A Grain Of Wheat Ministries

Read Online
Antichrist

THE PROPHECIES

PART I: THE RAM AND THE GOAT

Antichrist, book by David W. Dyer

A "Grain Of Wheat" Ministries publication

Written by David W. Dyer

INDEX

Chapter 1 - Part 1: PART I: THE RAM AND THE GOAT (Current Chapter)

Chapter 1 - Part II: A HISTORICAL PROPHECY

Chapter 1 - Part III: THE FOUR BEASTS

Chapter 1 - Part IV: NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S IMAGE

Chapter 2: THE ANTICHRIST

Chapter 3: “ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT”

Chapter 4: GOD’S TIMETABLE

Chapter 5: BABYLON

Chapter 6: WAR ON THE SAINTS

Chapter 7: THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Chapter 8: PERSECUTION

Chapter 9: IMPORTANT SIGNS

Chapter 10: WORTHY TO ESCAPE



PREFACE

In this book, we are going to be investigating the persons and events which surround the end of this age. Possibly many of the ideas presented here may seem new or different from what you have heard in the past. With this in mind, this author would like to make one request: Please do not simply react emotionally to these things. Do not shut your spiritual eyes and your mind.

Instead, search the scriptures for yourselves. Read and reread the Bible passages. Become familiar with them. There is no need to take my word for anything. Weigh what is said here for yourself. Open the Bible and open your spirit to Him and allow Him to show you whatever it is that you need to see.

As we approach the end of this age, it seems logical that the Lord would be unveiling more and more for us to understand. No doubt, as we see the day approaching these things will become clearer and clearer.

However, much prophetic revelation is understood with complete clarity only after all the events unfold or as they are unfolding. For example, many of the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah were understood only as they were happening or even after His death. Therefore, although we may be able to perceive

some of what will occur beforehand, no one will ever have a complete understanding, in every detail, of all future events.

Certainly God will show His servants many things which are going to come to pass. However, the full comprehension will inevitably come only after the fact.

As in any discussion of the future, this author will from time to time indulge in some conjecture. It is almost inevitable that as we read the prophetic scriptures, we try to imagine how they might fit into our present world situation. The result is that there is always some degree of guesswork involved.

When what is being written is not certain or when there is some degree of speculation being expressed, I will indicate this by using words such as “possibly,” “it could be,” “perhaps,” etc. The reader must realize that when such words are used, the author is making a kind of educated guess about the future. Such speculation should not be taken as fact.

I will make every attempt in this writing to plainly state when the biblical record is quite clear and when some degree of imagination is being employed. 


PART I: THE RAM AND THE GOAT

A number of years ago, I had a conversation with a young woman. She, perhaps because we had been talking about England, began telling me about her father. Her father had been a judge. Not long before, he had lost his wife, I believe to cancer. He had recently retired from the bench and decided to make a trip to visit England, perhaps to distract his mind from his recent loss.

There, while stepping off the curb, he looked to the left as he usually did to check for traffic. Seeing nothing, he proceeded into the street where he was struck and killed by a bus coming from the other direction.

You see, he was looking the wrong way. Consequently, he was blind-sided. He was looking left as he would have in the U.S. but not right, as he should have done in England. The reason for this is that the traffic in England travels on the left and not the right side of the road.

Now there is a little spiritual lesson here. Many Christians are in danger of being blindsided by the coming of the Antichrist and endtime events. Why? It is because they are looking in the wrong direction. Due to the teachings they have received, they are focused on certain events coming together to fulfill some prophetic scriptures. But many of these teachings appear to be mistaken. There is every possibility that these believers have been misinformed and therefore misdirected.

Many are looking today for a “revived Roman Empire” which will rise up to be the kingdom of the Antichrist. Others believe that there soon will be a “one world government” perhaps with the U.N. taking over the world. Still others think that the Antichrist will be a backslidden Christian or former Jew. Many seem to think that some kind of microchip will be the mark of the beast. Yet as we take a careful look at the prophecies concerning these things, an entirely different picture emerges.

This book is an attempt to provide a new viewpoint concerning the end times. Here we will investigate from the scriptures the exact location from which the Antichrist must arise. Then we will look at precisely where his ten kings and their kingdoms will be located. This then will enable believers to look in the right direction and not be taken by surprise when these events begin to unfold.

In the church today, there is much confusion and speculation about the future Man of Sin. However, many of the scriptures concerning him and his soon arising are quite clear and easy to understand. These things are not as mysterious and difficult as they may seem.

As we investigate together some Old and New Testament prophecies, please do not be intimidated by them. At first the imagery of beasts, horns, etc. can seem a little daunting. However, the Bible uses these images in a consistent, logical manner throughout its pages.

In many cases they are almost as simple as a children’s story, using pictures and figures such as animals to explain the future. Once you understand how these figures are used to typify certain kingdoms and leaders, everything will be quite easy to understand. Although this author does not claim to understand every detail of every verse, the truths which we will be looking at together are quite uncomplicated.

