69 million page views

"False Messiahs" and modern realities

Reader comment on item: Middle East threats, American retreat
in response to reader comment: Many False Messiah's

Submitted by Michael S (United States), Jul 13, 2014 at 01:39

Hi, Lujack

I had to check what thread this is part of, because it's easy to veer off course. Ah, you and I both have been connecting what is happening in the Middle East with Bible prophecies -- a worthy pursuit, in my book.

I notice that you are doing something I saw happening a lot in Evangelical circles, but which I have not seen in the Bible. You are conflating a coming world leader (such as the "Beast" or "False Prophet" of the Book ob Revelation) with an "antichrist" or "false Messiah". This may fit in with some subliminal Christian worldview, but it is not in the Bible so far as I can see.

I. Who is "Messiah"?

The Christian understanding of this is obvious -- to them, it is Jesus, in whatever manifestation they imagine him to have. In the Jewish understanding (which I lean toward), it is another matter altogether. First of all, not all the "messiahs" of the scriptures are necessarily the Christian "Messiah". "Messiah" (small cap) simply means "anointed". Sometimes it may be thought of as an individual, and sometimes as a people; it can be a prophet, a king, or a priest. By extension, it can be anyone whom God has "chosen" for a particular task. Even as a Christian, you need to understand this: It's one thing to believe that Jesus is everything he represents himself to be, and another thing altogether to believe things about him through the lens of later Biblical interpreters. I do not pretend to be an expert on where to draw the line: It is not an easy matter, and God hasn't designated anyone, to my knowledge, to have the final word on the matter -- certainly not you, not me, not the Pope, not one of the Chief Rabbis, not the Dalai Lama and not even Balaam's donkey.

If one can't be sure who or what the "Messiah" is or will be, then, one might also have a hard time defining and recognizing any "false" messiah. Let's move on now, to describe some "End-Times" people, spoken of in the New Testament. In the "Old Testament" or TaNaKh, there is only one who seems clearly spoken of, namely the little horn with the big mouth in Daniel 7. He is clearly not Jewish: All the "horns" are "gentiles", or "nations"; and so, logically, is the little horn that rises up among them. To be the promised "Messiah", he would have to be Jewish; and this would hold true also of "false" messiahs.

Revelation speaks of the "beast", who has seven heads and ten horns. This represents, as it pretty clearly explains in the text itself, the major powers of Western history (including the Middle East in the "West"). The seven heads are seven SUCCESSIVE kingdoms, and might be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and a "revived" Rome, probably the HRE. The beast also has ten horns, which are described as ruling CONTEMPORANEOUSLY with one another. History shows thes probably to be the great powers of Europe and their ilk, who ruled a Colonial consortium that peaked in its power in World War II. Those nations no longer call the shots in the world, so to speak, but consult with Uncle Sam in all things before making major moves. As Angela Merkel has learned to her chagrin, Washington is continually spying on all of them to make sure no hanky-panky happens on the side.

After the time of the "seven heads" is the time of the singular "beast himself" -- a great power indeed, who rules without his own crown. Perhaps this is some international organization, such as the UN; but I don't have any doubt that the US is the main instrument of the power of that body -- just as it was in Korea around 1950, and in more recent world-wide coalitions. Behind the US, of course, are the people behind the scenes, who run the country, chiefly the bankers, I imagine. According to Rev., there is another creature, the "Dragon" or "Satan", who has the same form as the earthly "beast" and gives his power to it. Considering that our present Capitalist system is based, in the words of the capitalists themselves on "fear" and "greed", I don't have any problems with this concept.

So much for the "beast". Rev. also talks about "The" False Prophet, which does great wonders and has everyone in awe of it. The is the entity that issues out the head- and wrist- implants, physical or allegorical, and induces people to worship the political and economic beast. I connect this "False Prophet" with the atheistic so-called "scientific" community and its spokespersons. They presume to speak great things against the God they do not and cannot know, and they weild great power and influence. And they have deceived literally hundreds of millions of people, enticing them to leave their faith in God and follow them. There are some Jews among them, but they are mostly goiim.

