IDENTIFYING THE ANTICHRIST?

Some years ago, a particular "prophecy preacher" authored a work purporting to tell the reader "everything you ever wanted to know about prophecy." Inevitably, of course, time invalidates such claims.

Despite Christ's denial that mankind knows the time of his return (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32), predictions to that end are anything but new. Scripture further implies that some prophetic pronouncements will be understood only within the setting of fulfillment itself (Jer. 23:22; 30:24; John 14:29, etc.)

This was all brought to mind recently in relation to the latest, at least to our knowledge, prediction of Christ's return and destruction of the earth - the occurence of which, allegedly, was to have taken place a couple weeks or so ago.

In relatively recent times, the most effective propagation of spurious "prophetic insight" was, of course, the "forty year generational theory" wherein Christ's coming to reign on the earth was to take place forty years after the reestablishment of Israel as a nation. Given the fact that Israel attained statehood in 1948, and that a Pre-tribulation Rapture of the Church was projected to occur seven years prior to the conclusion of the forty years, Christ's "return" would then take place in in 1981. Enormous numbers of believers were persuaded and immense quantities of books promoting the thesis were sold.

Of numerous lesser effective "revelations and insights" we will here touch upon but a few. Some readers, for example, may recall when, following World War II, biblical reference denoting a certain new instrument of warfare was purportedly discovered in Matthew 24:15: "When you therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by the prophet..." . There it was... the first four letters of the word "abomination" being comprised of "A-bom" - thus "the A-bomb of desolation!"

Others will recall the "prophetic discovery" that by ascribing an ascending value of the number 6 (the "number of man") to letters of the English alphabet (A=6; B=12; C=18; etc.), the then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's last name would yield a numerical total of 666 (no doubt to the immense relief of then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat who, given the fact that Charles de Gaulle was no longer around to fill the role of Antichrist, was himself now absolved of that onerous responsibility).

Again, it was claimed that in preparation for the coming carnage of Armageddon, Mideastern vultures were now multiplying at an incredible rate (largely attributable to their now laying four eggs per clutch as opposed to a previous single egg). The list of spurious "revelations" is, of course, ongoing.

While not specifically eschatological in nature, we would also note the considerable excitement exerted some years ago by the widely disseminated report of Russian scientists who, having drilled a hole many miles into the earth into which a microphone had then been lowered, had been stunned beyond measure upon hearing the cries of the damned in hell. The drive and thrust attendant this alleged event held much in common with many of the "insights" that yet continue to characterize the realm of speculative prophetic allegations.(Interestingly, it was later discovered that the story of the Russian scientists was a deliberate fabrication initiated by a religious skeptic intent on proving Christians gullible and naive.)

To the world at large, repeated confusions of the foregoing nature tend not only to undermine the credibility of prophetic pronouncement but, particularly among those less nurtured in the faith, a certain hesitation or even disillusionment in relation to insightful understanding - particularly as the Church increasingly encounters the day of spiritual delusion wherein, "were it possible, the very elect elect will be deceived" (Matt. 24:24).

Finally, on a somewhat lighter side and as a reminder to "prove all things" (I Thess. 5:21; an exhortation most likely unneeded in the following instance)we here share the following tongue-in-cheek "revelation" concerning "Barney the Purple Dinosaur" of children's television fame. This first appeared some years ago in "The Joyful Newsletter" as published by Cal and Rose Samra of Portage, Michigan(*). With their permission, we then shared it with our readership.

Beginning with the words "CUTE PURPLE DINOSAUR" in which, as per Latin usage, the letters "U" are changed to "V," one thus arrives at CVTE PVRPLE DINOSAVR. By substituting Arabic numerical equivalents for the Roman numerals CVVLDIV in the amended ascription, one then arrives at 100-5-5-50-500-1-5; the sum of which totals
666. Barney, obviously, is the Antichrist!

