David Berg
—More on the Rise of the Antichrist!DO 259612/89
1. One thing that's not made clear is exactly when the Antichrist is going to be revealed. The way it's worded in 2nd Thessalonians 2‚ it almost sounds like he won't be revealed until he sits in the Temple of God acting like he is God. There it says specifically that the Day of the Lord's Coming will not come until the Antichrist is revealed, the Man of Sin, the Son of Perdition, who sitteth in the Temple of God, claiming he is God.—Which is one of the most specific references in the Bible that they're going to rebuild the Temple. Maybe [they] don't want to introduce him until they can actually put him in the Temple & worship him as God.
2. In the 25th Verse of Daniel 11 it says, "He (the Antichrist) shall stir up his power & his courage against the King of the South with a great army; and the King of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great & mighty army (U.S. & Allies try to rescue Israel?); but he (the King of the South) shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him." Verse 26, "Yea‚ they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army"—the King of the North's army—"shall overflow; and many shall fall down slain."
3. Verse 27, "And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table." (U.N.?)—Sounds like a peace table, negotiations. "But it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed." Verse 28, "Then shall he (the Antichrist) return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant."
4. The Covenant is mentioned way back in the 22nd verse, that he's the "Prince of the Covenant"—in other words‚ the one who makes it. He comes in peaceably & scatters the prey, scatters the spoils of the war amongst them.—Which sounds like Communism is supposed to be. And then the King of the South doesn't stand because he (the Antichrist) forecasts his devices against them. Yet it says, "Both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief." Apparently the King of the South is defeated, but evidently they then sit down & make some kind of a Peace Treaty at one table.
5. But the King of the North "shall return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant."—Against this Peace Treaty that they made. "And he shall do exploits, & return to his own land." Verse 29, "And at the time appointed he shall return, & come toward the South; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter." (But in peace, deceitfully?)
6. Verse 30, "For the ships of Chittim shall come against him."—It's been considered these ships of Chittim are ships of Britain & the U.S. & perhaps of Western Europe. "Therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the Holy Covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the Holy Covenant." This is some kind of Peace Treaty that apparently had to do with Israel. (But they will have violated it?)
7. Verse 31, "And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice." At this time, it's always been considered that the breaking of the Covenant, the polluting of the Temple & the forbidding of any further daily sacrifice—which apparently the Jews have restored by this time—is the start of the Tribulation. (See Mat.24:15,21.) "And they shall place the Abomination that maketh desolate."—The Image of the Beast, which Jesus spoke of specifically in Matthew 24 as the start of the Tribulation. "And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries."
8. Now all of this big war he makes with the King of the South happens before his breaking of the Covenant. When he breaks the Covenant & puts the Abomination of Desolation in the Holy Place, this is the beginning of the Tribulation. But this other war precedes it. He, as the King of the North, comes South against the King of the South with a great army before the breaking of the Covenant, & the Abomination of Desolation, before the beginning of the Tribulation.
9. It's not real specific here exactly when it's made, but it's very specific about when it's broken—exactly 3-1/2 years after he confirms it.—Dan.9:27.—Which means all that I've just read you happens before the Tribulation, probably in the first part of his reign. But it certainly doesn't sound like it's any secret. (Maria: He could hardly fight all those wars in secret.) Well, actually it seems to be just one big war that he fights against the King of the South. So that sounds to me like he's going to be pretty well in action before he breaks the Covenant. I don't see how he could fight a war with the King of the South secretly. So he obviously must be in evidence & in action before he breaks the Covenant.
10. Now maybe the Bible doesn't consider that he's actually revealed, his true nature & all of that, until he breaks the Covenant & puts up the Abomination of Desolation. But he's obviously known as a World leader or ruler & a fighter of this war with the King of the South. He couldn't fight a war with the King of the South without being known, without being seen or heard of. He is the King of the North.
11. According to other Scriptures, this has always been interpreted to be the King of Russia.—And probably the leader of Russia who suppresses these current rebellions against Communism. That might be what he's doing in this war with the King of the South, suppressing the rebellions of these East Bloc countries against Communism. And the West doesn't like that, so the "ships of Chittim come against him"! (Maria: But that doesn't have much to do with Israel, does it?) It sounds like he's crushing a rebellion of the Jews at this time, & you know what the West would do about that!—Defend Israel! The King of the South has almost always been considered Israel.
12. It sounds like the Covenant could be a settlement of his war against the King of the South—they sit & speak lies at one table. Way back in verse 23 it says, "After the League made with him he shall work deceitfully." Now what is this League but a Covenant! So to me‚ that's where it's made, way back there in verse 23.
13. So the Covenant was way back there somewhere. But then he works deceitfully & he enters peaceably upon the fattest province, etc., & shall do that which his fathers have not done, scatter amongst them the prey & spoil & riches, & forecast his devices against strong holds. Apparently he can prophesy what he's going to do.
14. He makes a League, apparently‚ & I would say it sounds like a League with the King of the South, which has always been considered Israel. "And he shall stir up his power & his courage against the King of the South with a great army; and the King of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great & mighty army."—Verse 25.
15. It sounds like the King of the South possibly has an even greater force, more power (NATO?) than he has, but the King of the North beats him anyhow. "But he shall not stand (King of the South); for they shall forecast devices against him." What that means is not clear, but obviously they even advertise what they're going to do to him ahead of time.
