Bible Codes and The Antichrist
Dan Brown's book "The De Vinci Code" has brought questions into the minds of many people regarding the the Roman Catholic Church, the Antichrist, Bible Codes, and many other subjects. This has therefore sparked a great deal of curiosity about such subjects. Do we really know everything there is to know about the Bible? Are things really as they seem? Are there, in fact, hidden truths that we have not seen before written in the Bible? Will men have dreams and visions of such hidden truth?
The De Vinci Code book has now been made into a movie. The De Vinci Code by Dan Brown is essentially an attack against Jesus and the Bible, an attack claiming that Jesus was a liar and a sinner (who committed other sins besides lying). The claims in this the book go directly against the Bible. The Bible states that Jesus is the sinless Son of God, not a sinful liar. This lying attack against Jesus and the Bible was cleverly claimed to be "just fiction" and therefore a so-called use of "poetic license" when it spoke such words against Jesus.
Nevertheless, the Bible is indeed filled with many spiritual double meanings. A good example of such double meanings are the parables that Jesus gave. Many if not most of these parables have two or more levels of meaning. Also, the meaning of many of the prophecies written down in the Bible by the Prophets and Apostles were hidden from those men who wrote them:
"Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." (Luke 8:10)
"And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end." (Dan. 12:8-9)
Quite apparently, we are now coming into "The Time of The End". The "Great Ecumenical Movement" and "The Apostasy" have already begun, drawing unsuspecting people back toward "The Great Roman Catholic Whore", like the stench of flypaper drawing a fly to its doom. The Antichrist will soon be revealed on the Earth. The Rapture will soon occur. All false "Christians" who were never truly "born again" will be "Left Behind" at this time, and will experience God's Judgment during the "Great Tribulation". People will take the "Mark of The Beast". God's Two Witnesses will preach in Jerusalem. Christ will then return to Earth, to reign as King of Kings over the Earth for a thousand years.
If the time in which we are now living in is indeed "The Time of The End", then we should well expect that many of those "sealed" prophecies of the Bible concerning the End Times may soon become "unsealed". We could also expect to soon understand many hidden truths, (or "Bible Codes", if you will), concerning "The Time of The End". These "Bible Codes" have been "hidden" by God for thousands of years. We expect God to begin opening at least a few people's eyes to see these things, since God Himself promised the Prophet Daniel that such hidden truths would be "closed up" or "sealed" until "The Time of The End" should come. That time, I believe, is now coming upon us.
Much has been said about the number "666" in Bible prophesy. It was a number given by God to the Apostle John as a type of "Bible Code":
"Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six." (Rev. 13:18)
God was giving out to the world a kind of "riddle" - a "coded message" - that only someone who "hath understanding" would be able to figure out. Some have speculated that the Antichrist's number of "666" means that he will have 6 letters in his first, middle, and last name. Others think that the number just means that that Antichrist will be a man, since "6" is the number of man. Just who is this "Beast"? Just who is the Antichrist? Men have been trying for almost the past two thousand years to decipher the hidden meaning from this message from God. Nevertheless, no one has yet apparently completely figured out this "riddle" from God.
The two books generally considered to be the most important regarding Bible prophecy are the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament, and the Book of Revelation in the New Testament. Daniel was inspired by God to write the Book of Daniel before Jesus was born, and John, who wrote the Book of Revelation, wrote after Jesus was born. Both of these books, (and others as well), speak about these current End Times.
There has never been such a time of world travel as we have witnessed during these past few years. There has also never been such a time of an increase in "knowledge" as we are seeing today. It has been said that "knowledge doubles every fourteen months". Others claim that it is more like every five years. Nevertheless, this increase in knowledge is exactly what God said would happen in "The Time of The End" - that there would be an increase in both world travel and knowledge:
"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." (Dan. 12:4)
Knowledge has indeed increased, but knowledge is different from wisdom. Wisdom is needed to understand the hidden parts of Bible prophesy. Wisdom is given from God to those with "the fear of the Lord":
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Prov. 9:10)
Many do not fear God. Those who do not fear God generally also have little practical wisdom concerning Bible prophesy. Since the Bible says that the fear of God is the beginning or starting place of wisdom, the current apparent lack of wisdom by so many should not be surprising.
