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Satan will stage a counterfeit Second Coming shortly after a National Sunday Law is passed in the US. Both events are imminent. Most of the church will be deceived, except for a small remnant that live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.
Today’s study is an addendum to our previous study on Satan’s Appearing in the Counterfeit Second Coming. Just wanted to give all of you diligent Bible students additional confirmation from the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy onn the points I made in that podcast.
It’s very important that we have abundant evidence for everything we put forth. We don’t build sound doctrine from one isolated passage of scripture, but from a body of scriptural evidence that all point to the same conclusion.
I’ve also received a couple of very interesting questions from some of our listeners that were prompted by the discussion of the counterfeit Second Coming. Because they’re both very important points and are related I’ll be addressing them in our next regular podcast.
Just want to give you some additional scriptural evidence, explanations or clarification for the following points:
- There will be a counterfeit Second Coming
- Christ’s Second Coming will be unmistakable
- The interpretation of symbols and key conceps in the Bible:
- the ram and the he-goat in the Daniel 8 vision
- The interpretation of the daily in the Book of Daniel
- The interpretation of the abomination of desolation in Daniel 12
- The beginning event of the 1335-Day Prophecy of Daniel 12 is the National Sunday Law in the US
- Why the US collapse is necessary
You don’t want to miss anything that we’ll be discussing today, so please stay with me until the very end. Let’s get started!
There will be a counterfeit Second Coming
Satan has a counterfeit for everything God is, has, says or does. He has a false translation of the saints known as the secret rapture. He even has a false trinity, therefore it should come as no surprise to us that Satan has a false Second Coming. Jesus warned us time and again about it so that we wouldn’t be deceived.
Christ’s Second Coming will be unmistakable
We looked at quite a few scriptures about the real Second Coming, and I made the point that when Jesus appears He will be sitting. Here’s one additional scripture that makes that clear:
“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory” (Matthew 25:31).
Today I’d like to stress that Christ’s Second Coming will be a loud event, absolutely unmistakable, “you can’t miss it” type of event. We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17:
“16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”
Also, there will be great natural disasters and supernatural manifestations in the heavens and the earth:
“And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:14)
“And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.” (Jeremiah 25:33)
“But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” (1 Corinthians 15:23-24 )
The conclusion therefore is that when Jesus comes, it’s the end of the world as we know it. Jesus comes to destroy the wicked and take His people home. If you’re alive when Jesus comes, you just can’t mistake the end of the world! And you can’t counterfeit it either. By the grace of God all of us will be translated and gathered up by the angels to travel to heaven with Jesus.
The interpretation of key symbols and concepts
There were three symbols or key concepts we defined in our study of Satan’s Appearing:
- The ram and the he-goat
- The daily
- The abomination of desolation
One of the rules of Bible interpretation, and especially for symbol interpretation, is that context defines the meaning of a symbol.
Let’s take the example of leaven:
In the Old Testament, leaven means sin. This is why the Lord asked the children to eat unleavened bread with the Passover meal and for a week after that during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
Jesus used the symbol of leaven at least twice, with very different meanings.
In Matthew 16, He used leaven to refer to the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees: “11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? 12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”
However, He also used it in another parable to refer to the sanctifying influence of the kingdom of heaven. “Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” (Matthew 13:33)
So let’s quickly review how the context defines the symbols or key concepts we used in our last study:
The Ram and the He-goat
We said that the vision of the ram and the he-goat that Daniel had in Daniel 8 pointed forward to the end of time and that it had some relationship with Jesus’ Second Coming. God gave us two important clues:
- The number of times the word “to see” is in the text (Daniel keeps saying “then I saw”). In Revelation 1:7 we read that “Every eye shall see Him”.
- The fact that the Angel Gabriel tells Daniel that the vision is for the time of the end
How do we go from there to defining the ram as Jesus and the he-goat as Satan? The context defines the primary meaning of the symbols. The context of Daniel’s vision is the Sanctuary. Let’s read what happens right at the end of the vision, when Daniel overheard two saints speaking to each other:
“13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” (Daniel 8:13-14).