16. Verse 26‚ "And they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him."—In other words, some of his own people of the South are going to betray him or destroy him. "And his (the King of the North's) army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain."—In other words‚ obviously the King of the South is defeated.
17. Then as a settlement, in verse 27 they sit at one table, but the Covenant couldn't be the settlement of this war, because it's very clear that the League was made clear back in verse 23. Because after the League's made he works deceitfully, becomes strong with a small people‚ enters peaceably on the fattest places of the province, scatters the prey, etc., & all this stuff happened before he even goes to war with the King of the South!
18. This is what it sounds like to me: Apparently‚ they first make a Covenant before the war, possibly some kind of a Peace Treaty or something to dwell peaceably with each other. But "he works deceitfully," he works his way up, "enters peaceably on the fattest provinces" & all this, & then he finally comes out in full strength in a war against this King of the South.
19. It sounds like first of all he (the King of the North) makes a Covenant with him (the King of the South), a Peace Treaty of some kind, & then he goes to war with him later, after he figures he's strong enough. He works his way up to a full-scale war with the King of the South. (Maria: That's what you've always said, right?) Yes, but I'm trying to get the time of the Covenant straightened out, as I've suggested several different possibilities recently.
20. It is indicated that he is the Prince of the Covenant‚ the one who makes the Covenant. "And after the League"—which would be the Covenant—"made with him," the King of the South, the Antichrist sort of creeps in peaceably, & then eventually comes out in open war. When he apparently thinks he's powerful enough, after he's worked deceitfully & become strong with a small people & sneaks in peaceably even on the fattest places of the province & forecasts his devices & all of this, then verse 25, "He shall stir up his power & his courage against the King of the South."
21. Up here in the 22nd & 23rd verses it sounds like the Covenant is made before the War. See, even way back in the 21st verse it says that "he shall come in peaceably & obtain the kingdom by flatteries."—And it sounds like the Antichrist from there on. "To whom they shall not give the honour of the kingdom; but he shall come in peaceably, & obtain the kingdom by flatteries."—And all of this about him sneaking in, etc.
22. If he has not yet been fully revealed by then‚ he certainly will be quite apparent! Perhaps his true nature as the Antichrist is not yet revealed, but he is a known king or leader, who comes in peaceably, obtains the kingdom by flatteries & makes this Covenant, a League made with his enemies. At first he works deceitfully. Then finally in the 25th verse, "He shall stir up his power & his courage against the King of the South with a great army." Now this is obviously after the Covenant was made.
23. It sounds like first he makes a peace treaty with the King of the South, that's quite clear, because the Peace Treaty is already in existence before he makes war against the King of the South, at which time the King of the South is destroyed.
24. Then between him & the King of the South, it seems, "they shall speak lies at one table" (U.N.?)—they're going to try to get another Peace Treaty going. "But it shall not prosper, for yet the end shall be at the time appointed." In other words, there's not going to be any permanent peace. Because "then shall he (the King of the North) return into his own land with great riches, and his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant." Now this is after the War.
25. It all began when he got in deceitfully‚ peaceably & everything else, after the Covenant was made. The Covenant was made first, then he weaseled his way in until he was powerful enough to make war on the King of the South, & later breaks the Covenant.—After he's made war & even peace.
26. (Maria: Then it's possible that the Covenant isn't a Peace Treaty. Could it be an agreement about something else?) Could be. I don't know why it's called the "Holy Covenant." That has mystified some of the great teachers of Bible Prophecy also. But obviously the Covenant is made before his war against the King of the South, & it's apparently under the cloak of the Covenant that he works his way in & then is finally powerful enough to war against the King of the South & finally break it.
27. The first hint that he's turning against the Covenant is in Verse 28. Even when they sit down & speak lies at one table to settle their war, they're both probably pledging allegiance to the old Covenant, having made war under the cover of the Covenant. (Maria: Maybe that's because it isn't a peace treaty. It could be some other kind of treaty or agreement, but not necessarily a peace treaty.)
28. Now one way some of the interpreters explain this is that since it's called a Holy Covenant, actually the original words can be interpreted a Religious Covenant, like agreeing to make Jerusalem an open international city under the U.N. or something like that. So if it's a religious Covenant‚ it could be called a Holy Covenant.
29. So having established the Holy Covenant, he then goes ahead & makes war with the King of the South & wins.—After which his heart turns against the Holy Covenant. See, he's getting powerful enough now to break it. (Maria: Well, if Gorbachev was somebody different right now, you could consider the agreement he's about to make with the Pope a Holy Covenant, a religious pact.)
30. But Gorbachev obviously isn't the Antichrist. The Antichrist is obviously yet to come‚ because no peace has been made yet over Jerusalem, no Holy Covenant made as far as we know regarding the three great religions, to get them to promise to be at peace with each other.
31. In other words, he makes peace with the religions of the World so that he can keep on working his way to the top until he's powerful enough to break it. That's what it sounds like to me. (Maria: Maybe God's using Gorbachev to get things prepared, to put these things in place‚ & then the Antichrist can use what's already been established.) Yes!
