Who does God want the Antichrist to be?

[Spiderman]

Yes God COULD stop the Anti-Christ at any point.....just like He COULD stop us from committing crimes or doing that which is bad. But He is not going to do this. He allows us the Agency to choose what we want to do. We can't be blessed if we didn't have the ability make both good (or bad) choices. We also shouldn't be condeemed until AFTER we have broken eternal laws as well. We came here to be tested and tried to see what we would do in all kinds of situations.

Not to acknowledge this is to miss the whole Plan of Salvation---that in the day God created mankind.....he gave us the AGENCY to choose. In the Garden of Eden after Adama and Eve partook of the forbidden fruit----humanity (through Adam) received the Knowledge to know the difference between Good and Evil.

We had to leave heaven in order to have a whole range of choices (ranging from good to evil) in order to TRULY have the opportunity to have an unfettered ability CHOOSE one or the other. If we are only allowed to choose the good.....we wouldn't have the agency to really choose at all.

Mortality allows us to make choices that couldn't be made in heaven....the purpose of this life is to try us and prove us FAITHFUL in order to return back to heaven. This mortality is divided up into different times which were prophesied to happen. If these things did not happen.....then the works of God would be frustrated and we would not get the testing period we needed to develop us to grow.

None of this explains why God hides himself and refuses to speak up

 

[Janet Waters]

None of this explains why God hides himself and refuses to speak up

Have you ever heard about the 1st Estate and 2nd Estate? In the Pre-existence (before the world was) we lived in Heaven with God....this was our 1st Estate where we proved ourselves faithful before coming to earth. We knew God as our Father---we walked with Him, talked with Him, and we were taught by Him. We had a perfect knowledge of Him.

There was a Great Council in Heaven when our Father presented a plan for us to become more like Him. It was called The Plan of Salvation---it required us to come to earth and be tested and tried to see if we would continue to be faithful to Him. (In the Book of Jude---it records those who were not faithful in their 1st Estate and the Book of Revelation tells about the 1/3 who "fell from heaven" to become the devil and his followers). The fact that we advanced to the 2nd Estate (Mortality) is proof that we were amongst the 2/3 hosts of heaven who were faithful. Now that we are in Mortality (our 2nd Estate)---but this time, we had to walk by FAITH not by sight (as before).

Most believe that FAITH is the end result of mortality, however there is more to it that this. Faith is a means to a greater end (not the end of itself). When men are tested and tried---they can develop greater faith (or fall into bitterness/unbelief) by how they deal with their trials. When a person grows in faith and proves themselves faithful.....God can and does reveal himself. Most end up waiting until after theIr mortal life is over for that to happen to them and then there are some who are blessed to receive that knowledge here (like they once did in the 1st Estate). Faith is really the vehicle that allows one to advance to greater knowledge and understanding.

But even if we don't see God (in this life) we can still speak to Him (through prayer) and He can still speak to us and comfort us (through the instramentality of the Holy Ghost/Holy Spirit) as well as reveal to us His thoughts and His ways through the Holy scriptures.

 

[Janet Waters]

Not sure why God is such a jerk

We may come to this attitude based upon on incorrect understanding of God and His purposes.

But this is what Isaiah counsels us (having a correct understanding) about God and his ways:

• Isaiah 55:8-9
  8 ¶For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
  9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
  
  

 

[Wayofthespirit]

I may well sit close to savagewind on this question, in that I too recognise Christianity's folly in falling for what I call 'Bibliolatry'.
God just has to be God of the entire Universe (if he is to be GOD at all), and he ain't GOD once man (of whatever religion) reckons he knows the Divine mind and intent regarding the 'Christian' question of "Who, or what, is Anti-Christ".

 

[Wayofthespirit]

Janet Waters (same surname as me) introduces the Christian 'Gap Theory'.
Intriguing stuff which may or may not be 'true'......Do you reckon that God wrote 'Genesis' ? (and the bit in Isaiah which refers to God "not having created the world a void"),

 

[wizanda]

Do you honestly think God wants him to be something other than what prophecy States he will be?

Let start of with what prophecies define it, and what are Anti-Christ's teachings to begin with.....

John, Paul and Simon the stone (petros) contradict Yeshua's teachings completely; thus when the church is heading in the wrong way to begin, that is a start to recognizing their jesus is the false messiah prophesied.

• John made many of the literal 'Anti-Christ' worded statements.
  
• Paul creates the idea of a lawless one that shall come, called 'the son of perdition'.

The rest of the real prophets, say it is a false religion where they're teachings are the same as Christianity is teaching.

