothy 4:12-16.

A.D. 62 Neither Paul or others can heal Timothy: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities. (1Ti 5:23 KJV)

A.D.67 The special gifts are referred to in the past tense-Hebrews 2:3-4. [That is consistent with tongues being a sign to the Jews 1 Cor. 14:20-22 that would organically end with the 70 A.D. destruction of all alternatives to Jesus’ sacrifice with the destruction of the Temple with all its genealogical records necessary for Mosaic sacrifice and identification of the Messiah].

A.D.67 Spur one another unto love and good deeds, not tongues-Hebrews 10:24-25.

A.D.67 Peter does not mention these gifts amongst those who share the divine nature and this is in contrast to the false prophets in next chapter-2 Peter 1:4-9.

A.D.90 God’s love shown not by gifts but by Christ ransom sacrifice-1 John 4:9-10.

A.D.90 Evidence of having the Spirit is love and true doctrine-1 John 4:12-17.

Some argue Revelation may have been written as early as A.D.68 If the earlier date is accepted, it would better fit our survey chronicling the cessation of these gifts for they seem to have ceased about this time.

A.D.94 The seven churches in the book of Revelation make no mention of these revelatory gifts at all, only to a false prophetess called Jezebel (Rev. 2:20f).

A.D.94 Testimony of Jesus is spirit of prophecy-Revelation 19:10.

A.D.94 If prophecy were still in operation in the church, Revelation 22:18 would not forbid adding to the book.

A.D.94 Ethical imperatives not gift seeking-Revelation 22:11.

Satan has been known to step into a Christian void (John 14:30). With the decline of true Prophets the false increased. (2 Cor. 11:3-12:13) They became numerous enough to upset the Church to the point where believers were despising prophecy altogether. About A.D.51, five years before Paul wrote 1 Corinthians Paul had to stop the Thessalonians from despising prophecy. Notice Paul calls for testing it which implies enough of it was false prophecy to make the Thessalonians despise it:

20 Do not despise prophecies.
21 Test all things; hold fast what is good.
22 Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thess. 5:20-22 NKJ)

This was probably the reason why the majority in Corinth wanted to forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:29; cp. 2 Pet. 1:20-2:1ff).” By A.D.90 the apostle John says: “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 Jn. 4:1 NKJ)

Although this is an “apples to oranges” comparison (what is true of an Apostle many not be true of ordinary believers), parallel to the decline of the revelatory gifts is the ebbing of miraculous healing in Paul’s ministry. Around 60 A.D. while Paul was in Ephesus we read God worked “unusual miracles” by the hands of Paul:

11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,
12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them. (Acts 19:11-12 NKJ)

However, not too long after this Paul evidently cannot heal his fellow worker Epaphroditus nor did he do anything for Timothy’s “frequent infirmities” and still later we read Paul had to leave Trophimus behind in Miletus when he got sick:

25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need;
26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.
27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. (Phil. 2:25-27 NKJ)

No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your frequent infirmities. (1 Tim. 5:23 NKJ)

Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick. (2 Tim. 4:20 NKJ)

Acts 28:3-8 doesn’t contradict this ebbing of Paul’s healing ministry, it clearly is a special case being an entirely new mission field and God stepped in to save his life.

To sum up, the cessation of the revelatory gifts can be deduced from the New Testament data where Paul doesn’t mention tongues again after 1 Corinthians, and prophecy only once in Romans in a context that is consistent with the ebbing of these gifts. The absence of tongues and interpretation of tongues is glaring:

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good (Rom. 12:4-9 NKJ)

Nor do tongues appear in any of the Bible books written later. John doesn’t mention togues, Jude doesn’t mention tongues. Tongues seem to vanish until the second century Montanus cult.

It is reasonable to deduce these revelatory gifts became redundant as the Scripture took their place. Scripture is far superior to these revelatory gifts. Whereas prophecies tongues etc. had to be “judged” because “false prophecy” was always present, Holy Scripture can be trusted completely to make the man of God fully equipped for every good work:

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17 NKJ)

END NOTE:

14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

17 “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 “they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

[As individual Pentecostal and Non-Pentecostal believers today DO NOT DO ALL the signs (cast out demons, speak with new tongues, take up serpents, drink deadly poison) must we conclude there are no believers today on planet earth?

Of course not.

There is a transition implied by the context, from believers preached to in the world, to the special group of “believing preachers” Christ is sending thousands and these signs will distinguish them from unbelievers (con men) who feigned belief. Therefore, the pronouns “they, them” in Mark 16:17-18 refer to this group who uniquely establish the Christian faith in all the earth.

The Eleven would know if they truly believe, they would do all the signs that confirmed their word was from God (Comp. Heb. 2:3-4).

After teaching the eleven, the writer confirms the prophecy was fulfilled in the first century Mark 16:19-20). In the NT book of Acts we see Paul claimed to do all these signs of an apostle specially sent by Christ (2 Cor. 12:12; Compare Acts 16:18; 20:9-12; 28:3-5, 8; 1 Cor. 14:18).]

19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20 And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen. (Mk. 16:13-20 NKJ)

Baptism In The Spirit: The Experience

Was the NT Church like a Modern Pentecostal Church?
Paul’s Teaching about Tongues Ceasing implies they were already ceasing
Have we not prophesied in your Name?
The Coming False Christ and His Followers Revealed




Was the New Testament Church like a modern Pentecostal Church?

cessation of tongues

Was the New Testament Church like a modern Pentecostal Church?

Former cessationist Dr. Jack Deere believes “Yes” is the obvious answer:

If you take a new convert, who prior to his conversion knew nothing about the history of Christianity or the New Testament, and you lock him in a room with a Bible for a week, he will come out believing that he is a member of a body that is passionately in love with the Lord Jesus Christ and a body that consistently experiences miracles and works miracles. It would take a clever theologian with no experience of the miraculous to convince this young convert differently.-Deere, Jack. Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (p. 114). Zondervan Academic. Kindle Edition.

Dr. Jack and most everyone else assumes the Corinthian “prophets” were like the prophets in the book of Acts. But in context, Paul says everyone in Church “can all prophesy one by one.” Later, he explicitly says the “Word of God” came to the Corinthians [through the apostles like him], not from any of the tongues prophecy or revelations the Corinthians were giving:

29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge (1252 διακρίνω diakrino).
30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached?
37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. (1 Cor. 14:29-38 NKJ)

Everyone can “judge/discriminate/separate” (1252 διακρίνω diakrino) prophecy, if it is of the flesh or really some great insight given by the Holy Spirit into the Word of God.

Whoever “forth tells” Scripture is a prophet in the truest sense of the world, speaking the word of God. Any believer can do that. When the pews are filled with on fire believers, this could easily describe them as they share their testimonies and do Bible readings:

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1 Cor. 14:26 NKJ)

Every believer receives revelations from God the Holy Spirit while reading Scripture, psalms or teaching and we share that with each other in church and during Bible Study.

So apart from tongues, which were a sign to the Jews (1 Cor. 14:21-22) that Jesus Christ is now the way the truth and the life; That sign was no longer needed once the Temple was destroyed and with it Judaism because the genealogical tables that made the Levitical Priesthood possible were destroyed with it.

 

The Corinthian Church actually resembles a Cessationist church MORE than a modern Pentecostal Church. The majority in Corinth wanted to forbid the speaking in tongues but Paul wouldn’t let them (1 Cor. 14:39). That don’t sound like a Pentecostal Church where everyone is speaking in tongues, at all. But one can easily see its like a modern Cessationist Church.

 

Does 1 Corinthians 1:7 and 1 Corinthians 13:10 prove Continuance of the Revelatory Gifts
Baptism In The Spirit: The Experience
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?
The Two Phases of Antichrist: Man of Sin and Son of Destruction




The Coming False Christ And His Followers Revealed

Antichrist

23 “Then if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!’ or `There!’ do not believe it.
24 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
25 “See, I have told you beforehand.
26 “Therefore if they say to you, `Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or `Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it.
27 “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be (Matt. 24:23-27 NKJ) See also Mark 13:22; Matt. 24:4-5-3; Mark 13:5-6; Luke 21:8

Christians disagree whether the False Christ and Antichrist[1] can be the same person. The final false Christ comes “in My name, saying, `I am He” (Mk. 13:6) but the Antichrist denies Christ’s Name denying both Father and Son (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 1:7).

However, if there are two phases of the Antichrist, first coming as the “Man of Sin” False Christ who after 3 ½ years morphs into the Antichrist “Son of Destruction” denying both Father and Son, there is no conflict.

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:3-4 NKJ)

Paul’s words imply these two phases. The “falling away of the Church” would be irrelevant to a destroyer of Christianity, but necessary to a false Christ wanting the Church to believe “I am he”. A progression is implied, the apostate Church accepts the Lawless One as Christ who leads it into further apostasy, and then he and his followers cast off all pretense of Christianity denying both Father and Son. That happens in the “last hour” John saw so well:

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.

22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.
23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.
24 Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. (1 Jn. 2:18-24 NKJ)

This clarifies how many on Judgment Day plead they once intimately knew Christ having done wonders in His name, but He denies their claim testifying His Spirit NEVER knew them, fully documented by their practicing “lawlessness” (Mt. 7:15-20):

21 “Not everyone who says to Me,` Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 “Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matt. 7:21-23 NKJ)

This fits Daniel’s prediction the “prince who is to come” (Dan. 9:26) is friendly to religion, but then is its enemy 3 ½ years later:

Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” (Dan. 9:27 NKJ)

The symbolism of Revelation 13:1-5 also implies the Beast has two stages. At first he speaks with a “lion’s mouth” in parody to Christ, but then after 3 ½ years the Beast is given a new mouth, one that speaks blasphemies against God:

1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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?”
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
7 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. (Rev. 13:1-7 NKJ)

Moreover, this is consistent with Antiochus IV Epiphanes[2] being a type of Antichrist. During the approximate seven years he dealt with Israel, he first sought to corrupt it with lawlessness peaceably Hellenizing Judaism and Jews (Dan. 11:28). About three years later he returns to Jerusalem with an army slaughtering Jews and seeking to destroy Judaism entirely (Dan. 11:30-31).

Now the contrast Paul made is clear: Antichrists deceived by the energia of Satan “mystery of lawlessness” (2 Th. 2:7) who loved not God’s truth the Bible, versus Christians inspired by the “mystery of Godliness” (1 Tim. 3:16) sanctified by the Holy Spirit to believe God’s truth and remain faithful to apostolic tradition:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working (1753 ἐνέργεια energeia) of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. (2 Thess. 2:9-15 NKJ)

The lying wonders false Christ and his followers do corrupt the church to accept lawlessness, paralleling Antiochus IV Hellenizing Judea to accept homosexuality, transgenderism and prostitution for the first half of the end time week:

22 “Many will say to Me in that day,`Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 “And then I will declare to them,`I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matt. 7:22-23 NKJ)

After 3 ½ years False Christ discards Christianity all together, seating himself in the Church the Temple of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:21) as God, denying the Father and the Son. His former charismaniac followers remain loyal accepting the mark of the beast, leaving the church for good:

18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. (1 Jn. 2:18-19 NKJ)

These Antichrists rise from the TARES sown among the WHEAT, they always were children of the devil disguised as children of God:

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 “But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 “So the servants of the owner came and said to him, `Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’
28 “He said to them, `An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, `Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’
29 “But he said, `No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 `Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”‘”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 “The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 “The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 “Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 “and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matt. 13:24-30, 34-43 NKJ)

Always False prophesying, filled with greed and lust they are not afraid to speak evil of Satan and demons, so they disrespect God’s authority who gave them permission to separate wheat from the chaff (2 Pet. 2:10-12):

4 For certain men [3] have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 “to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. (Jude 1:4-16 NKJ)

9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,
10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,
11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,
13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,
14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children
.
15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption
; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:9-22 NKJ)

Energized by Satan like the magicians Jannes and Jambres, they deny the power of God to live righteously:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was. (2 Tim. 3:1-9 NKJ)

ENDNOTE
[1]

ANTICHRIST
antichristos (ἀντίχριστος, 500) can mean either “against Christ” or “instead of Christ,” or perhaps, combining the two, “one who, assuming the guise of Christ, opposes Christ”-Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., White, W., Jr. (1996). In Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Vol. 2, p. 30). T. Nelson.

[2]

In the book of Daniel the Seleucid ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-164 BC) appears as a forerunner to the End Time Antichrist. That divine linkage implies Antiochus casts light on the rise of Antichrist. The Antichrist is from ancient Nineveh (Nah. 1:11) the ruins of which are in the outskirts of modern Mosul, Northern Iraq. Ancient Antioch, once the capital of the Seleucid Kingdom in modern Turkey, is the likely place for the rise of the miracle working Jewish Christian (2 Th. 2:2 cp. Jn. 17:12 “son of perdition”; Dan. 11:37-38 cf. “God of his fathers” Jewish idiom). John’s Asymmetric Janus Parallelism (Rev. 13:18), pivoting on the number 666 “Adonikam” is “of 666” (Ezra 2:13); is from a “count 667-1” Neh. 7:18) where father and son are both named Adonikam the name of the Beast.

