 From 1974 and until he passed away in June of 2005, Frank Caw devoted a considerable amount of time to research and study in Bible prophecy and related philosophical and theological issues. This website is dedicated by his family to his memory and work and is as he presented it at the time of his death. The family of Frank Caw, Jr. would like to thank Tim McHyde of EscapeAllTheseThings.com for hosting his website.
While always insisting on a plain, literal and sensible approach to scriptural exegesis,
he has pieced together many new scriptural insights on a number of extraordinary
prophetic developments that are poised to be fulfilled in our immediate
future!
Thus, it is safe to say that things are not going to happen the way many people think
they will happen.
But, this book will give you the scriptural keys for truly understanding what God has
preordained will happen, and how you can survive the incredible scenario of prophetic
events about to unfold! |
This ministry is dedicated to the loving memory of my
late wife, Debbie, who went to be in the presence of God on October 23, 1997, and who was
so instrumental in helping me to prepare for my ministry during those many long, difficult
years.
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The Rise Of Antichrist:
A
Time Of Terror And Crisis
An Ipsos poll in 2006 found that 25% of adults believed it was at least "somewhat likely" that "Jesus Christ will return to Earth" in the coming year. Among white evangelical Christian adults, a whopping 46% believed this. Yet four years later Jesus still has not returned. Want to know why Jesus did not come in 2007, or any year since then and still won't come in 2011 (or anytime soon)? »» Read Featured Article
Daniel 8:23
23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king.... shall stand up. (KJV)
A careful analysis of the remaining verses in Daniel 8 will show that the “king” (i.e., the Antichrist) will appear on the world scene just before the establishment of God’s literal Kingdom on earth. Furthermore, many “end-time” prophecies involving the nation of Israel, Middle-East wealth, numerous false messiahs, and extreme social turmoil have been fulfilled, and these dramatic developments represent just some of the more obvious indicators that the Return of Christ and God’s Kingdom are near in time. Therefore, Antichrist should begin his initial ascendancy to power and prominence within the immediate future! Since verse 23 indicates that the “transgressors” exist just prior to the initial appearance of Antichrist, the Soviet Russian communists obviously represent a plausible interpretation of the word “transgressors” in the above scriptural passage.
As further evidence, please note the opening phrase in verse 23: “And in the latter time of their kingdom.” Since the Antichrist never appeared after the demise of any previous world empires, the “kingdom” mentioned in this passage must be in reference to the “transgressors” mentioned in this same scriptural passage. Therefore, these “transgressors” are political in nature because they have a kingdom, and they must exist sometime after the demise of the Roman Empire, but before the initial appearance of the Antichrist. Since it is not very likely that these political transgressors would be mentioned in a prophecy portraying a very brief outline of world history unless they were important, this passage undoubtedly includes a reference to the communist Soviet Russian Empire.
Of course, we have always been afflicted by political transgressors throughout history, but these particular transgressors represent the very ultimate manifestation of tyranny and evil and hatred! Accordingly, the prophet Habakkuk develops this theme more fully as he laments a very evil and horrific condition plaguing the world:
Habakkuk 1:1-4
1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth. (KJV)
Daniel predicts that these evil political transgressors will “come to the full.” So, it is worthwhile to remember that this was precisely the fate which apparently befell the communist Soviet Empire in 1991. Despite periodic infusions of aid and credits and technology from the Americans and to a lesser extent, the Europeans, the Russian Soviet Empire eventually was forced to acknowledge the reality that socialism does not work very well for a number of reasons. Then when faced by the additional burden of financing another huge round of defense armaments spending, a threat which then-President Ronald Reagan used skillfully and shrewdly as a bargaining chip, the Soviet Empire tasted the promise of defeat and ostensibly collapsed as a result. (I say “ostensibly” because there is good intelligence information which indicates that the communist hard-liners in Moscow have been engaged in secretive and massive preparations for a major military confrontation with the United States, and that they still harbor dreams of restoring the Soviet Empire to its former glory.)
