Expert: Marilyn - 5/9/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello Marilyn, I hope you can help me with my query. Recend rumours about doomsday coming forth in 2012 along with the anti christ has caused me to re-consider how we will know him. In the bible it says he will bear the sign 666 (or 616 possibly if earlier accounts of the bible are to be believed) How is this possible? Are we to believe that the beast will bear this number imprinted on his forehead? Or as the christian community have been made aware of this would he ensure this tell tale sign is not present when he arrives?

ANSWER: Hello H;

Every person who's pinned a specific prophetic event on a particular date has been proved wrong.  I'd be reluctant to set my eyes on 2012 no matter how compelling the evidence.  

However, as to the season when Anti-Christ will appear, I think we can say we're in it.  BUT at the same time, we must recognize that Jesus told John in Revelation, "Behold, I'm coming soon," Revelation 3:11.  To recognize we're in the season is good, but we must also realize that time from God's standpoint is nothing like ours; "soon" is obviously a couple thousand years and counting.

It's more likely that 666 is the number of the beast.  In biblical numerology:  

1 is the number of unity.  "Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One," Deuteronomy 6:4; Ephesians 4:5, "One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism..."  One is the number representing the Father and His unity with the Son and the Holy Spirit

2 is the number of division.  The Son was separated from the Father when He took on human form to become a God/Man having two natures, divine and human; Eve was taken from Adam; Adam was the first Adam, Jesus is the Second Adam; the Bible is divided into the Old Covenant and the New Covenant

3 is the number of divine perfection:  God is Three in One, the Father, the Son & the Holy Spirit; the universe is composed of three things:  time, space and matter.  These three things are also divided into three qualities each:  Time is divided into past, present and future; space is divided into height, depth and width; matter is divided into solid, liquid and gas.  These threes testify to all humanity that God IS, see Romans 1:20, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature---have been clearly seen, being understood what from what has been made so that men are without excuse," also see Psalm 19:1.

God's divine attributes are threes in threefold:  Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent; Love, Light, Spirit; Holy, Righteous, Just.

Each human being is also a trinity:  body, soul and spirit.

4 is the number of creation.  The four winds, the four directions, the four seasons

5 is the  number of grace.  David picked up 5 smooth stones to kill Goliath; the Holy Anointing oil is composed of five ingredients, see Exodus 30:23-25

6 is the number of man. Man was created on the sixth "day," man is to labor six days and rest on the seventh; the sixth commandment is "Thou shalt not murder," Also, 6 x 6 = 36. 36 + 35 + 34 + 33 + 32 . . . 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 666. 666 is the number of Anti-Christ. This means that  Anti-Christ's name in Greek will add up to 666.

666 is a mockery of the Trinity.

Anti-Christ isn't going to have this number on his forehead.  He's going to make everyone else put that number either on the forehead or the wrist, Revelation 13:16.  And those who take the number will be among the damned.  When that comes to pass, the persons involved will know beyond a shadow of a doubt, unless they're just hell bent on conning themselves, that they're taking the beast's number.  It will be a clear cut decision--that's what the Tribulation is about, making the choice for God or against Him clear and obvious.

Daniel 9:24, "Seventy-sevens are decreed (alloted) for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy."

The Jewish calendar is a lunar calendar consisting of 360 days.  "seventy-sevens" is prophetic speak for 490 Jewish years.  

Daniel 9:25, "Know and understand this:  From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the Rule, comes, there will be seven 'seven,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble."

The decree to rebuild Jerusalem was issued by Artaxerces exactly 483 years to Jesus, see Ezra and Nehemiah.  On the eighth day Jesus' human parents took Him to the temple to be dedicated.  Anna and Simeon waited there, confident they'd see the Lord, Luke 2:21-38, because they knew their Bibles.  

490 - 483 = 7 years.  This leaves 7 years on God's prophetic calendar for the JEWS to finish what is commanded in verse 24.  More accurately, Jesus is the only One who can finish what's required in verse 24, but the point I'm making is that the church age is not part of this prophetic clock--this information in Daniel refers to Israel and her Messiah.  The entire church age is like a parenthesis in the story.

Daniel 9:26, "After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off (suffer a violent death) and will have nothing."

To the Jewish way of looking at things, Jesus was left with nothing.  He had no heirs, He seemed to have failed in His mission--what the Jews considered His mission--which was to end Roman rule and establish God's Kingdom on the earth.  

Daniel 9:26b, "The people of the ruler will come and destroy the city and the sanctuary."

This happened in A.D. 70 when the Romans entered Jerusalem and sacked it and took the temple apart stone by stone to get at the gold that had been used as roofing material that had melted down between the stones.

Daniel 9:26c & 27, "The end will come like a flood:  war will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven,' but in the middle of that 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering.  And one who causes desolation will place abominations on a wing of the temple, until the end that is decreed for him is poured out on him."

