UNMASKING THE BEAST
The Antichrist
Part 8
Things the Antichrist will Do
that will Mark his Characteristics
EIGHT
He
shall be mighty but not by his own power
He will become very
strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will
succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy
people.
Dan 8:24 NIV
“The antichrist” will become very strong—militarily,
politically, and economically.
The King James Version writes this verse like this:
And his power shall be
mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall
prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
“The antichrist will be mighty, but not by his own
power”; his
power is satanic, and this power that he receives from satan will increase as
time goes. “The antichrist” is satan’s “prince of darkness.” The power he
demonstrates is not his own, it’s of satan.
He will corrupt many honest people, which includes
many people in power: kings, princes, rulers, judges, diplomats, ambassadors,
generals and captains, scholars, scientists, engineers, and even clergymen.
His practice is of satan.
He shall destroy wonderfully—he will destroy
astonishingly. He will destroy all who oppose him, for he shall have mighty
armies.
He will prosper and do his own pleasure, he will destroy
the mighty men, and he will devastate God's people [he will persecute the
tribulation saints]. He will raise his hand against Israel.
Revelation 13 reveals him as “a conqueror.” Isaiah 16:4 reveals him as “the spoiler,” and
“the extortioner.” II Thessalonians 2:3 exposes him as “the man of
lawlessness.”
Verse 27 reveals that “the secret power of
lawlessness is already at work.”
Here is why he will succeed and prosper in the
things that he does: he operates his wickedness through “the mystery of
iniquity,” that’s “the secret power of lawlessness.”
He will be a world ruler with ‘insight,’ who “will
try to change the set times and the laws.” He is shrewd and intelligent, and a
master of intrigue. He breeds world-wide corruption, and will fully rise to
power when men have become fully morally rotten.
He will setup a ‘world government’ administration which
will be headed by a ruthless and salvage "ten horn dictators." His
"New World Order" will seize world-power.
With the combination of all these, he will be
amazingly destructive, but he will not be able to reach “the Elect” who are
preserved and protected in the wilderness, for they are God’s remnant.
“The antichrist” will wear out the saints that are
left behind; he will wear them out by long oppressions and a constant course of
hardships put upon them, ruining their estates and weakening their families.
The design of satan has been to wear out the saints of The Most High, that they
may be no more in remembrance; but the attempt is vain, for while “Mystery
Babylon” executes her wickedness upon the earth, GOD ALMIGHTY will always have
a remnant in it.
In Genesis 11 when the whole world had one language
and a common speech, men built a city with a tower that reached to the heavens.
The city was called “Babel.”
Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a
city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for
ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth" (v.4).
This 'Babylon Tower' of ancient time was the tallest
building in the world, for it reached the clouds. It looked like a religious
temple built by men—very large and imposing edifice. It was indeed a complex
structure.
But when God came down to see ‘the city’ and ‘the
tower’ mankind was making. He said, “Behold, they are one people and they have
all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now
nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them” (see verses
5 and 6).
GOD knows what is in the heart of man—He already
knew what the sons of men would accomplish when they exploit their linguistic
and political unity.
Today, “Mystery Babylon” is being built by men; it
is thickly populated with the souls of men.
“Babylon” is the abominable mystery-city of satan.
A ‘mystery temple-tower’ and ‘monument of pride and
idolatry.’
“Babylon the Great” is "the mother of
prostitutes" (idolatresses) and of “the abominations of the earth” (filth
and atrocities).
But The LORD will vanquish this conclave of ‘the
dragon’s empire,’ because He is “LORD of lords” and “KING of kings” and those
who are called, chosen and faithful will overcome along with Him (read
Revelation 17).