PART THREE OF "WHY THE ANTICHRIST WILL PROBABLY BE A MUSLIM" BY NEVILLE STEPHENS.

I have been running a little late this month with holiday, business, and family arrangments, therefore part three of my series on "Why The Antichrist Will Probably Be A Muslim" has been put onto a back burner.

To fill the gap, while I finish off chapter three, I post here a superb article by Amy Van Gerpen, in a critique of the latest book by Tim LaHaye called "Revelation Unveiled". In it, Amy supports my theory that the Antichrist will be an Assyrian from the Eastern Leg of the Revived Roman Empire, and not someone from the European Union, or the Western Leg (Rome) which collapsed approximately fourteen centuries before the demise of the Turkish Empire.

It is good to see expert prophecy scholars such as Chuck Missler, Ron Matsen, all of the WND team led by Joel Richardson and Walid Shoebat, plus the likes of Amy Van Gerpen present this fresh eschatological approach to challenge the mainstream end times teachings, which lead so many people astray.

Nev.
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The Nationality of the Antichrist. "Daniel 9:26 refers to [the antichrist] as the ruler of the people that will come, meaning that he will be of the royal lineage of the race that destroyed Jerusalem. Historically this was the Roman Empire; therefore he will be predominantly Roman."

("Revelation Unveiled" - By Tim LaHaye)

The antichrist will indeed arise out of the historic Roman Empire based on Daniel 9. It is possible that the antichrist may even have Roman blood. However, his nationality will probably not be European.

Lahaye, and most other Bible scholars are quick to suggest that the antichrist will come out of Europe, based on this one passage in Daniel. Further study reveals this is not likely the case.

The historic Roman Empire became too large to be governed effectively and so it was divided:

The statue in Daniel depicts this with the two legs of iron (Daniel 2:33). So we see that the "people" that the "ruler" will come from not only includes the European nations (the west leg), but also includes the Middle East nations (the east leg). The western leg eventually fell, but the eastern leg continued as the Byzantine Empire for almost 1000 more years, and was headquartered in Turkey.

The Ottomans conquered the Byzantine Empire near the turn of the 14th century, and ruled until the 1920's. It is interesting to note, that Satan had his throne in the eastern leg, in the area of Turkey (Revelation 2:13).

The original seven churches in Revelation were also in Turkey.To complicate matters, the Roman army typically did not consist of Roman soldiers but of people from the region led by Roman Generals, called "legions" (source). This was necessary because with the massive size of the empire there were not enough Roman born soldiers to go around. In other words, it is probable that the "people" that the antichrist will be a descendant from, is from the Middle East.

Revelation 13:2 and Daniel 7:3-7 depict the beast as a combination of the previous beasts or kingdoms. So it would make sense that the origin of the antichrist will be associated with all of these kingdoms; much like Christ was born in Bethleham, came out of Egypt and was called a Nazarene. Interestingly, the modern-day nations that were once a part of all four kingdoms in Daniel (lion=Babylon, bear=Medo-Persian, leopoard=Grecia, beast=Roman) are Israel, parts of Turkey, Armenia, parts of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. The latter four kingdoms neighbor Israel.

The Bible also refers to the antichrist as the Assyrian (Isaiah 10, 14 & Micah 5) and the King of the North (Daniel 11:40-45). Assyria was a kingdom centered in Mesopotamia, or Babylonia, which was north of Israel. The Assyrian empire ruled prior to the Babylonian empire. This is purely speculation, but perhaps the antichrist's initial dominion will cover most of the ancient area of Assyria and be called "New Assyria" with "New Babylon" as its capitol. This kingdom would likely emerge after the "Great Middle East" and "Gog and Magog" wars (See "Amy's Speculation Corner"). Let's not forget that the strongest foreshadow of the antichrist was Antiochus IV., Epiphanes, who was King of Assyria from 175-164BC.

Antiochus carried out an "abomination of desolation", defiling the Jewish Temple, which is prophesied to take place again during the middle of the 70th Week in Daniel 9:27, by the antichrist, who is also called the king of Assyria. It is also interesting to note, that the Assyrian Empire included modern day Iraq. The Bible also indicates that the antichrist will rule from Babylon (Isaiah 14), where it will be the capital of the world during the Tribulation (Revelation 18).

Lahaye also suggests in his book the possibility of the antichrist having Jewish blood. In light of the prophecy from Jacob in Genesis 49:17, where Dan is said to be like a serpent in the last days, we should not rule it out. However, it is probable that the false prophet of the beast could fulfill this prophecy about Dan instead. This is because the false prophet will arise out of the land, a type of Israel (Revelation 13:11), and the antichrist will arise out of the sea, a type for the Gentile nations (Revelation 13:1).

To me, it makes sense that the antichrist will be of the bloodline of Abraham, but come from the line of Ishmael, who is considered a Gentile. Ishmael was cursed to be a wild donkey of a man; he also did not get God's blessing. As we know today, Ishmael's descendants are still cursed and being led by Satan against God's chosen people.