Concerning this period of time, Jesus made the following prediction:
Matthew 24:3-6
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (KJV)
Luke 21:7-9
7 And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?
8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.
9 But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. (KJV)
After Jesus had prophesied that the ancient Jewish temple in Jerusalem would be destroyed, the disciples later asked Him, privately, when these things would happen, and what would be the signs of His Coming and of the end of the age. Evidently, as far as the disciples were concerned, their religious and cultural perspective on matters made them think that all of these prophetic events would have to be fulfilled at the same time. They simply could not imagine any other outcome because the temple was the very centerpiece of their whole earthly existence. So, from their limited perspective, when their magnificent Holy Temple was destroyed (which happened in 70 A.D.), such an event would have to signal the end of the age, too.
But Jesus chose not to disclose any additional information regarding the future destruction of the Jewish temple. Instead, He addressed their two remaining questions concerning the signs that would indicate His Coming and the end of the age were near. So, we should observe that the very first thing Jesus did was to issue a warning regarding the incredible deception that would flourish throughout the earth at the time of the end. Thus, when the disciples asked Jesus: “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age?” His immediate response was an urgent warning: “Take heed that no man deceive you.”
In a similar vein, the apostle Paul warned that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (II Timothy 3:13). Likewise, the apostle Paul also warned that the initial appearance of the Antichrist will be “after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders”! (II Thess. 2:9). Therefore, these scriptures clearly warn that religious and philosophical deception will flourish throughout the earth during the “time of the end.”
Jesus continued: “Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” (Luke 21:8). It is interesting to observe that the New Age Movement teaches that all of us are really gods or divine-in-nature deep inside our psyches — it is just that we do not know it until we achieve “Christ consciousness” or “oneness with the universe” through “higher consciousness” techniques. In more recent years, they also have insisted that humanity is on the verge of a “sudden, evolutionary leap” or “transformation,” and that when sufficient numbers of people achieve a personal transformation (i.e., a mystical, pantheistic perception of reality), then all of the world can achieve a dramatic leap forward in realizing the age-old dream of world peace, prosperity and the brotherhood of all humanity embodied in a “new world order.” Thus, the apparent recent upsurge in freedom and democracy throughout the world, New Agers claim, is due in part, at least, to this “uplifting of spiritual consciousness.”
Therefore, the very first “signs” which indicate that the “end of the age” and the Coming of Christ are imminent involve the following three prophetic developments:
1. “Many false Christs (i.e., messiahs; Vine’s Expository Dictionary) who deceive many.” Since the late 1960s and early 1970s, millions of Americans and other Westerners have been caught up in a huge variety of Eastern religious cults! Many of these religious cults deceive people into thinking they are only “natural” or “scientific” techniques for relaxation and self-fulfillment. But, a closer examination reveals that they actually possess all of the characteristics of a religion as set forth in a dictionary, and that they are steeped in Eastern religion methodologies and techniques designed to achieve a higher level of consciousness. Likewise, never throughout all of history have we seen the appearance of so many self-proclaimed messiahs and gurus; they literally have proliferated into the hundreds, and even the thousands. Although there may have been a few false messiahs here and there down throughout history, never have we been deluged by a sudden, massive onslaught of false messiahs and gurus like we have experienced in our modern society.
2. The second prophetic sign heralding the approach of the “end of the age” is the onset of “commotions,” which in the Greek means “extreme social turmoil.” Thus, the endtime fulfillment of this prophetic prediction ranges from the mass urban riots and demonstrations that were a hallmark feature of the late 1960s, to the horrific onslaught of modern organized terrorism that has plagued humanity at rapidly-escalating levels of terror and destruction since the early 1970s, including the horrendous terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. Other notable examples of extreme social turmoil (and rumors of wars) would include the nuclear and bio-chemical holocaust scares we have endured as a modern society in recent years. Foremost among these scares was the highly successful propaganda offensive that was launched during the 1980s by the Soviet Union concerning the horrors of nuclear war. Then finally, most recently, there has been the threat of radical Islamic terrorist groups using weapons of mass destruction against the United States, Europe, Israel and other areas of Western Civilization. So, it does not seem possible for anyone to argue that Western society has ever suffered a more extreme period of social turmoil and terror than what we have confronted in recent times.
