If this time-line is confusing (Rev. 17 occurs before Rev. 13), it's because a number of chapters in the Book of Revelation do not appear to describe events in chronological order. In some chapters, Revelation repeats the same events, but in different ways. All of this, of course, has helped make Revelation a very confusing book for a number of centuries.
In the last days, however (which I believe we are now living in) the Book of Revelation seems to be a lot less confusing and a lot more clear and easy to follow. Perhaps this is because God is giving today's Christian believers more "revelation" into the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 17:15-19 "...the waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages. The 10 horns you saw, and the beast, will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh, and burn her up with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His plan by having one purpose, and to give their kingdom to the beast until God's words are accomplished. And the woman you saw is the great city that has an empire over the kings of the earth."
If you've been following my other articles on SecretsofSurvival.com, you know that I believe that Mystery Babylon is America, and the city called Mystery Babylon the Great in Revelation 18 is New York City. Revelation also refers to Mystery Babylon the Great as the prostitute, which may refer to the Statue of Liberty and where it stands in the waters outside of New York City.
In Revelation 17, the Bible reports that the Anti-Christ (the beast) and ten foreign nations (the ten horns) destroy Mystery Babylon by fire in 'one day and one hour', which many believe represents a nuclear attack.
The Anti-Christ appears to come to power after the Fourth Seal of Revelation 6 is Opened
I personally believe that the destruction of Mystery Babylon the Great is the first event to begin the Great Tribulation (Revelation 14:6-8) and marks the opening of the Fourth Seal of Chapter Six of Revelation. The opening of the Fourth Seal in Chapter Six is when God's judgement of wrath on the nations of the world begin to take place. Many scholars believe the Tribulation will last seven years; in the Book of Daniel, the Tribulation is known as the "Time of Wrath". We know that this is the "Time of Wrath" because Daniel tells us that this is when the Anti-Christ will be in power.
In Matthew 24, Jesus describes this same period as a time of "great distress".
This great distress on the world comes to a climax in the famous event most commonly called the Second Coming of Christ, when Jesus arrives in the skies with power and great glory, collects the faithful Christians who have survived the Great Tribulation from the earth, and finally destroys the last two great armies at the battle of Armageddon, which in their madness, unite together to try to defeat Jesus and his armies. His armies are likely to include his "called, chosen and faithful followers" described in Rev. 17:14:
Rev. 17:14 - "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings – and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
Although the event of Christ's triumphant return as King of Kings is most widely known as the Second Coming of Christ, please note that the words "second coming" are not found at all in the Bible when describing this. Technically, the event may actually be the fourth coming of Christ, as Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and his next appearance is widely believed to be the 'rapture of the church', which the Bible appears to say can happen at any time.
What happens during the reign and eventual destruction of the Anti-Christ is this: After the Anti-Christ comes to power and war erupts around the world, along with devestating natural disasters, many people finally realize that the Bible is true (which over a billion Christians have been saying all along) and that all the teachings about God, and Jesus dying on the cross for their sins to save them from God's wrath are also true.
So, rather than go to Hell, these people finally come to profess full love and faith in God, repent of their sins, and follow God's commandments. (It's too bad they didn't commit to God's commandments before the Time of Wrath. They could have been in the rapture of the church (if my understanding of Bible prophecy is correct) and escaped God's wrath on the nations.
What the Bible says about the Anti-Christ
Daniel, in the Old Testament, prophesied about the Anti-Christ:
Daniel 8:24,25 - His power will be great, but it will not be his own. He will cause terrible destruction and succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the powerful along with the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper through his cunning and by his influence, and in his own mind he will make himself great. In a time of peace, he will destroy many...
In the New Testament, the apostle Paul also prophesied about the Anti-Christ:
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 - Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for (that day will not come) until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.
Then Paul wrote:
2 Thess. 2:6 - "And you know what currently restrains him, so that he will be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; but the one now restraining will do so until he is out of the way, and then the lawless one will be revealed."
Most who believe in an early tribulation / pre-tribulation rapture (as I do) believe that the 'restrainer' described above is the Holy Spirit which indwells the Body of Christ (faithful believers). When the Body of Christ is removed from the earth, the restrainer is then moved out of the way, and the man of lawlessness is then revealed.
Which means he is already on the earth before the rapture of the church, however no one knows who he is until the proper time.
Most likely, the Anti-Christ will be a world leader that suddenly takes on a supernatural role, considering what Paul also writes:
2 Thess. 2:9,10 - "...The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing."
My Pick for Anti-Christ
When I originally wrote this article back in early 2007, I believed that Mahmound Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, would likely become the Anti-Christ. The reason I believed this is because Ahmadinejad has been claiming that the Islamic 'Messiah', which Shiite Islam refer to as the 'Mahdi' (also known as the 12th and Holy Imam). Ahmadinejad claims that the Mahdi is going to destroy Zion (Israel, America, UK) reign for seven years and then bring the end of the world. From what I understand, the coming of the Mahdi is thought to bring in Islamic rule over the entire world.
