THE OLD COMMON MARKET THEORY!
A Crumbling Statue with 13.5 Toes on Each Foot!
December 17, 2007
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
I am hoping that by now many have finally gotten off the teaching that became prominent at the end of World War II, which advocated that the ten toes of Daniel’s Chapter Two Statue and the ten horns of his Chapter 7 Beast, represented ten European nations, and that the evil Antichrist would arise in Europe to lead the ten against Israel in the Tribulation Period. At the risk of offending my Brethren in the faith, let me assure you I am acutely aware I must answer for what I teach at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and I have spent a considerable part of my life on this particular area of prophecy. I am concerned because many prophetic teachers are still clinging to a belief the Antichrist and ten nations will come out of Europe. I have taught for 35 years this will not be the case.
Begin Archive Prophecy Update Number 74B
SPECIAL PROPHECY UPDATE NUMBER 74B
RETURN OF AN 18TH CENTURY ALBATROSS!
July 1, 2002
In Special Prophecy Update Number 74A, titled “Historical Rapture Teachings,” I gave a lengthy discourse that outlined the long search I have made to discover the truth as to when various teachings on “the rapture” first came into print. In this long period of invading the musty shelves of ancient religious book archives, I was not only trying to discover rapture teachings, but also books that discussed things concerning the antichrist. The thing I was most interested in was WHERE the ancient books taught he would arise. As I perused through many old books, a pattern began to evolve as to HOW the most popular teachings of today probably came into being, and it is a most interesting and revealing series of events that manifest it.
The Napoleonic Wars ended in 1815 with the defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo and the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Before the rise of Napoleon in 1803, I could not find a single book that had the antichrist coming out of Europe. I AM NOT saying that such a book does not exist. In fact, I rather suspect that one, or several, do exist, but I could not locate them. All the books that I encountered brought the antichrist out of the old Syrian Empire
that was one of the four divisions made when
the vast Empire of Alexander the Great was partitioned.
The majority made the false prophet of Revelation 13:12 represent the Pope of Rome. It was also apparent to some that the antichrist’s empire was connected with Islam because the conquest of the entire Iberian peninsula (Spain and Portugal) by their forces in the eighth century, and the fact Islam was not driven out completely until 1492, when Christian forces drove them out, made it easy for the people of 1803 to believe the antichrist would come out of the old Syrian Empire, which was at that time, and is even to the present day, of the Islamic faith.
This natural fear across Europe of an Islamic antichrist, where most of the books were being published following 1455, is easy to understand. In addition to the Iberian penetration into Europe, part of which was still in place in 1455, there was an Islamic invasion of Europe going on when books began to be printed. In 1453 Constantinople fell to the great Muhammad II. The followers of Islam continued to drive into southeastern Europe under Suleiman I, and reached the gates of Vienna in 1529. During the 1700’s and 1800’s their decaying Ottoman empire fought against Russia, and Greece won its independence.
So how did the focus shift to Europe as the designated place of the antichrist’s rise to power? When the old Islamic Ottoman Empire let the Young Turk movement lead them to join with Germany in World War I, and were soundly defeated along with Germany, in a war dominated by great battles in Europe, then the antichrist watchers begin to look toward Europe. But most Bible teachers continued to bring the antichrist out of the old Syrian (Seleucid) Dynasty until World War II. The rise of Hitler in Europe, and Mussolini in Italy, gave rise to many new books saying that the antichrist would rise out of Europe, and the false prophet would be the Pope of Rome. Millions of books were thrown in trashcans when the Axis powers were crushed to powder.
But because two great wars had engulfed mankind in chaos, and both involved Germany and Italy, the fear of a third German uprising made what happened next inevitable.
The end of World War II left Europe in shambles, so the Marshal Plan was implemented to assure their economic growth. Six nations decided to link together to promote a more rapid economic growth.
In 1957, the countries of West Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxemburg signed the Treaty of Rome, and the European Common Market officially came into existence. It was a foregone conclusion that they would grow in number and reach 10 in a short period of time. It was at this time th
at a very well known book was written about them. It was probably one of the first books in religious book history written by a dynamic writer with a very readable style, and an exciting manner of expression. Up until World War II religious books were written by old stick-in-the-mud writers like myself, whose style of writing was designed to persuade their peers, rather than to gain the attention of the masses. But this well known book sold like wildfire, weaving its way into countless numbers of Sunday school classes, and into millions of the sermons proclaimed from pulpits across the world.
