Although not a competition, some are going to be correct while others will be wrong. Another, less popular, consideration is that everyone will be wrong. So, what is the context for the conclusions? Biblical prophecy – specifically the second coming of Jesus. There is no doubt He is coming again! Perhaps the most pressing question concerning His coming is, “When, exactly, will He return?” Like you, I will quickly refer to the teaching of Jesus recorded in Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (KJV). At the same time, the entire context surrounding Jesus’ statement addresses looking, or watching, to see signs and events that will clearly identify specific times, i.e. “… the beginning of birth pains” (24:8, HCSB), also, “… great tribulation, the kind that hasn’t taken place from the beginning of the world until now and never will again!” (24:21, HCSB). Hopefully, we all agree that watching and continuing to study the Scriptures is of great, eternal, importance.
One of the coming events we are told about in the Scriptures, as was originally written “to the seven churches which are in Asia” (Rev. 1:4, KJV) is the arrival of “a beast rising out of the sea” (Rev. 13:1, ESV). One of the details of this “beast” is that it has “seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns” (13:1, KJV). John writes (13:3) that “One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal would was healed, …” (ESV). This “mortal wound” which A.T. Robertson defines as “The stroke of death” (Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament) is also applied to “the beast” in 13:12. There are numerous details to be learned in, and by, the unveiling of the events shown and shared with John. Since the “mortal wound” is applied to both “one” of the seven heads of the beast (13:3) and, also, to “the beast” itself (13:12), should we, or could we, conclude there may be a dual application to both a man – as an identifiable personality – and a kingdom? Also, will “the stroke of death” (Robertson) be physical, or, perhaps, political?
No doubt you are familiar with the basic circumstances that have engulfed the country of Syria since 2011 with what is essentially a civil war. The point of the following article by the Associated Press is not to suggest that Bashar al-Assad may be the Anti-Christ, but to chronicle the deliberate actions that will re-admit him and the country of Syria into the fold of the Arab League:
The following article in the Jerusalem Post addresses an additional invitation to Assad to attend a regional climate conference. Please read past the speculation that climate change may be, in part, responsible for the civil war in Syria. After reading the article several times you will probably conclude that world politics are as fickle as politics right here at home:
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-743228
There was an election in Turkey this past Sunday, May 14 and the current President, Tayyip Erdogan, was not immediately re-elected. There will be a runoff election later this month. This brings about the questions, “What if Erdogan is not re-elected?” and, “What if Erdogan loses but somehow returns to power?
Whoever the Anti Christ may be and whatever his kingdom may look like, the Scriptures teach us he/it will be empowered by Satan – “the dragon” (Rev. 13:2, 4) and the world will adore him (Rev. 13:4).
Let us be vigilant to watch to see, with the understanding of/by/from the Scriptures, the events that are prophesied to occur. Let us be diligent to prepare for their arrival by studying and learning the Scriptures.