THE GOAT’S DECEPTION

The Goat will promote throughout the world an idolatrous character, which will seek to exalt this empire above all things. The primary characteristic of idolatry is a focus on self. Hence, the empire will act in a manner to convince people that it is in their best interest to submit to the empire’s rule. Daniel reveals that after defeating the Ram, the Goat’s reign will be limited to seven years. The Goat’s reign will end with the coming of the Lamb and the establishment of the Kingdom of God. The Bible calls these seven years a “week”. 

In the first three and a half years, the Goat will extend his influence over all the world and provide prosperity and security in a manner that the world has never known before. This will assist in the empire’s objective of world domination and an absolute rule over all people. Again, only those who follow the truth of Scripture will be opposing the ungodly characteristics of the Goat. 

These faithful people will be cruelly dealt with by being imprisoned, tortured, and killed. The empire will express a barbaric and merciless character which will cause great fear among the world’s inhabitants and will bring everyone, except those who believe in the Word of God and in the Lamb, to submission. 

The primary objective of the Goat is to thwart the will of God and keep the Kingdom of Gd from being established. The antichrist will allow the Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem and provide security and freedom for the Jewish people. After forty-two months of prosperity and peace throughout the world, the antichrist will feel secure enough to reveal his true intentions. The antichrist is Satan incarnate. 

What he desires most is for people to worship him and not the true God. It has been stated that the antichrist knows the significant role that Israel must play in the establishment of God’s Kingdom; hence, it is not surprising that the antichrist would choose the Temple to reveal himself (this false understanding of himself). What is this false understanding? The antichrist believes he is god and is worthy of all worship. From the time that this empire was established until the middle of the seven years, the antichrist will have done away with nearly all opposition. With the perception that his empire is firmly established, the antichrist will take a certain action. 

With the Temple functioning in Jerusalem, the antichrist will bring an abrupt end to worship taking place. The Apostle Paul states that the antichrist will enter into the Temple and proclaim himself to be God and demand that the world receive him as such. Because of his seemingly benevolent deeds towards Israel, he will assume that the Jewish people will respond favorably to him. While most of the world will readily accept him, the Jewish people and followers of the Lamb will not! It is after this event that followers of the Lamb will be taken to heaven. It is important to realize that most believers in the Lamb will have already been killed or imprisoned. What the Bible calls the Blessed Hope will indeed be a glorious occurrence for all followers of the Lamb, both those alive and those already in heaven; however, the world will not perceive the significance of this event. With the believers taken out of this world, and now Israel alone in opposing the antichrist, a horrible persecution of the Jewish people will begin. 

THE TIME OF TROUBLE FOR JACOB

The Prophet Jeremiah calls this the Time of Trouble for Jacob (Israel). Daniel, in speaking about this same period of time, stresses that it will represent the worst time of suffering for the Jewish people ever. In a manner similar to that of the Nazi Empire, the antichrist will attempt to annihilate every Jewish person. As this persecution begins, God will begin a time of judgement upon the world. This judgement will happen in a manner that will be undeniably from God. Although many Biblical interpreters assert that such manifestations of God’s judgement are through the actions of man, let us examine briefly what actually will take place. 

The Bible reveals that: 

1. Hail and fire mixed with blood will fall from the heavens and destroy a third of the trees throughout the world and its green vegetation. 

2. What will appear as a large mountain burning with fire will be cast into the sea and a third of the seas will become blood. As a result of this, a third of the creatures in the seas will die. In addition to this, a third of the ships will be destroyed. 

3. A great star, burning as a torch, will fall upon a third of the rivers and springs of waters. These waters will become bitter and many people will die. 

4. A third of the Sun, Moon, and stars will be darkened both in the day and in the night. 

5. A star (angel) will descend from the heavens to the abyss. This angel will have a key with which he will open the pit and smoke will arise, bringing a unique type of locust. These “locusts” will not harm the grass or any vegetation, but will torture those individuals who do not have the seal of God upon their foreheads. Only the Jewish people who have this seal will be spared from this torture. 