32. You might say that they're sort of working up to the Covenant right now. They haven't settled this disagreement which is particularly hot in the matter of Jerusalem & the various holy places there, dear to the Christians‚ Jews & Muslims. That's the real hot spot! And most Bible teachers believe that the Holy Covenant has something to do with a peace settlement between the religions over Jerusalem, & that it is to be made an international shrine governed by the U.N.‚ so that all these three major religions will be able to go there & freely worship.
33. And under this agreement they allow the Jews to rebuild their Temple, which certainly hasn't happened yet! (Maria: So that would mean we've got at least Seven Years left, just like you said.) Right! None of this has happened yet, & it all comes before the breaking of the Covenant, which signals the beginning of the Tribulation.—When he breaks the Covenant, stops the worship, even pollutes the sanctuary & places the Abomination which maketh desolate, which Jesus said specifically was the starting of the Tribulation. He says‚ "Then shall be Great Tribulation."—Mat.24:15,21.
34. When he breaks the Covenant, he apparently stops all worship of other religions & gods. Daniel 11:31 very significantly, specifically states that he'll "pollute the sanctuary of strength & shall take away the daily sacrifice"—which hasn't even been started yet now.—Which if taken literally, means the Jews have to rebuild their Temple & re-institute daily sacrifice before it can be stopped!
35. By this time‚ obviously the Temple has been rebuilt & sacrifice resumed, which the Jews have always wanted to do, & he then later breaks the Covenant, which apparently was a religious Covenant between him & the religions. He stops their worship & obviously the worship of all religions, because he declares himself to be God, etc., & he places the Abomination that maketh desolate. Those events are obviously all associated with his breaking of the Covenant—the stopping of all worship, & the setting up of his Image, the Abomination of Desolation, for all people to worship him as God. Now that's clear.
36. And to me, it's obvious from what has been said before that, that the Covenant has been made 3-1/2 years earlier, at the start of his Seven-Year Reign.—Dan.9:27. He makes this religious Covenant, & then he comes in &, apparently without breaking the Covenant, he makes war with the King of the South. The Covenant is still in place. But after he has defeated the King of the South completely & has broken his power, then "his heart shall be against the Holy Covenant," verse 28. And he's very powerful now, he even returns to his own land. "But at the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the South; but it shall not be as the former."
37. In other words, this time he comes South to break the Covenant, stop all worship, set up his Image & declare himself to be God. He's already licked the King of the South before, but now he sees he's strong enough, powerful enough, to come down & break the Covenant, stop all worship, set up his Idol & sit in the Temple demanding complete worship as a god!
2ND THESSALONIANS 2!
38. Now, let's read 2nd Thessalonians 2. Paul says of the Day of Christ's Coming, "That day shall not come‚ except there come a falling away first, and that Man of Sin be revealed!" Which simply means that Jesus is not going to come until after the Tribulation, after the Antichrist. "The Son of Perdition, who opposeth & exalteth himself above all that is called God‚ or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God." Verse 6‚ "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time." In other words‚ the Lord is just holding back the flood of iniquity until the Antichrist is revealed.
39. Verse 7‚ "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: but only He who now letteth (holds back) will let, until He be taken out of the way." Most have interpreted this as being the Holy Spirit holding back the flood of iniquity, "until He (She) be taken out of the way‚" & it sure looks like it's happening now!
40. Verse 8, "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the Spirit of His mouth‚ & shall destroy with the brightness of His Coming." "Then shall that Wicked be revealed"—when? "When he who now letteth"—or prevents it—"be taken out of the way." Then the Antichrist will be revealed.—Here it sounds like when he sits in the Temple.
41. According to this passage in 2 Thessalonians 2, it doesn't seem that the Antichrist is actually fully & clearly revealed at the making of the Covenant. It's clear that he's definitely revealed as the Antichrist & known as the Antichrist when he breaks the Covenant & sets up his Image. So even if he's not revealed at the making of the Covenant, we know he's definitely revealed at the breaking of it.—At least to the World.
42. You can say, "Well, maybe it's already been made secretly, so he won't have trouble with the religions when he makes his war on the King of the South." But I don't see any great Russian leader making war on the King of the South right now anywhere! It looks to me like they're all trying to make peace & freedom! (Maria: Well, you could say that he might be revealed to the Christians if he made a Seven-Year Covenant, if we knew about it.) If we knew about it‚ yes.
43. But what if it's been secretly made between the religions & the Antichrist below ground somewhere, underground, so he'll have the freedom to make this war on the King of the South? The Covenant apparently keeps peace somehow with the rest of the World, let's put it that way, so he can be free to make his war on the King of the South. That would sure do it, right?—If he promised to keep Jerusalem international & quiet & free, etc.
44. Being a religious Covenant, in other words, he makes peace with the rest of the religions of the World, while he makes his war on the King of the South. How does that sound as a possibility? I think this is pretty important, because we've never really gone into the details of this & analysed & almost scientifically interpreted Daniel 11 along with 2nd Thessalonians 2.
45. Now in 2nd Thessalonians 2 it does not make any real specific prophecies about when he's revealed, except telling that he is going to be revealed before the Lord comes, that's specific, & he's going to sit in the Temple claiming he's God before the Lord comes. And he obviously does this at the time of the breaking of the Covenant, the stopping of all religious worship, the setting up of his Idol of himself to be worshipped, & sits in the Temple of God claiming he's God. That's what it says about his revelation.
