WHY WE BELIEVE ANTICHRIST COMES FROM SYRIA

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MapMiddle East_0By Ken Blue

In the book of Daniel we have several accounts of coming world history in relation to Israel. The account in Daniel is from his time to the end of the age. Daniel is shown an image that represented Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and the revised Roman Empire consisting of ten kings. (Dan. 2:37-43).

These same kingdoms are shown again, except they are represented as animals. (8:5-9). The third kingdom in Daniel 2, the breast and arms of silver, is the he goat in Daniel 8. One should note that the he goat, Alexander the Great, conquers the Medes and Persians, and from the head of the he goat comes four horns. These four horns represent the four kingdoms formed in his empire by his four Generals. These four, we know today are Greece, Turkey, Syria, and Egypt. In verse 9, a “little horn” comes out of one of the four horns. The task is to find out from which of the four the “little horn” comes.

In Daniel 11:40, we read, “at the time of the end (the end of this age) shall the king of the south (Egypt) push at him: and the king of the north (Syria) shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships.” See (Dan. 11:40; 8:19; 9:27; 11:35,45; 12:1,7-13).

  •  Dake’s Reference Bible: The vision concerns the very end of the Gentile world powers symbolized by the image of Dan. 2 and the beasts of Dan. 7 and Dan. 8; Rev. 13; 17:8-17. At the time of the end of this age in which we live, “shall the king of the south (Egypt) push at him (that is, the king of the north); and the king of the north (Syria) shall come against him (that is, the king of the south) like a whirlwind” with his armies and navies and conquer many countries (Dan. 11:40).
  •  Dake: the little horn or Antichrist comes from Syria, one of the 4 divisions of the Grecian empire… He thus revives the old Grecian empire, which is symbolized by a leopard (Dan. 7:6; rev. 13:1-2). The other 6 kingdoms of the old Roman Empire submit to him, making him their leader in a war with the north and east (dan. 11:44; rev. 17:12-17). If the wars of dan. 11:5-34 are only between Syria and Egypt, and if the last-day war of dan. 11:40-43 is between Syria and Egypt, ending with the overthrow of Egypt (the king of the south) by Syria (the king of the north), then it settles the question as to where antichrist comes from. He arises from Syria and will fulfill dan. 7:8,19-27; 8:9-14,22-25; 9:27; 11:40-45; 12:1-7; rev. 6:1-8; 13:1-18; 16:13-16; 17:8-17; 19:19-21.

We have quoted extensively from Dake, since we believe he has the best argument for Antichrist coming from Syria. Also, most commentators agree that this is the area he will come from. We are living in exciting days. Christians should be able to see the “unthawing” of the old Roman Empire, and the stage that is being set for new leaders, and a military genius who will be able, with the help of Satan, to conquer and lead his armies against the surrounding nations.

Israel will not only be in the path of the Antichrist and his armies, they will be under his heel. Some believe Israel will make a covenant with the Antichrist. However, he will decide to conquer all the Jews, and establish his headquarters in Jerusalem. “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” Daniel 11:45. “The Antichrist, or king of the north (Syria), will make his capital the Jewish temple in Jerusalem between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean Sea in the glorious holy mountain, Mount Moriah; yet he shall come to an end at Armageddon (Dan. 7:11,26-27; 8:25; 9:27; 2Th. 2:8; Rev. 19:19-21).” Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible. This is where he meets his “waterloo.” Christ will come with His armies, and Antichrist and all his followers will be destroyed. Many nations will acknowledge Jesus Christ as KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

I believe Christians should be expecting the rapture at any time, and also watching world events as they concern Israel. My hope is that the United States will remain a dependable friend to Israel. “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3.

Christians must understand that most of the Bible is not about the Church. Most of the Bible is about God’s Kingdom that was forfeited by Adam, and has been ruled by Satan ever since. God created the nation of Israel to be the one through which Jesus would come as King to reclaim the lost kingdom. This explains why Israel has been Satan’s number one nation to destroy down through the centuries, and that is his number one goal today. But, as we have shown from above, he will not succeed. He and all his followers, led by the king of Syria, will be destroyed at the coming of the KING OF KINGS! The Bible is about that King and His Kingdom. The only doctrinal portion to the church is Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.

THE INNER SANCTUM SECRET

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BRAIN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

 

Millions of worlds are unseen, each a ruler owns.

Each has a little king, defending their prized thrones.

Subjects are imaginary, but they do his will.

How he achieved all his fame, is a mystery still.

 

He debates his opponents; shadows on the floor.

He’s never lost an argument; kings must know more.

His phantom rivals, can never bring him down.

For he would no longer rule, he’d lose his stately crown.

 

These worlds sometimes collide, becoming best of friends.

But each remains solitary; no one enters in.

Who knows the deceit, or intent in each domain?

It’s a secret, as secure as Gibraltar’s fame.

 

Try hard as you may, there’s room for only one chair.

A lifetime of secrets, have accumulated there.

Misery is the king’s name, as he hides his private fears.

Bottles labeled “loneliness,” are filled with his tears.

 

But there’s One we know; Who into every kingdom sees.

To doors of blame and excuses, He holds the keys.

Be wise, oh ye kings, lay aside your temporal crown.

Give the King your throne, and kneel as He sits down.

 

All is rearranged; each chamber is filled with light.

The King Eternal is on the throne; it’s His by right.

All is transparent, there no secrets in His realm.

The inner sanctum’s open now, and ruled by Him.

“BY ALL MEANS.”

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cat with hands up

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

 

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some..” 1 Corinthians 9:19-22.

 

I find it beyond belief at the number of pastors who attempt to discredit this passage in order to not use  “all means” to reach people. Anyone with an ounce of sense knows Paul would not get drunk to win the drunkard, or sleep with a prostitute, to witness to her. How stupid do we have to sound in order to discredit a text?