Confirming Adonikam will be an Assyrian (Mic. 5:5-6; Isa. 14:25-27) rising from obscurity to become “Chancellor” of Grecian Empire (Rev. 13:2 from the remnants of East and West Roman Empire, both legs have five toes Dan. 2:41-42; 7:7; 8:9; cf. Ten Horns). He is the King of the North in Daniel 11:40. The Jewish historian Josephus reports an immense multitude of Israelites such as the Tribe of Dan still lived in the country of Babylon (Ant. 11:133) in his day. That is consistent with Antichrist being of the “tribe of Dan” (Gen. 49:17).

There are two phases to his revelation. The miracle working Adonikam rises in the apostate Church to become the “man of sin” false Christ Paul prophesied would come. His signs and wonders are “lying” as they sanction falsehood contrary to God’s Word the Bible (2 Th. 2:3, 9-11). False prophets in and outside of the church hail his arrival as “The Christ” (Mk. 13:6; Lk. 21:8; Mt. 24:5). At mid-week the ‘man who condones sin’ declares he actually is a hybrid human-Elohim, the “seed of Satan” (Gen. 3:15) “Son of Destruction” (2 Th. 2:3 cf. Rev. 9:11) claiming to be the next stage of evolution above all called Elohim. Thus he seeks to change times and law (Dan. 7:25 “divine right”) upon which human society is built. He opposes all Elohim exalting himself above them all, claiming to be alone God. He backs up his claims by working great signs and wonders Satan enabled him to do (2 Th. 2:4, 9-10; Rev. 13:4); not by his own power (Dan. 8:24; 11:38-39).

The two phases of Antichrist are implied by the changes in the Beast’s mouth. As False Christ he has a “mouth like a lion”, as “Son of Destruction” he is “given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies” (Revelation 13:2, 5-6 cf. Dan. 7:8, 11, 20, 25; 8:11-12; 11:36). The first half of the end time seven-year week he is friendly to the world’s religions, but at mid-week abrogates his agreement and ends all sacrifice and offering (other than to himself) world-wide (Dan. 9:27). That is when his supporters destroy the religious harlot Babylon the Great, her services no longer required (Rev. 17:16). When the political power she afforded the church is gone (Dan. 12:7), the great tribulation of the true Church begins (Dan. 7:21, 25; Rev. 13:7; 14:8-12).

When Michael casts Satan and his angels out of heaven, signifying intensity and certainty it is thrice repeated they were cast to the earth (Rev. 12:7-12). This cannot be symbolic language. The rise of UFO cults claiming contact with “Alien Designers” of life on earth who twist scripture, coupled with UFO spectacle in the skies that even the US Government does not deny, reveals immense Satanic effort to condition humanity accept the coming “aliens.” It is most unlikely Satan would expend all that energy and time on UFO deception if they played no role when he “deceives the whole world” (Rev. 12:9). Satan has great wrath against God and knows he has little time left (Rev. 12:12) to hurt God the only way he can, destroy as many humans as possible so God mourn their absence for all eternity.

The four demon riders of the apocalypse reveal Satan’s strategy. First False Christ preaching cooperation with the “aliens” conquers the earth. Mass media and UFO spectacle has conditioned mankind to accept the “aliens” as friendly (Rev. 16:13-14), as saviors of the human race. When they insist a New World Order be created through which they aid mankind the world will willingly oblige, the Grecian Roman Empire will rise from the sea of spiritism (Rev. 13:1-2). But rather than peace and security destruction comes upon the earth as Satan sends out three more riders who overwhelm the earth’s ability to cope with global calamities of civil unrest, wars, famines and pestilence. Fearing an extinction level event, the world’s governments will submit to the New World Order despite their concerns. The Anglo-American beast headed by the False Prophet will deceive the world into constructing the AI Network to manage the earth’s scarce resources, making everyone slaves to the Beast (Rev. 13:11-17). In real time, with quantum computing resources filtering unimportant events, the Beast will “see” and “hear” like God everywhere a device is connected.

[3]

Various clues identify these “certain men”. They are traveling prophets (“dreamers” Jude 1:8; Jer. 23:25; 27:9), ungodly Christians judging by their forerunner Israelites God “afterward destroyed” (Jude 1:5) and “angels who did not keep their proper domain” giving themselves over to lust (Jude 1:6-7; Gen. 6:2). Their lawlessness is how they denied God is Master (1203 δεσπότης despotes) and Christ Lord. Like miracle working TARES today, they rail against Satan even though much more powerful Michael the Archangel shows respect. Immorality and love for money characterized them, even as it does today.

The Two Phases of Antichrist: Man of Sin and Son of Destruction
The Little Horn in Daniel with the Big Mouth
Adonikam is the Name of the Beast having 666 meaning
Antichrist will sit in the Temple of God: Third Temple or the Church?
The Antichrist: His Names Titles and Descriptions
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?




Nephilim Fallen Angels and the Sons of God

nephilim

The Nephilim: Satan’s Fallen Angels

1 Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,
2 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.
3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. (Gen. 6:1-4 NAS)

About sixteen hundred years after God cast Adam and Eve out of Eden (Gen. 3:24), the earth’s population (conservatively estimated) numbered in the billions. Most of the evidence of their civilization was buried by the flood of Noah’s day or now under water. A few megalithic sites survive manifesting the presence of their technologically advanced society. If today’s scientists had life spans of hundreds of years (Gen. 5:4-32) as did Antediluvians because they were shielded from cosmic radiation by a thick water canopy (Gen. 1:6-8; Job 38:9), and had over 1,600 years of global peace to advance science, it is impossible to estimate how advanced beyond today’s technology earth would be.

We can infer from Scripture and experience man rebelled against God’s forbidding access to the tree of life (Gen. 3:22-23). They sought a “work around” via genetic manipulation. The evidence for that is found in the fossil record, the terrifying monsters (Gen. 6:11-13) buried by the flood bear little resemblance to the peaceful herbivores God created on the fifth and sixth days (Gen. 1:30).

In the Days of Noah two competing factions of Angels warred, the “Sons of Elohim” (01121 בֵּן ben 0430 אֱלֹהִים ‘elohiym) “the Watchers” (Dan. 4:17) watching from their heavenly realm labored to return man to God’s good graces, while Satan’s “Fallen Ones” (05303 נְפִלִים Nephilim) walked on the earth inspiring global rebellion against God (Gen 6:1-4).

Scripture testifies God alone has immortality (1 Tim. 6:16), therefore it is impossible genetic manipulation create the “elixir of the tree of life”. So rebellious men hatched a plan to obtain immortality for their children, by their daughters seducing the Watchers who men concluded were immortal as they were unaffected by the Fall. Man conspired with Satan and his Nephilim Fallen Ones, to tempt the Watchers with porn 24/7, their beautiful daughters sexually tempting “the Watchers” to leave their heavenly abode and take human wives (Gen. 6:1-4; Jude 1:6-7; 2 Pet. 2:4).

Genesis 6:5 implies man was the “mastermind” of this conspiracy, God blames them for the fall of His sons. Genesis 6:4 begins with the Nephilim, because they were instrumental in the fall of their contemporaries the “sons of Elohim”.

The Watchers left their rightful abode and took as many human wives as they desired (Gen. 6:2; Jude 1:6-7; 2 Pet. 2:4-5). Their hybrid children were believed to be immortal, perhaps the celebrated “Titans” “men of renown” of old in pagan mythology (Gen. 6:4). Likely they built the amazing pre-flood megalithic structures found above and below the sea:

November 2016: Megaliths, Gods & Giants - PERU & BOLIVIA - Hidden Inca ...

But Satan deceived man because God alone has immortality (1 Tim. 6:15-16) as he very well knew. It is revealed in the book of Revelation Satan had cast his angels down to earth in his “war against the woman’s seed” (Rev. 12:4; Gen. 3:15). By corrupting the image of God in man with the “image of angels” Satan would prevent the “seed of the woman” (Christ the Messiah) from being born in truly human flesh. The ransom sacrifice of Christ would be impossible in flesh corrupted with strange DNA (Compare Ex. 12:5; Lev. 23:12; 1 Pet. 1:19).

1 Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.
2 Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth.
3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (Rev. 12:1-4 NKJ)

[The Mystery Solved: How Angels are cast out of Heaven twice (Rev. 12:4 and Rev. 12:7-9)]

The Nephilim will return in the end time, again promising man immortality, peace and safety (1 Thess. 5:3) from the global crisis’ overwhelming the earth (Rev. 6:1-8). A tsunami of satanic energy will fuel the strong delusion of Ancient Alien Theory (Rev. 16:13-14, 16), that “this time” rebellion against YHWH God will succeed.

END NOTES

Nephilim

Contrary to most internet exposition, the Nephilim were contemporaries of the “sons of God”, not their hybrid children:

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this) when the sons of God were having sexual relations with the daughters of humankind, who gave birth to their children. They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.( Genesis 6:4 NET)

The meaning of Nephilim is debated.

To an unprejudiced mind, the words, as they stand, represent the Nephilim, who were on the earth in those days, as existing before the sons of God began to marry the daughters of men, and clearly distinguish them from the fruits of these marriages.-Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 1, p. 87). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

The hannep̱ilîm were in the land “in those days” and “also afterward [וְגַם אַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֲשֶׁר, weg̱am ʾaharê-ḵēn ʾašer]—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them.” The sense of the phrase weg̱am ʾaharê-ḵēn ʾašer is that the hannep̱ilîm were not the offspring of the union of the sons of God with the daughters of man. Thus the hannep̱ilîm were in the land “while” (בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם [bayyāmîm hāhēm lit., “in those days”]) and “also after” (weg̱am ʾaharê-ḵēn) the time of the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men.-Sailhamer, J. H. (1990). Genesis. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers (Vol. 2, pp. 78–79). Zondervan Publishing House.

Gen. 6:4 The identity of the “Nephilim” and their relationship, if any, to the marriages (v. 2) is perplexing. The word occurs but once more, in Num 13:33, where it refers to an indigenous population inhabiting Canaan. For 6:1–4 the primary question is whether the Nephilim are the offspring of the marriages or merely their contemporaries. The term “Nephilim” (nĕpilîm) is of little help solving the issue since its etymology is uncertain. “Nephilim” is a transliteration of the Hebrew, not a translation, which indicates a group or class. It is commonly related to nāpal, meaning “to fall”; thus the Nephilim are considered “the Fallen Ones.” -Mathews, K. A. (1996). Genesis 1-11:26 (Vol. 1A, pp. 335–336). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Targum Pseudo Jonathan gives these “fallen Ones” names:

Schamchazai and Uzziel, who fell from heaven, were on the earth in those days; and also, after the sons of the Great had gone in with the daughters of men, they bare to them: and these are they who are called men who are of the world, men of names. (Gen. 6:4 PJE)

Context gives the most likely interpretation, not Apocrypha.

The Nephilim are fallen angels, contemporaries of the “sons of God” who also fell from heaven to take wives. Their children were considered “men of renown”. Perhaps they are the builders of pre-flood megalithic stone sites.

This is consistent with the book of Revelation which gives a telescoped prophecy showing Satan casting his fallen angels to the earth to prevent the birth of the woman’s seed (Gen. 3:15 the Christ). This was long before the Archangel Michael and his angels cast them and the Dragon out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9):

3 And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads.
4 His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born. (Rev. 12:3-4 NKJ)

The KJV followed Greek Septuagint precedent and translated Nephilim as “Giants” in Genesis 6:4. Certainly the cowardly spies disputing Caleb also had that understanding . They wanted to exaggerate the size of the enemy claiming “the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim”.

Scripture says Arba is the father of Anak (Num. 13:33. Josh. 15:11) and was a “man” (0120 אָדָם ‘adam), not a Nephilim (Josh. 14:15). While it is correct the Anakim were larger in size than normal men (Num. 13:33. Deut. 2:10, 20-21; 9:2), Caleb defeating three of these sons of Anak (Josh. 15:14) contradicts these were Nephilim. The brief mention hints Caleb defeated them easily, contradicting the exaggeration of the spies. Genesis 7:21-23 emphasizes everyone outside the Ark died, therefore it follows the Nephilim and “sons of God” were refused re-entry into heaven. The angels died physically in the flood once stripped of their “celestial bodies” (1 Cor. 15:40). While the “sons of God” went to Tartarus (2 Pet. 2:4) the “spirits of demons” (Rev. 16:14) were imprisoned in the Abyss. They remain there until the end time when they will be released for a time to work evil (Rev. 9:1-11; Rev. 16:14).

Whether the Nephilim were literal or figurative giants can’t be established. Their children are called “mighty men of old” perhaps alluding to the children of the Titans in Greek mythology.

They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men” probably refers to the ancient “Titans” found in Hurrian, Phoenician and Greek myth. (See Speiser, E. A. (2008). Genesis: Introduction, Translation, and Notes (Vol. 1, p. 46). New Haven; London: Yale University Press.)