Revelation's 3 false teacher frogs are John the dragon, that tried to speak like the Lamb, which gives its power to the beast (Pauline Christianity).

so what's wrong with following Him?

The name jesus is an insult, which can be translated as Lord of the beasts, the name Jehovah means lord of Mischief...

The name Yeshua means salvation, and the name Yah-Avah means Lord To Be.

Everything the church has established is built upon lies, and against God; thus when the fire comes, all that follow it will be removed.

Some reasons not to follow it, they make a covenant with death, that life is here to suffer, that they're to be hated by everyone, and rejoice in it, that you're to become self-righteous, and unquestionable, the list is endless why you wouldn't want to be an Anti-Christ's teachings follower.

As for someone coming along to convince the whole world of another lie, one is enough, most people haven't even noticed the gospel of John is made up in two thousand years, and no one has noticed Simon was called the stone (petros) to fulfill prophecy.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

Money and stuff is the Anti-Christs power. Same as Negan. No man can buy or sell without worshipping the Anti-Christ.

So, you're homeless and you do nothing but barter? Tools are just tools.

In movies I've watched in the past the Anti-Christ is always a charismatic person, usually
a politician. But that's Hollywood.

I always picture a televangelist, though I do hope God picks someone unexpected, like a slug or something.

Why does no one seem to understand that what God says MUST COME TRUE?

The catch is: did God say those things in the bible?

Am I wrong? If it is written God said it, can it NOT happen?

If Abe can haggle God regarding sparing cities, then the precedent is there, right? If Ninevah in Jonah's story can be restored, why not the planet? What if the End hasn't happened because God's already dealt with it and we're cool now?

Why would any righteous person prophesy a wicked person to come? No righteous person would.

I don't think that follows. Supposedly righteous prophets yelled doom and gloom all throughout the bible. I don't think there's a byline in the job description of "prophet" that says your messages can only be happy ones.

Ya, the "end of times" could be near.

We rest assured that Ozzy, Keith, and Betty will all live through it

It's enough to have all western governments and people extremely worried about this move to try and re establish the Caliphate of 666 AD and very relevant to that particular passage as it was Sunni Islam then that began militant Islam and it is Sunnis that today seek to establish a world wide Caliphate.

There's more to life on the entire planet Earth than one region's political and religious issues.

It isn't about free will. It is about what GOD says will happen.

Yes, but you're acting like God can't change His mind. Doesn't God have free will?

The book of Daniel tells us that the Antichrist will be a ruler from the west who will control the world economy, make a seven-year treaty with Israel, and later betray Israel causing a calamitous apocalyptic war originating in the middle east. You know, blood so deep it rises to horse's hips.

We've survived two "world" wars that never truly existed on every square inch of the planet. The world itself has survived multiple extinction events throughout millions and millions of years.

There will be a war in the Middle East? Must be Tuesday ...

I mean, we're all working from the very flawed premise that some Middle Eastern acreage can make or break PLANETARY existence. That's just silly.

 

[Spiderman]

I think the Antichrist is appointed by God to rule earth. I think Christ and the Antichrist work together like a positive and negative charge.

Darkness and light serve and fertilize each other.

 

[Spiderman]

I think you're have a point savagewind that the Bible has been used to oppose God. The Bible has some asinine verses and policies too

 

[omega2xx]

Anti-christ just means instead of Christ.

From my point of view, people have made the Bible instead of Christ.

You need to look up the definition of "anti."

Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. Blaise Pascal

 

[omega2xx]

I think the Antichrist is appointed by God to rule earth. I think Christ and the Antichrist work together like a positive and negative charge.

Darkness and light serve and fertilize each other.

Your ignorant comments are the only fertilizer here.


Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. Blaise Pascal

 

[savagewind]

You need to look up the definition of "anti."

Men despise religion. They hate it and are afraid it may be true. Blaise Pascal

Do you think men despise religion because it is wrong? If they hate it because it is wrong then they are right.

Please look up anti yourself and do not forget that it is warned the wolves shall look like sheep.

Anti mean to oppose. It is written Jesus is for freedom, but people have set their heart on obeying what they believe the Bible says. To obey is to oppose freedom. Isn't it?

Why not let's define freedom? "The right to think as one will without hindrance."

Hindrance:

It means that something intended to be a positive force has the opposite effect, like when your four-year-old sister tries to help you make dinner. Hindrance refers to the act of slowing things down, or the thing that's causing the problem, like your "helpful" little sister. It's the noun form of the verb hinder, which is "to get in the way."

Please accept facts and be on your way.........