FROM WHERE DOES ANTICHRIST COME?

The first thing which is strikingly clear as we read the prophecies in the book of Daniel, is where the Antichrist originates. He arises in the Middle East. That is correct. The Antichrist does not come from Rome, or from Europe or any other area of the globe, but clearly arises from the Middle East.

Please remember this fact, because it is an important key for us to understand the events which will unfold at the end of this age. We are now going to look at the scriptures which teach us this truth. If you are not intimately familiar with them, you may find the following discussion easier to understand if you take a moment and read Daniel chapter 8 at this time.

The place of origin of the Antichrist is perhaps most evident in the vision which we find in Daniel chapter 8. This vision concerns two animals: a ram which has two horns and a male goat which has one big horn. In this vision, the male goat attacks the ram and destroys him.

An angel explains to Daniel what these two animals represent. He says, “The ram which you saw, having the two horns – they are the kings of Media and Persia” (Dan 8:20). So the ram is the Media-Persian empire and the two horns represent the two leaders of this empire. This is the empire which conquered Babylon in the days of Daniel (Dan 5:30,31).

The goat represents the empire of Alexander the Great. The angel explains, “And the male goat is the kingdom of Greece. The large horn that is between its eyes is the first king” (Dan 8:21). It is an historical fact that Alexander the Great conquered the MediaPersian empire. This then is the fulfillment of this prophetic vision from the book of Daniel, i.e. the male goat destroying the ram. This is very simple and easy to understand.

Alexander’s kingdom was based in Greece. From Greece, his kingdom spread east, through what today is known as Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan – all the way to India. He also conquered to the south, encompassing the Middle East and Egypt. It is worth noting here that Alexander’s kingdom included very little of modern-day Europe. The extent of Alexander’s empire can be seen from the map included here.

Later in this vision it is revealed what would happen to Alexander. He established a tremendous empire, stretching from Greece to India and down to Egypt, but then what happens? We see in the prophecy that the large horn on the goat, representing Alexander, is broken. This occurs after he becomes “very great” and “strong” (Dan 8:8). In the place of this one horn on the goat, four other horns appear. What could this mean? This too has a very logical and simple interpretation.

Alexander's Empire

It is a historical fact that Alexander died suddenly at the peak of his power. How he died is still debated, whether it was in a drunken fit or from some accident or poison is not certain. We will probably only know this later on. But the important thing here is that he died abruptly. After his death, his empire was divided among four of his generals.

This too the Bible predicts by saying: “...the large horn was broken, and in place of it four notable ones [horns] came up towards the four winds of heaven” (Dan 8:8). The four horns here represent these four new leaders. So we are informed by Daniel’s prophecy of some events which now have become history.

Let us take a minute and do a brief summary. First we are told about the Media-Persian empire (the “ram”). Then we are shown that it will be destroyed by Alexander the leader of Greece (the male goat). Next, we are told that Alexander would die suddenly and his kingdom would be divided into four parts which we now know were led by four of his generals.

Why does this ancient history matter to us? The reason is that it shows us clearly where the Antichrist will come from. He will arise from the territory of one of these four generals.

Please pay careful attention to this. The Antichrist will come from one of the parts of Alexander’s empire. We know this because of the scripture which says, “...out of one of them [referring to the four horns] came a little horn which grew exceeding great toward the south, towards the east and towards the Glorious Land [which probably means Israel]” (Dan 8:9).

In the scriptures, the Antichrist is often referred to as a “horn” or “little horn” (Dan 8:9; 7:8, 11, 20, 21). It is clear that this “little horn” is the Antichrist because of his activities which are described in Daniel 8:10-13 and also in the verses of chapter 7 which are listed above.

Here we are explicitly told that the “little horn,” which represents the Antichrist, will come from some part of the world which was in Alexander’s Empire. He will come from the territory of one of the four “horns.” This gives a clear direction in which to look. The vision which Daniel saw, does not focus upon Europe but on parts of the globe which are “east” and “south” of Greece, i.e. the Middle East.

This is quite a good clue. But God does not leave us here to speculate, He defines even further for us exactly from where the man of sin will come. He gives us an even more explicit prophecy which we will examine in the next section. 

End of Part 1

Read other chapters online:

Chapter 1 - Part 1: PART I: THE RAM AND THE GOAT (Current Chapter)

Chapter 1 - Part II: A HISTORICAL PROPHECY

Chapter 1 - Part III: THE FOUR BEASTS

Chapter 1 - Part IV: NEBUCHADNEZZAR’S IMAGE

Chapter 2: THE ANTICHRIST

Chapter 3: “ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT”

Chapter 4: GOD’S TIMETABLE

Chapter 5: BABYLON

Chapter 6: WAR ON THE SAINTS

Chapter 7: THE MARK OF THE BEAST

Chapter 8: PERSECUTION

Chapter 9: IMPORTANT SIGNS

Chapter 10: WORTHY TO ESCAPE

We are always looking to offer books in more languages.


Want to help us by translating or proofreading books?

How to volunteer