The Antichrist

By Dave Robbins

 

Revelation 13:12, “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast…”

 

From September 23-25, Pope Francis gave three speeches here in the United States. The first was in front of the President of the United States and many distinguished guests at the White House. The second was to a joint session of Congress. The third was at the United Nations, during the Sustainable Development Summit 2015.

 

Those who attended or listened to him speak around the world, were at times puzzled by his choice of topics or the lack thereof. According to the Catholic teaching, Pope Francis is the Vicar of Christ (representative of Christ) on earth, and by far the most recognizable religious figure on the planet. Yet during these appearances, he did not pray, present the gospel or call people to a greater faith in Christ.

 

He did, however, in all three speeches, acknowledge the supposed destruction of the environment caused by what global alarmists have deemed, “human induced climate change.” As a matter of fact, almost half of his White House speech was devoted to the environment.

 

Along with climate change, Pope Francis promoted other United Nations global-governing platforms such as sustainable development and social justice, as well as praising the United Nations for its international juridical framework.

 

In his White House speech, Pope Francis stated, “Mr. President, I find it encouraging that you are proposing an initiative for reducing air pollution. Accepting the urgency, it seems clear to me also that climate change is a problem which can no longer be left to a future generation. When it comes to the care of our ‘common home’, we are living at a critical moment of history. We still have time to make the changes needed to bring about a sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change.”

 

He then told Congress, “We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenge we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all.”

 

“In Laudato Si’ (Pope Francis’ encyclical), I call for a courageous and responsible effort to ‘redirect our steps,’ and to avert the most serious effects of the environmental deterioration caused by human activity.”

 

Finally, while speaking at the United Nations he said, “It must be stated that a true “right of the environment” does exist…Because we human beings are part of the environment. We live in communion with it, since the environment itself entails ethical limits which human activity must acknowledge and respect…Any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity.”

 

“The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the World Summit, which opens today, is an important sign of hope. I am similarly confident that the Paris Conference on Climatic Change will secure fundamental and effective agreements.”

 

Isn’t it obvious that Pope Francis came to America with a clear agenda–to endorse the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, and promote a legally binding global climate agreement for the United Nations Climate Change Conference, to be held in Paris, France on November 30–December 11, 2015?

 

There is a two-fold problem with this. (1) It is easily proven that climate change is a hoax (See “Paris 2015 Climate Change Summit” in this magazine). Climate change is one of the main agendas being used by the United Nations to control the world’s population through Agenda 21, and redistribute the wealth through carbon credit schemes. (2) With that said, it appears that Pope Francis fully supports, and is promoting, the United Nations agenda to govern the earth. No wonder he called for a global political authority to manage the environment, and other issues, in his climate change encyclical, “LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME.”

 

This confused and bewildered many Americans who were prepared to welcome the most recognizable religious figure on earth, and glean from his speeches on spiritual enlightenment and the right to life. Many felt that Pope Francis politicized his visit while promoting the global governing institution, the United Nations, and its various efforts to control every person on earth.

 

However, for those who understand prophecy, it was a very clear sign that we are in the end time, and the revealing of the False Prophet and the Antichrist are just ahead.

Prophesied Speeches?

I happened to be listening to the end of the Pope’s White House speech on a popular radio station here in Dallas. The response of the listeners was one of the things that prompted me to write this article.

 

Catholics and Protestants, along with the host of the show, all had the same question: “With millions of people watching in the United States and around the world, why wouldn’t the most recognized religious figure on the planet plead for the lives of Christians being slaughtered in the Middle East rather than focus on the environment?”

 

Knowing the prophecies of the Bible, I had the answer but wasn’t in a position to call the program.

 

The Bible prophesies that, in the end time, the most powerful religious leader on earth will support the Antichrist, and influence the world to follow after him and his one-world governing system. This religious leader will be called the False Prophet.

 

Pope Francis’ speeches are not the first by a Pope promoting a global governing body, and according to the prophecies of the Bible, he certainly will not be the last.