Only Noah is said to be “perfect in his generations” (Gen. 6:9) leaving seven others in the Ark (1 Pet. 3:20) as possible sources of angelic DNA causing a race of giants to appear after the Flood. Evidently it was God’s plan they eventually die out. David may have slew the last of them (1 Chron. 20:8):

20 (That also was accounted a land of giants: giants dwelt therein in old time; and the Ammonites call them Zamzummims;
21 A people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; but the LORD destroyed them before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead (Deut. 2:20-21 KJV)

The portrayal of the Rephaim as giants and, ultimately, lineal descendants of the Nephilim, offspring of the divine sons of God (Gen 6:1–4) via the Anakim (Num 13:32–33), is unique to the biblical material.-Heiser, M. S. (2016). Rephaim. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, … W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Angels (Sons of God; Nephilim) are physical beings

In 1215 A.D. the Catholic Fourth Lateran Council reversed early Church belief declaring angels are incorporeal despite overwhelming scriptural evidence “There are also celestial bodies (4983 σῶμα soma) and terrestrial bodies (4983 σῶμα soma)” (1 Cor. 15:40 NKJ):

Σῶμα is not used elsewhere in Scripture to refer to inorganic entities. Also, the context here calls for a contrast between bodies for inhabitants of the earth and bodies for inhabitants of Heaven, the angels [EGT]. The correct contrast to ‘heavenly bodies’, if these referred to stars, would be ‘the earth’, not ‘earthly bodies’. Here the contrast is between the bodies of heavenly beings and the bodies of earthly beings [TNTC].”-Trail, R. (2008). An Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 10–16 (2nd ed., p. 322). Dallas, TX: SIL International

.

It is surprising Protestants continue to propagate Catholic error till this day:

The clear pronouncement of Holy Scripture that the angels are spirits (pneumata; Matt. 8:16; 12:45. Luke 7:21; 8:2; 11:26. Acts 19:12; 23:8. Eph. 6:12. Heb. 1:14), who do not marry (Matt. 22:30), are immortal (Luke 20:35–36) and invisible (Col. 1:16), may be “legion” in a restricted space (Luke 8:30), and like spirits, have no flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).-Bavinck, H., Bolt, J., Vriend, J. (2004). Reformed Dogmatics: God and Creation (Vol. 2, p. 456). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

The argument is a massive hasty generalization fallacy that lumps into one basket Angels still corporeal in heaven (Rev. 12:7-9) and the “spirits of demons” (Rev. 16:14) who wander the earth desperately seeking corporeality possessing insects (2Kings 1:2), animals and men (Lk. 8:27-32; Compare “nakedness” 2 Cor. 5:2-4).

Whenever Scripture depicts angels eating and drinking (Gen. 18:8) cognitive dissonance hides the revelation, the text is veiled by a theory angels materialize physical forms when entering our realm. That theory is a massive violation of Occam’s razor, not a hint of its truth can be found in scripture. Rather than a change in corporeality, there is an “opening”, some kind of vortex or portal one must step through to traverse the realms:

12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it…

17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”(Gen. 28:12, 17 NKJ)

11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. (2 Ki. 2:11 NKJ)

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. (Matt. 3:16 NKJ)

And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.” (Jn. 1:51-2:1 NKJ)

After these things 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.” (Rev. 4:1 NKJ)

11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. (Rev. 19:11 NKJ)

Although the angel of the LORD was cloaked with invisibility when He stepped into our realm to sit under a tree, nothing suggests a change in corporeality:

11 Now the Angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth tree which was in Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon threshed wheat in the winepress, in order to hide it from the Midianites.
12 And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!” (Jdg. 6:11-12 NKJ)

Angels war among themselves (Jdg. 5:20; Dan. 10:13, 20; Rev. 12:7), use weapons to kill (2 Chron. 32:21), (Num. 22:23) and fly in ships (Ezek. 1:4) and travel in craft rolling on powered wheels (Ezek. 1:15-21). Spirits don’t do these things, physical beings do.

Our LORD sits in heaven in resurrected humanity (Heb. 8:1), how then can any Christian doubt one can be physical in heaven? Christ “stood in their midst” (John 20:19-20, 26-27) without passing through doors or walls like a spirit. To prove corporeality Christ commands they touch His body, declares He has flesh and bones and then even eats a fish (Luke 24:36-43). If Christ “materialized a physical form” He deceived them, it was not truly His hands nor the print of the nails (John 20:25-27). As Christ never deceives anyone, its possible to be physical in the TELEIOS “heavenly realm”.

Nothing about New Jerusalem coming down from heaven suggests it is not an actual physical city. No doubt Angels built it (Rev. 21:10-27). If it were impossible Paul be in heaven physically, he would have known he was “out of his body” while in third heaven (1 Cor. 12:2, 4).

Jesus said angels in heaven don’t marry (Mat. 22:30), He did not say disobedient angels on earth can’t marry.

The hapax legomen λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα “ministering spirits” in Hebrews 1:14 does not contradict angels are physical because angelic nature is not being discussed—their subordination to the Son is the topic.

“Ministering spirits” is figurative, referring back to Heb. 1:7

And of the angels He says: “Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire.” (Heb. 1:7 NKJ)

If angels were spirits God would not have to “make His angels spirits.”

This is figurative meaning:

Who makes his angels fast as the wind,
And His ministers as terrible as consuming fire to all who oppose God.

Hebrews 1:7 is being used in synecdoche in Hebrews 1:14 , the part referring the whole conveying Angels are “fast as the wind, terrible as a consuming fire when protecting God’s people ministering to the heirs of salvation.”

Paul referred to himself as a “Pharisee the son of a Pharisee” and declares he believes the same eschatology (Acts. 23:6-7). They distinguish a “spirit” as different than an “angel”:

6 But when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee; concerning the hope and resurrection of the dead I am being judged!”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided.
8 For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection– and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both.
9 Then there arose a loud outcry. And the scribes of the Pharisees’ party arose and protested, saying, “We find no evil in this man; but if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him, let us not fight against God.” (Acts 23:6-9 NKJ)

“Spirits of Demons” implies these formerly were physical demons now “out of the body”:

For they are spirits of demons [πνεύματα δαιμονων], performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Rev. 16:14 NKJ)

Satanic disinformation has multiple races of Extraterrestrials, in different UFO craft visiting the earth. All is designed to deceive, prevent the elegant conclusion all are the fallen angels of Satan manifesting different forms to deceive. Short is their time, and they know it. Whether they appear as “Nordics” or “Reptilian” is immaterial, they all are Satan’s angels trying their best to deceive YOU.

 

The following video is entertainment only, not referencing scripture at all. But its review of many ancient pre-flood sites is interesting:

 

Ancient Aliens or Angels? Even the Elect might be deceived
Star Wars in Daniel
Angels are cast out of Heaven Twice?
As in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?
Where Is The Judgment Of Fallen Angels?
Do Ancient Aliens Appear in the Bible?
The Origin of Satan and Demons
The Coming False Christ and His Followers Revealed




The Antichrist His Names Titles and Descriptions

666 beast

The Antichrist will appear in the guise of Christ, to oppose Christ. Paul called him the “Son of Destruction” which implies a Jewish-Christian miracle worker evangelist. His name is Adonikam and he will rise from obscurity near the ancient city of Antioch, modern Turkey. He is from ancient Nineveh, the outskirts of Mosul Iraq.

The Antichrist has two phases. For 3.5 years he is the “Man of Sin” “false Christ” speaking through a mouth “like a lion” (2Th. 2:3. Rev. 13:2), then he opposes the historic definitions of God speaking blasphemies (Rev. 13:5) pompously exalting himself above them all as the “Son of Destruction” (2Th. 2:3-4) “Seed of Satan” (Gen. 3:15) “Antichrist”, denying the Father and the Son (1Jo. 2:18, 22; 2Jo. 1:7).

An outline of the Antichrist follows, purple text divides each main section.

The name of the Antichrist is Adonikam (Rev. 13:18; Ezra 2:13)

Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Rev. 13:18 NKJ)

the sons of Adonikam, 666 (Ezr. 2:13 NAS)
the sons of Adonikam, 667 (Neh. 7:18 NAS)

John gives three clues how 666 points to one name.
1) “Calculate the number” (666+1=667 Adonikam).
2) “Number OF a man” (666 sons are “OF” the man Adonikam)
3) “His number is 666” (Only the man named Adonikam has 666 sons):

John wasn’t like modern critics, he would consider the difference in number intentional. Experts in Hebrew Scripture will immediately recognize John’s riddle is a asymmetric Janus Parallelism (Gen. 6:3; 49:26; Cant. 2:12; Ezek. 20:37; Dan. 11:35; Nah. 1:8)

Adonikam had 666 sons, or perhaps counting from his father also named Adonikam, 667 sons.

From the “Janus” 666 we look back and “count” (5585 ψηφίζω psephizo) “as with pebbles” 666+1=667 to “Adonikam” as the Beast’s name.

From the “Janus” 666 we look forward, Adonikam had 666 sons, they are “of” him. Again the name Adonikam appears.

The only “man’s name” in Scripture linked with 666 is “Adonikam”.

“Therefore, “His [Adonikam] number is 666.”

Hebrew Scholar Cyrus Gordon discovered ancient Hebrews used parallelism to communicate meaning, today called Janus Parallelism. Examples can be found in Gen. 6:3; 49:26; Cant. 2:12; Ezek. 20:37; Dan. 11:35; Nah. 1:8; Mat. 16:18.

Janus Parallelism. This type of parallelism hinges on the use of a single word with two different meanings, one of which forms a parallel with what precedes and the other with what follows. Thus, by virtue of a double entendre, the parallelism faces in both directions. Berlin, A. (1992). Parallelism. In D. N. Freedman (Ed.), The Anchor Yale Bible Dictionary (Vol. 5, p. 157). New York: Doubleday.

The Antichrist is the Seed of Satan who wars against the Seed of the Woman “Christ” (Gen. 3:15)

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise (07779 שׁוּף shuwph) thy head, and thou shalt bruise (07779 שׁוּף shuwph) his heel. (Gen. 3:15 KJV)

Observe the shift, the hatred is between the Serpent’s seed (the Antichrist) and the Woman’s seed (the Christ):

Her seed will crush (07779 שׁוּף shuwph) “thy head”;
And “THOU” (not just “thy seed”) will crush (07779 שׁוּף shuwph) His heel.

Its two against One. The Serpent and Antichrist seed combined crush Christ’s heel, but Christ crushes their collective “head”, a fatal wound to both.

Man of Sin (2 Thess. 2:3)

. Ἄνθρωπος τῆς ἁμαρτίας answers to the Hebrew אִישׁ אָוֶן, Isaiah 55:7; Prov. 6:12.-Olshausen, H., Ebrard, J. H. A., & Wiesinger, A. (1857–1859). Biblical Commentary on the New Testament by Dr. Hermann Olshausen. (A. C. Kendrick & D. Fosdick Jr., Trans.) (Vol. 5, p. 315). New York: Sheldon, Blakeman, & Co.

“A man of iniquity”, “sin”:

12 A worthless person, a man of iniquity, Is he that walketh with a perverse mouth;
13 That winketh with his eyes, that speaketh with his feet, That maketh signs with his fingers;
14 In whose heart is perverseness, Who deviseth evil continually, Who soweth discord.
15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; On a sudden shall he be broken, and that without remedy. (Prov. 6:12-15 ASV)

As he feigns to be Christ, he is “the teacher of unrighteousness”, a man condoning every sin and apostasy in the church, the “signs and wonders” he does are “lying” because they are cited to authenticate falsehood as truth (2 Thess. 2:9-12).

Son of Destruction (2 Thess. 2:3)

…The son of perdition (684 ἀπώλεια apoleia), who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:3-4 NKJ)

“Son of perdition” is an interpretation, when literally translated “the son of destruction (684 ἀπώλεια apoleia)”.

Judas was also a “son of destruction” (John 17:12), Satan possessed Judas and he betrayed Christ (Lk. 22:3-4):

Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” (Jn. 13:27 NKJ)

“Son of” is Jewish idiom for “descendent of” and in context the “son of Destruction” who opposes and exalts himself above Yahweh God is very much a “descendent of Satan,” just like him.

Confirming the connection, in the book of Revelation Satan is called “Destruction”:

And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. (Rev. 9:11 NKJ)

011 אֲבַדּוֹן ‘abaddown {ab-ad-done’}
Meaning: 1) place of destruction, destruction, ruin, Abaddon

Satan is “Ruler” (758 ἄρχων archon) of the demons” (Mt. 12:24). “Ruler” and “King” (935 βασιλεύς basileus) are synonyms. As there can be only one “ruler” or “king” over the demons, Satan must be the “angel of the abyss” (ἄγγελον τῆς ἀβύσσου) whose name is “Abaddon”.

“Abaddon” in Hebrew can be translated “Destruction” in both English (JPS Tanakh: Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; Ps. 88:11; Prov. 15:11; 27:20) and Greek Septuagint (ἀπώλεια apoleia: Ps. 88:12; Prov. 15:11; 27:20).

Therefore, when Paul calls the Antichrist the “Son of Destruction” he is not talking about his destiny, he is referring to his activity that is just like his father the Devil, he opposes and exalts himself above God proving he is “the Son of Satan”, his “seed” (Gen. 3:15).