46. He says, "Now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time."—2Th.2:7. In other words, the Lord is holding back the flood of iniquity until he is completely revealed, & then there will be almost a flood of iniquity. Well, you can certainly believe that, the way the World already is!
47. And Paul says, "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work." All this wickedness is already working, clear back in Paul's time, of course. "Only He"—the Lord—Who now holds it back, Who now prevents it from flooding, will prevent it—"until He be taken out of the way.
48. "Then shall that Wicked be revealed." Only when the Lord's power to hold back the flood of iniquity is taken away, only then when the Lord stands back & lets the wicked have their way, "then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the brightness of His Coming," etc.
49. It doesn't say anything any more specifically about it or his revelation‚ except that he's going to sit in the Temple of God claiming he's God‚ but it does sound like it might be then. That's one added part of it. But as to the timing of his revelation, it merely says it's going to come before the Coming of Christ. By the way‚ this is one of the clearest Scriptures in the Bible proving that the Antichrist is going to come before the Coming of the Lord. Jesus also makes that very very clear in Matthew 24, that the Antichrist & the Tribulation come first, before His Coming. Because right after those verses about the Tribulation‚ you see Christ coming in the clouds with power & great glory. TYJ!—Mat.24:29-31.
50. So those two things are made very clear in those Scriptures, that Jesus comes after the Tribulation. It's certainly made clear in 2nd Thessalonians 2. And to me, it's also made very clear in Daniel 11 & 12, because here's all this about the Antichrist & the Tribulation in Daniel 11, & then Chapter 12 says that the Lord is coming. It's very clear about that‚ about the Antichrist & the Tribulation preceding the Coming of the Lord. It teaches the post-Trib Rapture interpretation very clearly.
51. But it's this other matter of the Antichrist's revelation that is sort of a mystery-when is he revealed? In 2nd Thessalonians 2:4 it sounds very much like he is revealed when "he as God sitteth in the Temple of God, claiming he is God." (Maria: Yes, that's what it sounds like there.) It certainly does!
52. Daniel 11 makes clear that that's when he breaks the Covenant. And since it sounds like the Covenant is a religious Covenant, it's quite likely that it's some kind of promise that he is not going to attack any of the three major religions. Then he's free to make his war against the King of the South, a government‚ not a religion.
53. But after he has won his war with the King of the South, then he is obviously powerful enough to break the Covenant & turn against the religions. Gorbachev could even start that program, making peace with the Pope, etc.‚ then the Antichrist confirms it!
54. Since Communism is the only great power in the World which has been really officially anti-God, anti-all religions, if they'd suddenly have a change of heart now & claim they were not going to fight religions any more or were not going to promote atheism any more & would make peace with the World's religions, in other words, that would certainly be a religious Covenant!
55. (Maria: It looks like that's what they're doing.) It looks like that's exactly what they're doing! (Maria: They're going to pass a law of freedom of conscience.) Yes, Gorbachev is starting the process of turning Communism away from fighting religion, & the Antichrist could confirm it with a specific religious Covenant with all religions, that they would not fight them any more.
56. Then apparently he is free to go down & make his war with the King of the South, whoever that is, not against a religion, but a government, a nation—Israel. (Maria: But don't the Israelis consider themselves a religion?) No, they are very very divided. The original pioneers of Israel were largely Communists & atheists & against religion. And they're still divided about 50/50.
57. So the government of Israel is not considered to be legally a religious government. It even proclaimed freedom of religion in its Constitution, blah blah, & especially originally was not considered a religious government. It's only since some of these hard-line conservative orthodox Rabbis got control that it has almost become religious‚ but according to its Constitution & legally, it is not a religious government.
58. So having made this Covenant that he's not going to attack religions, just attacking Israel would be considered, of course, by the religionists an attack on their religion, but not technically by the World. It would be considered just an attack on the state of Israel.
THE ORDER OF EVENTS!
59. So it looks to me that as he rises to power, as he's growing in power, he makes this religious Covenant with the religions, that he's not going to attack them, & this takes a lot of critics off his back who would otherwise hate him for religious reasons. First he makes the Covenant, then he decides he has sufficient power to attack Israel, because they cause him so much trouble. But then having beaten Israel, his heart is turned against the Covenant, because he's got the power now to make the whole World worship him.
60. So he breaks his Covenant with all religions & sets himself up as God in Jerusalem.-Which, of course‚ is the time when he claims he's God‚ he sets up his Image, he stops all worship, & this, as Jesus said‚ begins the Tribulation. And it's also obvious from Daniel 11 that all these things happen then at the break.
61. It doesn't seem that he could make this Covenant with the religions of the World secretly, because any such agreement would surely be highly publicised.—Which to me means that he's not yet even appeared on the World scene. He's already working secretly undercover, underground, but he has not yet actually appeared as this King.
62. But he certainly could arise as a result of what's going on right now! He could arise to crush this rebellion of the East Bloc countries against Communism‚ & then make the Covenant to promise that he's not going to attack the World's religions, he's merely crushing political rebellions.