Today’s younger generation of preachers have no idea what a fantastic impact the book had on prophetic teachings. The writer indicated the European Common Market, or as it came to be called, “The Six,” would grow to 10 in number and, when this happened, the antichrist would arise in Europe and gradually take control of the entire world, as we know it today. He taught that these 10 European Common nations were the 10 toes of Daniel’s great statue, the 10 horns of Daniel’s fourth beast, and the 10 horns on each of John’s two beasts in the book of Revelation. Well, if that was the correct interpretation,
then at the present time the statue has 15 toes, and each of the three beasts has 15 horns.
We were also told that West Germany was a part of the old Roman Empire. Not even a bad historian will tell you that. In fact Germanic tribes eventually conquered Rome. Because of the rise in power of the Soviet Union at the same time “The Six” were used to gain prophetic attention, we were given a revised interpretation of the word “chief” in Ezekiel 38:2,3 and 39:1. We were advised it meant “Russian,” and that “Gog” would be a Russian prince. There is no way under heaven the Hebrew word “rosh,” translated as “chief” in Ezekiel, could legitimately mean “Russian.” Because this Hebrew word, when uttered, has the “R” sound of “Russia,” it was used as proof that it meant Gog would be a Russian prince. That is absurd. You might as well say that since the “A” in Artic proves Gog will come from his place out of the north, and that this distant northern place is the North Pole where Santa Claus lives. I agree that Magog is most likely what we call Russia today, but in all three of the previously listed Scriptures it clearly states that Gog is “the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.” The primary cluster of the descendants of Meshech and Tubal, when Ezekiel wrote, was centered in what we call Lebanon and Syria today. I make my case concerning the word “rosh” and the location of Meshech and Tubal in Prophecy Updates 27, 28, and 29.
Before the Civil War most expositors taught that there was only one war in the last days of this present age, the war of Gog and Magog, which was to last for 3 and ½ years and end with the final battle of this age, the battle of Armageddon. However, in order to justify the antichrist coming out of Europe, another war was added out of which he was supposed to arise BEFORE the tribulation period.
Please forgive this diversion. I will now return to the European events that gradually led to what most expositors now expound, that the antichrist will come out of Europe.
Napoleon was supposed to the antichrist. Kaiser Wilhelm II was supposed to be the antichrist.
Hitler was supposed to be the antichrist. Stalin was supposed to be the antichrist. But I do not believe we should ever have changed the teaching he was to come out of the area that we identify as Lebanon and Syria, and since Lebanon is a country on paper only, having been taken over by the 35,000 Syrian troops occupying it, and is now called “greater” Syria by the Syrians, I believe one could simply say that antichrist would come out of Syria (See Prophecy Updates 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and 69 in our Archives at the top of this Prophecy Update).
The Napoleonic Wars across Europe introduced modern man to new killing machines for battlefield destruction. World War I accelerated the process, and mass destruction by many more new destructive inventions produced even more widespread battlefield destruction, also allowing the destruction to begin to spread away from the local battlefields to civilian populations. World War II produced a fantastic arsenal of machines and weapons that terrorized on both land and sea, producing the massive worldwide destruction so well documented on TV.
So, it was only natural that, after the Napoleonic Wars, there would be a gradual change in Biblical teaching as to HOW the Biblical prophecies of horrific events would be fulfilled in the tribulation period.
Before 1760 prophetic virtually all expositors taught that the events of the tribulation period were God’s unleashing of his power in the form of natural catastrophes in the earth and the heavens.
I am convinced they were right. This viewpoint persisted as the majority teaching until World War II. But after the first two A-bombs on Japan, it rapidly became a minority viewpoint, and prophetic teaching of the destruction was matched to the new,
and still developing, killing technology and scientific expertise of man.
I also believe prophetic expositors have make a great mistake in expanding the antichrist’s empire since it was first described in the book of Daniel (See Special Prophecy Update Number 73A). As men spread north, south, east, and west across the earth, we expanded the size of the antichrist’s empire to the world we know today. Did God intend for us to do that? Possibly, but I seriously doubt it. I do not believe it will exceed the territory taken by the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans in the age of their maximum expansions.