 

Am I saying that Pope Francis is the False Prophet? No. However, I am saying that his speeches to the White House, Congress of the United States and the United Nations are a clear example of the future union of church and state prophesied in scripture.

 

Without a clear understanding of these prophecies, it is possible that one might fall prey to the global popularity and magnetism of the current or future Pope’s promotion of the one-world government.

The Prophecy

The entire chapter of Revelation 13 is devoted to end time issues. Verses one through eight describe the one-world government system, its leader (the Antichrist) and the mastermind behind it all (Satan).

 

Verses eleven through fourteen illustrate the one-world religious system that is already being established, and the ruler of that religious system, the False Prophet.

 

Finally, verses sixteen through eighteen deal with the one-world economic system, the Mark of the Beast.

 

In order to understand the prophecy, we will define each segment, and who or what will fulfill that specific event.

The Beast

Revelation 13:1-8, “And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 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? And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

 

Notice the beast had the body of the leopard, the feet of the bear, the mouth of the lion and the ten horns of the ten-horned kingdom.

 

In Daniel 7, Daniel saw a vision of four separate beasts, but using the very same symbols as in Revelation 13. He saw the lion–Great Britain, the bear–Russia, the leopard–Germany, and the ten-horned beast symbolizing the reborn Holy Roman Empire (the European Union).

 

In the Revelation prophecy, the four nations of Daniel 7 are merged into a single kingdom. This symbolizes the prophesied world government of the end time which is now being formed through the process of globalization.

 

The nations included in this world government beast will form the kingdom that will be ruled by the Antichrist during the final three and one-half years immediately preceding the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

 

Daniel 7:25 describes that three and one-half year time period like this, “And he (the Antichrist) shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given unto his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”

 

Revelation 13:5 explains the same event this way, “And there was given unto him (the Antichrist) a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.”

 

Forty-two months, and a time and times and the dividing of times are the same amount of time, which is three and a half years, and the length of the Great Tribulation.

 

Though we don’t know who the Antichrist is at this time, we will one day. From Daniel, II Thessalonians and Revelation, there are fifty-three specific prophecies about the Antichrist. There will be no doubt who this man is once he bursts upon the world scene.

We will be Able to Identify the Antichrist

II Thessalonians 2:3-6 states, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.”

 

Halfway through the Final Seven Years, the ruler of the one-world government will stand in the Third Jewish Temple and claim to be the world’s ultimate authority, or even claim to
be God. It is at this event, known as the Abomination of Desolation that the identity of the Antichrist will be revealed.

 

So the Beast in Revelation 13 is referring to both the future one-world government and its ruler–the Antichrist.

The Dragon

The Dragon mentioned in Revelation 13 is the mastermind behind the one-world government and gives it its power, seat (throne) and great authority.

 

The identity of the dragon is revealed in Revelation 12:9: “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

 

The dragon is Satan. His ultimate goal is to get everyone on the earth to worship him. It has always been his desire for people to worship him, and not God.

 

Remember when Satan tried to get Jesus to worship him? He actually offered Jesus the job of the Antichrist (dominion over the whole world), in an effort to get him to fall down and worship him.

 

Matthew 4:8-10, “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

 

Satan will attempt to force every person on earth to worship him through the Antichrist. To worship, or pledge allegiance to the Antichrist, will be to worship Satan himself!

Worship

Notice that the word worshipped, or worship, is found in Revelation 13 five times. The original Greek word for worship used in this chapter is “proskyneō” which means: kneeling to do homage or a formal public acknowledgment of feudal allegiance.

 

Take a look at these verses containing the word “worship” found in Revelation 13.

 

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?”

 

Revelation 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

 

Revelation 13:12, “And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.”

 

Revelation 13:15, “And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

 

Again, Satan’s goal, as the mastermind behind this system, will be for people on earth to pledge allegiance to him. A pledge of allegiance to the Antichrist and his one-world government will be to worship Satan!