63. How could he do that without being known? I don't see how he could do it secretly. The Pope could even make some kind of religious Covenant with Gorbachev, in which Gorbachev promises he is not going to fight religion. His first fight is not with religion. That could begin with the Tribulation when the Antichrist breaks the Covenant. He could make the Covenant now to promise he's not fighting religion‚ to clear the way to fight Israel. Because he knows that that's where his troubles all originate‚ & because they're the ones that even promised to introduce him to the World!—So he knows their plans to take over!
64. He definitely has got to make the Covenant before he can break it. The Antichrist comes from Russia, he's the King of the North, that's specific, so there may soon arise a strong Russian leader after Gorbachev who promises not to fight religion‚ & that he's not going to crush the Freedom Movement or even the religions behind it, etc., he just wants to take power in Russia to perhaps consolidate his reign over Russia & perhaps even over the other little East Bloc states, but without being against religion. See, he could give them that excuse, "I just want to get things in order."
65. After making a Covenant that he's not going to attack religion, that he's not going to stop religious freedom in any of these East Bloc countries, including Russia, Israel still obviously rebels against him.—Which is why he goes against the King of the South.
66. So after getting the rest of the World off his back, so to speak, & even his own people, having made peace with the religions, he goes after the Jews, Israel. And that could include, of course, all of Israel's allies. Get it? Because if he should attack Israel, I'm sure the U.S. & England & probably Europe would oppose him. It says of them that they have a very great & mighty army, apparently bigger than his!—Dan.11:25.
67. But in spite of all that, because of treachery amongst the allies of the King of the South—they betray him somehow—this gives him the power to overcome them. Then having defeated Israel & its friends, which is quite a big victory‚ he now knows he has the power to go ahead & do whatever he wants, because he doesn't have to keep this religious Covenant any longer. He apparently goes straight to Jerusalem, & it says "not like he did before," not to win a war over Israel—he's already won—but to establish himself as God, to break the Covenant by opposing not only Jewish worship, but all worship. He goes back this time to stop all worship, to set up his Image for them to worship himself as God, & he sits in the Temple claiming he's God.
68. That seems to me to be the logical order of events. He has to make the religious Covenant first, & then this sets him free to go to war with Israel. In other words, he's already turned against the Covenant in his heart.—Dan.11:28. In fact, he probably made the Covenant knowing he was going to break it. It says his heart was against the Holy Covenant.
69. So he had made this Covenant beforehand, knowing what he was going to do in the long run. He makes the Covenant with the religions just to get them off his back so he can go to war with his former allies who actually introduced him to the World, according to their own writings in the Protocols, that they plan to introduce him to the World when they think the time is right.
70. Maybe [they] introduce him at the time the religious Covenant is made, as their man & the one they are going to back. But he knows what he's planning to do, & he later goes ahead & makes war with Israel & her friends, conquers them, & then he has freedom to go straight to Jerusalem, break the Covenant, stop all worship, set up his Image & sit in the Temple claiming he's God, which begins the Tribulation.
71. Maybe even before the Antichrist makes the Covenant they've introduced him as a strong man, a strong power that is able to apparently solve the World's problems. This fits in with our feeling that it's going to be after the Crash when the World will beg him to solve their problems. That would be a good time for him to make the religious Covenant with the religions‚ before he starts on his path to World power‚ which it describes there as it develops in Daniel 11, ending up with actual war against the Southern power, the King of the South.—After which he then shows that his heart is against the religious Covenant, & he then makes his way to Jerusalem & declares openly what he's up to.
72. And we have said that his arrival in Jerusalem & all of the things he does then—breaking the Covenant, stopping worship, setting up his Image, sitting in the Temple of God claiming he's God—all of this certainly is a real revelation! And I've said‚ well‚ that could be his revelation. Otherwise, perhaps he is revealed at least to us, & we will recognise it, if this Holy Covenant is made public before all this progress he makes against his enemies.
73. And as I have said before, it certainly seems difficult to think that he could possibly make such progress to World power in Russia, & to make this Covenant with the World's religions without that being known. It looks to me like he has first got to become some kind of a World leader before he can make a Covenant with the religions of the World not to attack them!
74. Obviously he's become powerful enough in Russia & perhaps in the whole World after the Crash‚ organising his new economy & all that sort of thing—or even joining Europe & taking it over! Then of course all the religions are scared to death that he's getting so powerful he's going to attack them like Stalin & the rest of those guys did‚ so to allay their fears he makes this religious agreement not to attack them, to leave him free to work out his evil plans.—Because that's exactly what he plans to do.
75. So after he has defeated his enemies, those who perhaps wouldn't agree with his economic plan, wouldn't join, etc.—& maybe this "King of the South" merely symbolises Israel & all of Israel's friends, which would include North America—after he has gotten to such power that he can go ahead & attack & crush them, he'll be free to declare himself God! (Maria: Well, Western Europe's going to join the Antichrist though, isn't it?) Yes, they will. But apparently Israel & America primarily are going to protest; therefore he may have to crush them to set up his World system.
76. (Maria: And if European unification is any indicator, they're planning that for 1992!) Right! In fact, a United Europe is probably going to be an ideal time for the [ACs] to announce that "we accept his authority"! Now how are they going to do that unless he has become a recognised World leader of Russia already?