3. “Wars and rumours of wars.” Please bear in mind that even though prophetic events may have been partially fulfilled on many occasions throughout history, we should always look for the complete and ultimate prophetic fulfillment. Accordingly, every aspect of a biblical prophecy must be completely fulfilled before we can truly say it has been fulfilled. On that basis then, we should observe that sometimes people will say that “wars and rumours of wars” are not a prophetic sign of the end of the world (Greek word AION, meaning “age”) because we have always been plagued by wars throughout most of history. But, Jesus was asked by his disciples to explain the prophetic signs or indicators that would signal the nearness of His Coming and the “end of the age.” So, we should give serious consideration to the hypothetical proposition that His discourse really did respond to the issues posed by His disciples — especially since it is very easy to correlate all of the prophetic events portrayed in the Olivet Discourse with apocalyptic prophecies described in Revelation and the Old Testament. Therefore, even though Jesus chose to withhold any additional revelations regarding the forthcoming destruction of the Jewish temple, it makes sense that He did answer the remaining two questions.
Accordingly, the “wars and rumors of wars,” mentioned in Matthew 24 and Luke 21, are a definitive reference to a special set of horrendous conditions and circumstances that would engulf the whole world during the “last days” (Matt. 24:3-6), and only communism has demonstrated the ability to create dramatic and very violent trouble spots all over the world at once. In fact, during the 1970s and 1980s, it seemed as if countless numbers of communist-inspired wars and brush wars were exploding in hotspots all over the globe. Moreover, this geopolitical phenomenon was in stark contrast with other eras in history when wars were far fewer in number at any given moment, and were only sporadic or regional in scope, or were wars that involved massive military campaigns such as World Wars I and II. Therefore, this dramatic prophecy in the Olivet Discourse has only been fulfilled significantly in modern times.
Furthermore, Jesus even warned that the very existence of the world would appear to be threatened by these “wars and rumors of wars” and commotions (extreme social turmoil such as terrorism). His exact words of warning were: “Be not terrified, the end is not yet.” Obviously extraordinary circumstances must be associated with the fulfillment of this frightening biblical prophecy. That is why, in my opinion, this prediction achieved at least a preliminary fulfillment through the “Peace Movement” of the 1980s which was encouraged by a successful propaganda offensive launched by the Soviet Union concerning the horrors of nuclear war. The psychological environment deteriorated so badly that public sentiment sometimes even bordered on the hysterical.
However, most recently, the world has witnessed the apparent demise of the communist Soviet Empire in a possible fulfillment of the prophecy that communism would “come to the full.” (Daniel 8:23). Russia has even acknowledged, publicly, the existence of the poverty and inefficiency that plagued Soviet Russian society for many decades. Obviously the only real asset Russia has had during all of this time was a very formidable and dangerous military capability which they have modernized significantly in recent years. Therefore, it is very possible that the communist hard-liners in Moscow will try to use their massive military capability in one, last desperate attempt to restore the glory of the former Soviet Empire. If so, that will be when the communists truly “come to the full” as Daniel predicted, and the nuclear war scare of the 1980s will have been only a preliminary fulfillment of the prophecy by Jesus that world conditions would deteriorate to the point of apparent destruction. Thus, we may see the ultimate fulfillment for both of these prophecies in our immediate future, prompting the Antichrist to rescue the world from the horrors of radical Islamic terrorism and/or the threat of nuclear destruction and/or Russian military aggression.
