IS THE ANTICHRIST ALIVE?

J. Grant Swank, Jr.


Seemingly so.


The AntiChrist, symbolized in the Book of Revelation as “the beast,” will rule from the City of Seven Hills—Rome. His compatriot, the False Prophet, will rule from the same. (See Revelation 13 footnote).


That means that both politics (AntiChrist) and religion (False Prophet) will have suites near one another.


Those two primary dimensions of society—politics and religion—crucified Christ. Those two dimensions will rise up to combat Christ in the End Times.


However, Christ will overcome them, hence His title being Kings of Kings—politics—and Lord of Lords—religion.


Someone will try to take over one of Rome’s hills, attempting to overthrow the AntiChrist. However, the AntiChrist will be victorious over that enemy, taking back the entire city.


The AntiChrist will rule over a ten-nation alliance. That “ten-nation” is given in Revelation’s symbolism; therefore, the actual number may be something other than “ten.” However, the point is that the AntiChrist will rule over a domain covering the old Roman Empire, that is, the present-day European Union.


The AntiChrist, filled with the devil, will promise the world peace. Many will worship him.


The False Prophet will order a statue erected in honor of the AntiChrist. Those in the environs of the statue who do not bow down to it will be slain.


The False Prophet will appear as a Christian leader; however, when he opens his mouth he will speak demonic doctrine. He will perform miracles. Jesus taught that demons can perform miracles and will do so in the End Times.


Note Matthew 24:24: Jesus speaks: "For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect.”


The diabolical reign will identify mortals via the mark of the beast—666. That number—666—is understood as Satan seeking to be divine, the divine number being 7. Satan’s straining—666—never reaches 7, however; nevertheless, that has been Satan’s game since the start.


Note Revelation 13:16-17: ”It (False Prophet) causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell who does not have the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”


The saved, refusing the mark of the beast, will have supplies miraculously given as the wilderness Hebrews received manna and quail while their shoes never wore out—all provided by God.


Or the mark will be placed near the close of the tribulation so that whatever supplies the saved have will last them till the Second Coming Rapture. We are not informed as to the time frame when the mark of the beast will be signed onto mortals.


The AntiChrist, at the about-seven year’s tribulation midpoint—that is, after 3 l/2 years—will enter Jerusalem, sacking the city and desecrating the Temple.


He will proclaim himself deity there.


While in Jerusalem, the AntiChrist will murder God’s two prophets who will have preached holiness for 3 l/2 years, others trying to kill them but unable to do so. (Read Revelation 11:1-13).


After the AntiChrist murders the prophets, their corpses will be in the open for the world to see them via worldwide communication. The unsaved will declare a holiday in honor of the AntiChrist and celebration that the prophets are dead.


Some believe these two preachers to be Moses and Elijah for they perform miracles as turning water into blood and causing the sky not to rain for 3 l/2 years. Malachi also prophesies concerning Moses and Elijah in the End Times.


Note Malachi 4:1-6: “For behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.


“But for you who fear my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go forth leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.


“Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.’”


Further, Moses and Elijah have already returned to Earth while appearing with Jesus on the Mount of Figuration.


After 3 l/2 days, God resurrects the prophets; they ascend into heaven; the city experiences an earthquake in which 7000 are dead. This brings a number to give glory to God, defined by some as repentant souls saved because of coming to truth.


The AntiChrist returns to Rome after leveling Jerusalem. Then follows the “age of vengeance,” per Jesus’ words, that is, the last half of the tribulation.


At the close of the tribulation, Armageddon is waged in the northwest section of Israel—the Valley of Megiddo where many battles have let loose much blood.


Forces from Asia, Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and the Orient will gather. (There is no mention of any forces from the Western Hemisphere.) These militia will not know it is the last battle of the Church Age, the latter starting with Jesus’ First Coming and culminating with His Second Coming.


At the height of Armageddon, Jesus will return with His angels and redeemed of all time. Having left the right hand of the Father’s heavenly throne, Jesus will return to His rightful turf—Earth.


His word will slay those in the Armageddon battle, vultures picking their corpses clean.


His feet will touch the Mount of Olives, causing it to split in two, signifying His global power.


Note Zechariah 4:4: “In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south.”


The AntiChrist and False Prophet will be thrown alive into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone.


Enoch and Elijah did not die mortal deaths in the Old Testament, but instead were taken alive into heaven. The AntiChristt and False Prophet are two in the Church Age who will go alive into eternal damnation.


Note detail regarding the Second Coming Rapture in Matthew 24:29-31: Jesus speaks: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken;


“Then will appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn.


“And they will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; and he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather (rapture) his elect (the saved) from the four winds (north, south, east, west), from one end of heaven to the other.”


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.


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


Read ROBOT WARRIORS = BIBLE’S PLAGUE AGENTS? At http://truthinconviction.us/weblog.php?id=P2963


FOOTNOTE: REVELATION 13


1 And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems upon its horns and a blasphemous name upon its heads.

2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.


3 One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth followed the beast with wonder.


4 Men worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"


5 And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months;


6 it opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven.


7 Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation,


8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, every one whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb that was slain.


9 If any one has an ear, let him hear:


10 If any one is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if any one slays with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.


11 Then I saw another beast which rose out of the earth; it had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.


12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.


13 It works great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in the sight of men;


14 and by the signs which it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast, it deceives those who dwell on earth, bidding them make an image for the beast which was wounded by the sword and yet lived;


15 and it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast so that the image of the beast should even speak, and to cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.


16 Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead,


17 so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.


18 This calls for wisdom: let him who has understanding reckon the number of the beast, for it is a human number, its number is six hundred and sixty-six.