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What is holding the Antichrist back if not for the Church?
Vanity | Feb 16th, 2009 | TARAP

Posted on 02/16/2009 1:09:50 PM PST by TaraP

I know we have done quite a bit of specualtion here on who the Antichrist might be, however are we as *Believers* suppose to know who he is?

Isn't this what the Rapture of the Church all about.

We we know that the rapture must precede the tribulation, we know that the rapture is very near. You see, the antichrist cannot be revealed until the force holding him back is removed from the earth. After the church is removed from the earth, the antichrist will be able to begin his reign of terror.

2 Thess 2:7-8, For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy with the splendor of his coming.

After the letters to the seven churches, John is given the call to "come up hither." This would signify the rapture--the church being removed from the earth. Is this why the church is not mentioned again in the Book of Revelation?

Lastly- Is the next seal to be opened the 6th Seal? The Rapture of the Church and the Great Quake that will block out the Sun and turn the moon blood red.

Thoughts?


TOPICS: General Discusssion; Religion & Culture; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: antichrist; endtimes; prophecy; rapture
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To: GiovannaNicoletta

And to you. God bless.


61 posted on 02/16/2009 3:07:02 PM PST by Robulus (Be wary, be vigilant, for your enemy walketh about as a roaring lion.)
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To: Star Traveler

Makes great sense ST..Loved your reply on this...


62 posted on 02/16/2009 3:08:55 PM PST by TaraP (The RAPTURE: Separation of Church and State)
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To: Perdogg; TaraP; Quix

You asked — “Who is the antichrist?? Do we have a good idea?”

Well, Walid Shoebat (a former PLO terrorist, turned Christian) has been preaching what appears to be a good description of the Antichrist. It seems to fit the picture of the Mahdi of Islam.

The Mahdi is the only description of the Antichrist that I’ve ever seen, thus far, which gives the *true picture* to the depths of depravity of the Antichrist and the hatred for the Jews and the hatred for Christians and the hatred for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

All other pictures (that have been painted by others) have lacked the total depth of hatred for the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, that the Mahdi has.

I think it’s the coming Mahdi...


63 posted on 02/16/2009 3:11:49 PM PST by Star Traveler
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To: GiovannaNicoletta

Exactly. People forget that in a way, the Rapture is a purging of the faithful without martyrdom. Those who accept Christ afterward have to endure persecution and martyrdom because they blew every chance to do so before Christ came and took his church. It’s also to find out how much the new Christians really value their religion or whether or not they’re fair weather believers.

Those who believe and do what they believe Christ wants are the bulwark. At some point however, He will lose patience and simply take his church up.


64 posted on 02/16/2009 3:17:09 PM PST by Niuhuru (Fine, here's my gun, but let me give you the bullets first. I'll send them to you through the barrel)
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To: Star Traveler

I think its the Mahdi as well.


65 posted on 02/16/2009 3:21:20 PM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
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To: TaraP
Do you not see Satan as a singular entity, that GOD will cast into the Lake of Fire...Can Satan come as NERO or anyone else as far as deceiving the world on what and who he is?

Sure! [Revelation 20:10] And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

I think Satan has been given the authority as "god of this world (age)" [II Corinthians 4:4] to do just about anything he wants.

66 posted on 02/16/2009 3:22:15 PM PST by Diego1618
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To: Star Traveler

A Muslim sure would not be out of the question....


67 posted on 02/16/2009 3:28:12 PM PST by TaraP (The RAPTURE: Separation of Church and State)
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To: Niuhuru
It’s also to find out how much the new Christians really value their religion or whether or not they’re fair weather believers.

It's going to be horribly difficult because all those who do not worship the Antichrist will be beheaded.

68 posted on 02/16/2009 3:50:16 PM PST by GiovannaNicoletta
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To: GiovannaNicoletta

Well, what’s the loss of a head compared to a soul?

Besides, many will be in Petra, surrounded by his Hosts.


69 posted on 02/16/2009 3:51:13 PM PST by Niuhuru (Fine, here's my gun, but let me give you the bullets first. I'll send them to you through the barrel)
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To: TaraP
A Muslim sure would not be out of the question....

Here is the clearest verse in scripture that identifies who the "Anti-Christ(s)" are......[2 John 6-7] And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Anyone who would deceive, teach false doctrine and lead the body of Christ astray.....is (are) the Anti-Christs. I would think that Revelation pin points the "False Prophet" as the main "Honcho" when it comes to doing this. I believe he will be just a continuation of false doctrine that the "body of Christ" has been contending with for 2000 years.

Don't forget......John is saying "They're already here"! [1 John 2:18] The early Church was already being infiltrated with false doctrine in the first century. I think this tells us that the "False Prophet" of the end times will probably be a well respected.....but deceiving Christian leader who will lead many astray.

70 posted on 02/16/2009 3:52:49 PM PST by Diego1618
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To: TaraP

Maybe the AC’s youtube video failed to go viral like he thought it would.


71 posted on 02/16/2009 3:56:46 PM PST by Yardstick
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To: jude24

bttt


72 posted on 02/16/2009 3:57:13 PM PST by ConservativeMan55
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To: angkor
In all due respect, with hundreds of new articles/threads submitted daily here at FR why did you choose this one to proclaim yourself as site editor?
73 posted on 02/16/2009 3:59:24 PM PST by jla (Sarah! sarahpac.com)
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To: TaraP
I'm a Roman-Catholic. I never think about, or ponder over, the anti-Christ's identity. It will come to pass, there is nothing any human can do about it.
Do you believe it easier to be a good person or a bad person? I find the former infinitely more of a challenge than the latter. Of course it was designed this way, to build ones character.
I choose to concentrate on Christ, not His anti.
74 posted on 02/16/2009 4:08:18 PM PST by jla (Sarah! sarahpac.com)
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To: jla

Check out Roman Catholic

Kathleen Keating’s site.

http://www.kathleenkeating.com

I think it is.


75 posted on 02/16/2009 4:15:32 PM PST by Quix (POL BOSSES say fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: angkor

Guess what . . .

There’s more than 150 members of the END TIMES, DREAMS, VISIONS, PING LIST HEREON

WHO ARE KEENLY INTERESTED IN THE TOPIC.

And a lot of others affirm that along the way, as well.

I assume you are aware that Christians make up a huge percentage of Conservative Americans? . . . and of FR?

I assume your scroll button is in working order?


76 posted on 02/16/2009 4:17:21 PM PST by Quix (POL BOSSES say fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: Robulus

Open your eyes. They already are.


77 posted on 02/16/2009 4:18:27 PM PST by Blogger (Christians- Remember Nineveh.)
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To: Quix

Would you put me on that ping?


78 posted on 02/16/2009 4:19:38 PM PST by Blogger (Christians- Remember Nineveh.)
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To: Quix

Won’t load at the moment. What’s it about?


79 posted on 02/16/2009 4:19:41 PM PST by jla (Sarah! sarahpac.com)
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To: TaraP

I would not go out on a limb and say Obama could be the Antichrist, but it does show you how quickly the Antichrist can and will enter the World Stage. That has always been the one area of the end-times prophecy that bothered me. How could one man become so popular so quick all the way around the World, and be accepted by all but the most faithful Christians. It just seemed to unlikely. Thanks to Obama, that area of prophecy is no longer a mystery.

He being the Antichrist or not, The world time made a huge jump towards midnight in the last couple of years.


80 posted on 02/16/2009 4:20:41 PM PST by NavyCanDo (You think you have enough guns, until the Zombies come.)
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