NOTES:

07779 שׁוּף shuwph {shoof}
Meaning: 1) to bruise, crush, gape upon, desire?, seize?, strike out? 1a) (Qal) to fall upon, bruise

“To begin with the earliest evidence [about A.D. 210], in Hippolytus…we read: “In the form of man appeared the Saviour, and he also [the Antichrist] shall come in the form of man.” From this quite another representation might be inferred. Farther on, where we are told of the birth of the Antichrist in the tribe of Dan, it is added (chap. xiv.): “ ‘Dan shall be a serpent.’ … But who is the serpent except the deceiver from the beginning, he who in Genesis is called the beguiler of Eve and the crusher of Adam?” In what follows the Antichrist would seem to be called “the devil’s son.” Although the identification is not complete, still for Hippolytus the Antichrist is in any case Satan incarnate. “ -Bousset, W. (1896). The Antichrist Legend: A Chapter in Christian and Jewish Folklore (p. 140). London: Hutchinson and Co.

Contradicting Hippolytus the Antichrist appears with Satan in Revelation 13:4; 16:13 therefore he cannot be Satan incarnate.

However, Hippolytus was on the right track, in view of Genesis 6:2, 4 its possible Satan impregnate a woman, and the hybrid “Elohim-human” would recall the “mighty men of old, the men of renown” (Gen. 6:4) possibly giving rise to be belief in “Titans” in Greek Mythology.

The Antichrist is from the Tribe of Dan (Gen. 49:16-18)

16 Dan shall judge (01777 דִּין diyn) his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.
17 Dan shall be a serpent by the way, an adder in the path, that biteth the horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward.
18 I have waited (06960 קָוָה qavah) for thy salvation, O LORD. (Gen. 49:16-18 KJV)

End Time events clarify (1 Pet. 1:12; Dan. 12:9) Jacob’s warning about Dan.

From Dan the Antichrist will come. He will strive (01777 דִּין diyn Gen. 6:3; 15:14) against his people feigning tribal loyalty, “as one of the tribes of Israel”. With the Serpent this demon viper strikes Christ’s heel (Gen. 3:15) hoping to throw Him off His horse (Rev. 19:11; Dan. 8:11). The vision so troubled Jacob he cries out: “I look for your salvation, O Yahweh”.

NOTES:

01777 דִּין diyn {deen} or )Gen. 6:3דּוּן duwn {doon}
Meaning: 1) to judge, contend, plead 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to act as judge, minister judgment 1a2) to plead a cause 1a3) to execute judgment, requite, vindicate 1a4) to govern 1a5) to contend, strive 1b) (Niphal) to be at strife, quarrel

06960 קָוָה qavah {kaw-vaw’}
Meaning: 1) to wait, look for, hope, expect 1a) (Qal) waiting (participle) 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to wait or look eagerly for 1b2) to lie in wait for 1b3) to wait for, linger for 2) to collect, bind together 2a) (Niphal) to be collected

“The usual word for “snake” (nāḥāš) is matched by the rare term “viper,” occurring only here (šĕpîpōn, “horned snake”?). The imagery of a small, obscure snake that strikes (“bites,” nōšēk) an unsuspecting passerby illustrates the stealth of this lethal opponent (e.g., Jer 8:17; Amos 9:3). The tactic of surprise attack brought down the more prosperous but trusting city Laish (Judg 18:7, 10, 27). A reflex of the garden imagery (Gen. 3:15) is apparent, where snapping at the “heel” injures the victim (cf. Gad, Gen. 49:19). Moreover, “heel” (ʿāqēb) in vv. Gen. 49:17, 19 recalls the play on Jacob’s name (Gen. 25:26; 27:36). The picture of Dan is not as victim but victimizer, like the serpent in the garden or Jacob the deceiver.”-Mathews, K. A. (2005). Genesis 11:27–50:26 (Vol. 1B, p. 900). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Additional indications Antichrist is from Tribe of Dan

And of Dan he said: “Dan is a lion’s whelp; He shall leap (02187 זָנַק zanaq) from Bashan (01316 בָּשָׁן Bashan).” (Deut. 33:22 NKJ)

“The church father Hippolytus understood this metaphorical reference as a typological expression of Satanic opposition to Jesus. He found further support for his view in the messianic description of Judah that is also in this chapter (Gen 49:10). In addition, he observed that only the tribes of Judah and Dan are referred to as a “lion’s whelp” in the OT (Gen 49:9; Deut 33:22). He viewed this as a deliberate juxtaposition of Judah and Dan—in his view, one produces the Christ, while the other produces the antichrist.

Finally, Jewish writers during the Second Temple period (fifth century BC–AD 70) also viewed Dan with suspicion for some of the same reasons. For them, the association of Dan with the northern region of Bashan was consistent with the OT “foe from the north” motif. Israel was habitually attacked from the north because of its geographical location along established travel routes. There are multiple passages that describe the threat of invasion from the north (Isa 49:12; Jer 1:13–14; 16:15; 46:6; Ezek 38:6, 15; 39:2). The north (tsaphon in Hebrew) is also laden with religious-mythological significance. In Ugaritic mythology, ts-p-n is the name of the cosmic holy mountain of Baal, the place of the Ugaritic divine council or pantheon.”-Heiser, M. S. (2012, 2016). Dan and the Antichrist Tradition. In Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

16 The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan. The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones; For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell in it.”
17 “For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you,” says the LORD.
18 I would comfort myself in sorrow; My heart is faint in me. (Jer. 8:16-18 NKJ)

If “serpents…vipers” (Jer. 8:17) refers to “all the power of the enemy” (Lk. 10:19), then Jeremiah’s cry of sorrow for his people (Jer. 8:18) is similar to Jacob’s state of mind when he prays: “I look for your salvation, O Yahweh” (Gen. 49:18).

The Antichrist comes out of the ancient city of Nineveh the ruins of which are in the outskirts of modern Mosul, Northern Iraq. (Nah. 1:1)

There is one come out of thee [Nah. 1:1 Nineveh], that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked (01100 בְּלִיַּעַל beliya`al) counsellor (03289 יָעַץ ya`ats). (Nah. 1:11 KJV)

The “wicked counsellor”, advising wicked things of Belial, is the antithesis of the “Wonderful Counselor”, advising wonderful things of God:

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, (06382 פֶּלֶא pele’) Counselor (03289 יָעַץ ya`ats), Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isa. 9:6 NKJ)

The Tribe of Dan was last seen in Assyria:

Antiquities of the Jews 11:133

and came to Babylon, as very desirous of going down to Jerusalem; but then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; therefore there are but two tribes in Asia and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers. (Ant. 11:133 JOE)

 

NOTES:

01100 בְּלִיַּעַל beliya`al {bel-e-yah’-al}
Meaning: 1) worthlessness 1a) worthless, good for nothing, unprofitable, base fellow 1b) wicked 1c) ruin, destruction (construct).

06382 פֶּלֶא pele’ {peh’-leh}
Meaning: 1) wonder, marvel 1a) wonder (extraordinary, hard to understand thing) 1b) wonder (of God’s acts of judgment and redemption)

03289 יָעַץ ya`ats {yaw-ats’}
Meaning: 1) to advise, consult, give counsel, counsel, purpose, devise, plan 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to advise, counsel, give counsel, consult 1a2) counsellor (participle) 1b) (Niphal) to consult together, exchange counsel, deliberate, counsel together 1c) (Hithpael) to conspire.

The Tribe of Dan was known to be in the region of ancient Assyria:

“…But then the entire body of the people of Israel remained in that country; therefore there are but two tribes in Asia [Palestine] and Europe subject to the Romans, while the ten tribes are beyond Euphrates till now, and are an immense multitude, and not to be estimated by numbers.” (Antiquities of the Jews 11:133)

“In the land of Assyria”―these are the ten tribes.”-Neusner, J. (2008). The Jerusalem Talmud: A Translation and Commentary. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers.

The Lawless One, “that Wicked”:

And then shall that Wicked (459 ἄνομος anomos) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thess. 2:8 KJV)

459 ἄνομος anomos
Meaning: 1) destitute of (the Mosaic) law 1a) of the Gentiles 2) departing from the law, a violator of the law, lawless, wicked

“Counselor of Belial” בְּלִיַּעַל (Nah. 1:11, 15 MT), hence “Lawless Wicked” (LXX) ἀνομία (2 Sam. 22:5; Ps. 17:5); ἀνόμημα (Deut. 15:9); παράνομος (Dt. 13:14; Judges 19:22; 2 Sam. 16:7; 20:1; 1 Ki. 20:10, 13; 2 Chron. 13:7; Ps. 41:8; 100:3; Prov. 6:12); παρανομέω (Job 34:18).

Belial is another name for Satan:

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2 Cor. 6:15 KJV)

Son of Perdition: A Jewish Christian Miracle Working Evangelist (2 Thess. 2:3; Dan. 11:37)

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
(2 Thess. 2:3-4 NKJ)

Christ calls Judas “the son of perdition” (Jn. 17:12). He was a Jewish Christian miracle working evangelist (Luke 9:1). Paul’s allusion is thematic coherence, the “man of sin” leads a global apostasy from all called God or worshiped, by betraying Christ and working signs and wonders (2 Thess. 2:9).

12 “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (Jn. 17:12 NKJ)

Confirming he is a Jewish Christian, the Antichrist will “regard neither the God of his fathers” (2 Ki. 21:22; 2 Chr. 21:10; 28:25; 30:19; 33:12) or…
The “desire of women”. That is a prophetic reference to God the Son Jesus Christ (Mark 14:3; Luke 7:38; John 12:3), not homosexuality. The “desire of women” is in the “god category” as it is sandwiched between “God of his fathers….nor any god”.

36 “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.
37 “He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. (Dan. 11:36-37 NKJ)

King of the North (Dan. 11:40-12:1)

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through.
41 “He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon.
42 “He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape.
43 “He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.
44 “But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.
45 “And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.

12:1 “At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. (Dan. 11:40-12:1 NKJ)

King of Babylon (Isa. 14:4)

3 It shall come to pass in the day the LORD gives you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear and the hard bondage in which you were made to serve,
4 that you will take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say: “How the oppressor has ceased, The golden city ceased!
5 The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked, The scepter of the rulers;
6 He who struck the people in wrath with a continual stroke, He who ruled the nations in anger, Is persecuted and no one hinders.
7 The whole earth is at rest and quiet; They break forth into singing. (Isa. 14:3-7 NKJ)

Lucifer “son of the morning” (Isa. 14:12)

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:`I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
16 “Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying:`Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’ (Isa. 14:12-16 NKJ)

Many believe Satan is called “Lucifer”, but the Antichrist can also have the name because he “exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped” (2 Thess. 2:4).

However, Isaiah 14:16 calls “Lucifer” a man, the “King of Babylon” (Isa. 14:4). He wants to be “like the Most High” parallels what the Antichrist will do (Dan. 7:8, 11; 8:9-11, 24-25; 11:36-37).

The Title “Son of the morning” is like Christ’s title “the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16).

The Assyrian (Isa. 14:25)

25 That I will break the Assyrian in My land, And on My mountains tread him underfoot. Then his yoke shall be removed from them, And his burden removed from their shoulders.
26 This is the purpose that is purposed against the whole earth, And this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.
27 For the LORD of hosts has purposed, And who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, And who will turn it back?” (Isa. 14:25-27 NKJ)

5 And this One shall be peace. When the Assyrian comes into our land, And when he treads in our palaces, Then we will raise against him Seven shepherds and eight princely men.
6 They shall waste with the sword the land of Assyria, And the land of Nimrod at its entrances; Thus He shall deliver us from the Assyrian, When he comes into our land And when he treads within our borders. (Mic. 5:5-6 NKJ)

NOTES:

Isaiah 14:25 was not fulfilled in Sennacherib (Isa. 37:36-37), he died in the temple of his god Nisroch in Nineveh, not on the mountains of Israel. Also, it is purposed “against the whole earth,” not Assyria only.

Micah’s prophecy is about Christ from Bethlehem Ephrathah, the Ruler in Israel whose goings are from old, everlasting. The time is during His millennial kingdom, “And this One shall be peace” (Mic. 5:2-5).

Then it flashes back in time (like a Quentin Tarantino film) to the time of the Antichrist’s occupation of Jerusalem. The reference to “seven shepherds and eight princely men” is a plural of majesty reference to Christ, when “He shall deliver us from the Assyrian.” “He is our peace” (Mic. 5:5). His people raise Christ up in Faith, trust in His Name.

“The Desolator” (Dan. 8:13; 9:27; 12:11)

“Desolator, Destroyer, Devastator” is an alternate Translation for “desolation” (08074 שָׁמֵם shamem)”

desolating = destroyer, devastator Dn 8:13; 9:27; šiqqûš šômêm Dn 12:11 evidently word-play on baʿal šāmêm.-Holladay, W. L., & Köhler, L. (2000). A concise Hebrew and Aramaic lexicon of the Old Testament (p. 376). Leiden: Brill.

