There has always been war in the heavenly realms but 2000 years ago it took on a new aspect – the Holy Spirit was sent to energize God’s representatives on earth – the Church. For 2000 years this battle has been raging, sometimes winning skirmishes, sometimes losing. Now the battle is intensifying as the Bride of Christ readies herself for the great wedding that is soon coming –

“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.” – Revelation 19:7

The Devil knows his time is short and he will do all he can to stop it. He led the Egyptians to try and kill all the Hebrew babies before Moses was born to stop them from returning to the land of promise. He led Herod to kill the babies in Bethlehem to cut off Jesus before His time to stop Him from winning our salvation. He led Hitler to try to destroy all Jews before their allotted time to return to the land. You can be assured that he is the one behind the martyrdom of Christians in Muslim countries even now. And you can be assured that he will continue to try to destroy Israel and persecute the Church to stop in any way he can the plan of deliverance God has for His people and the establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. But, God will win! Even now the Gospel of Jesus Christ is shinning, even in Muslim countries.

This is why I know that the Muslim countries that hate Israel, such as Iran, are simply marching to their own destruction. And I know the Devil’s work to persecute and destroy the Church will simply result in the purification and victory of God’s people. But, God wants His people to understand what is coming and so I write this last article on Mystery Babylon.

After the final 10 nation form of the beast of Revelation (13:1) appears, the ‘little horn’ of Daniel will emerge from them.

“I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” – Daniel 7:8

He will consolidate 3 of the other horns and begin his work of deception. At first he will seem to be a peacemaker, even making a 7 year covenant with the nation of Israel.

“And he (the false prince) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” – Daniel 9:27

In the verse before this, this false peacemaker is identified as coming out of restored Rome – ” and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary;”. Historically, we know Rome destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. This prince will confirm a covenant (peace accord) for one week (7 Biblical years) but, in the middle of that time, he will break it causing the sacrifices and offerings to cease. It is likely that the Temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt before or during the first 3 1/2 years as it is only in the Temple that sacrifices can be made.

I believe that just before this time the war described in Psalm 83 and the war of Gog described in Ezekiel 38, 39 will have happened. The radical Islamic states, Russia, and possibly the United States will have been decimated leaving a political power vacuum into which a restored Rome will move. This will be the beast of Revelation 13 out of which the ‘little horn’ will rise. While this ‘little horn” will be political and warlike in nature, he will have the help of another beast –

“And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” – Revelation 13:11

He looks like a lamb but, he speaks like a dragon. He is a false Christ. John saw the true Christ standing before the Throne of God. He alone was able to open the 7 sealed book of man’s history and future. The Lamb of God had seven horns which are the seven-fold Spirit of God.

“And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” – Revelation 5:6

This false lamb is the one who will institute the mark of the beast and the economic system that allows no one to buy or sell without the mark of the beast. This deceiver is also called the False Prophet in Revelation 19 but he will come to his appointed end just like the first beast.

“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” – Revelation 19:20

We know these events are coming and probably not far off. Already there are copycats pretending to be Christian but espousing false teachings. There are even well meaning Christians who are urging government welfare programs whose application leads to the slavery of dependence on government instead of God. Welfare is not the same as charity. Welfare is forced upon a people whereas charity is an act of freewill. We need to understand that a government that can give you everything is a government that can take everything as well! Already America has a President who wants to import Muslim Syrians into the country but turns away Syrian Christians.

As tensions build in the Mideast and persecution of Christians increase worldwide, be aware that they are like the birth pangs of a pregnant woman warning that the birth is not far off. I hope and pray that you are prepared.

“And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.” – Revelation 12:1, 2