77. It seems to me that this almost has to be the order of events: The Crash, the assassination of Gorbachev, the rise to power of the Antichrist in Russia, the joining of Europe, the acceptance by Europe of his World Economic System‚ or vice versa.—Gradually creeping in by deceit & peace & all this sort of thing, until he has sufficient power & they've all joined with him—except Israel & North America.
78. It seems to me that that's how it has to happen: The Crash, his rise to power with an economic solution, then also the Covenant, his promise not to attack religion, & then he goes to war with those who won't join, which will certainly be the Jews & America, his main opponents. And once he crushes them, as he obviously does, then he attacks the Covenant, breaks it, stops the worship, sets up his Image, sits in the Temple claiming he's God‚ & then begins the Tribulation. Is that simple enough to see?
79. I don't see how it can be any other way. I don't see how he can rise to power sufficiently to make a Covenant with the World that he won't attack religion without being known. The World may not know him then, but we will know him!-Certainly when he makes that Covenant, & certainly when he rises to power as the next leader of Russia, King of Russia, King of the North.
80. What if Gorbachev makes the Covenant? What if he does it & proclaims that Communist countries are no longer going to attack religion? Then after that the Antichrist arises, after Gorbachev is assassinated, & he confirms it. It says that it will be confirmed with many for Seven Years. That's possible. But in Daniel 11 it sounds like the Antichrist is the one who actually makes it.
81. (Maria: Or you can confirm something for Seven Years by renewing it each year, that's a possibility too. You don't have to actually start out saying, "OK, this is going to be for Seven Years," but you confirm it with many for Seven Years. In other words, you can renew it, confirm it each year for Seven Years, couldn't you?) Well, it doesn't seem like he could possibly do that, because he breaks the Covenant at the end of the first 3-1/2 years.
82. Apparently the Covenant is made for Seven Years because it says he breaks it in the middle. So how could he confirm it each year or promise to confirm it each year for Seven Years when he doesn't? He breaks it. He only keeps it at the beginning, obviously, until he has enough power to declare war on all religions.
83. (Maria: So it will be known that it's for Seven Years when it's made.) Apparently‚ yes‚ because it says‚ "He shall confirm the Covenant with many for Seven Years. And in the midst of the Seven Years he shall cause the sacrifice & the oblation to cease, & for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even unto the consummation"—the Coming of the Lord.—Dan.9:27.
84. (Maria: It obviously hasn't been made yet‚ so it can't be secret.) That's what I'm saying. He may be arising secretly & coming in softly‚ just as it describes in Daniel 11, entering peacefully & deceitfully‚ etc., & gradually growing to power.—Apparently through his solving of the economic crisis of the World when he institutes his system‚ which is already in existence & is a part of Europe's declaration of their uniting Europe in 1992.
85. That would be the ideal time for him to invite Europe to join him, or vice versa. For by that time maybe he has appeared on the Russian scene, & is powerful & does wonders, & he could join this new economic system that Europe has developed & give his power to it & make it work!—Rev.17:12. Because only someone as powerful as he could really ever make that thing work. Europe is already having difficulty in making it work. A lot of those countries still don't like it, including Mrs. Thatcher, & are hesitant about the whole thing. She's even talking about pulling out if they do all the things Europe claims it's going to do in 1992.
86. OK! Can you visualise this?—That by 1992, in two more years or so when Europe decides to declare its complete union, by that time perhaps Gorbachev has been assassinated, there's a tough new leader in Russia who is demonstrating a lot of power & he promises to cooperate with Europe.—In fact‚ he'd like to be part of it, & eventually he runs it. Can you see that? (Maria: Yes.)
87. Well, he's got to be known by that time! I think it's quite possible we might even have two more years before he's known as a leader strong enough to be called the King of the North, King of Russia.
88. I would say it could certainly take him from now until the European Union in 1992. Gorbachev is getting pretty shaky, even the people are turning against him now, & it wouldn't take much for the Antichrist to arise in Russia now to stop what Gorbachev's been doing. Maybe Gorbachev will be the one who makes the religious Covenant for Communism not to fight religion any more. Maybe then the Antichrist would come in, which means Gorbachev would have to be assassinated or removed from power some other way. And then the Antichrist agrees to join this new European Economic Community & confirm the Covenant.
89. The Antichrist would definitely have to confirm the Covenant, that he's not going to fight the religions in his rise to World power. First he has to rise in Russia & do all his deception & clever tricks & come in peaceably on the World scene, & then he has to get in on this World economy situation through Europe. Apparently even the U.S.A. already has a plan to go along with Europe. Remember those social security checks & the new money they're planning to issue? Apparently the U.S. is going to go along with Europe for awhile, but then when it sees where it's going under the Antichrist, it rebels, & he has to crush them.—Rev.17 & 18.
90. By that time he apparently has enough power to crush any opponents, & that's when he has done mighty miracles, signs & wonders enough to make some people think he's God! So he figures it's time to break the Covenant. His heart's already against it, so then it's time to break the Covenant & stop the worship, set up his Image for him to demand worldwide worship & start the Tribulation!
