12 Jan 2013-
In the book The Last Trumpet: The Mystery of God is Finished and a New Age Begins, author Robert Johnston explores biblical prophecy and the promises of God that relate to the end times. This excerpt is from chapter 2:
DANIEL’S VISION OF ANTICHRIST
Daniel’s vision of the fourth beast, which symbolizes the old Roman Empire, included an explanation of what would take place within the new, revived (future) Roman Empire in the last days. The old Roman Empire included the most northern part of the continent of Africa, including about half of Egypt and most of Europe, including England, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Greece. It also included the Middle Eastern countries of Turkey, Syria, Israel, Jordan, and Iraq.
In his vision Daniel saw that in the last days a little horn would rise out of the ten horns (kings) on that beast (the old Roman Empire). Daniel saw this little horn, Antichrist; pull up three of the ten horns by their roots. Daniel described the little horn as having the eyes of a man, a mouth uttering great boasts, and an appearance that became larger than the other horns. This little horn will persecute the saints during the tribulation period, wearing them down as follows:
“He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time (or three and one-half years).”
—Daniel 7:25 (NASB, explanation mine)
And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; and he shall corrupt and destroy astonishingly and shall prosper and do his own pleasure, and he shall corrupt and destroy the mighty men and the holy people (the people of the saints) And through his policy he shall cause trickery to prosper in his hand: he shall magnify himself in his heart and mind, and in their security he will corrupt and destroy many. He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes, but he shall be broken and that by no [human] hand.
—8:24–25 (AMP)
PERSEVERANCE OF THE SAINTS
Though God will allow Antichrist to persecute and wear down the saints both before and after the rapture, the saints will still be gradually rescuing people out of his kingdom by the word of their testimony, even during the time they are being persecuted, imprisoned, and tried in courts. Then at the end of the seven-year tribulation period, Christ will return on the day of the Lord with the resurrected and raptured saints. He will destroy Antichrist and his armies at the battle of Armageddon. An angel explained to Daniel about the saints overcoming Antichrist: “But the judgment shall be set [by the court of the Most High], and they shall take away his dominion to consume it [gradually] and to destroy it [suddenly] in the end” (7:26 AMP).
The last vision Daniel observed was from a man clothed in linen, who was girded with fine gold. The appearance of his body was like a glassy, blue-green color, and his face looked like lightning. His eyes were like lamps of fire, his arms and feet like polished brass, and his voice like a multitude speaking. This man from heaven told Daniel the following:
But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end. . . . And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
—12:4, 9–10 (emphasis mine)
Certain things God had revealed to Daniel were sealed and shut up until the end times. Many years after the resurrection of Christ, the apostle John was rapt in the spirit on the day of the Lord (Rev. 1:10), and he was allowed to see Christ perform the unsealing of these future events. We will now look at what the apostle John was allowed to see concerning the events in these seals. These events will take place during the tribulation period, beginning with the first three and a half years.
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