Hi there,
So this is something that I have learned to appreciate, when it comes to the anti-christ. The book of Revelation says there are three things to watch out for: the mark of the anti-christ, the name of the anti-christ and the number of the anti-christ. Revelation does not say these things all have an equal value, even though they are mentioned together.
The mark of the anti-christ is how you identify - this is the big one - by identifying with the anti-christ, you are saying "one who has less faith than me, has authority over me". That's not good. That's why any Christian worth his salt, will tell you "don't take the mark of the anti-christ!". The point is that when you start to say "flesh is flesh, so what?" you stop relating to God and Man on the basis of the spirit. You are closing your mouth to God, basically. But it is not the stumbling block the anti-christ represents that I want to discuss here.
The number of the anti-christ, is a responsibility to address authority for authority. It does not condemn you to refer to the number of the anti-christ, the way you can point to any number and not be condemned. As Jesus said, "its not what goes into a man that condemns a man, but what comes out of a man" (gospels, from memory) - referring to the number of the anti-christ, means refering to him as he identifies with himself. This is just the golden rule - if you want the anti-christ to respect you, first respect him (not as God; we will get into that in a moment).
What I really want to discuss here, is the name of the anti-Christ. Properly interpreted, I believe that the name of the anti-christ is his name, yes, but in a sense it is also "currency". When you use currency, you use the "name" of the person who gives it value - that's why they people people's faces on printed currency. The difference when it comes to the currency of the name of the anti-christ, is that it relates to the whole world. Being of the world, the nations interpret it differently. That's what the Bible is talking about when it says that MYSTERY rides on the back of the anti-christ, his name gives her access to the mysteries of the nations - as though they were all the one thing (SHE takes pleasure in their mysteries, but don't focus on that).
The reason I want to discuss the name of the anti-christ is that Jesus said "make friends by unrighteous mammon" (that when you have none, someone may receive you - gospels, from memory). The name-currency of the anti-christ is basically just that "unrighteous mammon", if you take it to yourself and no one else, you will be cursed, but if you use it for good then you will be blessed - because if you use it for good, it won't be just about you. Now this is the thing, is it 'just mammon'? Or is it 'the most unrighteous possible mammon'? That may be an exaggeration, but it will certainly be "worldly unrighteous mammon". The problem here is that even though it (the name of the anti-christ) might become a universal currency, unless you do what you do (with that currency) in the Name of Jesus, it will be very hard (very hard - let the reader not think lightly) to do "universal" good. That's what is at stake here.
The other direction you can take this in, is in the question of the kings that the anti-christ will empower (as he goes into perdition) - clearly they will not use the anti-christ's name as currency only, but in relationship with him - in some way. In other words, the anti-christ will be tempted to work against universal good. That becomes a real struggle. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, I doubt we would survive. But since God can reveal the Holy Spirit and what He does (to overcome, including the anti-christ) ahead of time, we are able to overcome (even universal currency) before we are ensnared. This is what we have to trust in: we should be praying "yes! Father! You have overcome all our enemies in the world; the snare that was laid for all who dwelt no the face of the Earth has been loosed by You! In Your Son's Name Amen".
What will come out of this, with the help of Revelation, is that we won't take the mark, we will bind the forces of darkness (with the power of the Lord's Name over the world) and we will make friends (that themselves make friends, and so on and so forth). If this were difficult we might not do it, but now we have both the Holy Spirit and Jesus on our side - it only remains to give Glory to God! Lord God be praised for the delivery from the snare and for the witness of our brothers - you have given us a very sharp sword and our enemies are nothing to it! In Jesus' Name Amen.
I hope this will be of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
So this is something that I have learned to appreciate, when it comes to the anti-christ. The book of Revelation says there are three things to watch out for: the mark of the anti-christ, the name of the anti-christ and the number of the anti-christ. Revelation does not say these things all have an equal value, even though they are mentioned together.
The mark of the anti-christ is how you identify - this is the big one - by identifying with the anti-christ, you are saying "one who has less faith than me, has authority over me". That's not good. That's why any Christian worth his salt, will tell you "don't take the mark of the anti-christ!". The point is that when you start to say "flesh is flesh, so what?" you stop relating to God and Man on the basis of the spirit. You are closing your mouth to God, basically. But it is not the stumbling block the anti-christ represents that I want to discuss here.
The number of the anti-christ, is a responsibility to address authority for authority. It does not condemn you to refer to the number of the anti-christ, the way you can point to any number and not be condemned. As Jesus said, "its not what goes into a man that condemns a man, but what comes out of a man" (gospels, from memory) - referring to the number of the anti-christ, means refering to him as he identifies with himself. This is just the golden rule - if you want the anti-christ to respect you, first respect him (not as God; we will get into that in a moment).
What I really want to discuss here, is the name of the anti-Christ. Properly interpreted, I believe that the name of the anti-christ is his name, yes, but in a sense it is also "currency". When you use currency, you use the "name" of the person who gives it value - that's why they people people's faces on printed currency. The difference when it comes to the currency of the name of the anti-christ, is that it relates to the whole world. Being of the world, the nations interpret it differently. That's what the Bible is talking about when it says that MYSTERY rides on the back of the anti-christ, his name gives her access to the mysteries of the nations - as though they were all the one thing (SHE takes pleasure in their mysteries, but don't focus on that).
The reason I want to discuss the name of the anti-christ is that Jesus said "make friends by unrighteous mammon" (that when you have none, someone may receive you - gospels, from memory). The name-currency of the anti-christ is basically just that "unrighteous mammon", if you take it to yourself and no one else, you will be cursed, but if you use it for good then you will be blessed - because if you use it for good, it won't be just about you. Now this is the thing, is it 'just mammon'? Or is it 'the most unrighteous possible mammon'? That may be an exaggeration, but it will certainly be "worldly unrighteous mammon". The problem here is that even though it (the name of the anti-christ) might become a universal currency, unless you do what you do (with that currency) in the Name of Jesus, it will be very hard (very hard - let the reader not think lightly) to do "universal" good. That's what is at stake here.
The other direction you can take this in, is in the question of the kings that the anti-christ will empower (as he goes into perdition) - clearly they will not use the anti-christ's name as currency only, but in relationship with him - in some way. In other words, the anti-christ will be tempted to work against universal good. That becomes a real struggle. Were it not for the Holy Spirit, I doubt we would survive. But since God can reveal the Holy Spirit and what He does (to overcome, including the anti-christ) ahead of time, we are able to overcome (even universal currency) before we are ensnared. This is what we have to trust in: we should be praying "yes! Father! You have overcome all our enemies in the world; the snare that was laid for all who dwelt no the face of the Earth has been loosed by You! In Your Son's Name Amen".
What will come out of this, with the help of Revelation, is that we won't take the mark, we will bind the forces of darkness (with the power of the Lord's Name over the world) and we will make friends (that themselves make friends, and so on and so forth). If this were difficult we might not do it, but now we have both the Holy Spirit and Jesus on our side - it only remains to give Glory to God! Lord God be praised for the delivery from the snare and for the witness of our brothers - you have given us a very sharp sword and our enemies are nothing to it! In Jesus' Name Amen.
I hope this will be of some encouragement to you.
God bless.