Then I heard a holy one speaking; and another holy one said to that certain one who was speaking, “How long will the vision be, concerning the daily sacrifices and the transgression of desolation (08074 שָׁמֵם shamem) [Desolator, Destroyer; Devastator], the giving of both the sanctuary and the host to be trampled under foot?” (Dan. 8:13 NKJ)

Twice:

He will make a strong covenant with leaders for one week [of years]. For half of the week he will put a stop to the sacrifice and the grain offering. On the wing of detestable things the desolator (08074 שָׁמֵם shamem) [Desolator, Destroyer; Devastator] will come and continue until the already decreed destruction is poured out on the desolator (08074 שָׁמֵם shamem) [Desolator, Destroyer; Devastator] .” (Dan. 9:27 CJB)

“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation (08074 שָׁמֵם shamem) [Desolator, Destroyer; Devastator] is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. (Dan. 12:11 NKJ)

In Daniel 9:27 the “Desolator” flies a “wing (singular) of abominations (08251 שִׁקּוּץ shiqquwts)” (plural) in a pretension to deity. “Abominations” is plural because the “flying wing” is infested with demons (1 Cor. 10:19-20).

The plural šiqqûṣîm, ‘abominations’, refers to unspecified deities other than the LORD and their respective cult statues in Deut 29:16; Jer 7:30; 16:18; 32:34; Ezek 5:11; 7:20; 11:21; 20:7, 8, 30; 37:23.-Gruber, M. I. (1999). Abomination. In K. van der Toorn, B. Becking, & P. W. van der Horst (Eds.), Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible (2nd extensively rev. ed., p. 3). Leiden; Boston; Köln; Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge: Brill; Eerdmans.

A “wing” infested with demons energizes the “flying wing”, hence a “wing of abominations”. In Luke 8:30 a “legion of demons” controls a single man.

Compare the flying wing that rains destruction upon earth below to:

He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. (Rev. 13:13 NKJ)

NOTES

“on the wings of abomination he comes desolating.” עַל כָּנָף can, without ingenuity, be rendered in no other way than on wings. שִׁקּוּצִים signifies not acts of abomination, but objects of abomination… But from such passages as Deut. 32:11, Ex. 19:4, and Ps. 18:11, we perceive the sense in which wings are attributed to the שִׁקּוּצִים, the idolatrous objects. In the first of these passages (Deut. 32:11), wings, the wings of an eagle, are attributed to God, because He is the power which raises up Israel, and lifting it up, and carrying it throughout its history, guides it over the earth. In P. 18 wings are attributed to the wind, because the wind is contemplated as the power which carries out the will of God throughout the kingdom of nature. “Thus in this passage wings are attributed to the שִׁקּוּצִים, idol-objects, and to idolatry with its abominations, because that shall be the power which lifts upwards the destroyer and desolater, carries him, and moves with him over the earth to lay waste” (Klief[othm T.]) -Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (2002). Commentary on the Old Testament [1866 first edition]. (Da 9:27). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.

The Abomination of Desolation

“Therefore when you see the`abomination of desolation (βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως),’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place ” (whoever reads, let him understand), (Matt. 24:15 NKJ)

“So when you see the`abomination of desolation (βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως),’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not ” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Mk. 13:14 NKJ)

Our Lord didn’t want the reader confuse the “abomination of desolation” (βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως) in Daniel 12:11 that appears only in the End Time with the “abomination of desolation” (βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως) Antiochus set up in Daniel 11:31.

The spelling is different in both the Greek and Hebrew texts:

BGT Daniel 11:31 βδέλυγμα ἐρημώσεως

BGT Daniel 12:11 βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεως

BHT Daniel 11:31 haššiqqûc müšômëm
BHT Daniel 12:11 šiqqûc šömëm

This difference between a “Demon and his image” may explain why in Matthew 24:14 the Desolator is “standing in the holy place”, but in Mark 13:14 it is the “appalling image of the Desolator” that is “set up where it ought not be” (RSV).

Any image of the Desolator would be an “abomination of desolation”, whether he personally is standing up as God in the Temple of God the Church, or his image [a living AI enhanced internet interfaced with the Beast the world was deceived into creating (Rev. 13:14)] is set up everywhere to worship.

The “Prince to come” (Dan. 9:26-27)

26 “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.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” (Dan. 9:26-27 NKJ)

The Global Government that rises in the End-Time “week” is composed of remnants of the Byzantine Roman Empire, its “leopard” body remnants of the Grecian (Assyrian/Seleucid) Empire (Rev. 13:1-2; Dan. 2:40-44; 7:6-9; 8:17-27).

Therefore, the “prince to come” is a Roman Emperor, his people destroyed the Temple and desolated the Jewish nation in the 1st and 2nd centuries, the “times of the Gentiles” continuing until the end (Lk. 21:24).

Its important to note Messiah was cut off AFTER the 69th week (Dan. 9:26), hence the 70th week. The New Covenant fulfills all the conditions set in Daniel 9:24. Those who object claiming “transgressions weren’t finished” by Christ’s sacrifice, fail to explain how their objection doesn’t also invalidate their interpretation. Transgressions literally continue well past what they say is the 70th week, even to the end of Christ’s 1000 year millennial kingdom (Rev. 20:7-9). The New Covenant in Christ’s blood did indeed finish transgression, make an end of sins, make reconciliation for iniquity and anoint the Most Holy the Church, the Temple of God after He tore the curtain on the way out of the literal temple in Jerusalem rending the rocks (Mt. 27:51; Compare 1 Ki. 19:11-12)

The prophecy telescopes in Daniel 9:26b to the end time week revealed in Daniel 9:27 and the book of Revelation. It is not part of Daniel’s Seventy weeks.

Little horn (Dan. 7:8; 8:9)

8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.
9 I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire.
10 A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.
11 I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame. (Dan. 7:8-11 KJV)

8 Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven.
9 And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land.
10 And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
11 Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (Dan. 8:8-11 KJV)

At first read the little horn in Daniel chapters 7 and 8 seem to refer to different people: The “little horn” in Daniel 7:7 rises from the Revived Roman Empire; The “little horn” in Daniel 8:9 rises from the eastern division of the Grecian Empire (Antioch in modern Turkey).

But that read contradicts the symbolism. The final version of the Roman Empire in the End Time Week of Seven Years is “like a leopard”, which in Daniel symbolizes the Grecian Empire (Dan. 7:6).

Also, there are two phases to the “Antichrist” (2 Thess. 2:3-4). First phase is the “man of sin” false Christ” speaking with a “Mouth like a lion” (Rev. 13:2). Second phase, after 42 months he morphs into the “Son of Destruction” “Seed of Satan” (Gen. 3:15) “Big Mouth” speaking blasphemies against God and rules another 42 months (Rev. 13:5):

1 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.
2 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.
3 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.
4 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?”
5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. (Rev. 13:1-5 NKJ)

The two phases of Antichrist explains Daniel speaking about the same “little horn” from two very different perspectives. The first phase “Man of Sin” gives lip service to God, in the guise of Christ he opposes Christ condoning all kinds of sin. The second Phase he is a wild Beast “Son of Destruction” blaspheming “all that is called God or that is worshiped” (2 Thess. 2:4; Dan. 9:27). Hence, the “Assyrian Antichrist” “King of the North” seen in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, and Malachi.

NOTES

Antiochus never accomplished the Star Wars described, that happens only in the end time. Because of bias, translators render the 2,300-day prophecy unknowable.

If Daniel were speaking of Antiochus and the literal temple the vision of its cleansing wouldn’t have astonished him so badly he was sick for days (Dan. 8:27).

The words were sealed until the end time gave “sanctuary” another meaning (Dan. 12:8-9), the true sanctuary of God in the End Time is “the Church” (1 Cor. 3:16, 17). It is not “cleansing” (06663 צָדַק tsadaq) that is in view, its “vindication”.

At 2,300 days the church will be in heaven praising God, their faith in Christ vindicated by events (Rev. 15:1-4):

And he said unto me, Until two thousand and three hundred evenings and mornings: then shall the sanctuary be vindicated (06663 צָדַק tsadaq). (Dan. 8:14 DBY)

1 Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous: seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete.
2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. For all nations shall come and worship before You, For Your judgments have been manifested.” (Rev. 15:1-4 NKJ)

NOTES:

06663 צָדַק tsadaq {tsaw-dak’}
Meaning: 1) to be just, be righteous 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to have a just cause, be in the right 1a2) to be justified 1a3) to be just (of God) 1a4) to be just, be righteous (in conduct and character) 1b) (Niphal) to be put or made right, be justified 1c) (Piel) justify, make to appear righteous, make someone righteous 1d) (Hiphil) 1d1) to do or bring justice (in administering law) 1d2) to declare righteous, justify 1d3) to justify, vindicate the cause of, save 1d4) to make righteous, turn to righteousness 1e) (Hithpael) to justify oneself.

“Eyes like the eyes of a man.” (Dan. 7:8, 20)

“I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. (Dan. 7:8 NKJ)

Commentarions can’t agree what the horn’s “Eyes of a man” symbolize: “Intelligence” (MacArthur, J. F., Jr., 2002); “reason” (Murphy, J. G., 1884); “faculty of keen observation and insight, and so indirectly the possession of intellectual shrewdness” (Driver, S. R., 1900); “cunning and intellectual culture” (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D., 1871); “bland and benignant appearance” (Calvin, J., & Myers, T., 2010); “insight, circumspection, prudence” (Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F., 1866); “unsatiable” (Muffet, P., 1868).

Given the syntactic and thematic coherence the End Time Antichrist has with king Sennacherib of Assyria, its inexplicable they go against the context and miss the allusion completely:

20 Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel:`Because you have prayed to Me against Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard.’
21 “This is the word which the LORD has spoken concerning him:`The virgin, the daughter of Zion, Has despised you, laughed you to scorn; The daughter of Jerusalem Has shaken her head behind your back!
22 `Whom have you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have you raised your voice, And lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel.
23 By your messengers you have reproached the Lord, And said: “By the multitude of my chariots I have come up to the height of the mountains, To the limits of Lebanon; I will cut down its tall cedars And its choice cypress trees; I will enter the extremity of its borders, To its fruitful forest.
24 I have dug and drunk strange water, And with the soles of my feet I have dried up All the brooks of defense.”
25 `Did you not hear long ago How I made it, From ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass, That you should be For crushing fortified cities into heaps of ruins.
26 Therefore their inhabitants had little power; They were dismayed and confounded; They were as the grass of the field And the green herb, As the grass on the housetops And grain blighted before it is grown.
27 `But I know your dwelling place, Your going out and your coming in, And your rage against Me.
28 Because your rage against Me and your tumult Have come up to My ears, Therefore I will put My hook in your nose And My bridle in your lips, And I will turn you back By the way which you came. (2 Ki. 19:20-28 NKJ = Is. 37:21-29)

The Assyrian isn’t shrewd at all, he is blind to the truth just like all unreasoning men with blasphemous mouths.

They curse Creator God even though He ‘knows precisely where they live and go’ (2 Ki. 19:27).

The Assyrian boasts of environmental damage. The gods of his enemies couldn’t stop it. Blindly he assumes the same would be true for the “Holy One of Israel”. (2 Ki. 19:23-25), even though he heard how God powerfully drowned Pharoah and his armies in the Red Sea. Unwise and imprudent, blind like unreasoning men, he does not recognize the Holy One of Israel, the One who humbled those gods by his hand (2 Ki. 19:26).

Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it? Or shall the saw exalt itself against him who saws with it? As if a rod could wield itself against those who lift it up, Or as if a staff could lift up, as if it were not wood! (Isa. 10:15 NKJ)

This thematic coherence transcends the End Time Antichrist. Just as God sent Sennacherib to destroy His enemies, so God sends the Strong Delusion to destroy apostate mankind. God’s restraint of spiritism ends, and the falsehood of “Ancient Alien theory and Scientific Atheism” inspired by demons (2 Thess. 2:7-12; Rev. 16:13-14) deceives them all:

because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2:10-12 NKJ)

Though Satan and Nephilim lock hands with man, they will not defeat Yahweh the God of heaven:

Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. (Prov. 11:21 KJV)

God first disabuses them of their folly by a terrifying act of infinite power:

14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
16 and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
17 “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:14-17 NKJ)

In that day the LORD with His severe sword, great and strong, Will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan that twisted serpent; And He will slay the reptile that is in the sea. (Isa. 27:1 NKJ)

Mouth speaking great things (2 Thess. 2:3)

I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. (Dan. 7:8 KJV)

And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. (Rev. 13:5 KJV)

There are two phases to the Antichrist Beast’s appearance in the End Time “week” of seven years. For 3.5 years he is the “mouth of a lion” (Rev. 13:2) “False Christ” (Mat. 24:5) “Man of Sin” (2 Thess. 2:3) the “prince to come” (Dan. 9:26) rising from the Remnants of the Roman Empire (Dan. 7:7-8; 2:41-44). Having “eyes of a man” he resonates with mankind’s desire for a global savior (Rev. 6:2) who approves of their practice of sin.

Under the heading “The Antichrist” you will find the content the “lion’s mouth” False Christ will preach when he first appears working miracles, preaching health and wealth while forgiving all lust and sin. Then is when he first begins denying the Eternal Sonship of Christ and concrete reality of His Incarnation in human flesh (1 John 2:16-29; 4:2-3; 2 John 1:7-11).