 The World Religion and the False Prophet

Revelation 13:11-15, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

 

The False Prophet is going to be the most famous and well-liked religious leader on the planet. He will use his religious influence to convince the world that this world government and New World Order is good, and that the new world dictator is a gift from God. He will exalt and enhance the Antichrist, and influence the world to follow after him. It will be a true union of politics and religion.

 

Remember that the ten horns on the world government beast symbolize the reborn Holy Roman Empire, currently known as the European Union. The Holy Roman Empire has always had two leaders–the most powerful political leader from Europe and the most powerful religious leader from Rome–the Pope. This began in 800 AD when Pope Leo III placed a crown on the head of Charlemagne (Charles the Great) and pronounced him emperor of the Holy Roman Empire.

 

The Holy Roman Empire of the end time will be governed the same way. The political leader will be the Antichrist who will come from Europe, and the religious leader will be the False Prophet who will come from Rome.

 

So the Pope, at the time of the Antichrist, will be the False Prophet. He will preside over the one-world religious system, and his role will be to use his religious influence to promote the world government and its leader–the Antichrist.

What is the Mark of the Beast and How will You Worship It?

Revelation 13:16-18, “And he
causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

 

During the final three and one-half years before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Antichrist will require every person to have their own unique identification number.
In order to get your number, everyone will have to worship or pledge allegiance to the Antichrist and his global governing system.

 

Everyone who takes the number and pledges allegiance to the Antichrist will be eternally damned. Therefore, it is imperative that we understand the prophecies and remain aware of future events.

 

Revelation 14:9-11 says it this way, “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

 

The Mark of the Beast is the economic system that will be set up to force everyone to conform to the global-governing edicts of the Antichrist.

 Prophecy Fulfilled–Popes Promote World Government

In his United Nations speech, Pope Francis praised the global governing body when he said,

 

“This is the fifth time that a Pope has visited the United Nations. I follow in the footsteps of my predecessors Paul VI, in 1965, John Paul II, in 1979 and 1995, and my most recent predecessor, now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in 2008. All of them expressed their great esteem for the Organization, which they considered the appropriate juridical and political response to this present moment of history…I can only reiterate the appreciation expressed by my predecessors, in reaffirming the importance which the Catholic Church attaches to this Institution and the hope which she places in its activities.”

 

“The work of the United Nations, according to the principles set forth in the Preamble and the first Articles of its founding Charter, can be seen as the development and promotion of the rule of law, based on the realization that justice is an essential condition for achieving the ideal of universal fraternity.”

 

“The praiseworthy international juridical framework of the United Nations Organization and of all its activities, like any other human endeavour, can be improved, yet it remains necessary; at the same time it can be the pledge of a secure and happy future for future generations. And so it will, if the representatives of the States can set aside partisan and ideological interests, and sincerely strive to serve the common good. I pray to Almighty God that this will be the case, and I assure you of my support and my prayers, and the support and prayers of all the faithful of the Catholic Church, that this Institution, all its member States, and each of its officials, will always render an effective service to mankind, a service respectful of diversity and capable of bringing out, for sake of the common good, the best in each people and in every individual.”

 

Pope Francis left no doubt, that he and his predecessors, along with the Catholic Church, strongly support the United Nations.

 

Is this a good thing?

 

Not if one understands that the United Nations Charter was designed to be a socialistic world government by Alger Hiss, a convicted communist spy.

 

Remember the prophecy. In the end time, the most recognizable religious figure on the planet will use his religious influence to cause all to pledge allegiance to the world government.

Promoting Sustainable Development Goals

A recent article in the Economist titled, “Faith and Secular Global Bodies Learn to Live Together,” says that their statements were given a careful hearing by the UN, in the person of Paul Ladd, who has been in charge of mapping out a post-2015 agenda for humanity at the UN Development Program, a New York based agency. “More than 80% of the world’s people express a religious affiliation…knowing this it becomes clear that the UN needs to work closely with faith communities over the next 15 years if the new global roles for sustainable development are to be achieved.”

 

Globalists know full well the importance of enlisting the help of the Pope to push their global government agenda.