It is a FACT that people who use the Bible to live by are not free.

The problem, of course, is that the goal of freedom is actually in the Bible.
@PopeADope might be right.

People follow what the Bible says. Is this not a fact?
What if something in the Bible that they follow is wrong? Can they still be following the Christ?
I think not. Am I wrong?

 

[savagewind]

The catch is: did God say those things in the bible?

I am trying to reason with the people who do believe God said it.

If Abe can haggle God regarding sparing cities, then the precedent is there, right? If Ninevah in Jonah's story can be restored, why not the planet? What if the End hasn't happened because God's already dealt with it and we're cool now?

Yes, it was written that the city would be destroyed because it was a wicked city. When the people repented, which was SUPER amazing! God let them live.....of course lol Should God have destroyed them anyway?

I don't think that follows. Supposedly righteous prophets yelled doom and gloom all throughout the bible. I don't think there's a byline in the job description of "prophet" that says your messages can only be happy ones.

Yes, they see what people are doing and they have the need to warn them. That is different than foretelling the rise of something that does not actually exist.
The Maker is God. By God saying an antichrist will come GOD HAS TO MAKE HIM/HER/IT.

If the expected antichrist is a human God has to raise the human to do what it is written he will do.
A raised being is called what?*

Yes, but you're acting like God can't change His mind. Doesn't God have free will?

I do not know what God has. I do know that it is written that a false prediction is something which shows the teller as FALSE. I think, you dear lady seem to trust God is not false.

*a son

 

[savagewind]

I think that at the time of the writing of Daniel, there were already very serious changes done to "God's words". Please know the difference between seeing something and foreseeing something.

The things seen exist. The things which people think they see coming DO NOT EXIST.

 

[capumetu]

So there is so much end-time hysteria and talk about some false prophet who will rule the world.

Is the Antichrist called to be a good guy or a bad guy? Do you honestly think God wants him to be something other than what prophecy States he will be?

If he's just being what God wants him to be, God clearly wants him to have followers, so what's wrong with following Him?

There actually is no "antichrist" coming

 

[whirlingmerc]

What's wrong with following someone doomed to destruction?
that should be a no brainer

 

[savagewind]

What's wrong with following someone doomed to destruction?
that should be a no brainer

Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit. Matthew 15:14

 

[Kemosloby]

There actually is no "antichrist" coming

If the Anti-Christ was here right now you might still be saying that. Because with his lying wonders he will fool almost all of the people all of the time. I can say this since if it were possible he would even fool the very elect of Christ, except he wont since they are the elect, and Christ won't allow it.

 

[whirlingmerc]

There is an assumption in the thread that because God intended something, it is for immediate good not overall good.

Joseph's brothers selling him to slavery, Pharaoh opposing Israel, Babylon conquering the nations, Romans crucifying Jesus - all these were from God and all led to a greater good by design of God but was not as an end in itself good. God sometimes does something to set up to demonstrate it is unworthy or trust, a false god, or sometimes to judged, punish or correct a situation. Sometimes it's an element of a bigger picture where the greater good is something else. Sometimes God uses a bad situation for a greater good and Joseph told his brothers.

'you meant it for evil being [i.e. sold to slavery] but God meant it for good in sending me ahead that many people might be preserved alive' from the account of the life of Joseph from Genesis

Bottom line... never trust a snake... and follow Christ not anti-Christ

 

[Janet Waters]

Janet Waters (same surname as me) introduces the Christian 'Gap Theory'.
Intriguing stuff which may or may not be 'true'......Do you reckon that God wrote 'Genesis' ? (and the bit in Isaiah which refers to God "not having created the world a void"),

I know nothing about what man has deemed as the "Christian gap" theory....I speak of Biblical Doctrine....not present day theories about the past.

The book of Genesis was originally written by Moses and rewritten over time by scribes and translated by other actors. The information about the creation of the earth (ect) was known by earlier prophets who also wrote these things down. Moses apparently had possession of these writings (in some form) and included them with his writings.

Moses also was instructed by God and he wrote the things according to God's will. Other prophets and apostles spoke as they were moved upon by the Holy Spirit and these things were written down (by themselves, by scribes, or written down afterwards through oral tradition).

But generally speaking----holy men wrote the Bible under the direction of the Spirit of God and these things were copied by scribes over thousands of years and then translated into our present text by those who were (or not) authorized to do so. The natural order of translation was to be done by prophets and apostles (not even scribes) who were authorized by God to do so.

However, there were good men who worked on the translation of the Bible who received some inspiration as well as did the best according their own genius (for their day and time).