Daniel 8:23, 24
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully... (KJV)
It is when the communists “are come to the full” that “a king of fierce countenance... shall stand up.” This fierce-looking man, the Antichrist, will be a “king,” i.e., a political leader, and an aggressive military genius who will understand “dark sentences” which will infuse him with amazing occult power. Then with that power, the Bible predicts he will destroy his enemies with astounding ease! Nothing will seem too difficult for this extraordinary man to achieve! Although the “church-world” and many “religious leaders” will seem dazed and confused while fumbling around for plausible explanations, the Antichrist will appear to have the answers! During a period of crisis and fear and confusion, he will mesmerize the whole world with his incredible military feats and miraculous occult power and enchanting oratory.
Other than from Satan, where could a man obtain this fantastic power and ability? That is precisely what Daniel was predicting in the scriptural phrases “understanding dark sentences” and “his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” Such amazing occult power will be satanic-inspired, as the apostle Paul likewise explains in the following scriptural passage: “Even him, whose coming (i.e., initial ascendancy to power) is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” (II Thess. 2:9). This view is further corroborated in the book of Revelation where it is stated that the whole world, immediately after the Rapture, will understand that Satan is the real source of power and inspiration for the miraculous occult abilities of the Antichrist after he is “revealed”:
Revelation 13:4
4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (KJV)
Daniel 11:35-39
35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
36 And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
39 Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. (KJV)
“Neither shall he regard... the desire of women... for he shall magnify himself above all.” Not only will the Antichrist magnify himself above every god, but apparently he will also lack interest and desire in the beauty and sexual attractiveness of women because “he shall magnify himself above all.” This does not necessarily mean, however, that he will not be married. Instead, it may indicate he will be obsessed by his extraordinary supernatural occult power and abilities, and by his agenda for political power and military conquests and spiritual deception. That is why there is no reason to believe he will be a homosexual as some have speculated; he will be too preoccupied with himself and his objectives to concern himself with sexual desires that would consume much of his time and energy.
An interesting alternative rendering of this scriptural phrase in verse 37 is found in the Amplified Bible: “He shall not regard the gods of his fathers or Him [to whom] women desire [to give birth — the Messiah] nor any other god, for he shall magnify himself above all.” Because the promised Messiah was the one to whom all young Jewish women desired to give birth, He was the “desire of women.” Accordingly, verse 37 could be interpreted to say: “He will not regard the God of his ancestors, nor will he regard Messiah God of Israel, nor will he regard any god.” Likewise, the preceding verse, i.e., verse 36, also predicts that Antichrist will speak against the God of gods, i.e., the true God of biblical Christianity. Then in similar fashion, verse 38 states that when the Antichrist is “in his estate,” meaning after the pre-tribulation Rapture when he will be fatally wounded and incarnated by Satan, that is when he will acknowledge Satan, the god of forces, as his true source of power. (See Rev. 13:4). Thus, the proposed translation of verse 37 would reinforce verse 36 and other passages that indicate the Antichrist will never pretend to be the Jewish Messiah, even before the Rapture occurs, because he will blaspheme the true God while exalting himself above all other gods.
But, even though the alternative translation for this scriptural phrase makes it more consistent with the theme of the phrases adjacent to it, we must question if it is truly the intended meaning. For instance, using the phrase “desire of women” is an obtuse way to say “Messiah.” Also, based on Strong’s Hebrew-Greek Dictionary, the precise literal translation of the original words would be the phrase, “nor desire women.” Other words in this passage, such as “the” and “of,” are words that were added by the translators in an effort to clarify the intended meaning. Furthermore, Young's Literal Translation matches the KJV closely, and I generally prefer the YLT and KJV Bibles for two basic reasons. First, their translators were less intentional about allowing their personal theology to influence their translation efforts, and second, they are based upon more reliable ancient manuscripts.
“And the king shall do according to his will.” Daniel describes the Antichrist as “exceeding great” (Dan. 8:9), while Alexander the Great is given a description that denotes a lower magnitude of greatness; he is described as simply “very great” (Dan. 8:8). Therefore, it is reasonable to infer that the military feats accomplished by the Antichrist will be amazing even when they are compared to the swift military conquests waged by Alexander the Great. Other scriptures also testify to the incredible military conquests achieved by the Antichrist. Thus, since Alexander the Great conquered his enemies with lightning speed, so likewise will the Antichrist. Nothing will be able to stop him or thwart his will. As John noted: “Who is able to make war with him?” In fact, the military conquests of the Antichrist, during his initial rise to power, will be so spectacular and astounding that he will be universally acclaimed as an invincible war genius, and most people will even believe him when he proclaims himself to be a god!