This clearly establishes the context of the vision as the Sanctuary. Plus, both animals, the ram and the he-goat, are Sanctuary animals used in different rituals. From there, all we need to do is understand what each animal represented in the Sanctuary services and that gives us the meaning of both symbols: the ram represents Jesus and the he-goat represents Satan.
The Daily
We’re going to take the time now to really understand “the daily”. “The daily” holds the key to fully understanding the Book of Daniel and its key prophecies.
We find the term “the daily” in Daniel 8, Daniel 11 and Daniel 12. It has the same meaning in all three passages, but there is one important nuance that I’ll be considering. If you stay with me, you’ll understand more about this than most Bible scholars who have completely misinterpreted the daily.
To get this right, we need to go to the root of the Hebrew word translated as daily. That word is “tamiyd”. Essentially it means something that stretches or extends, for example that stretches across time. This word can be a noun or a substantive, meaning that it’s stand alone and doesn’t describe anything else, or it be used as an adjective or adverb describing another word.
In most of the Old Testament, the word “Tamiyd” is used to describe another word, something that was continual or was done continually. For example, in the Sanctuary services the ram was offered daily or continually; the lamps needed to burn continually in the Holy Place.
However, when we get to the Book of Daniel, the word “tamiyd is used alone, it doesn’t describe another word. It’s a standalone noun. Therefore, in the Book of Daniel the best translation for “tamiyd” is “continuum” or “continuity”. In a moment we’ll define continuum of what or continuity of what.
There’s been a lot of confusion around the daily in the Book of Daniel. Most Bible scholars, including most Adventist ones, believe it refers to the continual sacrifice of Christ and His continual ministry. I also used to believe and teach that until the Lord gave me light on this issue.
I want to read you a statement by Sister White in Early Writings so that you can see how important it is to get this right. A misunderstanding of the daily will cause us to misinterpret the prophecies in the Book of Daniel, especially in Daniel 12.
“Then I saw in relation to the “daily” (Dan. 8:12) that the word “sacrifice” was supplied by man’s wisdom, and does not belong to the text, and that the Lord gave the correct view of it to those who gave the judgment hour cry. When union existed, before 1844, nearly all were united on the correct view of the “daily”; but in the confusion since 1844, other views have been embraced, and darkness and confusion have followed. Time has not been a test since 1844, and it will never again be a test.” (Ellen G. White, Early Writings, 74-75).
After 1844, Adventist Pioneers seemed to have lost the proper understanding of the daily. There were debates, and it’s interesting that when Sister White was asked to express her opinion, she didn’t. Instead, her counsel in Selected Messages Vol. 1 was that “NOW is not the right time to debate this issue”. It’s a very emphatic message that urged the brethren to cease the contention on the issue because it wasn’t the right time.
Brothers and sisters, God withdrew from the Adventist Pioneers the correct interpretation of the daily because remember that the Hebrew Book of Daniel was to be closed and sealed until the time of the end. God was reserving that light for us! NOW the time has come to properly interpret the daily.
In the Book of Daniel, when the word “tamiyd” is used, it’s not referring to the Sanctuary services or even the ministration of Christ. Let me repeat that: the daily inn the Book of Daniel is NOT referring to the Sanctuary services or to the ministration of Christ, even when the word Sanctuary appears in the same sentence. Rather, it refers to the scepter of power, whether it be the political scepter of power, or the spiritual.
Let me say it one more time: the daily in the Book of Daniel ALWAYS refers to the scepter of power, whether political power or spiritual power, even when the word Sanctuary might be used in the same sentence.
The overarching theme of the Book of Daniel is the rise and fall of empires and world superpowers, disputing themselves the scepter of world power. This continuum carries us through the succession of world superpowers starting with Babylon (because it was contemporary to the prophet) and ending with the last world kingdom before Jesus returns. Jesus comes back to destroy all world kingdoms and to recover the scepter of power which will be restored to God’s throne.
