[23] Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. [24] And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. [25] And he 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 into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.

When a best selling book was written in the fifties about six emerging European Common Market nations, it began to cause many theologians to rapidly change their minds as to where the antichrist would eventually arise. Prior to that time most had believed he would arise out of the old Seleucid dynasty, which was formed by one of the generals who divided Alexander’s Grecian Empire into four sections. Many believed the Assyrian, in the fifth chapter of Micah, would be the antichrist, and that he would arise in, and come out of, modern day Syria.

Before the European Common Market theory arose, a majority believed antichrist would come out of the southern half of the old Roman Empire, rather than out of the European northern half. But the great popularity of the aforementioned book ascended to the highest levels of acceptability, and previous beliefs were dwarfed to obscurity. The book indicated that the six original members of the Common Market would soon be joined by four other nations to reach ten, and then be joined by the eleventh horn, who would be the antichrist of Daniel’s fourth beast in chapter seven. However, soon there were ten horns, then there were eleven, then more, then fifteen, and soon more will come to be added. But the astounding popularity of this book, and the thousands of preachers and other teachers who have taught it, have left a legacy that is difficult to convince they might not be correct in what they have taught, and are still teaching.

I have been concerned, since the book was first published, about the possibility it might cause many to be deceived when he does not arise in Europe, but in Syria. Quite frankly, I watch both Europe and Syria just like a hawk, and, if I do see him rising in Europe, I most assuredly will accept it. I am prepared for both. But many are so convinced he must come out of Europe, I doubt if anything would change their minds. In any case, in future updates I will show my reasons for believing he will come out of the Syria area.

The beast of Daniel 7:23 does indeed represent the old Roman Empire, and it certainly did tread down “the whole world,” that is, the “known” world of Daniel’s day. Have you ever thought that perhaps we were meant to take the expressions of Daniel’s day concerning the world, and believe that is the only part of the present world the antichrist will dominate completely? The ten horns will arise out of “the whole world” of Daniel’s day. But why do they have to be European nations? Were not Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, northern Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and northern Sudan part of the old Roman Empire under the Emperor Trajan? And are not these countries the descendants of Ishmael, the first son of Abraham, and Keturah’s six sons by Abraham, and the two sons of Abraham’s nephew Lot, Moab and Ammon by his two daughters? Are not these descendants of Abraham the ones who have hated and battled the sons of Abraham through Israel for many centuries? In any case, since I believe the attack is likely to occur before 2006, I expect to know where he will arise one way or the other in the next few years, that is, if I survive the grave before Jesus returns.

I do not question that Europe will come down as part of the mass of many nations that join antichrist in Jerusalem for the final battle of Armageddon, but I am confident that the initial attack of the tribulation period will be by the antichrist leading Islamic nations against Israel.

#54A...

FAMINES, PESTILENCES, EARTHQUAKES AND JESUS!

I received an e-mail this week asking a question that I have addressed over the last twenty-four years in more than 700 lectures I have presented in churches, colleges, seminaries, and universities in the U.S.A., Lithuania, Africa, and Romania. It suddenly dawned on me that I had never placed it on our web pages. So what follows is the answer I have been providing audiences since 1978.

When scientists, particularly those who are atheistic or agnostic, are told that Jesus is coming soon because more earthquakes are being reported per unit time in this generation, they are quick to point out that they are not really increasing, and will give you a bevy of scientific reasons why they are continuing just as they were from the beginning. This is precisely what the Scriptures said they would do just before the second coming of Christ.

II Peter 3:3,4,8,9

[3] Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, [4] And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. [8] But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

I would be the first to admit that the astronomical jump in the number of earthquakes that began to be reported in the last half of the twentieth century is due primarily to fantastic increases in all phases of technological advances in seismic technology, more international cooperation in reporting earthquakes and consolidation of a world data base, plus an unbelievably more efficient network system of reporting. However, while I know this has been responsible for the vast percentage of the increase in the number of earthquakes, they also must admit there is no way of being certain whether or not it was totally responsible for ALL earthquakes reported. However, it really doesn’t matter WHY so many are being reported. It only matters that they ARE being reported in ever increasing numbers. It is really a mute point, as I have pointed out to many scientists and audiences during the last twenty-two years. Why? The following discourse concerning who Jesus is, and what he really said about earthquakes, will answer that question.

Luke 2:40,47,49,52 + Colossians 2:9 + John 1:1-3

[40] And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. [47] And all that heard him were astonished at his under-standing and answers. [49] And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? [52] And Jesus increased in wis-dom and stature, and in favour with God and man. [9] For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bod-ily. [1] In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] The same was in the beginning with God. [3] All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made.

After Adam fell, and before Jesus came, Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived. But when Jesus came the wisest, and by far the greatest man who ever lived, was found among mankind, walking as God incarnate in the perfect flesh of a man God created in Mary’s womb. No one will ever exceed his knowledge in the future, for he is God. However, it was God’s will that, by the time of the end of this present age, man would spread across all the earth under his heaven and, as a result of that spreading, his knowledge of the earth and universe would explode shortly before the time of the end.

Daniel 12:4

[4] But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.

This fantastic rapid increase in knowledge in the time of the end has allowed us to understand the principles that underlie the causes of many phenomena, and among the many are famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. Jesus, as God among us, already had all knowledge of man, the earth, and the universe. How and Why? Because “all things were created by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made (John 1:3).”