91. (Maria: Could you explain how the U.S. goes along with Europe for awhile?) Apparently the U.S. is going to cooperate economically with Europe when it first declares its complete union in 1992. We received word from one of our own Family whose father is aware of this, that they were printing entirely new money in the United States which they're going to issue some day soon, & the Social Security checks, etc., are all going to be a part of that new economic system that the U.S. is already printing the paperwork for. (See Vol.15, pg.52, "The New Money!") (Maria: And that relates somehow to Europe?) I believe it definitely is going to have something to do with the European system & cooperating with Europe on it. I may be wrong, but it must be related somehow because it's going to make World dictatorship more possible.
92. I wouldn't be at all surprised that if this Union in Europe is a great success & it solves their economic problems, that the U.S. after the Crash, being in terrible condition, will want to join. The only thing they're not going to like is when the Antichrist arises & takes over.
93. The Antichrist by this time, having confirmed the Covenant with the religionists, has enough power to attack the King of the South. And this undoubtedly means also his (the King of the South's) allies, because the ships of Chittim come & try to stop him, but the Antichrist still wins. And then he returns to Jerusalem to set himself up as King of the World because he now has conquered his main enemies & there's nobody much left to oppose him except the religionists. So in order to oppose them & try to get rid of them, he declares war on them when he breaks the Covenant, sets up his Image & declares he's God.
94. That seems to me to be the order of events. It's not exactly clear how he cooperates with the new system & all, except that it's very clear that he's deceitful & that he creeps in peaceably. He's going to pretend at first to be a peacemaker, obviously. And they all speak lies at one table in the settlement of his war with the South. It sounds a little bit like the U.N.
95. But back to our order of events, I can't see how he could possibly get that far without being known! It's impossible that he could get that far without being known.—Perhaps not known as the Antichrist, but a known World leader! So this known World leader has not yet appeared on the World scene, but he could appear very fast. And with his confirming of the Covenant, he would certainly be known to us then, when such a Covenant is made, & then when he confirms the Covenant as a World leader, it hardly seems possible that he could do that without being known, at least known to the World leaders if nobody else.—Maybe not to us. Maybe he can make such a Covenant secretly with the other World leaders. But he certainly couldn't rise to sufficient power to confirm such a Covenant without being a known World leader.
96. So I don't really see how it could have been done secretly already unless the World leaders already know who he is. They would have to know who he is themselves. And the religionists would have to know who he is. If confirming the Covenant is going to do him any good & take the religionists off his back, how could it not be known?
97. So as far as I'm concerned, the World may not know him as the Antichrist, but certainly if that Covenant is made known & he confirms it, he's got to be a known World leader by that time to make such a Covenant. And he's got to be so powerful that the religions are afraid of him‚ so they exact this promise from him not to attack religion.
98. I just don't see how he could come to such a place & with such power as to confirm that Covenant with the World's religions unless he is a known World figure & already King of the North!—Russia!
99. Now that may not be considered his revelation, the revelation of his true nature & his true aims—that could be at the time that he breaks the Covenant. But it certainly seems that confirming the Covenant would be World news or it wouldn't do him any good, because that's great PR, he's made peace with the religions!
100. What good would it be to keep that a secret? What good would it do him? What good would it do the religions? How are they going to explain that they're not opposing him any more? They would certainly have to cook up some tales to say why they're not opposing him any more. I don't see any reason that either he or they would have to keep such a Covenant a secret. What do you think? (Maria: I agree!)
101. Therefore, as far as I'm concerned, the Covenant has to be made known or it won't do him or the religions any good‚ either one. Well, there may be some kind of way you can explain it away, but as I have said before, I don't see how he himself could either make or confirm this Covenant without it being known to the World! And when we know that, & when he has confirmed it, we'll be counting the days between then & the coming of the Tribulation, & from then to the Coming of the Lord‚ because the Lord makes it very specific‚ 1260 days each.—1260 days until he breaks the Covenant, & 1260 days of Tribulation until Jesus comes!
REVIEW!
102. So‚ again, to review simply & briefly: It looks to me, at least‚ like he will have to be a powerful World figure, at least the King of the North‚ Russia, & it sounds like he must be the most powerful in order to make a Covenant with the religions of the World that he will not attack them.—Which, of course, he plans to do anyhow. And I just can't see how this rise of a powerful King of the North in Russia could occur without being known!
103. He will have had to have arisen as a World leader & become sufficiently powerful enough to threaten the World's religions so that they make him promise to keep this Covenant & not attack them. So he does appear to & claims he does in order to proceed with his plan to rise to complete World power. Then after the confirming of the Covenant, he makes war on Israel & her friends, the King of the South‚ & completely subdues them. And then he is powerful enough to turn on the Covenant.
104. So it looks to me like it's going to take about 3-1/2 years for him to do that, from his making of the Covenant. And he certainly couldn't be a sufficiently powerful World figure without him being strong enough, powerful enough & known enough that obviously the religions fear him, so that he either makes or confirms the Covenant with them.
105. When he arises, he's apparently going to be powerful enough to be feared by the religions, & that's why they insist that he confirm the Covenant. And then he goes on with his climb to power & his war with the South, which apparently includes Israel & her friends, America. And when he's finished that & made peace, he is ready to attack the Covenant & break it & introduce the Tribulation. That's the way I see it!
106. Have we had a Letter titled, "The Way I See It?" I don't think we have. So why don't we call this, "The Way I See It!" PTL! TYL! This is December 1989, almost the end of the year & things are moving fast! PTL!