In very recent times a series of new fictional books have arrived on the scene, and many more will follow. The 10 most popular of them, by the time you read this prophecy update, will have had more than 36 million copies taken off the shelves, and will continue to sell like hotcakes. The market is being flooded with them, and new follow up series will soon inundate it. All have many teachings contrary to those prior to the Napoleonic Wars. They have a 7-year tribulation period, the first part being a 3 and ½ time of peace, and the second 3 and ½ year period filled with tribulation. They all have the saved caught up to be with the Lord when, or before, the 7-year period begins, thereby escaping any part of the tribulation period.
I must confess that I don’t have any surveys to back up what I am going to say next. So make your own guess on the answer to this question. How many saved men and women on this earth believe they will be taken out before tribulation begins? My guess is more than 90 percent of them. If that turns out to be incorrect, then it would help to understand the two scriptures that follow. Bearing in mind that the Koine Greek word translated “fables” is “muthous,” which means “fictional tales,” and that most of this last generation is convinced he is coming the hour the 7-week tribulation period begins, please consider the verses that follow.
II Timothy 4:3,4 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Is that the case? I DON’T KNOW! I know I am saved, so I know I will be taken if He comes 7 years before the battle of Armageddon. If He comes during the tribulation period I know I will be taken. If He comes at the end of the tribulation period I know I will be taken. The most important thing for me, as a believer, is to be living for Him from now until He comes. We will be giving our opinions on WHEN He will come right up until He comes, but it is NOT an OPINION for the saved that he IS coming, and that we should be living for Him from NOW UNTIL HE COMES.
End Archive Prophecy Update Number 74B
The following article from THE AUSTRALIAN is typical of the many written about the European Union over the past twenty-five years. It has been a time of frustration, argument, many defeated votes, anger, and uncertainty. Europe has been filled with Islamic believers from the Middle East exodus following World War II, and is afraid of its own shadow. Believe me, they won’t come against Israel until the final battle of Armageddon, and it should be apparent by now the Antichrist and the “ten” are of Middle East origin.
Begin Article from The Australian
Extracted from World News
Treaty’s only clear promise is to muddy the legal waters
Bronwen Maddox
December 15, 2007
THE Lisbon Treaty is a muddle, and the worst consequence for Britain,
and Europe, is the legal uncertainty that will follow.
In nine-tenths of its prescriptions, it’s the same as the ill-fated constitution that the Dutch and French rejected in 2005.
The main reason given for its existence — that a European Union of 27 members would grind to a halt without it — is unconvincing. The longer that has passed since the accession of 10 new members in 2004 and Romania and Bulgaria at the start of this year, the clearer it is that this isn’t happening.
Nor has the final version satisfied the aims of simplifying the EU’s legal framework, handing back powers to member states and making its workings more transparent.
The new treaty does get rid ofthe convention that each country holds the presidency for six months. It also merges the two foreign policy posts into one foreign policy chief, shrinks the Commission, removing each country’s right to one commissioner, and ties voting weights more closely to population.
But the treaty scraps national vetoes in 50 areas, including parts of justice and home affairs, thus transferring some powers to Brussels that were previously in national capitals.
It is impossible to predict the effect as it is impossible to know what questions will be put to a majority vote in this way.
Most damaging, the treaty gives legal force to the Charter of Fundamental Rights, a list of supposed social and civil rights, and an enterprise of huge ambition and unclear application.
For example, in declaring a right to strike, the charter may clash with national labour laws. In stipulating a right of access to preventative healthcare, it is prescribing something beyond the EU’s powers to provide.
It is inevitable that these potential clashes between the treaty and national law will be tested in the European Court of Justice.
Britain has secured opt-outs from the parts of the charter and majority voting that appeared to pose the greatest risk of such a clash.
But it is inevitable that the opt-outs will themselves be tested in the courts.
Even if the supremacy of national law looks clear — for example, in employment law — cases are bound to be brought that test that.
It is that potential for legal contest — quite apart from the court verdict itself — which introduces unpredictability and expense, particularly into commercial life.
The Times
FAIR USE NOTICE: This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc.
We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more detailed information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml.
You may use material originated by this site.
However, if you wish to use any quoted copyrighted material from this site, which did not originate at this site, for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner from which we extracted it.