While we smile, might it be that the preceding "insight" is not always that far removed from the eschatological assumptions sometimes encountered in relation to more serious concerns?

While originally written in relation to another sphere of concern, the words of the apostle Paul are equally appropriate here: "Brethren, do not be children in your thinking, yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature" (I Cor. 14:20).

Burl Ratzsch


(*) "The Joyful Noiseletter"
P.O. Box 895
Portage, Michigan 49081-0895

"TODAY IN PARADISE"

While the following might more readily fit within a Good Friday frame of reference, our immediately preceding posting concerning the otherwise unknown individual who obviously was led to grant our Lord's request for the use of his personal guest facility led once again to our own contemplation of one of Scripture's more dramatic accounts of the divinely inspired.

We would, however, first address the issue of personal perception and response. This concern, for example, was raised some time ago in relation to a particular individual who, despite an ongoing profession of faith, remained involved in a long standing affair. Hence the query: "Why won't he do right even when you can show him from the Bible that what he is doing is wrong?"

While not personally acquainted with the delinquent party, our response in such cases typically notes that situations of this nature do not reflect an ignorance of the Scriptures but rather one's act of will and choice. Such is not to be taken lightly, given the fact that willful rebellion can at times lead, not only to one's forfeiture of conviction but indeed, the capacity for such (Prov. 29:1).

By way of contrast, however, there is an arena of response wherein greater enlightenment ensues in consequence of one's commitment to insight and obedience: "In Your light," states the Psalmist, "shall we see light" (Psa. 36:9). Scripture offers no greater example of this principle than in the case of the repentant thief who, in association with Christ's crucifixion, was himself similarly executed.

Having initially shared with his fellow convict in reviling our Lord for failing to intervene on their behalf should, indeed, he be the Christ (Matt. 27:44), the subsequently penitent felon then responded to a seemingly inexplicable inpulse by affirming his own guilt and defending Christ's innocence (Luke 23:40-41). While perhaps lacking all the "Yea ho verily" formalities frequently attendant our own religious rites and exercises, his acknowledgment at this point constituted an acceptable act of faith and contrition - even if limited in terms of all its implications.

The result was immediate. In contrast to the other thief's lack of remorse, a further - indeed almost incomprehensible - insight was then evidenced in the contrite criminal's request for remembrance "when you [Christ] come into your kingdom." To those standing by, the illogic of addressing a dying man in terms of "When you become king" would almost certainly have been seen as the delirium of an expiring individual crazed with pain. In reality, it represented an impartation of revelation far exceeding that of even the Twelve. Jesus' response? "Today you shall be with me in paradise" (vs. 43).

Why the fact of some persons inclined toward concerns of the spiritually oriented and others disposed to an essential indifference or even rejection of such? The two thieves, after all, were undergoing the same reality of penal death - yet with totally opposite reactions.

In further illustration, we were once acquainted with a Christian family in which two brothers, while close in age, were quite dissimilar in their response to matters of faith and commitment - the one following an ongoing propensity for such into a life of full time ministry while the other, to our knowledge, never evidenced a meaningful interest in spiritual matters.

One might again ask as to "why." (To the likely relief of some, we shall here bypass the issue of election, foreordination and free will other than to note that in addressing this arena of inquiry, the apostle Paul alludes to the ultimate incomprehensibility of God's wisdom, knowledge, judgments and ways, Rom. 11:33-34).

Our initial point here, however, is that an impartation of even greater enlightenment followed the penitent thief's initial step of faith. That a profound revelation concerning Christ's yet coming kingdom and reign should be imparted to a common criminal as opposed to one of a more "spiritual" background and involvement (perhaps one of the Twelve or someone from among those having endorsed and faithfully followed Christ; e.g., Luke 24:13-21) is but one of the many questions in relation to which human perception frequently falls short.

Perhaps the following will prove useful at this point:

What greater example of the grace of God - that undeserved favor and beneficence upon which we are all dependent?

Burl Ratzsch