ANTICHRIST RULES FROM EUROPE, OLD ROMAN EMPIRE

J. Grant Swank, Jr.


NOTE: Pastor Swank authored MOMENTS TO GO, A STUDY OF THE SECOND COMING, Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 1974, the book now out of print. However, a few copies are available via such venues as Amazon books.

______________________________________________________________________________


If we are deciphering biblical prophecy correctly, the AntiChrist will rule the world from his European base, the old Roman Empire geography.


Revelation 17 is one of the key passages to consider. In Revelation, the “beast” is regarded as the AntiChrist. The “other beast” is considered the False Prophet. The “dragon” is considered Satan, “that old snake.”


Revelation 17:3 pictures the AntiChrist as “a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”


The seven heads are explained in the passage as “seven hills.” The ten horns are explained as “ten kings.”


Jesus describes in His vision to the apostle John the following regarding the AntiChrist in Revelation 17: 8: “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit.”


The AntiChrist referred to here is described as the one who “was”—that is, the spirit of AntiChrist of the first century.


And the one who “is not”—that is, the AntiChrist who is not visible during the Church Age till the close of that Age.


And the one who “will ascend out of the bottomless pit”—that is, the AntiChirst who, filled with hell’s power, will reign during the about-seven year tribulation period prior to the Second Coming Rapture.


Further, Jesus provides this detail: “And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.”


Those who “marvel” are the unsaved for their names are not written in the Book of Life. In fact, they marvel by worshiping the AntiChrist.


Then, regarding the seven heads, note Revelation 17:9-10: “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.


“There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.”


The seven mountains are the Seven Hills of Rome. Geography has traditionally referred to Rome as the City of Seven Hills, the hills being Quirinal, Viminal , Esquiline, Palatine, Caelian, Aventine, and Capitoline.


As to the “seven kings” who “have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come,” they are past tense the rulers of Chaldea, Egypt, Babylonia, Medes-Persians, Greece, and the Rome of John’s day (“the one who is”).


The one yet to come is the AntiChrist at the close of the Church Age.


The AntiChrist at the close of the Church Age is described as ruling for “a short time.” His rule will be hellish but not long, mainly the about-seven year tribulation period climaxed with the Second Coming Rapture.


Then Revelation 17:12 reads: “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.”


These “ten kings” are ten rulers. They do not rule during John’s day—“who have received no kingdom as yet.” They do receive power under the AntiChrist for “one hour”—that is, a short time, namely the about-seven year tribulation.


The number ten is given in the context of Revelation’s symbolism. Therefore, one does not know whether to take that number literally or figuratively. The future will reveal what to do with that number.


The gist is that leaders will submit to the AntiChrist who will rule from Rome; therefore, it is assumed that the AntiChrist’s geographical base will be the present European Union with his headquarters office in Rome.


Revelation 17:13 underlines the unity the AntiChrist will receive from his compatriot leaders within the EU: “These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.”


The EU was formed with no mention of God. The Pope asked the EU scribes to include reference to the God of the Bible; however, they refused, hence the secularization of Europe. The EU leaders purposefully negated the Christian backdrop of Europe. They knowingly turned their backs on the God of their history.


It will be the EU that will lead the persecution against Christians. Keep in mind that there is no mention of the Western Hemisphere in biblical prophecy.


Christ will topple the AntiChrist’s rule headquartered in the EU for Christ is the chief political leader of the millennium yet to be. In addition, all earthly rule is temporary. The Earth is Christ’s turf. He ultimately oversees everything regarding the planet for He is the Alpha and Omega, the Start and Finish.


“Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings” as stated in Revelation 17:14. Those who are “with Him are called, chosen, and faithful,” that is, genuine believers are thusly described.


The AntiChrist rule will hub within the EU; however, it will stretch globally. Revelation 17:15, 18: “Then he said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.


“’And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.’”


The “woman” is symbolically Revelation’s harlot of Revelation 17-18. She represents the prostitution of the true faith, such taking place worldwide now.


The harlot, Babylon, is also “that great city”—that is, Rome.


This passage states that the Roman rule of the AntiChrist’s suite will reach around the planet, taking under his power the “kings of the earth.”


Read WHAT IS ISRAEL’S FUTURE END? at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2966


Read WHY DID GOD CREATE ISRAEL IN 1948? at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2965


Read IS THE ANTICHRIST ALIVE? at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2964

Read WESTERN HEMISPHERE NOT IN BIBLICAL PROPHECY at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2962


Read WILL YOU BE AT THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB? at http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2967


FOOTNOTE: REVELATION 17


1. Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,


2. With whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”


3. So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.


4. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication.


5. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.


6. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.


7. But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.


8. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.


9. Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.


10. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.


11. And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.


12. The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast.


13. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.


14. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”


15. Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.


16. And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.


17. For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.


18. And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”