Let’s read now about the daily in Daniel 12:11:
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days” (Daniel 12:11). First we delete the word sacrifice that was added by the translators and which creates confusion. Then we apply the proper meaning to the daily, which is the scepter of power. We know that Daniel 12 is dealing with the very end of time, because the chapter starts with Michael standing up, which is the close of probation. Therefore “the daily” in this passage refers to the transfer of the scepter of power from the current holder, in this case the United States, the current reigning superpower, to the last kingdom before Jesus comes, the New World Order.
The scepter of power shall be taken away from the US (and the other constitutional republics of the world) and given to the abomination of desolation, that is to say, Rome working through the United Nations to establish the New World Order. In this case, Daniel 12:11, the scepter of power being transferred is the scepter of political power.
Let me layer on one additional nuance here. Let’s read about the daily in Daniel 8. This passage is talking about the little horn, i.e. the papacy:
“11 Yea, he (anti-christ) magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down. 12 And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. 13 Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot? 14 And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.”
So now you’re thinking, so it is about the Sanctuary services after all. No it’s not. Let’s read verse 11 again: “Yea, he (anti-christ) magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of the sanctuary was cast down.” When we go to the Hebrew original language, the expression the place of the Sanctuary is actually talking about the foundation of God’s government, and that is His law. Anti-christ cast down God’s law, which is the foundation of God’s kingdom.
By reason of transgression a host was given him, i.e. the church at large was in apostasy and deserved such a leader as it got. The leaders reflect the state of the church at any given time. By the way, a host is military language. So the little horn received an army with which to contend for the spiritual kingdom. The scepter of power being usurped here is the spiritual scepter of power. Remember that the little horn is uniquely known for this, the union of church and state. Anti-christ contends with God for both political and spiritual authority and leadership.
Having properly framed and understood the concept of the daily, we’re now ready to move onto the abomination of desolation and see how it all comes together.
The Abomination of Desolation
In the same verse we read about the abomination of desolation that will be set up or established. We saw that whenever this term abomination of desolation is used it refers to the dragon. We saw that the term “dragon” itself has three meanings:
- Satan
- Rome (Pagan or Papal)
- Egypt (or the spirit of atheism, by extension France)
So we’re seeing here layers of symbols or layers of meaning, nested like within a Russian doll. Why did the Lord do this? Because this prophecy was to remain hidden until the time of the end, only our generation would be allowed to decode it.
How do we know which interpretation to use, which one applies in Daniel 12? Again, the context. We saw that the verb “nathan”, to set up, takes us back to Genesis 1 during Creation Week, specifically when God set up the stars in the firmament. Let me read you a really interesting scripture in the Book of Amos where the Lord leaves us no doubt that the star being referred to is Satan himself:
“25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel? 26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves. 27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the Lord, whose name is The God of hosts.” (Amos 5:25-27). So stars generally symbolize angels, but in this verse they symbolize demons, in particular Satan himself, the star of their gods.
The word nathan also means to give. The scepter of power is given by Satan to the other dragon – Rome – who will occupy the seat of power as One World Leader. The third entity represented by the dragon – France – will make two contributions to the establishment of the New World Order. 1) Through the mechanism of the Paris Climate Agreement, France will give the United Nations the “legal right” to take away the daily or the continuum – that is, the scepter of power – from the United States, in order to meet the requirements of that international accord. 2) History will be repeated. The two nations, France and the US, that put to death the medieval monarchy and established the Constitutional Republic governance model, will again witness to the world that the days of the Constitutional Republic are over, and that the world is now entering a new mode of centralized, global government called the New World Order. France and the US will each go through painful revolutionary processes. This has already started in France.
The United Nations is the nucleus of the New World Order, a modern form of the Tower of Babel that wanted to reach into the firmament (Genesis 11). This of course happened in the plain of Shinar, where subsequently Babylon was built. Babylon of course is the spiritual ancestor of Rome. See how it all ties together?? The Bible is amazing!