The Antichrist Beast’s second phase is after the first 3.5 years. Then he morphs into the Assyrian “mouth speaking great things” “Son of Destruction” (2 Thess. 2:3-4) “Seed of Satan (Gen. 3:15) “Lawless One” (2 Thess. 2:8-10) revealed in Daniel 8:9-11; 9:27; 11:31-45; 12:1-11; Mat. 24:15-24; Mk. 13:14-23; 1 John 2:18-23; Rev. 13:5-8.

From these texts we deduce some of the “great things” the Assyrian “mouth” will speak. Only that content appears here in this section.

ὁ ἀντικείμενος καὶ ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα λεγόμενον θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα (2 Thess. 2:4 BYZ)

who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:4 NKJ)

Commentarions disagree how this is to be translated, one cannot oppose and exalt himself simultaneously. But it “follows from the single insertion of the article … the two statements, ἀντικεῖσθαι and ὑπεραίρεσθαι, must contain something related to each other, which is summed up in a common general idea.”-Lünemann, G. (1884). Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Epistles Of St. Paul to The Thessalonians. (P. J. Gloag, Trans.) (p. 210). Edinburgh: T&T Clark.

What “general idea” is common to all that is called God? The definition of God, what He is. By opposing the definition of God, the Son of Destruction can exalt himself above all called God so that he sits as God in the Temple the Church showing [by powerful miracles] he is God.

Just as the words in Daniel’s prophecy are unsealed by end time events (Dan. 12:8-9), so also this “new definition of God” is being preached worldwide by UFO cults. It springs naturally from “Ancient Alien Theory” where all men called God or worshiped resulted from the visit of “Extraterrestrial beings” who are called Elohim in the Bible.

The Seed of Satan (Gen. 3:15) will claim to be better than the “god-men Titans” of Greek mythology (Gen. 6:4). As the greatest hybrid “human-Elohim” ever designed by “the Designers” he is above all called Elohim, even Yahweh God Himself.

This is confirmed in the book of Revelation. The open mouth of the Beast makes a career of insulting God and His angels, specifically insulting the Name of God and His Dwelling the Church (Rev. 11:1-2. Compare 4633 σκηνή skene in Rev. 21:3), casting the truth of Savior God dwelling among His people (the Church or Sanctuary of God) to the ground (Dan. 8:10-13):

Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle (4633 σκηνή skene), and those who dwell in heaven. (Rev. 13:6 NKJ)

10 And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them.
11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.
12 Because of transgression, an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily sacrifices; and he cast truth down to the ground. He did all this and prospered. (Dan. 8:10-12 NKJ)

For the first 3.5 years Adonikam is the “false Christ” (Rev. 13:2), then he morphs into the Assyrian potty mouth Beast in Rev. 13:5 and rules another 42 months. The hybrid human-Elohim Seed of Satan (Gen. 3;15) “Son of Destruction” now exalts himself above all called Elohim, claiming he alone is worthy to be called God, unlike those who are only “Elohim”. Then he sits in the Temple of God the Church working miracles by Satan’s energy intending to “show he is God” (2 Thess. 2:3-4, 7-12).

In “Scientific Atheism” or “Ancient Alien theory” believed by many UFO cults, God, Jesus, the angels are all extraterrestrial beings called “the Elohim”. Yahweh is an ET, a leader of some extraterrestrials. This message is being propagated by UFO contactees communing with demons, they inspire the “new definition of God” and love for the things of this world (1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 4:1-5). The TARES in the church will be completely deceived (Mt. 13:24-30; 2 Thess. 2:7-12; Jude 1:8-21; 1 John 2:18-29; 4:1-6; Rev. 13:8), but the good seed sown by Christ will not (Mt. 13:24-30; 2 Thess. 2:13-15; 2 Pt. 2:1-22; 3:3-4; 1 Tim. 4:1; 1 John 2:18-21, 24-29; 3:1-14; 4:1-6; Rev. 14:12-16; 15:1-4).

This new definition of God changes the predicate of human governance, what is God. The Assyrian pompous mouth is attempting to change the “times and laws” upon which human governance rests. In one decisive action our inalienable rights vanish with our God, and the tyranny of the Beast takes its place.

He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. (Dan. 7:25 NKJ)

“Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, (Dan. 11:36 NKJ)

NOTES

By saying “everyone called God,” etc., the Antichrist’s lawlessness is described as being worse than that of the worst pagans. Pharaohs and Roman emperors were deified and claimed divine honors, but never for one moment did they do this “against” any of their pagan gods, temples, altars, etc. Antiochus desecrated the Jewish Temple, but he did it by erecting an altar to Zeus. About thirteen years before the writing of this epistle Caligula, the Roman emperor, did the same by trying to have his own statue erected in the Jewish Temple, but even he was in no way opposing and exalting himself against the Roman gods and objects of worship; quite the contrary. The very nature of polytheism permitted the addition of new gods and of deified human rulers. But the Antichrist shall be worse, much worse, than these deified rulers.”-Lenski, R. C. H. (1937). The interpretation of St. Paul’s Epistles to the Colossians, to the Thessalonians, to Timothy, to Titus and to Philemon (pp. 408–410). Columbus, OH: Lutheran Book Concern.

Counselor of Belial [Satan] (Nah. 1:11)

The Wicked One (Nah. 1:15)

The Lawless One (2 Thess. 2:8)

The Deceiver (2 John 1:7)

The Beast (Rev. 13:4)

“False Christ” (Mat. 24:5, 24; Mk. 13:22; Rev. 6:2)

“King of fierce countenance” (Dan. 8:23);

Master of deceit (Dan. 8:23, 25)

TO BE CONTINUED:

What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?

Antichrists in the early Church?
Where Is The Judgment Of Fallen Angels?
Do Ancient Aliens Appear in the Bible?




The Judgment of the Sheep and Goats At Christ’s Return

31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 “All the nations (1484 ἔθνος ethnos) will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. (Matt. 25:31-33 NKJ)

1484 ἔθνος ethnos {eth’-nos}

Meaning: 1) a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together 1a) a company, troop, swarm 2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus 2a) the human race 3) a race, nation, people group 4) in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles 5) Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians

Origin: probably from 1486; TDNT – 2:364,201; n n

Usage: AV – Gentiles 93, nation 64, heathen 5, people 2; 164-Strong-s

The English word “ethnic” is derived from the Greek word “ethnos” (ἔθνος). In ancient Greek, “ethnos” primarily referred to a multitude of people who share common characteristics, such as language, customs, or cultural traits.

Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians:

for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles (1484 ἔθνος ethnos); but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. (Gal. 2:12 NKJ)

When interpreting scripture context determines the meaning of a word or symbol. The Parable of the Ten Virgins (Mt. 25:1-13), the Servants of the Master (Mt. 25:14-30) are spoken to Christians as group:

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. (Matt. 25:13 NKJ)

“All the nations” therefore is warning to Christians of the world what will happen when Christ and His angels arrive:

Notice Their final judgment is the same:

29 `For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
30 `And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
33 “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.

46 “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matt. 25:46 NKJ)
(Matt. 25:29-3346 NKJ)

17 For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
18 Now “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. 4:17-18 NKJ)

Christ sent the gospel out into the earth to make “disciples of all the nations”, and now those who had heard the Gospel but didn’t respond in time to be raptured with the church, are being judged.

“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations (1484 ἔθνος ethnos), baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (Matt. 28:19 NKJ)

 

Did Christ say “all the nations [of the world]” will be judged, or “all the [Christian] nations” will be judged?

That is how some in the early Church interpreted it:

If, after all this, we cannot suppose that a judgment of non-Christians is here meant, we may even go still further, and say that non-Christians are not included at all, and so we must also reject the view usually adopted, since Chrysostom and Augustine, that what is here exhibited is a judgment of all men, believers and unbelievers alike. For, so far from the mention of the divine ἐκλογή, ver. 34, or the idea of the δίκαιοι, ver. 37, or what Jesus says at ver. 35, or the answer of those assembled before the Judge, vv. 37 and 44, or the entire omission generally of any distinction between belief and unbelief, harmonizing with the notion of a mixed body consisting of Christians and non-Christians, they entirely exclude the latter. We should therefore return to the very old view (Lactantius, Instit. vii. 20; Jerome, Euthymius Zigabenus), which, though it had been neglected in consequence of the prevalent eschatology, was preserved by Grotius, the view, namely, that what Jesus is here depicting is the judgment of Christians: περὶ τῶν Χριστιανῶν δὲ μόνων ὁ λόγος ἐνταῦθα, Euthymius Zigabenus, who proves this, above all, from vv. 35, 36. All the points previously adduced as arguments against the other explanations combine to favour this view.-Meyer, H. A. W. (1884). Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew (W. Stewart, Ed.; P. Christie, Trans.; Vol. 2, pp. 178–179). T&T Clark.

Context supports this early Christian Interpretation. “Goat-like behavoir” is seen in the Five Virgins foolishly failing to greet the Bridegroom when He came (Mt. 25:1-13) and in the “wicked and lazy servant” who did nothing for the Kingdom of God (Mt. 25:14-31). After saying these parables, Christ talks about the Judgment of the Sheep and the Goats. Isn’t it reasonable He is still talking about those who should have been ready for His arrival? That can’t be said about “all the nations [of the world],” it can only be said about ‘All the nations [liable for having heard the gospel of Christ].”

Moreover, it would violate Christ’s principle that those who did not know God’s will receive severe punishment of eternal flame (Lk. 12:47-48; Mt. 25:41-45). Only those who know what God requires, and fail to do it would be judged so harshly.

The proof “all the nations” cannot refer to all the population of the earth, is found in the context of the New Testament:

The judgment of the Sheep and the Goats happens at Christ’s return, not after the 1000-year millennial Kingdom. Also, unlike Judgment Day when the dead are raised from the Sea, Death, and Hades (Rev. 20:11-15) , no resurrection occurs in Matthew 25: 31-46.

Furthermore, the Sheep cannot be Christians because this Judgment occurs while they are seated with Christ and His angels, as Kings and Priests. “These my Brethren (Mt. 25:40; Rm. 8:29) were “gathered” (2 Thess. 2:1) from the earth during Christ’s coming in glory. They reign with Christ as Kings and Priests (Rev. 1:6; 20:4-6; 1 Thess. 4:14-18; 1 Cor. 15:51-58; Mat. 24:29-31; Rev. 14:14-16). Because they believed in Christ when physically alive, they do not “come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24). As Christ’s “Brethren” they have authority to judge the unsaved with Christ (Mt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 6:3; Rev. 20:4), the “firstborn among many brethren” (Rm. 8:29).

Both the Sheep and the Goats know Christ, they call Him LORD. They know Christ’s disciples but had not joined them in the Faith. King Jesus decrees if they received His disciples (Mt. 12:40) they have received Him. Those who helped His brethren during the Great Tribulation would receive their reward (Mt. 10:42; Mk. 9:41), entry into the Kingdom of God.

Therefore, “all the nations” refers to all the survivors of Armageddon from all nations that heard the Gospel of Christ, but failed to do it. Christ judges those who practiced Christianity as having professed faith in His Name, and He invites them to join “Christ’s brethren” seated there with Christ—all the Christians who were raptured at Christ’s coming and were then serving as His Kings and Priests (Rev. 1:5-6; 5:10). Its implied the Sheep were “translated” like Enoch (Heb. 11:5) “; changed” “in the twinkling of an eye” (1 Cor. 15:51-52) when they join the redeemed (Dan. 12:3; Mt. 13:43).

Then the goats are cast into the lake of fire to join the Beast and False Prophet (Mt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 19:20; Compare Mt. 8:10-12; 13:24-30, 36-42; 22:1-14; 24:45-51; 25:24-30).

The rest of the earth who had no connections to “Christ’s brethren” (which implies they had not heard the gospel preached sufficiently to incur liability for not believing it), enter the 1000-year kingdom of Christ. They marry and populate the earth resulting in billions more of humanity to enter the New Heavens and New Earth of God’s Kingdom (Rev. 21:1-8). Although aging has ceased, they do not have eternal life at this time. They must first pass the final test of the earth (Rev. 20:7-15); until then they counted as still “dead” (Rev. 20:12; John 5:25).

Their judgment is ongoing. If anyone sin during the Millennial Kingdom they are cast off accursed, which means tossed into the lake of fire:

19 I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying.
20 “No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; For the child shall die one hundred years old, But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them; They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit; They shall not plant and another eat; For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.
23 They shall not labor in vain, Nor bring forth children for trouble; For they shall be the descendants of the blessed of the LORD, And their offspring with them.
24 “It shall come to pass That before they call, I will answer; And while they are still speaking, I will hear.
25 The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, The lion shall eat straw like the ox, And dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” Says the LORD. (Isa. 65:19-25 NKJ)

END
Have we not prophesied in your Name?
It is the last hour 1 John 2:18
God’s Plan for the Lost
Predestination unto Salvation: Was Divine Election Conditional or Unconditional?




The Daily Sacrifice shall be taken away—Daniel 12:11

The End-Time clock begins at the start of the seven year “week”, not in the middle as some suggest. That is clear from the 1290 and 1335 days, these are different points on the same time line that must include the 1260 days when the Beast rises up breaking covenants scattering the power of the holy people (Dan. 12:7; 9:27).

