The Book of Revelation uses the term “Babylon” to describe the end-time, global, religious and political system of the Antimessiah, or Antichrist (Rev. 17 and 18).

“Babylon” was a code word for ancient Rome, the city that ruled the world when John wrote the Book of Revelation. It was an appropriate designation because, like Babylon in her day, first-century Rome had become the center of a worldwide civilization that stood in opposition to the one, true God. Ancient Babylon, in fact, was founded by Nimrod, whose very name may have meant “rebellion” (Gen. 10:8-12). The infamous Tower of Babel represented man-kind’s first notable attempt after the Flood to unify itself in rebellion against God (Gen. 11).

Although not all scholars agree that John used “Babylon” to designate ancient Rome, it is nonetheless an indisputable fact of history that this was a common use of the term in those days (Encyclopaedia Britannica CD 2000, “Roman Catholicism, History of: The Emergence of Roman Catholicism”). Among ancient church authorities, Tertullian, Irenaeus, and Jerome all used “Babylon” to represent the Roman Empire.

So when we read the term “Babylon” in the Book of Revelation, it is clear that John is directing our attention to the Roman Empire. He is telling us that a form or manifestation of the ancient Roman Empire will exist in the end times when the Messiah returns to earth.

Naturally, this teaching was very easy for first-century believers to accept. After all, they believed they were living in the end times (Heb. 1:2). The Roman Empire ruled the world in their day, and they were convinced that Jesus the Messiah would return within a relatively short period of time. So, for them the pieces of the puzzle all fit together very well.

For us, however, things are a bit more complicated. Two thousand years have passed, and the Second Coming prophecies, if we take them literally, have not been fulfilled. The Roman Empire passed into oblivion a millennium and a half ago. How, then, can it be said that the Roman Empire will rule the world when the Messiah returns?

This apparent inconsistency has prompted many commentators to retreat from a literal interpretation of the prophecies in favor of a symbolic interpretation. For instance, many older commentators— particularly those who wrote prior to the reestablishing of national Israel in 1948—attempt to compress all of the prophecies of Matthew 24 into the events of AD 70. This way, the prophecies were fulfilled while the Roman Empire still existed. It also makes it easier to explain those aspects of the prophecies that were supposed to have been fulfilled “soon” or “quickly.”

But there is another possibility that is often overlooked. What if the Roman Empire never really passed away? What if it has only been in a state of dormancy, awaiting a resurgence of Roman (European) world dominance in the end times?

We saw in the previous installment that this is precisely the case. The Roman Empire never really died at all. The apparatus of Roman government was destroyed, yes, but not the spirit and heart of Rome itself. After 1,500 years of dormancy, it has only been in our generation that the institutions of a unified Roman government have begun to be rebuilt. We have been witnesses to the rise of the European Union, whose combined political and economic clout equals or surpasses that of the United States, complete with its own parliament, system of courts, military, and even a unified currency. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that, in a sense, the Roman Empire is alive and well in the 21st century!

This means that the past 2,000 years constitute a parenthetical period sandwiched between (1) two periods of Roman world dominance, and (2) two periods of divine judgment on the nation Israel. Dispensational scholars refer to this (roughly) 2,000-year parenthetical period as the Church Age.

Non-dispensational scholars emphatically deny the existence of any such parenthetical period. They prefer to view history, conveniently, as the systematic unfolding of one event after another, in orderly succession, with nothing in parentheses.

To a majority of non-dispensationalists, then, God visited His people Israel in judgment in the first century, destroyed them because they rejected His Messiah, and replaced them with the Church.

Since that time, they suggest, the Church has been New Israel, the new People of God. In one fell swoop, the Replacement theologians have done away with the need for any pesky parentheses.

Yet the Bible does indeed hint at the existence of a parenthetical period between the first and second comings of our Lord. On one occasion, the Lord Jesus stunned the congregation in Nazareth when He stopped reading right in the middle of a Messianic passage in Isaiah 61.

This was a very familiar Messianic prophecy, so one can easily imagine the congregation’s amazement when He stopped reading abruptly in the middle of Verse 2, carefully rolled the scroll back up, handed it to the synagogue attendant, and sat down. Evidently, this dramatic display had the intended effect: “. . . And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him” (Luke 4:20).