This lack of wisdom can be seen by another book and movie, actually a set of books and movies called the "Left Behind" series. The Bible clearly says that we will soon approach the time when The Great Whore will help the Antichrist, possibly even helping the Antichrist to behead all true Christians. Many of those who have read these books or watched these movies have nevertheless been joining this "Ecumenical Movement" as it leads men and woman back to Rome. Devoid of spiritual wisdom and deceived by Satan, these unsuspecting souls are joining up with this Great Roman Catholic Whore, the same Great Whore alluded to in those "Left Behind" books and movies.
This glaring spiritual blindness is almost like a driver approaching a bridge that has been washed out in the night by a flood or by rising water. People franticly warn the driver to "stop!" as he approaches this washed out bridge. Nevertheless, this foolish driver just laughs and "shrugs it off" as he drives out over the edge of the washed-out bridge to his death in the raging waters below. He heard the warning, yet, lacking wisdom, he tragically rejected the warning and so plunged to his death.
Those who do not fear God lack such basic spiritual wisdom. Lacking such wisdom, they cannot see or understand that the Great Whore described in the Book of Revelation will be centered in the seven hills (or "mountains") of Rome:
"So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman..." (Rev. 17:3-7a)
"And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." (Rev. 17:18)
"...And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus..." (Rev. 20:4)
"And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." (Rev. 17:9)
It is clear from these passages of Scripture that the city of Rome was described by John when he wrote down this prophesy in the Book of Revelation. Rome is still today called "The City of Seven Hills".
Popes have ruled for centuries from Rome. Popes have also caused the deaths of millions of true Christians over the centuries, just as a future Pope will probably again do in partnership with the Antichrist. Rome and its Popes have also been "arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls" for many centuries. What could be clearer about the Antichrist and his Great Roman Catholic Whore?
Generally, there is a reason that almost all of those reading about the Great Whore in the "Left Behind" book series, (or other popular New Evangelical novels), cannot see such a simple spiritual truth about the Roman Catholic Church. The reason for such "spiritual blindness" is that they have never been truly "born again".
Jesus once talked to a religious leader named Nicodemus. Although Nicodemus had accumulated much spiritual knowledge, he did not have the most basic of spiritual wisdom concerning how to get to Heaven. Jesus therefore told him, "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7) Jesus gave Nicodemus spiritual wisdom when all he had beforehand was head knowledge.
Perhaps you are a bit like Nicodemus. Perhaps you are trying to learn more about the Antichrist, the number "666", the Battle of Armageddon, or other matters of Bible prophesy - but you yourself have never actually been born again. What you do NOT need is to believe more head knowledge. What you need is spiritual wisdom. Otherwise, you might end up with those who are joining the Great Ecumenical Movement -- praising the Pope and his Great Roman Catholic Whore. This would be tragic, because this Pope, (or another Pope after him), will probably soon help the Antichrist to behead millions of true Christians around the world who put Jesus and the Bible first.
You need true wisdom, so that you will not be deceived by this or other spiritual deceptions from Satan. You also need to be "born again", so that God will not have to send you to Hell to punish you for your sins when you die. More knowledge is not what you need. Jesus is who you need. Then, after you are born again, gain all of the knowledge and wisdom you want and need. Just don't let this knowledge get you "puffed up" with pride, so that you think that you are better than other people.
Who knows? Perhaps God will unseal His prophetic spiritual truths in your lifetime. Perhaps we will soon know who the Antichrist is. Nevertheless, please get born again first, before you seek any more knowledge about Bible prophesy. Don't risk being "Left Behind" when the Rapture comes. The Rapture could come at any moment. Are you ready? Get born again today!
[The Way To Be Born Again]
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