Some object confusing the “sacrifice (02077 זֶבַח zebach) and the oblation (04503 מִנְחָה minchah) in Daniel 9:27 with the “daily (08548 תָּמִיד tamiyd)” in Daniel 12:11. The “Daily sacrifice” ended with the apostasy of the Church at the beginning of the week, when it received the false Christ.

The “Man of Sin” appears to a “fallen away church” as a false Christ condoner of sin, at midway he morphs into the Beast Son of Destruction Antichrist (Dan. 7:25; 9:27; 12:7) ending all “sacrifice and oblation” worldwide (2 Th. 2:3-4; Rev. 11:7; 13:5).

Is it hermeneutically sound we interpret “the daily [sacrifice]” as figurative of Christians taking up the cross daily and serving Christ?

Yes, that is 100% consistent with the NT applying Temple language to the church (1 Cor. 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Cor. 6:16; Eph. 2:19-21). Peter identifies the church as a spiritual house “a holy priesthood, to offer up “spiritual sacrifices” (πνευματικὰς θυσίας) acceptable to God” (1 Pet. 2:5). In Hebrews we are admonished to “offer (399 ἀναφέρω anaphero) sacrifice (2378 θυσία thusia)” and that word is used in the Greek Septuagint to offer (399 ἀναφέρω anaphero) the whole burnt offering that in Hebrew is the “daily” (08548 תָּמִיד tamiyd) 1 Ch. 16:40; 23:31; 2 Ch. 2:3; 24:14.

Our sacrifice of praise is to be offered “continually” (1275 διαπαντός) to God. In Hebrews 13:1-17 the ethical exhortations being an expansion of the acceptable duties priests offer God daily (Heb. 12:28 λατρεύωμεν εὐαρέστως τῷ θεῷ).

Christ is our perpetual sacrifice for sin (Heb. 10:11-18), it follows “that the daily sacrifice “shall be taken away” (05493 סוּר cuwr; 868 ἀφίστημι) is taken away by the church’s apostasy when it receives the false Christ man of sin, which occurs at the commencement of the seven years.

Not taking up the cross daily for Christ, doing service to the false Christ, is the apostasy that removes the daily sacrifice of praise and offerings to God and that marks the beginning of the end time week as does the arrival of Moses and Elijah to prophesy in Jerusalem (Rev. 11:3-7)

Some object its unhistorical NT usage define OT meaning, but that is not pertinent to prophecy whose words are sealed (Dan. 12:9) until the generation it was written for had arrived (1 Pt. 1:12). Confirming this, the angel said the righteous and wise would understand in the end time (Dan. 12:10). However, righteous and wise Daniel (Dan. 1:17; 4:9-10, 18; 5:10-12, 14-16) could not understand because he was not in the end time when the unsealed meaning of the words would be known.

This radically affects classic pre/mid/post tribulation discussion, and how long the Great Tribulation will be (45 days), for more on this:

Predestination unto Salvation: Was Divine Election Conditional or Unconditional?
The Powerful Delusion: The Coming Tsunami of Spiritism

The Third Temple: Does scripture anticipate a future Jewish Temple?
The Desolator is the Abomination of Desolation
The Two Phases of Antichrist: Man of Sin & Son of Perdition




The Revelation Trumpets Herald Events in the Christian Third of the Earth

The Seals refer to events in the world, the Revelation Trumpets herald events in Christendom, the bowls events against the kingdom of the Beast.

The Seven Trumpets

Revelation is a book of prophecy (Rev. 1:3; 22:7, 10, 18-19). Therefore, although Christianity barely existed when John wrote, the fact a third of today’s population claims to be Christian must be given weight. Especially as we are interpreting prophecy about the population as it exists on earth in the end time.

Its natural in a prophetic book about the End, whose first three chapters concern the seven churches then existing in Asia, it treats the end time church in a special and unique way.

Consistent with the view the third of the earth’s population that claims to be Christian is the main target of these Trumpets, in Revelation 9:4 “trees, grass, green thing” consists of those who have or do not have the name of God on their forehead. That division in end time church population was predicted by Christ (Mt. 13:36-42).

What should we conclude then? John used symbols pertinent to Christendom, not the world in general. The “earth, sea, rivers and springs” “signify” (4591 σημαίνω semaino Rev. 1:1) Christendom. The first three trumpets spiritually kill all the TARES in Christendom, a third at a time (Rev. 8:7-11).

It is not until the fourth Trumpet announces the effect the first three Trumpets had on God’s revelation to the earth, that things get literal in the last Three Trumpets. God’s revelation on earth has been darkened by the loss of light from the church (cp. Gen. 1:14-18; Rev. 12:1), its apostasy has caused the earth to be in total darkness a third of both day and night (Rev. 8:12).

Then an angel appears in mid-heaven warning about the “three woes of spiritism”, two more are left. (First woe is Rev. 8:7-11; Second Woe is Rev. 9:1-21; 11:7-14; Third Woe is (Rev. 12:9-12).

First Trumpet

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. Rev. 8:7 NKJ)

When hail and fire struck ancient Egypt (Ex. 9:23-26), it literally destroyed trees and grass, but that wouldn’t the “signification” of hail and fire mingled with blood striking an apostate church (2 Th. 2:3). This scene springs from an angel taking fire from God’s altar, and casting it down to the earth, signifying the hail mixed with blood is recompense for sin against God’s saints (Rev. 6:9-11). Jesus predicted apostates would betray believers to the Beast (Mt. 24:9-10). This is the wrath of God, unlike Revelation 11:19 where the hail remains in heaven, here hail is about to be unleashed on the apostates (Ps. 78:47; Hag. 2:17) so the power of God symbolized by “noises, thunderings, lightnings” include an earthquake because earth is about to be radically shaken by this display power. Hail destroys the refuge of lies and affirms God’s authority (Is. 28:17; 30:30; 32:19; Ezek. 13:11, 13). Fire (Rev. 1:5) and blood (Rev. 16:6) signify God’s judgment is the apostates die eternally. The first three Trumpets kill Christendom completely, 1/3rd at a time. This hail kills a third of Trees/leaders in Christendom, and all the grass/followers living under their shade.

God would not treat the false prophets of Christendom differently than the false prophets of Israel

1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart,`Hear the word of the LORD!'”
3 Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
4 “O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
5 “You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.
6 “They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying,`Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.
7 “Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say,`The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.”
8 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord GOD.
9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying,`Peace!’ when there is no peace– and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar–
11 “say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.
12 “Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you,`Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?'”
13 Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.
14 “So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezek. 13:1-14 NKJ)

13 And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.
14 I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.
15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. (Jer. 23:13-15 KJV)

Second Trumpet

8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood.
9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Rev. 8:8-9 NKJ)

Mountains can signify enemies of God (Isa. 41:15), the king of Babylon is likened to a great destroying mountain:

“Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys all the earth,” says the LORD. “And I will stretch out My hand against you, Roll you down from the rocks, And make you a burnt mountain. (Jer. 51:25 NKJ)

The “great mountain burning with fire” signifies the arrival of the “Man of Sin” who destroys the church by condoning every sort of sin, making the sea become blood so a third of those swimming in it, or making their living from it, die spiritually.

Third Trumpet

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water.
11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. (Rev. 8:10-11 NKJ)

John often uses stars to signify angels (Rev. 8:12; 9:1; 12:4; cp. Job 25:5; 38:7; Dan. 8:10), Satan is the burning star that poisoned the rivers and springs of the church with damnable lies and apostasies, that kill all who drink them in.

12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
13 For you have said in your heart:`I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
16 “Those who see you will gaze at you, And consider you, saying:`Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms,
17 Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’ (Isa. 14:12-17 NKJ)

13 “And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err.
14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15 “Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: `Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.'”
16 Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the LORD. (Jer. 23:13-20 NKJ)

Fourth Trumpet

Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. (Rev. 8:12 NKJ)

This isn’t the coming of the Day of the LORD (Joel 2:31; Ac. 2:20) because then more than a third of the sun and moon would be affected.

The first three Trumpets spiritually killed everyone in Christendom “not having the seal of God on their forehead”. That affects Divine Light reaching the earth, because the Church radiates that light to the earth (Rev. 12:1).

The fallen away Church has become Egypt, Sodom (cp. Rev. 11:8) to God. Her apostasy will reap its just reward.

The darkening of sun moon and stars signifies calamity is about to befall Christendom, just like it did to Egypt:

2 “Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:`You are like a young lion among the nations, And you are like a monster in the seas, Bursting forth in your rivers, Troubling the waters with your feet, And fouling their rivers.
3 `Thus says the Lord GOD: “I will therefore spread My net over you with a company of many people, And they will draw you up in My net.
4 Then I will leave you on the land; I will cast you out on the open fields, And cause to settle on you all the birds of the heavens. And with you I will fill the beasts of the whole earth.
5 I will lay your flesh on the mountains, And fill the valleys with your carcass.
6 “I will also water the land with the flow of your blood, Even to the mountains; And the riverbeds will be full of you.
7 When I put out your light, I will cover the heavens, and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, And the moon shall not give her light.
8 All the bright lights of the heavens I will make dark over you, And bring darkness upon your land,” Says the Lord GOD.
9 `I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.
10 `Yes, I will make many peoples astonished at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid of you when I brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.
11 `For thus says the Lord GOD: “The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon you. (Ezek. 32:2-11 NKJ)

Fifth Trumpet

1 Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.
3 Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.
5 And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man.
6 In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.
7 The shape of the locusts was like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were crowns of something like gold, and their faces were like the faces of men.
8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.
9 And they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle.
10 They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, but in Greek he has the name Apollyon. (Rev. 9:1-11 NKJ)

The star/angel given the keys is not a fallen angel, later the key is used to imprison Satan (Rev. 20:1-2). The angel had “fallen” (4098 πίπτω pipto) before the fifth Trumpet sounded, he was waiting to get this key.

This event illustrates how God is lifting His restraint on spiritism (2 Th. 2:6-7), His decree limiting its manifestation “taken out of the way” just like the decrees against us were taken “out of the way” ( ἐκ τοῦ μέσου Col. 2:14 BGT).

God sends the “deluding influence” (NAS) by not restraining the energy of Satan and his agents to inwardly convince people falsehood is true (2 Th. 2:7-10), that the “Lawless One” “Man of Sin” false Christ is The Christ:

7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work (1754 ἐνεργέω energeo); only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working (1753 ἐνέργεια energeia) of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion (1753 ἐνέργεια energeia), that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2:7-12 NKJ)

The angel uses the key to open the prison door so the “spirits of demons”, disembodied Nephilim (“Fallen Ones” Gen. 6:4), can flood the earth.

They have been in the Abyss since they died physically in the flood of Noah’s Day (Gen. 7:21-23). That explains their appearance. Their crowns of something like gold show they are Satan’s “principalities and powers” (Eph. 6:12) who were cast down to the earth to stop the incarnation of Christ (Rev. 12:4) warring against the woman’s seed (Gen. 3:15) by corrupting the image of God in man with the DNA of angels. That is why they have “hair like women”, to identify sex with human women is the chief reason for their being imprisoned in the abyss (Gen. 6:1-4; 2 Pt. 2:4; Jude 1:6-7).

Apostates Tares (Mt. 13:36-42) will never choose to be true believers in Christ (Rev. 9:4), but these cowards don’t want to manifest themselves. Lest they fail to do so in a timely fashion, God permits the Devil persuade them. The demon-locusts torment and afflict until they do what they want to do anyway, follow the Antichrist Beast.

The locusts are bioships, “fallen angel technology” that allows disembodied “spirits of demons” ( πνεύματα δαιμονίων Rev. 16:14 BGT) to physically torment humans. The “locust/bioships” fly out of the tunnel of the abyss, having the “appearance” (3667 ὁμοίωμα homoioma) like “horses prepared for battle” because they are coming out to battle.

Confirming these are “bioship locusts”: They have breastplates like iron, which signifies spears and arrows cannot pierce them. The engines in their wings had the sound of chariots with many horses running into battle (Rev. 9:9-10), like a jet engine.

After five months of intense torment the TARES of Christendom are on board. They can’t wait for the Man of Sin to reveal himself at midweek, as the “son of Destruction” seed of Satan” (Gen. 3:15) prophesied to come, declaring himself God above all Elohim, including above the God of God’s Yahweh, in the Temple of God the Church:

3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thess. 2:3-4 NKJ) (Mt. 24:15; Dan. 7:8, 11, 25; 9:27; Rev. 13:5-8)

He declares war on everything called god, especially blaspheming Yahweh and his angels, claiming: “He is just another Extraterrestrial Elohim who can be defeated in battle. He is jealous of His position, doesn’t want humans to increase in knowledge and ascend to a higher plane, immortality” (Gen. 3:22-24; 6:1-4). “Ancient alien theory” reveals he can be defeated at Armageddon (Rev. 16:13-16).