“The king shall do according to his will.” From the very beginning, the Antichrist will boldly and unabashedly defy God by doing whatever he chooses to do according to his personal values and passions. Moreover, Daniel 7:25 states that the Antichrist “shall speak great words against the most High.... and think to change times and laws.” Thus, Antichrist will boldly defy and blaspheme the true God in Heaven even as he encourages defiance and rebellion against traditional cultural conventions and norms and moral values. Likewise, Daniel 7:8 predicts that the Antichrist will “speak great things” from the outset when he first begins his spectacular rise to power. As further corroboration, Daniel 8:25 predicts that the Antichrist will “magnify himself in his heart,” while Daniel 11:36-37 also prophesies he will “exalt” and “magnify” himself “above every god” and “above all” — descriptions which are reminiscent of the self-deification delusion that snared Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Thus, he will “magnify himself above every god,” and will be so bold and defiant as to “speak marvellous things against the God of gods.” Obviously these statements seem to imply that the Antichrist, indeed, will advocate “god-hood” for everyone — just as the New Agers teach.
“And shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished.” The Hebrew word for “indignation” is ZAAM, meaning “rage; fury, especially, God’s displeasure at sin.” Therefore, this scriptural passage evidently predicts that the Antichrist will “prosper” in his plans to deceive people before the Rapture by inspiring world peace and prosperity. Then later, after the Rapture, he will continue to “prosper” by waging “war” against Christian believers for three and one-half years of Great Tribulation. But then after that, the Day of God’s Wrath will begin, and the Antichrist will no longer “prosper” in his plans because God’s “indignation” and judgment will be unleashed in the form of Trumpet-Vial plagues before culminating in His Return at the Battle of Armageddon.
“Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers.” A reference to the personal, infinite, triune God of the Christian Bible is not necessarily intended here in this passage because the letter “G” is not capitalized in the word “God” in the original language. Here is how Strong’s Hebrew-Greek Dictionary defines the word “God”:
430 ‘elohiym (el-o-heem’);
plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:
KJV— angels, X exceeding, God (gods)- dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
So, the word “God” actually can be translated as “gods in the ordinary sense,” or it can be rendered as “the supreme God.” However, we should note also that the article “the” was added arbitrarily by the KJV translators because they jumped to the same conclusion everyone else did — so the presence of the article “the” does not lend any support to the theory that this word must refer to the true God of biblical Christianity. Accordingly, it is erroneous to assume this scriptural phrase necessarily refers to the Jewish fathers of the Antichrist in an attempt to prove the Antichrist will pretend to be the Jewish Messiah. Besides, it could just as easily refer to the Islamic supreme god, Allah, if the Antichrist proves to be a Moslem or Druze Moslem. Instead, this passage means precisely what it actually says, i.e., he will ignore the religion of his ancestors by simply declining to honor or worship the god whom his ancestors worshipped, whomever that may be. Corroboration on this point is provided in this very same passage of scripture when it continues by saying that neither will he “regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all” BEFORE the Rapture, but that AFTER the Rapture, he will modify his religious stance by publicly honoring the “god of forces” who is none other than Satan himself:
Revelation 13:4
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (KJV)
“He shall honour the god of forces.” Initially, New Age thinking may very well ascribe the incredible supernatural occult power of the Antichrist to the “universal spirit” or the “cosmic consciousness” of the universe. But, those who are wise will understand that it is Satan who is the actual source of such miraculous occult abilities, not some “universal power” achieved through “higher consciousness” or a “sudden, dramatic leap in evolution.” However, immediately after the pre-tribulation Rapture occurs, everyone in the world will understand clearly that Satan is the real reason for the incredible power and abilities of Antichrist. (Rev. 13:2, 4) (Dan. 11:39) (Hab. 1:11). Moreover, that is precisely what II Thessalonians 2:3-12 alludes to when it states that the Antichrist will be “revealed” (Greek APOKALUPTO; disclosed, uncovered, revealed), immediately after the Rapture, when the Holy Spirit will be “taken out of the way” (but not out of the world), and a mortally-wounded Antichrist will become possessed and incarnated by Satan himself (Rev. 13:2-4). So, in other words, we will see the “coming” of the Antichrist when he first appears on the world scene as a man endowed with satanic supernatural power. But, we (as Christians) will not see him “revealed” as Satan incarnate because that satanic union will not happen until immediately after the pre-trib Rapture takes place.