So, we have a similar prophetic utterance as Jesus issued in Matthew 24 and Mark 13--wars and rumors of wars until the end.  But then there's this "he."  He must be Anti-Christ because the false prophet orders a image of the beast be set up.  This robotic statue will have the power to kill those who do not bow down to it, Revelation 13:14 & 15.  Daniel says that this abomination will be placed on a "wing" of the temple.  

For the Jews there are two ways to have an "abomination that causes desolation."  One way is to sacrifice a pig on the Jewish altar.  One of Alexander the Great's generals did this.  The other way is to place an idol in the temple.  

But at present there is no Jewish temple, in fact, from a practical standpoint there never will be a Jewish temple.  There's only one place where a Jewish temple can be built and that is on the temple mount where the Muslims have a mosque.  The Muslims will not easily give up that ground!

But according to Daniel 9:27, Anti-Christ will make a deal that allows the Jews to build their temple--otherwise how can anyone cause an abomination in the temple after 3 1/2 years into Anti-Christ's deal?  Perhaps, Anti-Christ this covenant gets the Muslims to allow the Jews to build their temple next door to the Islamic mosque.  In Revelation 11 John is told to measure the temple.  Verse 2, "But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given over to the Gentiles."  

But here's my point.  If you want to know when Anti-Christ is rising to power, watch the Jews and anyone able to bring apparent and seemingly lasting reconciliation between Israelis and Muslims.  Everybody who's tried any version of reconciliation like this has failed so far.  Someone who is able to make the Muslims friendly and actually make nice with the Jews while simultaneously making the Jews happy--that would be Anti-Christ.

Sincerely,

Marilyn

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Marilyn,

Many thanks to your detailed answer, but at the beginning you say you feel we are already in the season of the anti christ. THe bible states he will be cunning and say he is god. I have as of yet not heard of a man working miracles saying he is god as of yet. As the jews still believe the messiah is coming they surely will be the first to be duped into believing these lies. Does this mean these poor unwitting souls will go straight to hell?

ANSWER: Hello;

Regarding the season:  In Ezekiel 34:11-13, "For this is what the Sovereign Lord says, "I myself will search for My sheep and look after them.  As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after My sheep.  I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness.  I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land.  I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land.""  

Of all the people groups of the earth that have become tribes and been scattered, Israel is the only group to retain their identity and return to their homeland--as God says, He has shepherded them though they were scattered.  This alone proves God exists.  Israel was reborn as a nation after WWII "on a day of clouds and darkness" when Jews had been exterminated in Hitler's death camps.  The nation of Israel has prospered despite constant Muslim attacks and fickle Gentile allies.  It's the most overlooked miracle of God in the modern age.

The fact that Israel is back in the land shows we are in the season of the end times.  Israel must be back in their land for the Jewish temple to be built.  When Jerusalem was an exclusive Muslim city and the Jews were not a nation before WWII, this wasn't even possible.

In Ezekiel 36:26 God promises, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.  I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."  In Revelation seven we read about the 144,000 consecrated to God; 144,000 Messianic Jews who will preach Jesus is Messiah to their nation.  Many of these believers will be martyred, according to this chapter.  The 144,000 will not only convert many Jews but Gentiles as well.

At present an organization called "Jews for Jesus" conducts their campaign to reach their unsaved brothers and sisters in Israel.  It's clear--God is at work!  He is busy working to transform Jewish hearts from hearts of stone, that is dead in sin, to hearts of flesh.  

The 144,000 won't be revealed as a body of believers until Anti-Christ begins his reign.  He is the white horseman, a pathetic copy-cat of our Lord, Revelation 6:2, a false-Christ.  He will achieve great military victories and establish his kingdom.  In order to deceive the Jews, this military conquest will have to be at least partially to their benefit.  So far no person has stepped onto the world stage who is even beginning to do this.

Jesus says in Matthew 24:14, "And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."  

For the first time in history, with satellite TV and Christians able to take their missionary work to every people group on the planet, this prophecy can be fulfilled.  Apparently, it hasn't yet been fulfilled because we're still here and things are still in flux.

Also, satellite TV makes it possible for the prophecy in Revelation 11:10 to be fulfilled:  "The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over  them (the two witnesses) and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth."  Unbelievers all over the world will observe the bodies of the slain witnesses of God lying dead on the streets of Jerusalem, verse 8, on CNN or some similar world wide news source.  This has not been possible before in the history of the world.

II Thessalonians 2:3 says, "Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed..."  The rebellion MAY be this current atheistic movement which we've not seen before in the history of the world.  Previous atheistic movements, the French Revolution, Hitler, communist Russia, communist China, were all top down impositions of atheism on a population.  But this current atheistic movement isn't imposed by leaders of nations, it's generated by scientists, philosophers and ordinary people.  A creature's denial of his Creator's existence is the ultimate rebellion.