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.
6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. (Rev. 13:5-6 NKJ)

Sixth Trumpet

13 Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
14 saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
15 So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.
16 Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them.
17 And thus I saw the horses in the vision: those who sat on them had breastplates of fiery red, hyacinth blue, and sulfur yellow; and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths came fire, smoke, and brimstone.
18 By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed– by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths.
19 For their power is in their mouth and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents, having heads; and with them they do harm.
20 But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.
21 And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries (5331 φαρμακεία pharmakeia) or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Rev. 9:13-10:1 NKJ)

The voice coming from the altar signifies this is God’s answer to the prayers for justice by the saints (Rev. 6:10; 8:3-5).

The “great river Euphrates” is the symbolic boundary of the land of God (Gen. 15:18; Deut. 1:7; 11:24; Josh. 1:4). Releasing the four angels signifies the dimensional barrier separating the spiritual realm from the physical has been removed. Spiritual wickedness in heavenly places (Eph. 6:12) can now manifest itself on earth, the restraint has been “taken out of the way” (2 Th. 2:6-8).

If these four angels were demons John would have said so. Therefore, we should interpret their being “bound” (1210 δέω deo) to mean they were “put under obligation” (Strong’s), just as the Cherubim were keeping humanity out of the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:24). They were awaiting God’s orders to accomplish the work they were ordained and prepared to do (Rev. 9:15). They likely are the same “four winds of heaven” stirring up the “Great Sea” who permitted the four beasts to rise onto the earth (Dan. 7:1-3). We can speculate they had shifts standing post at the “great river Euphrates”, which likely exists in the parallel world of heaven also.

Except for the breastplate armor, John does not describe the horsemen, only the craft they pilot. John’s description could fit modern military drones. As these are fallen angels, its certain they will be piloting truly dreadful attack vehicles appearing just as John described, killing just like he said.

When the Elohim appear and their technology is seen I’m sure what John described will be obvious.

John is surprised this massive betrayal of Beast worshipers didn’t cause the rest of the earth to question their allegiance to the Dragon. The slaughter of Christendom by Satan’s Nephilim didn’t slow the worship of demons and idols even little. Incredibly, the earth continued their murders, drug use (5331 φαρμακεία pharmakeia), sexual immorality and thefts as if nothing ever happened. John’s wording may imply his shock, not just because they didn’t repent, but they even celebrated the destruction of those Christendom hypocrites.

Seventh Trumpet

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”
19 Then the temple of God was opened in heaven, and the ark of His covenant was seen in His temple. And there were lightnings, noises, thunderings, an earthquake, and great hail. (Rev. 11:15-19 NKJ)

The “third woe” is Satan appearing on earth (Rev. 12:12), not the seventh Trumpet which flashes forward in time to AFTER the Bowls of God’s wrath have been poured out. That is why the verbs are in the past tense, these are “prophetic perfects”, John is seeing the Future after God began to rule. Its interpretation is obvious, plainly stated. It telescopes forward to the millennial Kingdom of Christ and then to the Great White Throne Judgment of the dead. Why flash forward to God’s Kingdom just before the bowls poured out? Its in celebration, now God will “kick ass” and soon nothing will remain of the enemy, God will rule!

Revelation 6 The Seven Seals
The War Between God and Satan: The Seven Bowls
The Sign of Jesus’ Coming will be an Opening in the Heavens
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
The Antichrist: His Names Titles and Descriptions
What did the apostle John reveal when he said: “It is the last hour”?
Where Is The Judgment Of Fallen Angels?




Predestination unto Salvation: Was Divine Election Conditional or Unconditional or Both?

Critical Thinking

Predestination unto Salvation: Was Divine Election Conditional, Unconditional or Both?

Scripture says divine election is conditioned “according to the foreknowledge of God” (1 Pt. 1:2):

Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. (1 Pet. 1:2 KJV)

Scripture also says divine election was not conditioned according to works either good or evil the Elect do:

For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth. (Rom. 9:11 KJV)

The apparent contradiction has caused controversy in the Church. John Calvin cited Paul to propose Election was by Sovereign choice and not based upon foreknowledge at all, while Jacob Arminius cited Peter to propose Election is conditioned on foreknowledge of “foreseen faith”.

But if we deduce what it was God foreknew, the paradox vanishes. Before the foundation of the world it follows Omniscient God had two versions of Creation in view, the “Unfallen Version” which existed only in the Mind of God, and the “Fallen Version” that actually came into existence.

If God elects according to “a condition” foreknown in the “unfallen version” (which never comes into existence), Election would be according to God’s Sovereign “good purpose and will” and free of any hint of unfairness even though it is not based upon any works of good or evil the Elect do in this life.

Before God created, in His Omniscience He experiences everyone who would come into existence, some respond to His love with love, others with hate. The “children of God” and the “children of the Devil” were fully known.

God skipped over the children of the Devil. By a special act of “foreknowledge”, God “knew before” all those who loved Him like “highlighted text” is known before surrounding dark text. And God loved them even more (cp. Rom. 11:2). [2] Therefore, before they did anything good or bad God predestined those He foreknew loved Him unto salvation, regardless what their “fallen versions” do in this fallen realm.

This is not Molinism. His view depended on the existence of “Middle Knowledge”, this view is founded in God’s “Natural Knowledge” which no one objects to.

God Omnisciently knows what every unfallen individual human would do in a particular set of circumstances, where they came to into existence knowing fully God’s love for them, and His Person. Those who responded to God’s love and Person, with love —-God predestines all things will work together for their good:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28 NKJ)

Those who are called to live with God forever, according to the purpose of enjoying life with Him for all eternity, in love and holiness, enjoying life to its fullest with God—He in them, and they in Him, are selected from among all who would ever live, and predestined unto salvation.

God will not tolerate Death or Satan have the victory over one of these He foreknew are His, therefore He predestines them unto salvation.

29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:29-39 NKJ)

Everyone else is “undetermined”, they choose in this life whether they also will live eternally with God in love.

Those who haven’t heard the gospel of Christ, will upon death, even infants are granted the intellectually ability to understand, and those who believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and trust in His sacrifice to pay for their sins, will be raised to the resurrection of life, even if they hear the gospel while in Hades, the grave:

5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.
6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Pet. 4:5-6 NKJ)

28 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
29 “and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. (Jn. 5:28-29 NKJ)

Upon death there is a judgment, the dead hear Christ’s voice and all who obey pass over from death into life, eagerly waiting for His second appearance unto salvation:

24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another–
26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. (Heb. 9:24-28 NKJ)

Predestination unto salvation is the action God took to guarantee none of His children were lost because of the Fall.

God Predestined those He foreknew would fall, unto salvation. Not based upon anything the “fallen version” were or did in this life. It was God’s good will and pleasure not to lose any of His beloved because the Fall prevented the “unfallen version” from coming into existence.

(for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), (Rom. 9:11 NKJ)

4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will. (Eph. 1:4-5 NKJ)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. (Eph. 2:8-10 NKJ)

Evidently it was unacceptable to God the fallen realm would corrupt so many of those He knows are His. Nor was it acceptable to refuse to create and all who would choose to love God (after He loved them first 1 Jn. 4:19) would not come into existence. Neither was tolerable.

Election unto Salvation resolved God’s dilemma. Only creatures with absolute free will, could love God freely for Who He is. If their Free Will were a farce, their “robot love” would be an abomination. Therefore, to endow free will yet permit the inevitable fall occur [or the Beloved would never exist], God had to predestine they be saved, regardless what the fall made them become.

In other words, in a fallen world few would be saved in this life. Most never hear the gospel. Many are deceived by the temptations and lies of this fallen realm and so ignore or despise what little of the gospel they heard.

Therefore, God predestines the Elect unto salvation, even if they must pass through hell first before they repent and believe in Jesus.

The torments of Hades are the “antidote” to the poison of the fall. Those torments cannot fail to bring one to their senses. Only those irrevocably set against living in God (John 17:21; Rev. 21:3, 22-23) in Holiness and light (James 1:17) will fail to repent and believe in Jesus and be saved.

But there is a penalty to pay for endowing creatures with free will. Some would choose evil. As God knew the fall was inevitable, He had to endure with much long suffering these vessels of wrath (Rom. 9:22-24).

Why didn’t God predestine everyone unto salvation? That would violate their free will. Not all in the “unfallen realm” loved God after God loved them first. Absolutely free will resulted in about a third of the angels (Rev. 12:4) choosing evil. The analogy implies a third of humanity reject God’s love also. They love evil. Forcing them into a relationship would be an evil act. Forcing them against their will, is antithetical to God’s character.

Everyone has every opportunity to choose life and join the Elect. That is required by the presence of names in the Book of Life that are not “The Elect”:

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. (Rev. 3:5 NKJ)

The promise is a fraud if the name cannot be blotted out from the Book of Life. Therefore, this is not spoken to the Elect whose names cannot be blotted out. Elected before they did good or bad (Rom. 9:11) their names were written “before the foundation of the world” (Rev. 13:8; 17:8; Eph. 1:4). As they are predestined unto salvation (Rom. 8:29) they overcome.

Therefore, names can exist in the Book of life that are not “Elect”, the “undetermined” could be written in or blotted out. They have free will choice and equal chance to be saved with the Elect. For example, the names of the wicked men chasing David potentially could be written in the book of life. David asks God blot their names out so that doesn’t happen:

May they be blotted out of the book of life, And may they not be recorded with the righteous. (Ps. 69:28 NAS)

An Aramaic Psalms Targum explains how some ancients understood this verse:

Give iniquity for their iniquity, and let them not be purified to enter the assembly of your righteous ones. (Ps. 69:28 PST)

The Book of Life has the names of the Elect and potentially the undetermined (who could choose to go either way). The latter are judged according to their works (Rev. 20:13,15), which determines which books their names appear in on Judgment Day.

God is “longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 3:9 NKJ). If the “undetermined” do what is right, their names won’t be blotted out from the Book of Life.

14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
15 “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20 “For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 “But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (Jn. 3:14-21 NKJ)

11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified. (Rom. 2:11-13 NKJ)

And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear (1 Pet. 1:17 NKJ)

Unfortunately, when Paul affirmed “there is no unrighteousness with God” (Rom. 9:14) he assumed readers accepted that premise without question. That all would discern God never subverted Pharaoh’s free will. Pharaoh hardened his own heart. God orchestrated events that enabled Pharaoh’s free will manifest itself, but never subverted it.

God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 7:3) by permitting Satan work deceiving wonders (Ex. 7:11-13) that strengthened Pharaoh’s free will choice to resist God. No “hardening energy” went from God to Pharaoh to make him choose evil. That was entirely Pharaoh’s choice, but orchestrated events led to Pharaoh being ruler over God’s people and his choice to resist God be actualized. God did not cause Pharoah to attack God’s people, he chose to do that on his own. Compare what this verse says about a different attack:

Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. (Isa. 54:15 NKJ)

If any nation comes to fight you, it is not because I sent them. Whoever attacks you will go down in defeat. (Isa. 54:15 NLT)

“Their eyes THEY have closed”

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ (Matt. 13:15 NKJ)

As everything requires Sovereign God’s permission to occur, it can be said “God sends the energy of delusion”, but in context God stops restraining the energy of spiritism that is deceiving Satan’s children [like Pharoah was deceived] so they can do the evil they freely desire to do:

6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7 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.
8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess. 2:6-12 NKJ)

END NOTES
[1]
4268 πρόγνωσις prognosis
Meaning: 1) foreknowledge 2) forethought, pre-arrangement-Strong’s Concordance

QUESTION—What is meant by πρόγνωσιν ‘foreknowledge/predestination’?
1. It refers to what is known beforehand [LN; KJV, NAB, NIV, REB]: he chose you in accordance with what he knew beforehand. It is the personal intimacy of a loving father, not just a knowledge of facts [TNTC]. It speaks of a relationship that has its origin in God himself [NIC].-Abernathy, D. (2008). An Exegetical Summary of 1 Peter (2nd ed., p. 13). Dallas, TX: SIL International.

[2]
4267 προγινώσκω proginosko

The church has debated what the “foreknowledge” of God is since Augustine and I believe they missed Paul uses “foreknew” in Romans 8:29 in the same way he does in Romans 11:2. Perhaps they didn’t correctly quantify God’s Omniscience, He knows all things without the act of foreknowledge. He is Infinite, all spacetime is in Him, including what is future. Nothing exists apart from God, including the future.

29 For whom He foreknew (4267 προγινώσκω proginosko), He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom. 8:29 NKJ)

2 God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew (4267 προγινώσκω proginosko). Or do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel, saying, (Rom. 11:2 NKJ)

The sense of “foreknew” (4267 προγινώσκω proginosko) in Romans 11:2 is found Romans 8:29, its knowing a selection of people “before others”:
Sense: to foreknow (personally) – to befriend or be acquainted with someone in a familiar way ahead of time or before meeting; implying an exclusivity of choice relative to those not befriended-Bible Sense Lexicon, Logos Bible Software

QUESTION—In what sense is the verb προγινώσκω ‘know beforehand’ used here?
Before the foundation of the world God knew them intimately and chose them [NICNT, NTC], or loved them specially and chose them [Ho].The knowing here has the Hebraic sense of a relationship experienced and acknowledged [WBC]. God knew and loved them beforehand [Mu, St].-Abernathy, D. (2008). An Exegetical Summary of Romans 1–8 (2nd ed., p. 560). Dallas, TX: SIL International.

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