These astounding developments will not mean, however, that most people will believe Satan is evil — even after the Rapture when the whole world will worship both Satan and Antichrist (Rev. 13:2-7). Instead, they probably will think — as many people, reportedly, believe already — that Satan is a “good angel” who goes by the name of Lucifer, and that he is a morally good and benevolent creature. Especially since he will have been responsible for creating world peace and prosperity, before the Rapture, through his human surrogate, the Antichrist. But on the other hand, God will be blamed for destroying that world peace and prosperity when He begins to unleash horrific plagues and judgments upon the earth. That explains why Revelation states in several different passages that AFTER the Great Tribulation — during the Great and Terrible Day Of The Lord — people on earth will curse God while refusing to repent of their sins.
“Shall honor the god of forces.” According to Strong’s Hebrew-Greek Dictionary and the late Rev. Alexander Hislop, author of the classic, The Two Babylons, a more accurate translation of the word “forces” would be the word “fortifications.” Therefore, this scriptural phrase may be an allusion to the great rebel Nimrod, who (as documented by Hislop; pp. 30-55) can be described as “the god of fortifications.” So, apparently the Antichrist will be a modern-day version of Nimrod, who was viewed in his days as an extraordinary benefactor of humanity because he taught people how to protect themselves from the wild animals by building walls around their cities, and because he was a mighty hunter of these wild animals who were threatening to overrun the earth. But, after giving people the benefits and blessings of safety and security, he used his prestige to persuade people to rebel against God, thus beginning the great Babylonian apostasy.
“And he shall destroy wonderfully.” (Dan. 8:24). Thanks to modern science and technology, mankind now possesses a multitude of amazing high-tech weapons and nuclear bombs. So, it most certainly makes sense that the Antichrist — from a very small country with a small army — would require supernatural occult power to achieve what the Bible predicts that he will accomplish. This is made even more apparent in Young’s Literal Translation: “And wonderful things he destroyeth.” Thus, this scripture predicts that the Antichrist will rise up suddenly and demolish the modern, high-tech weaponry which will be arrayed against him. Moreover, further clarification becomes evident in an analysis of the word “destroy” because it is translated from the Hebrew word SHACHATH, which is defined as meaning “to ruin.” So, we must conclude that it will be a most startling and remarkable demonstration of satanic occult power. The prophet Habakkuk elaborates even further:
Habakkuk 1:5-11
5 Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
6 For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
7 They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
8 Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
9 They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
10 And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
11 Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god. (KJV)
Habakkuk predicts that the Chaldean “horsemen” of Antichrist (who will be modern-day “types” of the ancient, war-like Chaldeans) will “FLY as the eagle”! (Hab. 1:8). This scripture obviously paints a vivid picture of modern warfare when it portrays the soldiers of Antichrist flying in military aircraft as they launch attacks against the “strong holds” of their enemies! Unfortunately, commentators have often been too quick to give scriptural passages such as this one a poetic or metaphorical interpretation when they should not have done so. Because the Bible should be read and interpreted in the same manner you would generally employ while reading any other book! That means we should give a plain, literal interpretation to a passage unless the context clearly indicates otherwise or a literal interpretation would not make any sense. Therefore, when this passage states that the “horsemen,” i.e., the soldiers of Antichrist, will “fly as the eagle,” that is precisely what it means, literally; the soldiers of Antichrist will fly in military aircraft to attack their enemies. However, even though we should interpret the word “fly” literally in this passage, common sense indicates we should not do so for the word “horsemen” because obviously horses do not fly.
