Indeed most of the world will probably herald -- with approval --
the public announcement that a great and powerful world leader
has found a formula for world peace.
This same man will claim that he is also God incarnate,
and his claims will be accepted.
It will be a time of unprecedented world-wide deception
as Jesus has already warned.
Paul reasserts this in His warning in His description of this event
in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
What is this "Abomination of Desolation"?
In addition to the Scriptures given above, there is this description
of this detestable event in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered
to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed
by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us,
saying that the day of the Lord has already come.
Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come
until the rebellion [apostasia] occurs
and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called
God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple,
proclaiming himself to be God.
According to Revelation 13, Antichrist, who will be energized by
the Devil, will be considered so wonderful that many
of the people of the earth will voluntarily offer to worship him.
They will see him as a benevolent dictator.
Not content with this, at the height of his power, he will
make it mandatory for everyone to give him homage.
In order to enforce this, he will have his religious leader,
The False Prophet will set up an image of the Beast
in the newly rebuilt temple.
The image (an idol) must also be worshiped.
The two Leaders will also institute a system of economic
dictatorship that allows only those who agree to worship him
to receive a mark (666).
Without the mark, no one will be able to buy or sell anything.
Those who believe in Jesus Christ will not be willing to accept
the mark.
No one who does receive the mark will ever be able or willing
to repent and become a true Christian (Revelation 14:9-11; 20:4).
Those who refuse the mark will be forced underground,
living with other true believers in out of the way places.
If they are caught they will be put to death for treason
against Antichrist's world government.
(Revelation 13:10; 20:4)
The final form of world government in this tribulation period
will have two aspects: Military, political and economic power
will revolve around the first Beast.
Subservient to him will be the harlot church.
In Israel a powerful religious coalition will be led by
the Second Beast. Both of these Leaders are Satan's masterpieces
for deceiving the world.
Both are energized by Satan ,who until now has never found a
complete way of expressing himself in human form ruling the earth.
There is another earth-shaking event which will take place at the same time.
According to Revelation 13:16-18, a one-world economy will be
established, and only those who follow Antichrist's leadership
and worship him will be permitted to buy or sell:
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave,
to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one
could buy or sell unless he had the mark,
which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
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