THE DEADLY WOUND!
107. (Maria: That idea that Apollos suggested about Gorbachev possibly getting assassinated & the Lord taking his spirit & maybe Satan inhabiting his body, that just couldn't happen, could it?) No, no, no! I don't think that's likely at all.
108. About that business of "being wounded unto death & yet lives‚" I don't believe that the Devil can actually create life or resurrect people. It could mean that it was a fatal wound that should have killed him, but he was so strong & powerful in the power of Satan that it didn't kill him. He was wounded, he received a fatal blow, but he didn't die!—Rev.13:3‚12,14.
109. That could have a very good parallel to what's going on right now! The Devil is like the spirit of Communism, & Communism has now been struck a fatal blow by the Freedom Movement & Gorbachev. Let's face it, Communism has been struck a fatal blow, & with all this Freedom Movement & Gorbachev‚ it should die! What if it doesn't? Then it will rise again & the Antichrist will be the head of the resurrection of Communism! That could be what that means.
110. Because after all‚ if the Antichrist is going to rise out of Russia, he's got to stop this Freedom Movement started by Gorbachev! So somebody is going to arise who is going to stop it, & assassinate Gorbachev. That's one of the first things he'll have to do, or have him assassinated. And he's going to be a reactionary who's going to try to stop this death of Communism & revive the Reds!—Take over & be powerful enough to crush the whole Freedom Movement from Russia to wherever!—A man of fierce countenance, a man of real power!—So says the Lord! (Dan.8)
111. The Russians have got the armies to crush them, but the armies haven't wanted to & the leaders haven't wanted to. But some leader apparently is going to rise who not only is going to want to, but is going to crush the Freedom Movement! But in order to completely gain power‚ the Antichrist is going to have to promise not to crush the religions. The Freedom Movement is not entirely religious, & all he has to do is stop them. But when he does, probably the churches & the religions are going to be afraid of him & make him promise not to stop religion—confirming the Covenant.
112. Then he's ready to go on to the completion of his rise in power—not only in Russia, but to crush all opposition, which would have to mean Israel & the U.S., with whom he obviously makes war. It's right there in Daniel & other places (Rev.17 & 18) clear as can be! And after that war he's powerful enough to break the Covenant & start the Tribulation!
TEN MORE YEARS?
113. So it looks to me like the long & short of it all is that it's going to take him a little while to get rid of Gorbachev & rise to power in Russia sufficiently to be the King of the North, so that he can confirm the Covenant‚ & that to me looks like it would take two or three years.—Perhaps between now & the European Union of 1992.
114. That would be just enough time between here & then to kill Gorbachev & to crush his Freedom Movement & show himself so powerful then over Eastern Europe & those Communist countries that the religions are going to be afraid of him & want him to promise not to attack them, & there's your religious Covenant. Then he goes on in his climb to power by crushing his World enemies.
115. Just when they thought the Communist countries were crushed‚ he arises, almost like Communism rising from the dead, having suffered a fatal blow but not dying. It does not say that he rises from the dead. Not one of those Scriptures about it says that. It just says he's wounded unto death. In other words, he receives a deadly wound, a wound that should have been fatal, like the fall of Communism today, but all of a sudden he doesn't die, & he rises to power!
116. That's like the present dying Communism. Communism is dying in the World, in Eastern Europe at least, & if it should be revived, it would be almost like a resurrection from the dead! And if he leads it, he's the Man, & I believe we'll know it! I think we'll know it & sense it even before he confirms the Covenant, which of course on that very day, that begins the Seven Years' countdown!
117. So that's what I think we have ahead! We have two or three years yet of his rise to power before he's powerful enough to be feared enough by the religions to either make the Covenant or confirm the Covenant that's already been made. Maybe the Communist World under Gorbachev will make a promise that they won't attack religions, but it's got to take the Antichrist to confirm it to start the Seven Years!
118. That's the way I see it! So God bless you! I hope we're on the right track. I know we are about some of those basic things, it's very clear in the Bible, of course. But just how & when he's revealed, so-called, or just exactly how & when he signs the Covenant & with whom, these are two points that are not too clear. It's clear that they're going to happen, but it's not too clear when. I'm just giving you my opinion of what appears to me to be fairly clear, & that is that he's got to be a World leader before he can sign such a Covenant with all the religions of the World!
119. Therefore I don't see how his signing of this Covenant could possibly be secret, because to have any effect it's got to be known worldwide, both by him & by the religions. They've got to be reassured they're not going to be attacked by him until he's powerful enough to attack them, & then he does, at the breaking of the Covenant!
120. So that's the way I see it‚ God bless you, & I'm sure the Lord will show us when the time comes. So we may not only have the Seven Years to wait for the Coming of the Lord, but two or three more years before the Seven Years begin!
121. (Maria: So the year 2000 may be the year of Jesus' Coming?) Yes, who knows! Next year is 1990, & if there are two or three years yet before he arises & becomes powerful enough to sign such a Covenant, then we now have at least 10 years before the Coming of the Lord! So we shall see.
122. God bless & keep you to the End!—Or as far as the Lord wants you to go.—In Jesus' name, amen!
Quiz Questions to "The Way I See It!"
(Numbers in parentheses following each question are the paragraphs or Bible references where the answers may be found.)