One additional point we should emphasize concerning these horsemen, who will “fly as the eagle,” is that there is significance in Habakkuk’s use of the following simile: “As the eagle that hasteth to eat.” Eagles are noted for swooping almost straight down from the sky at great speeds to land on their helpless and defenseless prey. Thus, the Antichrist will do likewise by conquering his enemies with blazing, lightning-fast speed. As John observed in Revelation: “Who can make war with the beast?” In similar fashion, Daniel also predicted in his prophecies that the Antichrist will “destroy wonderfully” by using satanic supernatural occult power to overwhelm his enemies with ease. In fact, his military feats will be so incredible and spectacular that most people will actually believe him when he proclaims himself to be a god above all other gods!
Additional evidence corroborating the identity of the Chaldeans in this passage may be seen in Isaiah 23:1, 5-9, 11, 13, 15, 17-18. In these verses of scripture, Isaiah predicts that “the Assyrian,” i.e., the Antichrist, will rebuild the city of Tyre (in the country of Lebanon) for the benefit of the “Chaldeans” (during the period of peace and prosperity that will exist on the earth until the pre-tribulation Rapture occurs). Then near the time of Armageddon itself, the city of Tyre will be destroyed and allowed to lie in ruins for a period of seventy years. But after those seventy years have elapsed, God declares He will restore the city of Tyre so it can function as an eternal source of food and clothing for people who will serve Him in the city of Jerusalem. Therefore, without question, this biblical scripture establishes beyond any reasonable doubt that the people of Antichrist (in Lebanon) are called “Chaldeans” in prophetic passages. Apparently, since neither Habakkuk nor Isaiah knew what the name of the modern-day country of Antichrist would be, they gave it the name of a well-known country in their own history that shared similar characteristics with it. Thus, the war-like Chaldeans of the much-feared Babylonian Empire were used as “types” to designate the modern-day country of Antichrist.
God begins His startling prophetic message to the “heathen” (i.e., the world) with the clear admonishment that they should “regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” In other words, apparently world events will become so astounding and spectacular, and people will become so frightened and terrified, that they will find it very difficult to believe the world was not destroyed during its time of crisis even after the Antichrist has rescued them.
“Bitter and hasty nation... terrible and dreadful.” Concerning the word “hasty” when applied to the “Chaldeans,” the Pulpit Commentary has this to say: “They are called hasty as being vehement and impetuous in attack and rapid in movement.” The modern name that is generally associated with this vivid description is Blitzkrieg, or lightning war. These definitive phrases in Habakkuk, that characterize the people of Antichrist, are similar to those mentioned by Daniel when he said that the “little horn” will “look more stout than his fellows.” In like manner, Daniel 8:23 predicts that the Antichrist will possess a fierce-looking appearance, most likely due to the satanic power and intelligence that will shine forth through his eyes while also manifesting itself powerfully through his overall demeanor and countenance.
“Their faces shall sup up as the east wind.” Daniel said the same thing when he prophesied that the Antichrist will “wax exceeding great” in a southern and eastern direction during his initial ascendancy to power.
