260710 Middle-east post 09

Why would the antichrist want to save Israel, especially if he is empowered by satan? Wouldn’t satan actually hate Israel as his enemy? The simple answer is Yes! However, we have to look at what satan really wants above all. Yes, satan wants dominion over the earth, but even more than that, he wants to be as God. “I will be like the most High” – Isaiah 14:14. The God of Israel is truly God, but they must also worship Him as God. “I will be their God, and they shall be my people” – Ezekiel 37:27. Thus, in satan’s mind is that the one whom Israel worships is their God. Put simply, he wants to be worshipped by God’s people. But why would Israel worship satan, or actually, just a man. However, if that man should save their nation, save them as a people, then might they then see him as their saviour? And if the antichrist can be accepted as the saviour of Israel, and therefore their Messiah, then surely they would then worship him? Especially if he rebuilds their temple and sets it up for sacrifices according to the Law?

Thus the antichrist will try to deceive them into accepting him as their saviour, their Messiah, their God, and ultimately worship him, for once the temple sacrifices are up and running, he’ll then demand himself to be worshipped by Israel. That’s what Daniel 9:27 tells us: that in the middle of that final seven-year period, the antichrist will cause their sacrifices and cleansings by the Law to cease. “In the midst of the week he (the antichrist) shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate” (Daniel 9:27)
And he will become that abomination of whom Jesus said: “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” (Matthew 24:15-16)

Some teach that Jesus was talking about Antiochus IV Epiphanes of the Seleucid empire from around 175 to 164 BC. He committed abominations in the temple allegedly by erecting a statue of Zeus and sacrificing a pig on the altar, an event said to be the “abomination of desolation.” This led to significant Jewish resistance and the Maccabean revolt. However, Jesus spoke about an event still yet in His future, and so, while Antiochus committed abominations in the temple, the real abomination would be when the antichrist himself sits in the temple at the midpoint of that final seven-year period demanding to be worshipped as God by Israel. Jesus also told the people (referring to Israel) to escape, to flee for safety from this abomination. Revelation 12:13-17 prophesies that Israel will flee into the wilderness under God’s care for the second half of that final seven years. Israel avoiding worshipping the antichrist then leads ultimately to Armageddon where the antichrist tries to capture Jerusalem in order to force Israel to worship him in the temple. However, Christ, Israel’s Messiah returns at Armageddon to destroy the antichrist’s forces and save His people Israel as their true Saviour and Lord. The antichrist is thrown into the lake of fire, and satan is imprisoned for 1000 years, then set free for one last attack on God’s people, is defeated, and is thrown into the lake of fire forever. Satan will never be worshipped by God’s people, never to be like God in any way!