words, he will resort to blas phemy. He “ shall speak marvel lous things against the God of gods.” To show his own impor tance, he will be a little Jehovah. As Paul put it: he “ opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped” (2 Thess. 2:4). So determined will Antichrist be to draw all worship to himself that he will not “ regard the God of his fathers.” Jehovah will not be worsh ipped by Antichrist though He had been acknowl edged as supreme by all preceding generations. The reason is this: “He shall magnify himself above all.” He will oppose worship of all gods for he reckons himself to be a god and craves the worship of men. As Paul has put it: “ He as God sitteth in the temple of
er, he must meet his master’s de mands. Satan’s one great ambi tion ever has been to receive the worship due to Jehovah alone. In his pride he said: “ I will be like the most High” (Isa. 14:14) and as a result he was cast out of Heaven. Later he asked even the Son of God to fall down and worship him, offering the Lord world do minion without the cross in re turn for it. Christ refused the of fer. Antichrist will accept it. This is the result: Satan will “ honour [him—Antichrist] with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.” Temples magnificently adorned where Sa tan can be worshipped will spring up everywhere. “ Thus shall he do in the most strongholds with a strange god.” Those who resist his plan will be overcome. He will “ increase [Satan] with glory.” Antichrist will stop at nothing to bring worship and honour to his master. He will not dare to hesi tate for Satan is a hard master and his terms most rigorous. Satan’s power will be given to Antichrist and he in turn will delegate it to those who serve him. So “ he shall cause them to rule over many.” The principle governing the division will be corruption; he “ shall divide the land for gain.” Not the most suit able men will rule, but those who will pay the highest price for the privilege. What a world it will be, ruled by the agent of Hell who will employ any person who is wealthy enough and who is will ing to pay the price. The silence of God in the face of this wickedness will be the most startling feature. Antichrist “ shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished.” God will allow this wickedness, not because He is ignorant of it, or because He is powerless to interfere, but be cause of His anger with wicked men. So He allows even more wicked men to chastise their fel low-men “ for that that is deter mined shall be done.” Men will not do as they please. God is watching and planning. He knows what they will do and has already taken it into account in His plans. Isaiah asks the search ing question: “ Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth
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666 A n t ic h r is t win soon be here. iHe, as a world emperor, will dominate the whole earth. He is the man for whom the political world is waiting now. But will he live up to the expectations of those who will hail him as the an swer to all their problems? This man of sin will be a law unto himself. “The king shall do according to his will” (Daniel 11:36). To do one’s own will is the essence of sin just as doing the will of God is the heart of
SUPERMAN IS COMING!
God, shewing himself that he is God” (2 Thess. 2:4). Yet his high regard for war will be equal to worship: “ In his estate shall he honour the God of forces.” War will be his aim; con quest and the lust for power will fill his life. Might will be right to him and, strengthened by diaboli cal power, he will make war against every opposing nation. His armies will know no rest. Further “a god whom his fa thers knew not shall he honour.” His god will be one who is not generally known as such though he is worshipped by a few people today—the Devil. The apostle John states this: the people “wor shipped the dragon (Satan) which gave power unto the beast” (Rev. 13:4). This is be cause “ the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority” (Rev. 13:2). As he is dependent on Satan for his pow
sanctification. Permitted by God to have great power, this world emperor will have such success that his head will be turned by the dizzy heights of fame which he will reach. The result will be a heart filled with pride: “ He shall exalt him self.” Convinced of his own great ness, Antichrist will have all men to know that there is none like him anywhere. Nothing must stand in his way. Anyone who seeks to oppose him will at once be executed. His next act will be to get men to transfer their worship from the God of Heaven to himself. He will “magnify h im se lf above every god.” He will try to show that not only is he the greatest man on earth, but that even in Heaven there is none greater than he. As Antichrist, he will deny the Father and the Son (I John 2:22). In order to prove his
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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