So Jesus was the only man walking on the planet in the first century who knew that the earth was an oblate spheroid. He was the only man who understood it was not flat, and that most of it was undiscovered. He was the only man who knew that man would spread across it, and his knowledge of it would explode in the end times. He was the only man who knew the crust of the earth floated on underground liquid lakes of rock we identify as magma. He was the only man who understood how earthquakes were produced along the edges of massive tectonic plates as they crunched against one another in the process of floating on the magma. He was the only man who understood the formula of exponential growth in population toward the end of a doubling cycle curve. He was the only man who knew what would happen when the population exploded in the last days and, due to crowding and the natural immorality of man in his fallen condition, that many pestilences would become active among a rapidly increasing population. He knew that, when the twenty-first century dawned, the world’s population would exceed six billion, and that, for the first time in man’s history, two curves would cross – a line curve that showed the rapidly increasing population, and another showing the ability of man to produce enough food to feed the increase. Jesus knew that many more earthquakes would be reported in many more places because he knew the reporting net would expand as man moved into the yet undiscovered portions of the earth. He knew they would increase because of man’s increase in knowledge producing seismological detection technology in earthquake reporting. Only a man who walked as God on the earth could have predicted that famines would accelerate at the time of the end, that new pestilences would surface and spread rapidly in the last days, and that more and more earthquakes would be reported in many new places in a period of time known as the beginning of sorrows.

Jesus delivered his Olivet Discourse just before his arrest and eventual crucifixion. He stated in it that toward the end of this present age, and before his second coming, more earthquakes would be reported in different areas, more famines would be occurring, and more outbreaks of pestilences would be developing. He identified this time as “the beginning of sorrows.” He indicated it would end with “fearful sights and great signs from heaven.”

Luke 21:11

[11] And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

Matthew and Mark, in the same discourse, identified this time of famines, pestilences, and earthquakes as “the beginning of sorrows.”

Matthew 24:7,8

[7] For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. [8] All these are the beginning of sorrows.

The Greek word “odin” is used for “sorrows,” which means to experience pain like a woman’s birth pains, which increase in number per unit time until the baby arrives. The reported number of earthquakes, famines, and pestilences have been following this pattern, since 1967, on a worldwide basis, and will continue to do so until Jesus arrives, not as a baby in a manger, but as the Lion of Judah.

The really heavy earthquakes will not show a fantastic increase in frequency and intensity until the opening of the sixth seal in the midst of the tribulation period. This is the first earthquake reported in Revelation.

Revelation 6:12

[12] And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

They then continue to be reported, ever increasing in frequency and intensity, until the final great earthquake at the battle of Armageddon.

Revelation 16:16-19

[16] And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. [17] And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. [18] And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. [19] And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.

The intensity of the famines will have become incredible, and the pestilence unbelievable, in one-fourth of the world among the undeveloped countries BEFORE the great earthquakes explosion that begins with the opening of the sixth seal. The opening of the third and fourth seals will expose growing famine and massive pestilence in the one-fourth of the earth where we are seeing the beginnings of it today.

Revelation 6:5-8

[5] And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. [6] And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [7] And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. [8] And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over THE FOURTH PART of the earth, to kill with sword, and with HUNGER, and with DEATH, and with the beasts of the earth.

The SWORD represents the RED horse rider of WAR. HUNGER represents the BLACK horse rider bringing FAMINE. DEATH represents the PALE horse rider of PESTILENCE. These three phenomena will affect one-forth of the earth’s surface.

So, if an atheistic or agnostic scientist tells you that we are not really having more earthquakes, don’t argue with him. Just ask him this question: Aren’t more being reported? When he says yes, BUT ……………….! Wait until he finishes his lengthy discourse as to why the increase is due to newly inhabited areas, better ways of detecting earthquakes through rapidly developing means of detecting them through seismological technology, and a better reporting network, then ask him this: Didn’t Jesus say more would be reported before he returned? Remind him that Jesus didn’t say why, he just said more would be reported “in divers places,” which means many different places. This means Jesus knew there was more to the earth than men realized in his day, and that men would spread across it and, as Daniel indicated in 12:4, man’s technological knowledge would explode, allowing him to discover things about the earth and universe that only Jesus knew when he predicted an increase in reported famines, pestilences, and earthquakes at the time of the end. Ask him how Jesus knew all this when no other man on earth did in his day. You know, it just might be because he was God incarnate, walking on his own creation in perfect, sinless, human flesh.

Following are the latest reports of earthquakes I have from the Summary of Earthquake Data Base, KGRD 21, U.S. Geological Survey, which I have updated each year from their data base since 1986. The numerical method of measuring earthquakes has changed over the years, but it is still very close to the old Richter scale used in evaluating earthquakes.

EARTHQUAKES >1 TO 10 IN SEVEN YEAR INCREMENTS

1967 TO 1974 34348

1974 TO 1981 43334

1981 TO 1988 72034

1988 TO 1995 120819

1995 TO 2002 146030

EARTHQUAKES 4 TO 5 IN SEVEN YEAR INCREMENTS

1967 TO 1974 9651

1974 TO 1981 19068

1981 TO 1988 26590

1988 TO 1995 31747

1995 TO 2002 54463

EARTHQUAKES 4 TO 10 IN SEVEN YEAR INCREMENTS

1967 TO 1974 15704

1974 TO 1981 30151

1981 TO 1988 37999

1988 TO 1995 43202

1995 TO 2002 63734

Luke 21:11

[11] And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.

It is a fact that more earthquakes are being REPORTED now than at any time in history.

It is a fact that we are having more famines than at any time in history.

It is a fact that we are having more pestilences than at any time in history.

I believe the fearful sights and signs will become a reality to this generation, which began in 1967, before it closes prior to the year 2008.

I SUSPECT that we are the final fig tree generation and, if so, we may soon see the fearful sights and great signs from heaven arrive on the scene.

Luke 21:31-33

[31] So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. [32] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. [33] Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.