 

Paul, who said it was a shame for a man to have long hair, let his hair grow for a year or more. He had taken a vow which involved this decision. (Acts 18:18). Young Timothy, a gentile, submitted to circumcision in order to make his witness acceptable to the Jews. (Acts 16:3). And yet, we have self-righteous pastors who aren’t willing to spend, and be spent to reach everyone with the gospel. Most pastors don’t add new converts because they have no real desire to grow.

 

I know a pastor who has pastored in a major city for over six years, and still has about 40 people in attendance. He has the ability to have hundreds in his church. The excuse is that no one is interested in the gospel. The real truth is that the pastor is not interested enough in the lost to step out of his box. He holds the idea that all promotion to get people to church is wrong.

 

I have heard more than one pastor say, “If you give someone something to get them to church, you must keep giving it to them to keep them coming.” That statement is foolish and inaccurate. I have used every kind of promotion over the years to reach the lost. Many have been saved, and it did not require a continuation of the gift to keep them coming. In fact, after 30 years, some are still coming. That criticism is nothing more than a self-righteous excuse to not use “all means” to reach the lost. I also think it has a ring of, not incurring the wrath of other pastors who hold the same view.

 

Most lost people do not come to church because of what you like about your church. There are multiple reasons why they come, and you should do some skull work to find out what lost couples believe they need. Jack Hyles used the trotline illustration in the matter of soul winning. A trotline is stretched across a stream or river. Hooks are tied to it at about four foot intervals. The more hooks you have in the water, the more opportunities you have to catch fish. Pastor, how many outreach hooks do you have in the water? What are the “means” you could be using to attract young families to attend your church? Paul would use “all means.”

 

 

 

THE IMPOSSIBLE TASK

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humpty dumpty

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ken Blue

 

When I was young, I enjoyed the thrill of hunting wild game

I’d hunt anything that walked, or crawled, regardless of its name

Deciding to take them alive, I’d train them for a show

I trained a Polar bear to make a snowman out of snow

 

Squirrels walked on the high wires, and monkeys mastered the trapeze

Whales jumped through the hoops, and mice outwitted the maze for cheese

I taught gorillas sign language, and parrots how to talk

My dog could find anything from steak, to a piece of chalk

 

My fame, it continued to grow, I was known far and wide

People thought I tamed everything, even the wind, and tide

But little did they know, of the battle that raged within

I had tamed everything, except what went unseen by men

 

I battled it every day, but submit, it never would

It boasted with pride, and proclaimed its virtuous good

The tongue is a little member that no man can tame

It blasphemes God, and takes Christ name in vain.

 

Like a deceitful fountain, spewing fresh water, then brine

It was praising God before others, and cursing man all the time

I needed help from without, someone my tongue to tame

By grace I found the Man, and Jesus is his name

 

I’ve given my heart to Jesus, to it, the tongues affixed

A work is being done, so the language won’t be mixed

Death to self is the answer, then a new song can be sung.

The only thing that can’t be tamed, is our unruly tongue

An Interview with Pastor Blue #1

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classify peopleHow to classify people if the church

Hi Folks,

I asked Pastor Blue if I could post to the blog. I help pastor with the administration of the blog.

If you keep track of Pastor Blue’s posts you can see he takes time to deal with objections. Many times the people who he is dealing with seem genuinely interested in gaining understanding, sometimes not so much. Those of us who know Pastor Blue know how patiently he will work us through our misunderstandings, misperceptions and blind spots concerning Doctrine. Thinking about these “mentoring sessions” both online and in person, I asked Pastor Blue to do this. Now to the interview:


Question #1
Pastor Blue, over the years you have dealt with many types of people. Although some people resist being typed or classified, I expect that you can give us some insights into what type of people you’ve dealt with and the characteristics of the conversations. I remember other preachers classifying people as “honest seekers” and the like. Some conversations are worthwhile and some useless. Could you give us insights in these different types of people, the characteristics of their conversation, and maybe how to know if they are worth our time?  Can you show us how you classify people in the church?


Scott, like all problems, some are identified immediately, while other take some time to figure out. This is also true of people. However, when you have been in the problem solving business for a while, it becomes easier to spot it.

If I were to classify people, I think they fall into three groups. I call them the VIP, VTP, VDP. When I speak of these, it is only in the context of people within a church, with whom the pastor must deal. Every church will have within it a group who are very important to the ministries (…The VIP). These are those we choose as assistant pastors, deacons, Sunday school teachers, etc. The pastor needs wisdom and patience to identify these people. A church cannot function without these called “VIP.”

Then there are the people who are very teachable (…The VTP). They are eager to learn the Scriptures, and how to serve the Lord. They are your next generation of VIP. Again, the pastor must watch for this crowd and spend his time training and nurturing them. They will display an ability to get along with people, an aptitude for learning, and strength of character.

Finally, there are those we are called to pastor who are very draining (…The VDP). They would like to have counseling sessions with the pastor after every service. The pastor must avoid the belief he can help these people. They do not want their problem solved, that would remove their excuse for counseling.

Then there are those who have a grievance about someone else, and they want you to deal with it. Don’t do it! They want the pastor’s finger prints on their murder weapon. When someone complains about another, NEVER give YOUR opinion about that person. Your comments will get back to the other party, and now you have another family to deal with.

Most complaints should be ignored. But, there are some that must be addressed. The pastor may need to seek outside advice on some issues. Remember, all three of these groups are in every church, and the pastor is the pastor of each of them. He must learn the difference, and learn the best way to deal with them. Jesus could not keep all His flock, neither can any pastor.