Paul writes, "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse," Romans 1:20.  I refer you to our earlier discussion of biblical numerology and to the number Three as one example of how God portrays His Nature and Identity in the universe.  

A few years ago Stephen Hawking announced that the universe could not exist except God create it.  Atheistic scientists all over the world came out against his statement.  He recanted.  But nevertheless, Hawking is a picture of Romans 1:20.  He scratched the surface of the universe and saw God looking back at him.

The rise of this rebellion may be an indicator that we are in the season.

Regarding Anti-Christ:  Look at Hitler as an example of satan's practice run at Anti-Christ.  Hitler came to power slick and full of promises when the nation was starving and their industries were reeling from WWI's devastation.  Just like Hitler, Anti-Christ isn't going to instantly reveal his entire agenda.  He'll establish his power base first, then reveal himself.  

In Revelation the scenes alternate between what's going from Heaven's point of view and what's going on from earth's point of view.  Chapter 6 is from Heaven's point of view; chapter seven, earth's point of view; chapter 8, 9 & 10, Heaven's point of view; chapter 11, earth's; chapter 12 is like a quick history lesson from a spiritual point of view...it's not until chapter 13 that Anti-Christ starts to show his true colors.  This would be about 3 1/2 years into his reign, according to Daniel, because it's in this chapter that his false prophet places the idol in the Jewish temple.  It's in this chapter that he forces people to take his mark.  By this time, after the 144,000 have preached and the two witnesses have preached and countless others have preached...it's not like the people of the earth won't have had a more than reasonable chance to receive Jesus as Lord!

Those persons who have rejected the message and take the mark will go to hell.  Likely, there will be persons who come to their senses at that moment when Anti-Christ demands people take the mark.  They will go into hiding and they will live by faith to survive off "the grid," as some call the economic/telecommunications systems that link us all together through our banks and the internet.  You can be sure Anti-Christ will be hunting for these people and when he finds them, he will put them to death.

From what I have gathered about him in Daniel, Thessalonians, Revelation and elsewhere in the Bible, Anti-Christ is a really smart guy.  He is well educated.  He is cosmopolitan, in the sense that he's a global kind of guy.  He sincerely desires to do good.  He may even imagine himself a "Christian," but he has never truly committed his heart to Christ and never has truly lived for Him.  He's one of these "spiritual" people whose spirituality is based on feeling good.  He buys into the "humans are god" concepts of the New Age in his heart, though maybe not completely to start with.  

By the time he begins to have real power, he will either be an atheist or be strongly leaning that way.  But he might keep his atheism quiet.  Remember, his right hand man will be the false prophet who will speak  the kind of religious sounding words that will lull those who have been too lazy to read their Bibles into submission.  Jesus warns against this in Matthew 24 and Paul does also in II Thessalonians 2.  Likely, it'll all sound nice and cozy New Age-y.  The idea that all religions are equal paths to God floats around a lot today.

Three hundred years ago, which in God's concept of time is like a millisecond, persons professing atheism would have been burned at the stake.  This may not be the preferred method in dealing with atheists, but nevertheless, beginning with the French Revolution, atheists have had their days in power.  Hitler, communist Russia, communist China...in those nations atheism has been imposed from the leaders down on the people.  But today we see a different movement, atheism beginning with people.  Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion," is one example, there are others.  If you live in Las Vegas, NV, you might attend the convention in July when Christian apologist, Dinesh De'Souza, will debate an atheist at an atheists' convention!  That is definitely a new blip in popular culture.  Celebrity atheists are making more noise in more Christian nations than at any other time in history.

Anti-Christ is either in the military or he will become leader of a nation where he will be commander in chief of the military.  Like Hitler, when he speaks, people listen and feel comforted, soothed and inspired.  People will look to him for leadership and he will comply.  

In the beginning, he will believe he is doing good, but as he progresses the enemy will increasingly lay hold of him until he "emerges out of the sea," Revelation 13:1; Daniel 7:2 & 3, now obviously who he's prophesied in the Bible to be--Anti-Christ, not just some powerful charismatic leader.  (The "sea" is symbolic for the mass of humanity.)  

In Revelation 12:12, "...woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you!  He is filled with fury, because he knows his time is short."  (This passage is in history lesson in Revelation  12--remember time in the spirit realm is different from time in our realm.)

In Revelation 13, Anti-Christ reaches a new level of evil the earth has not seen before, though they've been acquainted with his military conquests and his efforts to establish prosperity in the face of war and catastrophe.  