 

Pope Francis stated in his United Nations speech, “The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the World Summit, which opens today, is an important sign of hope.”

 

“Sustainable development” is a catch-phrase used by activists and government agencies involved in the implementation of Agenda 21, which, according to the UN’s own website, is a “comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations system, governments and major groups, in every area in which humans impact the environment.”

 

The ultimate goal of Agenda 21 is the control by the United Nations, and a future one-world government of all “human settlements”, determining where one can live, and how land should be used.

 

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the World Summit is nothing more than the global government tightening its grip on the world. During his United Nations speech, Pope Francis fully endorsed this effort!

 

Consider this…the Sustainable Development Goals replaced the Millennium Development Goals that expired this year. There were only 8 Millennium Development Goals with 18 specific targets. The Sustainable Development Goals have 17 goals with 169 targets.

 

Included, as one of the new goals, is climate change, with 13 specific targets to tackle. Global warming is easily proven to be a hoax.

 

The real kicker is number 16, which is devoted specifically to better and more intrusive governance of the Sustainable Development Goals. One of the targets actually states, “Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance.”

 

Once again, here we see Pope Francis, the most recognizable religious figure on earth, using an opportunity to speak to millions of people around the world, promoting an ever-expanding and more inclusive world governing system.

The Rights of the Environment

In an all-out effort to get those with a religious affiliation to buy into the global warming and climate change scheme, Pope Francis has gone one step beyond delving into the politics of the issue and made it a religious matter.

 

During his United Nations speech he states, “First, it must be stated that a true ‘right of the
environment’ does exist…any harm done to the environment, therefore, is harm done to humanity.” Pope Francis actually believes that the environment has rights just like humans have rights.

 

I didn’t fully understand this concept, or how the Pope was using this theory to promote global government, until I referred back to his encyclical, “LAUDATO SI’ OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME.”

 

His obvious goal here is to influence the world’s population to buy into the man-made global warming and climate change hoax. In order to do this, Pope Francis refers to the earth, sun, moon, stars, wind, fire and water as literally part of our human family.

 

In his encyclical, Pope Francis published a hymn, written by Saint Francis of Assisi, who is the inspiration for the name of the current Pope. In the hymn, Saint Francis refers to members of the environment as: Sir Brother Sun, Sister Moon and the stars, Brother Wind, Sister Water and Brother Fire.

 

Pope Francis then says, “Everything is related, and we human beings are united as brothers and sisters on a wonderful pilgrimage, woven together by the love God has for each of his creatures and which also unites us in fond affection with brother sun, sister moon, brother river and mother earth.”

 

Therefore, if you pollute the air, you are sinning against a family member. If you abuse the land, you are committing sin against Mother Earth because she has rights just like humans!

 

Do you see how subtle the message is? The earth, sun, moon, stars, wind, fire and water are actually being considered as part of our family, and therefore, we are sinning against the family if we harm them in any way.

 

Some would say the word sin is a little harsh. However, in a further effort to drive the “sin against the environment” message home to religious affiliates, Pope Francis included a quote from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of the Greek Orthodox Church, “For human beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins.”

 

Is this true? No.

 

Genesis 1:26 states, “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Almighty God gave man dominion over the environment. He did not say we were equal to the environment, or that we would commit sin by giving off carbon emissions or cutting down a few trees.

 

Isn’t it clear what the agenda of Pope Francis was during his speeches to these enormous audiences? Whether it is done through political manipulation or religious affiliation, just get the message across–yield to the world government efforts to further control the global population.

Be Not Deceived! 

In Matthew 24:3, the disciples asked Jesus to answer two questions, “…when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

 

His first response was found in Matthew 24:4-5, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

 

The Antichrist has not been revealed yet, but his global-governing system has.

 

Remember the prophecy! In the end time, the most recognized religious leader on earth will cause everyone to worship or pledge allegiance to the Antichrist and his global governing system.

 

Know and understand the prophecies, so that you will not be deceived!