Let’s close out on the abomination of desolation with this statement by Ellen White in Manuscript 16, 1884:
“One effort more, and then Satan’s last device is employed. He hears the unceasing cry for Christ to come, for Christ to deliver them. This last strategy is to personate Christ and make them think their prayers are answered. But this answers to the last closing work, the abomination of desolation standing in the holy place.”
She confirms therefore that the abomination of desolation in the end time is Satan.
Satan appears soon after the National Sunday Law
It’s important that we can confirm in other Bible texts the sequencing of the 3 time prophecies in Daniel 12. We said that the National Sunday Law kicks off the 1335-Day Prophecy and that it’s passed before Satan appears which is the start of the 1290-Day Prophecy. Can we confirm that from scripture?
Let’s consider a few passages:
Revelation 13
“3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast. 4 And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:3-4)
Notice that in Revelation 13, immediately after the beast’s wound is healed – the world worships the dragon, that is, Satan. We’d said that one of the motives behind Satan’s appearance is to enthrone the beast as One World Leader. We find confirmation of that in this passage. In our next podcast we’re going to say a lot more about the entire chronology of events given in Revelation 13.
Daniel 8:8
In Daniel 8:8, when Daniel saw the vision of the ram and the he-goat, he saw the male goat grow strong. Then his single horn was broken and in place of it four horns came up. Out of one of them came a little horn that grew exceedingly great. That was the same horn as in Daniel 7, that is, the anti-christ or the Papacy. The little horn grew out of the he-goat. This part of the vision means that Satan himself will seat anti-christ in the seat of power. It’s another way of saying what we just read in Revelation 13.
So we have two confirmations so far. Do we have a third witness? Yes we do!
2 Thessalonians 2
“3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (referring to the Second Coming) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4)
What is true for the genuine Second Coming is also true for the counterfeit Second Coming. The falling away that needs to happen before the man of sin is revealed is the passing of the National Sunday Law. Only then will Satan appear to deceive the church, because that apostasy gives him the legal right to do so.
Why is the US collapse necessary?
We find the scriptural evidence for this also in 2 Thessalonians 2. Let’s read:
“6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:7-9).
This prophetic passage has a primary application to the end time and refers to the wicked one’s revelation, or apocalypto. This is definitely referring to Satan. Also important to notice that that which hinders needs to be “taken out of the way” or removed. The US superpower hinders the establishment of the One World Order, therefore it needs to be done away with before the Pope can become One World Leader.
We find confirmation of this pattern in Daniel 7. In the night vision where he saw the four beasts that rose up out of the sea, Daniel is contemplating the fourth beast that represents Rome and that had ten horns on its head.
“8 I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.” (Daniel 7:8)
So this little horn, Rome, has a historical pattern of removing any powers that obstruct its ascent to power, just as it removed the Ostrogoths, Visigoths and Vandals during the Dark Ages.
Exposing Satan’s Plans
I’d like to end with very interesting statement by Ellen White in the 3rd. Volume of the Testimonies for the Church. Please think of me as you remember this. Pray for me and my ministry that the Lord will continue to cover and protect me from our fierce enemy who seeks by every means to hide my light under a bushel:
“Nothing disturbs Satan so much as our knowledge of his devices. If we feel our dangers we shall feel the need of prayer, as did Nehemiah, and like him we shall obtain that sure defense that will give us security in peril. If we are careless and indifferent, we shall surely be overcome by Satan’s devices. We must be vigilant. While, like Nehemiah, we resort to prayer, taking all our perplexities and burdens to God, we should not feel that we have nothing to do. We are to watch as well as pray. We should watch the work of our adversaries, lest they gain advantage in deceiving souls. We should, in the wisdom of Christ, make efforts to defeat their purposes, while, at the same time, we do not suffer them to call us from our great work. Truth is stronger than error. Righteousness will prevail over wrong.” (Testimonies for the Church, Volume 3, 572.2)