6. Four angels, which were bound at the Euphrates River, will be set free and they will bring about a war. An exceedingly large army of unique origin (not human) will kill a third of humanity with fire, smoke and brimstone, which will go forth from their mouths and tails. 

Obviously these occurrences of God’s judgement do not have their origins in human activity. The purpose for these clearly supernatural manifestations is to remove all doubt from humanity whether God exists or not. It’s shocking that despite all the death and devastation, people will not turn from their idolatrous behavior and repent before the God of Israel. 

While these judgments are taking place, the Jewish people are continuing to be severely persecuted by the Goat. Those who are in Judea will flee into the wilderness to a place God will have prepared for them. Others will remain in Jerusalem and these will not be cut off from the Holy City. There will be a similar behavior between that of the Goat and how the Nazi empire behaved. Even when it became clear to the Nazi leadership that the war could not be won, instead of ending their horrid massacre against the Jewish people, they actually increased the effort to exterminate them. 

After the manifestation of the six judgements, it will be clear that the Goat is fighting against the forces of the Omnipotent God and therefore cannot win; yet like the Nazis, this empire will ignore this to its own demise and continue to focus on destroying Israel and the Jewish people throughout the world. 

 

THE BATTLE FOR JERUSALEM

Over the last several decades, there have been numerous attempts to broker a peace agreement in the Middle East. One of the most difficult aspects of reaching such an agreement, is the status of Jerusalem. Since 1948 and the declaration of the modern State of Israel, Jerusalem has been at the heart of the conflict and this will only become a greater source of antagonism in the final half of Daniel’s week (the final 42 months). 

Today, this conflict is primarily between the Israelis and the Palestinians. It is clear that the modern Israelis are the descendants of the Patriarch Jacob. But who are the Palestinians? The Prophet Obadiah wrote, like many others, that this world would end with a great war. Obadiah was more specific than other such writers, and he revealed that this final war would be between the sons of Jacob and the sons of Esau. One needs to remember that according to the book of Genesis, Esau was not interested in the purposes of God; however, he was determined to keep Jacob from fulfilling them. 

A people came from Esau and they were known as Edom. When researching this people throughout the Scriptures, one learns that like Esau, Edom stands continually in opposition to the will of God. The Bible states the land that belongs to Edom is the same place from where the Palestinians came. This is very significant. These people simply migrated to some of the cities of ancient Israel, after many of the Jewish people fled the persecution of the Romans, the Muslims, the Crusaders, and the Muslims once more. Hence, the Palestinians are Edom! 

In Obadiah’s prophecy, God warns the world not to join with Edom in warring against the sons of Jacob. Sadly this warning will be ignored. In the end, a large coalition of nations will join with the Palestinians in attacking Israel. Jerusalem will be their objective, and as the Bible reveals, a large international force will enter into Israel from the north. There are three key locations where Israel will attempt to hold off this massive army. The first is Hazor and the second is Beit Shean. These two locations were historically strongholds for maintaining control of the Land. Israel will suffer great losses at these two locations and be virtually defeated. 

ARMAGEDDON

A symbolic “last stand” will be mounted at the third location, known as Megiddo. Megiddo is also known by its Biblical name, Armageddon. Prior to this war, God will have poured out on the world seven additional judgments, which are stronger than the six previous judgments; for these seven plagues contain the wrath of God. Once again, these seven plagues will clearly be supernatural and will leave no doubt in the people’s minds that they are from God. 

What are these seven plagues? 

1.Painful sores will appear on those individuals who have the mark of the beast (empire) and who worship the image. 

2.The seas become blood and every living sea creature will die. 

3.All the rivers and springs of water become blood. 

4.The Sun begins to scorch people with fire. 

5.The Earth becomes full of darkness, people gnash their tongues in great pain and they blaspheme God. 

6.The waters of the Euphrates River will dry up and three unclean spirits will bring the kings of the earth and the whole world to Israel for war. 

7.There will be sounds, thunders, lightnings and a great earthquake. During the sixth plague, the waters of the Euphrates River will dry up and a way will be prepared for a federation of armies to attack Israel. 

