Day: February 28, 2013

A Papal Prophecy? #1

Thursday, February 28, 2013

“And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time” (2 Thessalonians 2:6 KJV).

Today’s resignation of Benedict XVI as pope is being greatly discussed within “Christian” circles in light of eschatology. Are we seeing Bible prophecy fulfilled today, or is this simply the (usual) failure to “rightly divide the word of truth?”

Ever since the Bible—especially the book of the Revelation—was completed nearly 2,000 years ago, many have offered wild speculations regarding the identity of the antichrist. Before we attempt to tackle the issue of who he is, let us first ask and answer, “Exactly what is the antichrist and why is he even in the Bible?” The books of Daniel, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation deal with him in detail more than any other Bible books, although brief, implicit references to him can be found elsewhere in the Old and New Testament Scriptures (Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, the Four Gospels, 1 John, et al.).

In the next several studies, we aim to look at some of the most important Bible passages regarding the antichrist. There is much ignorance about him, his purpose, his plan, his origin, his reign, and his inauguration. We want to set aside our denominational biases, and the secular input from the lost Bible critics who sell their alleged “prophetic” books and television programs, and we desire to simply see what God’s Word actually says about this man, the “antichrist.” By the way, today’s Scripture is excerpted from a passage (verses 3-12) that provides one of the most graphic portraits of him found in the Holy Bible.

Firstly, we can briefly list at least three reasons why the antichrist is in Scripture:

  1. To be a literal, spiritual, and physical counterfeit Jesus Christ: he is anti(against)-Christ, the ultimate embodiment of Satan’s lie policy aimed at destroying God purpose and plan for creation.
  2. To deal with the nation Israel: to separate the believing Jews from the unbelieving Jews.
  3. To demonstrate that, in the end, God is far wiser and far more powerful than Satan and sinful man whom he controls.

Let us examine these three points in greater detail….

We have recently uploaded to YouTube the final part of 3 home Bible study videos that introduce dispensational Bible study, and specifically Pauline dispensationalism. Click here to watch it.