If You Love Me . . .20

The ten horns are ten kings who will come from this kingdom. After them another king will arise, different from the earlier ones; he will subdue three kings. He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time. (Daniel 7:24,25)

Daniel, Chapter Seven. It appears that the Apostle Paul gained much of his knowledge of the Lawless One from the Book of Daniel.

He will try to change the set times and the laws because he is lawless. The important thing to notice is that the saints will be handed over to him for a specified time (which we believe to be the second half of the prophetic week of years).

It is very difficult for today's Christian to believe that God will hand over the saints to the Lawless One. Do you remember that Peter was to be tested by Satan? Jesus did not prevent the test, because the test came from the Father. Rather, Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail.

God tests us, as He did Abraham, to see if we will obey Him. He turns us over to Satan to be tested in the realm of obedience. The test is for a specified time and always is under the Lord's control.

But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. (Daniel 7:26)

The saints will judge the world and judge angels. They are the court. They have suffered under the Man of Lawlessness and they will be the ones who judge him. Lawlessness will be destroyed out of God's creation forever.

Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him. (Daniel 7:27)

In spite of the worldwide scope of the age of moral horrors that is upon us, in spite of the perversity and degrading moral filth that will abound, it all shall come to an end. The Lord Jesus shall prevail. All of His enemies will be put beneath His feet. He who loves righteousness and hates wickedness will finally prevail. So will you if you abide in Him and keep His commandments.

Daniel, Chapter Eight. Our study of Antichrist continues.

Out of one of them came another horn, which started small but grew in power to the south and to the east and toward the Beautiful Land. It grew until it reached the host of the heavens, and it threw some of the starry host down to the earth and trampled on them. (Daniel 8:9,10)

The Lawless One will grow in spiritual power until he ascends into the heavens. He will cast down to the earth some of the stars of God. We think that the stars include both angels and humans. All who have been lifted to preeminence will be tested by the spirit of Satan, just as was true of the Apostle Peter.

God is putting an end to rebellion. The test, the shaking, has to do with our obedience to God. Abraham was tested concerning obedience. The Lord Jesus was tested concerning obedience. Some of the present stars will disobey God and will be cast to the earth, just as has happened to prominent ministers of our day. Other stars will take their place in God's palace—people who have obeyed God under the most strenuous testing imaginable.

To be continued. If You Love Me . . .21