These armies will be united and easily have victories at Hazor and Beit Shean. However, when Israel mounts its “last stand” the Bible reveals that Israel will not be alone. It will be at Megiddo (Armageddon) that the Lamb will appear and defeat this vast army. The battle of Armageddon is also known as the war of Gog and Magog. 

Although a great battle will take place at Megiddo, the reader needs to know that a siege was happening against Jerusalem for some time. The battle of Armageddon represents an effort to bring an end to a conflict which has been occurring for 1,260 days, or fortytwo months, or three and a half years. Israel and the Jewish people have been under harsh, barbaric suffering since their rejection of the antichrist at the middle of the week. 

The Goat will have been attacking Jerusalem during this period, but because of the significance of the Holy City, the empire will not want to destroy Jerusalem, but to capture it. The Palestinians, with support from every nation, will be leading the attack on Jerusalem. The Prophet Zechariah reveals that eventually Jerusalem will be taken, Jewish homes will be destroyed and Jewish women will be raped. The residents will be taken into captivity, but a small number of the Jewish residents will remain in the city. 

The defeat of the international coalition at Megiddo will happen so quickly that those in Jerusalem will not even know what has happened, when the Messiah arrives at the Mount of Olives, just east of the Holy City. The Lamb’s coming to Jerusalem will bring victory for the Jewish people. Although most of those who were waging war with Israel will be destroyed, the Scripture does reveal that a remnant of the Gentiles will survive and turn to God through faith in the Lamb. It is important today that people understand how to view the current conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians. 

THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM

Before dealing with the Palestinians as a people, let us affirm a Biblical truth; namely, that God loves all people. In other words, God does not have a favorite people! The question that should arise is not whether God loves me, but whether I am going to be a recipient of His love. It is only through a covenantal relationship with God that one can receive His great and abiding love. What caused Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be the Patriarchs of the people of God? 

The answer is their pursuit of the promises of God, which were contained in the covenant that God first revealed to Abraham. These covenantal promises were extended by God to the Patriarchs as a manifestation of His love. Hence, those who want to receive the love of God will pursue this love by behaving in a manner that is in agreement with the covenantal promises. This is what separated Jacob from Esau. How do these things relate to the Palestinian people today? 

One needs to remember the connection between Esau and his hatred for God’s covenant, and the Palestinian (Edomite) objective today. The Palestinians are united in creating their own State, in the very place in which the Bible commands the Jewish people to live. In fact, the prophets reveal that unless the Jewish people inhabit this land, God will not establish His Kingdom. 

Satan knows this and therefore is using the creation of a Palestinian State in his attempt to thwart the plans of God. Neither the Palestinians nor the rest of the world are basing their actions and positions on the truth of Scripture. Therefore, it is not a coincidence that the world supports a Middle East peace plan that consists of two States for two peoples. 

Although there is not agreement today concerning the borders of a Palestinian State, nor most of the other major problematic issues which must be solved; nevertheless, an increasing number of nations are recognizing a Palestinian State. When one closely examines the positions of the Israelis and the Palestinians on these major issues, is becomes most evident that there is not a basis for an agreement to be made. It is the common perspective by most nations and the world’s political leaders that if the Palestinians are granted a State with the borders and elements they demand, then peace will be achieved. 

In actuality, nothing could be further from the truth. There is no disagreement in the view that a future Palestinian State would be Islamic. Islamic law requires a caliphate. This caliphate is required to rule over all lands that were ever Islamic and Islamic eschatology demands that this caliphate rule over all the world. In other words, a Jewish State in the Middle East cannot be tolerated by Islam. There is no disagreement in this perspective by Muslims (Sharia Law adherents). 

The disagreement among Muslims is over the best way to destroy the Nation of Israel. Palestinians want a State and believe that having their own nation will place them in a better position to lead the Muslim world in destroying Israel. Other Muslims refuse to make any agreement with Israel, even if temporary. They, like Iran, want to wage a war with Israel and bring an end to the Jewish State.