The last Gentile kingdom, we haven't touched on, is Egypt. Pharaoh was a strong foreshadow of the antichrist, much like the kings of Babylon and Assyria were. Ishmael's mother Hagar was Egyptian. So if the antichrist is from the line of Ishmael, he also has ties to Egypt. The Egyptian kingdom, like the other Gentile kingdoms, included Lebanon, Syria and parts of Turkey and Jordan, but not as far as Armenia.

If the antichrist was from a country that was included in all the Gentile kingdoms, this would then literally fulfill Revelation 13:1, where the beast will come from all seven heads or kingdoms (1. Egypt - 2. Assyria - 3. Babylon - 4. Medo-Persia - 5. Greece - 6. Roman Empire - 7. Revived Roman Empire).

And then there was Esau. Why did God say that He hated Esau? I believe it was because he married two of Ishmael's daughters in disobedience. Genesis 28:8 tells us that Ishmael's daughters lived in Canaan. Interestingly, Canaan was cursed back in Genesis 9:25 for the sin of his father Ham. Ham, Canaan, Ishmael, and Esau are then all tied together in disobedience to God, and have all been cursed. Satan has used their offspring, the Arab Muslims, as enemies and a continual stumbling block to God's chosen people under the umbrella of the religion of Islam.

It is no wonder that the headlines and wars today are centered on the continual conflict between the Jews and the Muslims with this spiritual battle going on. The Muslim eschatology even has their own messiah, the Mahdi, with the return of Jesus as a prophet, which is strikingly similar to the Biblical antichrist and false prophet. Is Satan trying to force the hand of God, or has he figured out from Scripture where the antichrist will originate from?

The Bible tells us that the antichrist will come as a peacemaker (Daniel 11:21-24 & Revelation 6:1-2). Does it even seem plausible that a leader from the European Union would be able to make peace, with the difference in ideologies so strong in the region? I think it makes more sense that the antichrist will have a Muslim background.

In my mind, someone that is Muslim would be more successful in being able to bring the people in the Middle East together for peace. However, I don't think that the antichrist will be a radical or fundamental Muslim as these groups appear to be targeted in the "Gog and Magog War" of Ezekiel 38 & 39, which will likely take place near the beginning, or before the Tribulation begins.

While Islam will be judged in the "Gog and Magog War", the Muslims that are left after that war will likely be absorbed into the One World Religion of Mystery Babylon. Islam, fundamentally speaking, will likely cease to exist as God says he will "reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth" in that war (Zephaniah 2:11).

Another point to keep in mind is that one can be born a Muslim, but be lukewarm in their beliefs, much like a Christian of the Laodicean church is (Revelation 3:14-22). In fact, the antichrist will not hold to the god of his father (Allah?) or any gods (Daniel 11:37-38), but that doesn't mean he won't hold on to Muslim traditions or encourage his Muslim brethren to join the One World Religion to gain power through his push for peace.

Prophecy teachers have also traditionally held that the European Union will fulfill the prophecy in Revelation 17:9-11, which predicts the re-birth of the Roman Empire. This may come from the widely held belief that the antichrist will be European. I have no doubt that the European Union is a prototype for the revived Roman Empire, but I do not believe it fulfills this prophecy. The emerging Mediterranean Union seems more likely to fulfill the prophecy in Revelation.  

What the Mediterranean Union has that the European Union lacks is the northern Africa and Middle East countries that were part of the original Roman Empire. Not only is the Mediterranean Union more geographically similar to the Roman Empire, but it also could fulfill the prophecies in Daniel about the mixing of iron and clay (European and Arab seed?) and having 10 "toes".

Daniel 2:40-43 And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay.

Currently, the Mediterranean Union is more of a forum for strengthening relations between Europe and the Arabs rather than a real economic or political union. Interestingly, the Mediterranean Union framework is a "5+5" forum, a group of 10 leading nations; five from Europe and five from northern Africa (source). Time will tell if this framework becomes the 10 toes of the revived Roman Empire. If it is, the European Union will crumble and the Mediterranean Union will rise from the ashes.

There are a myriad of catalysts that could force the move to strengthen the Mediterranean Union. The most prominent in the works now, being the worsening of the current economic crisis of the European Union. The rapture of the Church and the resulting "sudden destruction" (1 Thessalonians 5:3) could also crumble the European Union, as well as the other struggling world powers.

In conclusion, not only do the scriptures point to the antichrist being from a Middle Eastern Country, but the geographical area of the original Roman Empire supports this notion. The Mediterranean Union appears to fit what will become the revived Roman Empire better than the current European Union. The only country that seems to be missing from the Mediterranean Union, is Babylon. Of course Babylon will be the capital of the antichrist's kingdom. The addition of Babylon to the rising Mediterranean Union would truly become a revived Roman Empire in the geographical sense.

AMY VAN GERPEN from "TrackingBibleProphecy.com".

PS. Parts one and two of this series are on this blog if you care to scroll down the next few pages, or all three segments are now grouped together at the very bottom of this page (after the photo gallery) on the right hand side for your convenience (Nev).