End Time Insights

Jesus of Nazareth is the King of Kings and the True Emperor who reigns supreme over all things . Jesus has reigned over the nations since his death, resurrection, and exaltation. Even now, the slain Lamb sits firmly on the messianic throne. Because of his obedience and submission to an unjust death, God made him the ruler of the kings of the Earth. But it is the sacrificial Lamb that reigns.

Jesús de Nazaret es el Rey de Reyes y el Verdadero Emperador que reina supremo sobre todas las cosas . Jesús ha reinado sobre las naciones desde su muerte, resurrección y exaltación. Incluso ahora, el Cordero inmolado se sienta firmemente en el trono mesiánico. Debido a su obediencia y sumisión a una muerte injusta, Dios lo hizo gobernante de los reyes de la Tierra. Pero es el Cordero sacrificial el que reina sobre el Cosmos.

Every man and woman must choose whether to follow the Lamb or submit to the Dragon and his antichrist agenda . Satan tempted Jesus by offering him power over all the nations of the Earth. However, he refused this seductive offer, choosing instead to walk the path of self-sacrifice and obedience to God, a decision that resulted in his death on the imperial cross.

Pablo continuó su discusión sobre la llegada de Cristo al abordar lo que ocurrirá en el Día del Señor – 1 Tesalonicenses 5: 1-3. El Apóstol Pablo habla de “ la llegada ” o ' Parousía ' de Jesús y el Día del Señor en los capítulos 4 y 5 de 1 Tesalonicenses . En el capítulo 4, declara que tanto los cristianos muertos como los vivos se reunirán para encontrarse con el Señor a medida que descienda del Cielo. En el capítulo 5, Pablo vincula eso y los eventos relacionados con “ el Día del Señor ”, y explica cómo ese día afectará a los piadosos y a los impíos.

Paul continued his discussion about Christ’s arrival by addressing what will occur on the Day of the Lord – 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3. The Apostle Paul discusses the “ arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’ of Jesus and the Day of the Lord in chapters 4 and 5 of  1 Thessalonians . In Chapter 4, he declares that both dead and living Christians will be gathered to meet the Lord as he descends from Heaven. In Chapter 5, Paul links that and related events to “ the Day of the Lord ,” and he explains how that day will affect the godly and the ungodly.

Only God’s kingdom will prevail and endure. All other political powers and regimes are fleeting. Already they are passing away . Despite human pretensions, History demonstrates  without exception  the impermanence of political power, human ideologies, and governments. Rome endured for a thousand years, but that Empire fell all the same. Like human life, political power is impermanent, and regimes and even the greatest empires collapse unexpectedly and often quickly when their allotted time expires. Only the “ Kingdom of God ” will endure forever.

The Empire’s propagandists encourage men and women to give allegiance and veneration to the Emperor, the Beast from the Sea . The “ False Prophet ” as described in the Book of Revelation uses religious symbolism and economic control to coax the Inhabitants of the Empire to pay homage to the Imperial Throne. Whether force or persuasion is employed, the goal is the same. Men who refuse to venerate the “ Beast from the Sea ” are excluded from economic activity and impoverished.

Jesus refused the political power of Rome when Satan offered it. So, why do we insist on seeking the very thing our Master rejected? The teachings of Jesus and his Apostles in multiple ways summon Christians not to be “ unequally yoked together ” with this world and its values. What humanity needs is the Good News of the Kingdom of God and the salvation provided by Jesus Christ. Since the “ forms ” of this present age are in the process of “ passing away ,” the Church should not waste its efforts on “ working for the meat that perishes ”?

Church leaders often exhort their members to work diligently for the election of politicians of whom they approve, claiming it is God’s will to do so as well as their “Christian duty.” They warn of the dire consequences that will befall the church and the nation if they fail to immerse themselves in partisan politics and promote the moral values and social policies endorsed by them. Moreover, they do this despite what Scripture declares on the matter.

Discussions on the “ Mark of the Beast ” concentrate on deciphering the significance of its number, ‘ 666 .’ Understandably, we wish to discover its meaning and thereby avoid taking it. However, to understand it we must first recognize the scriptural background behind the number, the relationship of the “ Mark ” to the “ Seal of God ,” the consequences of taking or refusing the “ Mark ” or the “ Number of the Beast ,” and the identities of the two groups that result from deciding whether to take it.

The Inhabitants of the Earth willingly venerate the Beast and take its mark, although believers also are not immune from its allurements . Discussions on the “ Mark of the Beast ” invariably focus on questions about what it is - a medical implant, barcode, or a tattoo – as well as the significance of its “ number ,” ‘ 666 .’ As important as these questions are, far more critical is the issue of how we as believers can avoid taking the Beast’s mark or its “number.”

Jesus rejected Satan’s offer of unlimited political power and chose the way of the Suffering Servant and the Cross - Matthew 4:8-11. The Devil tempted Jesus by offering him sovereignty over all the nations of the Earth. However, Christ, the Messiah of Israel, refused this seductive and politically pragmatic offer, and instead submitted to the way of the servant that would end with his death on the Cross.

‘Christendom’ is an idolatrous term used often to invoke Divine support of national and political institutions, agendas, and ideologies . In popular usage, the English term ‘Christendom’ refers to “that part of the world in which Christianity prevails,” either because the majority of a nation’s citizens claim to be Christian, or because a specific sect or denomination is recognized by the State as the country’s official religion.

The Beast of Revelation embodies the ancient imperial power that has stalked the saints since the Tower of Babel incident . History is littered with the remains of past attempts by tyrants and empires to dominate peoples and territories. Each new imperial power may experience initial success. However, all past empires have floundered, declined, and collapsed in the end. The Babylonian kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar and Caesar’s imperial realm, for example, ceased to exist thousands of years ago .

The Bible claims that God gives political power to whomever He pleases, “ even to the basest of men .” He “ removes kings and installs kings ” to accomplish His purposes, including rulers of whom many church leaders and members may disapprove. Disciples of Jesus who assume that certain politicians should hold governmental power presume on God’s patience and prerogative, and this is especially problematic in Western-style democratic societies.