A discussion of eschatology ("End Times") like this is bound to stir up controversy in or out of the Church.
I sometimes wonder if it might be one of the most contentious areas of practice and doctrine within the fellowship of those of us who gather under the collective banner of "Christianity".
Although I am not ready to go around with a sandwich board over my shoulders proclaiming "Repent, ye fools; The end is near!" or any such foolishness, I do from time to time, in comparing Biblical prophecy to current events, get a strong sence of "imminency", as a soldier might as he marches towards the sound of battle.
Regardless if Christ returns to judge the quick and the dead tomorrow Morning or in another couple of thousand years;
These sure are interesting times to be alive in!
As to the "Antichrist", which I assume you allude to under title "Mabus" (please enlighten me as to where that term comes from? I'm not at all familiar with it);
Theories abound, including a particularly bizzare, yet compelling one that J.F. Kennedy has been kept clinically alive in a secret room of the Dallas TX Hospital since his asassination - or was long enough for his body to be cloned, anyway.
Raised in secrecy, (by the same bunch who fly those black helicoptors around and remotely scan our brains, we may suppose) the clone will at some point be introduced as the "saviour" of society. Since JFK essentially had his brains blown out by Oswald (we assume) that would fit the "miraculous" survival of the fatal head wound. And he was a Catholic, which would fulfill the theory held by some that the Prophetic "Beast" represented the Roman Empire, continued on through the millenia by the Roman Catholic Church, with the lineage of Ceaser having been taken up by the Papacy.
But the cloned body of JFK will be inhabited by a malevolent spirit; perhaps that of old Beelzebub himself, who is more than able to pull off a bunch of "supernatural" and very impressive stunts and project all sorts of weird illusions.
Let's see; How long ago was cloning developed to the point that a human body could be reliably cloned?
And how old would such a clone be about now?
Got your tin-foil helmet securely on by now?
Anyway; stuff like that makes interesting material for dime novels and such - but as far as the exact time or details of the fulfilment of end times prophecy, I think that our Lord was pretty clear about that; We are to be ready "in season and out of season", stay the course as best we can, and let the Master work out the details.
But it also seems that we were given a few clues as to what to be on the lookout for; Believers have thought that they recognized such indicators many times before throughout History, only to be embarrassed when their predictions of doom failed to materialize.
Apparently most if not all of the Apostles were convinced, at least for a while there, that it would happen during their Earthly lifetimes.
But observe; the orchestra seems to be warming up, and although the stage has been veiled by a curtain of mystery since ancient times, and through the tiny gaps between the veils very few have peeped... I often think that I see the curtain twitch a little, as if the guy backstage holding the rope is getting a little antsy for the performance to begin.
Did you see that??!
I think the theater lights are beginning to dim just a little...
I'm interested, not really a believer.
I take the cracks as jokes, not personally.
For starters, although I was raised a Christian, I consider myself agnostic. I do not belive any religion adequately depicts spiritualiy with a creator, if indeed one exists. I do not believe God has ever had a divine influence on earth, aside from creating all matter and such.
I also frequent a news forum where the identity of Mabus and the End Times are frequently discussed. In there, I'm the conservative doubting Thomas. Here I guess I'm the End Times kook for even discussing it. They could use some right thinking posters there if anyone is interested, I get a little outnumbered at times in there. I'm sure they'd LOVE the additional FReeper viewpoints. (/sarcasm)
www.mabus.biz
Nostradamus is close, but not exact in his naming of the anti-chriss. Former Gov. Ray Mabus probably coud be excluded because his name is an exact match. Another possibility I didn't mention was Abu MUSAB al-Zarqawi.
Even as a non-believer though, you have to be struck by the similarity in the 'current players' and the name Mabus.
Some believe Mabus himself is not the anti-christ, his death simply is a precursor of the anti-christs 27 year war.
This is from UrbanDictionary.com -
1. Mabus
Nostradamus predicted the rise of three "anti-christs". The first was Napaulon Roy (Napoleon), the second was Hister (Hitler), and the third is referred to as Mabus.
Century 2, Quatrain 62
Mabus will soon die, then will come,
A horrible undoing of people and animals,
At once one will see vengeance,
One hundred powers, thirst, famine, when the comet will pass.
Current favourites for the third anti-christ, a.k.a Mabus, are: Mahmoud Abbas, George W Bush, Saddam Hussein, and Osama Bin Laden. According to Nostradamus, Mabus will soon be killed, and a terrible vengeange lasting 27 years will be wreaked upon the world.
Century 8, Quatrain 77
The antichrist very soon annihilates the three,
twenty-seven years his war will last.
The unbelievers are dead, captive, exiled;
with blood, human bodies, water and red hail covering the earth.