More Than Conquerors 5

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

(II Timothy 4:3)

Do the Scriptures teach that Antichrist will overcome the saints by flattering them and corrupting them with a false sense of peace and security?

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. (Daniel 11:32)

"Shall he corrupt by flatteries." Corrupt by flatteries!

The following passage is particularly important. It portrays the method that Antichrist will follow in order to remove from his path the anointed testimony and resistance of the saints:

And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own [but by Satan's] power: and he shall destroy wonderfully [astonishingly], and shall prosper, and practice [follow his own wishes], and shall destroy [corrupt] the mighty [men] and the holy people [the saints]. And through his policy [cunning] also he shall cause craft [deceit; trickery] to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [in their security; by careless security; prosperity] shall destroy [corrupt] many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:24,25)

We think of Antichrist as coming against the saints with swords, guns, bayonets; and no doubt he will do so. In addition, Antichrist is a deceiver. He will be successful in overcoming the saints by deception to the extent that the restraint against his full manifestation will be removed.

How will Antichrist conquer God's saints?

He will "corrupt by flatteries"; and "by peace (careless security; prosperity) will destroy (corrupt) many."

What kind of Christians do we see in the wealthy nations of today? They are unholy, disobedient, unthankful, without the fear of God, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

The effect of the beliefs that God's grace in Christ is an alternative to godly living, that God no longer is a God of wrath, that the purpose of the resurrection and ascension of the saints is that they may not be exposed to persecution and suffering in the world, and that "faith" can be used to acquire material gain, that we can be successful in this world by using "faith," is a multitude of churches filled with people who are self-centered, pleasure-loving, full of lust, prayerless, undisciplined, among whom there is no awe of God. Have not the churches been overcome by Antichrist's trickery?

If God's elect are to remain on the earth throughout the revealing of Antichrist as we are suggesting, what provision has God made for their survival and joy?

God's provision for His elect during the days of Antichrist is the spiritual fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles. Truly, the Lord has kept the good wine until now.

First came salvation through the blood (the feast of Unleavened Bread). Next, the filling with God's Holy Spirit (the feast of Weeks).

Now it is time for the Father and the Son to come and abide in the saints (the feast of Tabernacles—see Leviticus, Chapter 23; Deuteronomy 16:16; John 14:23). The spiritual fulfillment of the feast of Tabernacles is the Lord's response to the rise of Antichrist.

Continued. More Than Conquerors 6