Habakkuk predicts that the Antichrist will “gather the captivity as the sand” because no one in the world will be able to resist him. (Hab. 1:9, 10, 17). Moreover, due to the extraordinary supernatural power imbued within him by Satan, he will literally scoff at his enemies and their modern weapons of warfare. Likewise, he will be a very proud and arrogant man, never happy or content without the prospect of more military conquests:
Habakkuk 2:5
5 Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people: (KJV)
His soldiers will “deride every strong hold: for they shall heap dust and take it.” (Hab. 1:10). Until modern-day weapons were developed which utilize a variety of high-tech chemical, biological and nuclear materials, most commentators could only assign a meaning of primitive dirt-ramparts to this passage in their attempts to interpret or decipher its message. But, now we may very well be confronted by an overwhelming threat of radical Islamic terrorism, and/or Russian or North Korean military aggression, including nuclear blackmail, and/or Middle East wars — all of which inherently carry the potential risk that weapons of mass destruction could be used. Although only time itself will reveal the exact scenario that will actually occur, bear in mind Habakkuk predicted that the initial rise of the Antichrist will be so spectacular and amazing that the world will find it very difficult to believe even after the fact! Furthermore, the Bible also predicts that the Antichrist will be hailed as a god and an invincible war genius after his initial rise to power and prominence! Therefore, it is only natural to infer that world events may escalate to a very horrific and terrifying level! Thus, the warning that Jesus gave us concerning this point in history: “Be not terrified, the end is not yet.”
“Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.” (Hab. 1:11). According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary, the word “mind” in this passage can mean “wind, air, breath, a person’s mindset and disposition, the soul and spirit of man, or the Spirit of God.” Consequently, in this instance, Habakkuk predicts that sometime after Antichrist forges a new world empire into existence through military conquest, his life-force and/or his mindset will change, causing him to impute or acknowledge that his extraordinary occult power comes from Satan. Therefore, once again, Habakkuk makes prophetic predictions that are similar to what Daniel said. For instance, in Daniel 11:36-39, Daniel predicts that the Antichrist will “exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods.... nor regard any god.” All of these things he will do BEFORE the pre-tribulation Rapture occurs. But then, immediately AFTER the Rapture when the Antichrist becomes mortally wounded, Daniel predicts he will be “in his estate,” meaning he will be possessed and incarnated by Satan. That is when Daniel goes on to say that the Antichrist will then modify his religious stance by publicly honoring “the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour.... Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory.”
The import of this prophecy was deemed so critical and vital that God commanded Habakkuk to “write the vision, and make it plain” so that teachers someday could spread its message at the appropriate time. (Hab. 2:1-3). Obviously this is very forceful and explicit language. God also stated that “the vision (was) yet for an appointed time, but at the end it (would) speak.” (Hab. 2:2, 3). So, in other words, this prophecy was intended to be fulfilled during the “end-times,” or as Habakkuk puts it, “at the end”! As further confirmation, we will note in a later chapter of this book that the events portrayed in Habakkuk 3 correlate with some of the post-Rapture events described in Revelation. Accordingly, this prophecy of Habakkuk, like so many others in the Bible, may have been partially fulfilled sometime in history, but the COMPLETE fulfillment is still future simply because at least one detail remains unfulfilled. Of course, in this instance, there is an additional reason because the prophecy includes the stipulation that fulfillment of the prophecy is preordained for the time of “the end”:
Habakkuk 2:1-4
1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.
4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (KJV)
Who will the Antichrist conquer? Daniel 8:9 states that he will “wax exceeding great” in a southern and eastern direction, and that he will also invade the land of Israel. Therefore, Israel and southern Lebanon and countries east or south of Lebanon are all prime candidates for conquest. Daniel 7:8 likewise predicts that the Antichrist will subdue “three horns” located somewhere within the geographical area of the old Roman Empire — but they must also be countries that are located south or east of Lebanon, so they probably will be the countries of Israel, Syria and Iraq. Furthermore, Revelation 13:2 states that the biblical empire of the beast (Antichrist) will include the countries within the geographical areas of the ancient Grecian, Persian and Babylonian empires since they are characterized by the leopard, bear and lion parts of the prophetic beast. Accordingly, this revelation obviously indicates that Syria, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan will all become a part of the world empire of the Antichrist, meaning they will be conquered militarily by the Antichrist if they do not voluntarily ally themselves with him. (The “ten horns” of the beast, of course, will voluntarily swear allegiance to the Antichrist after he forges a new world empire into existence.) So, in summary, the countries to watch for, from a prophetic perspective, would include Israel, southern Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and probably Russia, and very possibly countries such as Pakistan, China and North Korea.
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