Though I can't verify this information, I've heard from various reports that this is what the Koran teaches. Here's a link to a news story:
Iran: Mahdi will defeat archenemy in Jerusalem
Considering Ahmadinejad's passion to bring in the Mahdi and the destruction of Zion, it's possible that he's had some religous experiences, putting him right into the hands of Satan.
The President of Iran seems to be following in the footsteps of Hitler. In recent months, the History Channel aired a show titled, "The Occult History of the Third Reich." Apparently, Hitler had an interest in spirit channeling, and believed that if his regime could contact the 'spirit world', he could get technological secrets for everything from warfare, to developing a race of super-human 'Arians'. Ahmadinejad seems to be falling for the same Satanic lies that drew in Hitler.
The "Eighth King" from Revelation 17
Chapter 17 of Revelation 17, however, seems to reveal that the Beast / Anti-Christ will be the "Eighth King" that arises out of the Seven Kings.
Recently, I wrote on the message board that Russia has a new alliance with six other former Soviet nations, likely making this alliance the "Seven Kings" from Revelation 17.
CNN: Seven post-Soviet nations agree to join forces
If this is the case, I believe the Eighth King will somehow arise out of this alliance. What does that mean for Iran and Ahamdinejad? I think it's likely that Ahmadinejad is simply one of the "Ten Horns" from Revelation 17 that receives a crown in Rev. 13, and rules with the Beast, after Mystery Babylon the Great falls.
In the end, to me this seems to show that the Anti-Christ himself will come out of Russia. He may in fact still be Muslim, considering that there are a large number of Muslims in the territory of southern Russia.
The Eighth King may come out of this recent alliance of seven nations, and be hailed in Islam as the "Mahdi". But I don't think anyone is likely to know for sure until Mystery Babylon the Great is destroyed.
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UPDATE - 5/12/2011: As I write this update, it appears we have more end times events taking place in the world, pointing to a day hopefully soon that Christ will appear and the world will be in the Tribulation.
I believe that's when a very large harvest (people coming to a saving faith in Christ) is going to take place, as many people finally learn what it means to fear the Lord.
Over in Iran we now have allegations of world leaders with nuclear weapons into "black magic" and "summoning genies" ... I'm talking about what's being said about President Ahmadinejad, who as mentioned above believes that the "Hidden Imam" will soon appear and lead to the conquest of the world by Islam / Allah.
I think news reports like this surely point to events from the Book of Revelation, when the Beast and False prophet will be on the earth, creating false signs and wonders and deceiving much of the world.
ABC NEWS: Iranian President Linked to Black Magic, Summoning Genies
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The President of Iran has made a startling comment that should grab the attention of even the most die-hard Bible critic:
He says that Jesus Christ is coming with the Mahdi, however Jesus is his 'lieutenant'.
WND: Iran leader: Islam to 'rule the world'
WND: Iran prepares people for 'messiah miracles'
NEWSMAX: The Apocalyptic Vision of Iranian President Ahmadinejad
BOOKS: AntiChrist - Islam's Awaited Messiah
PAY ATTENTION: The Mahdi is said to reign for seven years, and then the end of the world will come.
Please note that 'seven years' is believed to be the length of time of the Time of Wrath / Tribulation as described in the Bible, at which time Jesus Christ (the real Jesus Christ) appears in the skies over the earth and brings in the end of the world for the unbelieving nations.
The end of the world is going to come – but it won't be anything like the President of Iran expects.
It should be clear by now: The coming of the Muslim Messiah (the Mahdi) is right out of the pages of the Bible, who the Bible calls the Anti-Christ. I finally hope that critics are paying attention – you can't fulfill Bible prophecy unless the Bible is true.
In fact, WorldNetDaily.com writes: "Official Iranian radio has completed broadcasting a lengthy series on the imminent appearance of a messianic figure who will defeat Islam's enemies and impose Islamic Shiite rule over the entire world – even speculating on specific dates the so-called 'Mahdi' will be revealed."
The Mahdi, the Bible, and Demons
Back in March I wrote an article about the CNN.com coverage of the President of Gambia's herbal cure for Aids, a cure that he claims his dead ancestors told him in a dream.
CNN: President of Gambia gets Aids cure from 'dead ancestors' in a dream
When I started researching this story, I was shocked to discover that the President of Iran had beaten the President of Gambia to a herbal cure for Aids by at least one month.
YNET NEWS: Iran's medical and technological breakthroughs
If the President of Gambia got his herbal cure from dead ancestors in a dream (in other words, demons), where did the President of Iran get his Aids cure?
If you're a Christian you already know the answer to that – most likely he got his cure for Aids from demons.
God's wrath on the nations will soon come on to the world
In Bible prophecy, the rapture of the church is the next thing that's going to happen.
In studying the Bible, I believe that the rapture of the church will occur as one or more U.S. cities is attacked with a nuclear weapon. You know that 'spectacular attack' that Al Qaida is planning? You know that 'gut feeling' that Michael Chertoff has of an imminent terrorist attack – it may be one or more nuclear detonations.
Next Article: The Bible Scenario - Is the United States in the Bible?