He will have already been cleaning out the horrid Christians who make life on earth so unpleasant for the rest of humanity (don't you hear rumblings of that in the media now?).  II Thessalonians 2:7, "For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work, but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow the breath of His mouth and destroy by the splendor of His coming."  It is my opinion that "the one who now holds it (the secret power of lawlessness) back" is the Holy Spirit within the Church.  Just examine our culture.  Who holds back atheism?  Who holds back immorality?  Who fights against abortion?  It's the church.  We're the ones holding back the lawless one.  When we're taken out, he will be revealed.  

However, there will be a number of persons who've gone to church, who were family members of devoted Christians who heard the message but failed to believe it and similar others who will receive Jesus as Lord after the Church is taken out.  These are the Christians Anti-Christ will hunt down and martyr.  Given the mood of the popular culture, Hollywood for example, university campuses for example, many people won't be sorry to see Christians disappear.  Uninformed persons might believe that Anti-Christ somehow made Christians disappear, thus ushering in a new age of human progress without restriction!  They might gladly aid him in his quest to cleanse humanity of the blight of Christianity.  On this wave he sweeps to global power.

Will we see the early signs of a person able to get the Muslims to let the Jews rebuild their temple?  I don't know.  Will we be here to see the deal made and then be "taken out?"  I don't know.  But I do know that the deal that includes the rebuilding of the temple is Anti-Christ's first official act as Anti-Christ, whether he realizes it or not.  And that deal is the first thing to happen in the Tribulation, a seven year event.

In Revelation 13 Anti-Christ turns against his allies, the unsaved Jews, and the rest of humanity who have gone along with him all this time.  Now they must take his mark.  In chapter 13, after he's been raised from the dead, Anti-Christ is devil incarnate, a mockery of our Lord Jesus.  

It's in Revelation 13 that Anti-Christ really starts doing miracles and impressing people with his "god-like" power, another mockery of our Lord Jesus.  The mark, 666, is also another mockery.  In Ephesians 1:13 Paul writes, "...Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit."  See also, II Corinthians 1:22.  Revelation 7:3, "Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of God."

The Lord God, Master of Time and Sovereign of the Universe, will hold all these forces in flux until the time is right.  The Apostles believed they lived in the last days; that's why they didn't write anything down right away.  Keep in mind, God defines time according to His concept, not ours.  

As Jesus says in Matthew 24, the end won't come until every people group on the planet has heard the Gospel.  Until that time little pieces of prophecy might be brought fractionally closer to completion, but things will go on seemingly as they always have.  

Read your Bible, watch the world scene and pray.  The Lord is Holy and Just, put your trust in Him.  

Sincerely,

Marilyn



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Oh my goodness Marilyn I must thank you so much for your 2 very detailed responses to my questions. You must have spent at least an hour typing each one. I have recently turned back to Christ after being lost for 9 years. I fell away at the age of 13 years old, I was lost but I have wandered back. I have various concerns about how I will be judged now after living my life away from God and how he will be angry with the choices I have made.

From Heather

Answer
Hello, Heather, fellow Prodigal!

Take consolation in our Lord's deep, unfathomable Grace, that He who began a good work in you will see it to completion.  He will take your wasted years and turn them into something useful for His Kingdom.  He has done this for me and He will do it for you.  Your sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west.  Once you turned back to Him you were cleansed in the Blood of Jesus and are now clean.  Jesus' Blood is the most powerful stuff in the universe.  It can take the most wretched, awful person and transform him into a warrior for God.  Be consoled and do not allow the enemy to harass you because of your past.  

When you turned back to the Lord you became His sibling, we are joint heirs with Him.  This means, since Jesus is King, you are a princess.  Don't let that old serpent whisper to you.  Princesses don't have to put up with that kind of nonsense!  Tell him go away in Jesus Name.  Because you belong to Jesus you can make commands to the enemy in Jesus' Name and he must obey!  

Though you may still have lessons from your past you must work through, consequences you must endure, you are no longer that person, but have been transformed into Jesus' Image; you're free.  Walk in the position Jesus purchased for you with His Blood.  Submit to His will and you will have the most exciting, fabulous adventure in this life you can ever imagine!

Sincerely,

Marilyn

P.S.  Please don't hesitate to contact me again if you have future questions.  I'm able to answer most questions within 24 hours.  

As far as the east is from the west, Psalm 103:12; Romans 3:22-24; 6:20-23; Paul felt a failure too, Romans 7:14 through 8:1; joint heirs with Christ, Romans 8:14; God will make it good, Romans 8:28; check out Romans 8:31, 35, 37-39, pretty cool; God transform really scummy people, I Corinthians 6:9-11; II Corinthians 5:21; don't let the devil back talk you or blather about your past, Galatians 5:1; Ephesians 1:15-23; 2:6, 8-10; be transformed, Ephesians 4:22-24; God will complete the good work He began in you when you were a child, Philippians 1:6; 3:20 & 21; Colossians 1:21-23; Hebrews 1:14; 7: 25; 9:14; I Peter 1:23; II Peter 1:3; I John 3:8; 4:4 & 18