Shalom shalom :-)

Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Submit a comment on this item

Reader comments (41) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Middle-East Threats Coming To Life In Bible Prophecy [39 words]Lujack SkylarkJun 11, 2014 12:50215334
"War coming to the Middle East" is hardly prophetic [354 words]Michael S.Jun 24, 2014 14:48215334
2Biblical Prophecies Are Coming True [208 words]Lujack SkylarkJun 24, 2014 23:34215334
1We have found the enemy, and he is US [386 words]Michael S.Jun 28, 2014 09:37215334
1Present Middle-East Situation [158 words]JohnJun 28, 2014 13:02215334
2The Gog Magog War [140 words]Lujack SkylarkJun 30, 2014 15:44215334
1Prophecies or History [1177 words]Michael SJul 1, 2014 13:59215334
3The 10 anti-Semitic kings. Daniel 7:20 & Revelation 17:12 [539 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 2, 2014 22:51215334
The MIddle East: Facts vs. Prophecies [945 words]Michael SJul 6, 2014 15:41215334
Many false messiahs [102 words]Michael SJul 6, 2014 16:25215334
The End: It's obvious [940 words]Michael SJul 7, 2014 14:30215334
1Many False Messiah's [176 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 10, 2014 20:08215334
1End Time Prophecy [62 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 10, 2014 20:27215334
Psalms 83 -- what's the big draw? [58 words]Michael SJul 11, 2014 03:19215334
"False Messiahs" and modern realities [838 words]Michael SJul 13, 2014 01:39215334
1Thank you [396 words]Michael SJul 13, 2014 04:19215334
"The False Messiahs" [242 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 13, 2014 23:29215334
The Jews are not the "Antichrist" [87 words]Michael SJul 21, 2014 08:57215334
1End Time Prophecy [129 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 22, 2014 00:31215334
Of Popes and Beasts [779 words]Michael SJul 24, 2014 04:38215334
Actually [14 words]RFSJul 24, 2014 16:18215334
Rise Of The Beast [178 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 27, 2014 21:13215334
Ah, yes [19 words]MIchael SJul 28, 2014 02:05215334
Nuclear War and Breakfast on the Table [597 words]Michael SJul 29, 2014 16:40215334
Jerusalem In Prophecy [125 words]Lujack SkylarkJul 31, 2014 22:08215334
What are you talking about? [15 words]Michael SAug 3, 2014 00:18215334
Just Comparisons Being Made [21 words]Lujack SkylarkAug 5, 2014 00:18215334
Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood [76 words]Tom SkylarkAug 9, 2014 15:12215334
We disagree re Jordan prophecies [151 words]Michael SAug 17, 2014 11:53215334
No personal attacks have been made [24 words]Michael SAug 17, 2014 11:57215334
Jordan In Bible Prophecy [165 words]Tom SkylarkAug 18, 2014 11:44215334
Many sepculations [87 words]Michael S.Aug 20, 2014 05:08215334
1"Gog = Russia" is a false prophecy [942 words]Michael S.Sep 26, 2014 16:16215334
Daniel 8:25, and confusion in Washington [662 words]Michael S.Sep 27, 2014 19:32215334
1Trouble With Obama's Policy [50 words]Lujack SkylarkMay 12, 2014 00:30214796
Three things [100 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
David W. LincolnMay 9, 2014 18:21214760
Attempted clarification [86 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
David W. LincolnMay 10, 2014 12:45214760
forced maturity [116 words]David W. LincolnMay 11, 2014 17:34214760
An alternative View of the American Jewish vote [217 words]Stu FaginMay 7, 2014 23:24214747
Difference between Baker and Kerry [72 words]PezDispenserMay 4, 2014 10:08214707
2Pleasing Islamists [118 words]dhimmi no moreMay 2, 2014 07:33214684

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)