Our Lord knew full well that not all of the prophecies would be fulfilled at the time of His first coming. In this instance, He read only the portion of the prophecy that was being fulfilled at that time: “. . . This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (v. 21). He knew the remainder of this particular prophecy, regarding divine vengeance and the final deliverance of Israel from her enemies, would not be fulfilled until He came the second time. Between these two comings would be an interlude, or parenthesis, of unknown duration.

Another indication of a parenthetical period between the first and second comings of the Messiah is found in Daniel’s prophecy of the 70 Weeks (9:20-27). In this remarkable passage, Daniel refers to 70 “sevens,” or 70 weeks of years. The Prophet divides these 490 years into three consecutive segments: (1) seven “sevens” (49 years), followed by (2) 62 “sevens” (434 years), and finally (3) one “seven” (seven years). According to Daniel 9:25, the period from the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the coming of the Messiah would be seven weeks (49 years) plus 62 weeks (434 years), totaling 69 weeks or 483 years. The 70th Week is when the Antimessiah confirms a seven-year covenant between himself, Israel, and her neighbors in the Middle East.

Interestingly, however, Daniel 9:26 describes a temporal gap of unknown duration between the 69th and 70th weeks. The Prophet says “after” the 69 weeks (that is, the seven weeks followed by 62 weeks) have expired, the Messiah would be “cut off,” or executed. Jerusalem and the Temple would be subsequently destroyed, and warfare would continue until “the end” of this 483-year period. Then the 70th Week of Daniel, another seven-year period, begins in 9:27.

It is clear that the Prophet presents this span of time (490 years, represented by the 70 “weeks”) in precisely measured segments because these segments were separated by events the Holy Spirit considered significant.

How else could the Messiah be executed after the 69th week and yet before the commencement of the 70th week, unless there is an interlude between the 69th and 70th weeks? So once again, we find evidence of a parenthetical time span between the first and second comings of our Lord. And now, with the benefit of hindsight, we can see that the significant events that occur between the 69th and 70th weeks are the crucifixion and resurrection of the Messiah, the birth of the Church, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the continuation of the Church Age up until the Rapture.

Not One, But Two Comings Of the Messiah

But we still have not exhausted the evidence for a time gap between the 69th and 70th weeks. What about the undeniable fact that the coming of the divine Deliverer is portrayed in two distinctively different ways in Scripture? On the one hand, the Scriptures say the Messiah comes in humility to die (Psalm 22:1-21; Isa. 53:7; Zech. 12:10-14), while on the other hand, we are told that He comes to crush Israel’s enemies and to rule as the divine King (Psalm 48:1-2; Isa. 9:6-7; Dan. 9:9-14). How can one Person possibly carry out both of these missions simultaneously?

Sometimes the rabbis will say this idea of a suffering and dying Messiah is a Christian invention. They suggest that such a notion is not found in the Jewish (Old Testament) Scriptures. Yet the truth is that the ancient sages of Israel themselves recognized this apparent contradiction in the Messianic prophecies. They saw that there were two distinctive tracks of prophecy—one pointing to a suffering and dying Servant-Messiah and the other pointing to a ruling and reigning King-Messiah.

According to Raphael Patai in The Messiah Texts (Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1979), the rabbis resolved this problem by splitting up the Messianic office. The Messiah who would suffer and die was called Mashiach ben Yosef or Mashiach ben ephraim, Messiah Son of Joseph or Son of Ephraim. The One who would vanquish Israel’s enemies and rule as King was Mashiach ben David, or Messiah Son of David (pp. 165-170).

The rabbis’ solution, then, was to suggest that there would be two Messiahs, each of whom would come once. However, we know the truth: There is one Messiah who comes twice. His first coming was 2,000 years ago, when Yeshua of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem. His Second Coming is yet future, when He will come as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Daniel’s point, then, is clear. The “cutting off” of the Messiah occurs during an interlude between the 69th and 70th weeks. Calculate the number of years and even many of the rabbis agree that the 69th week ended sometime in the first century. Then the 70th week telescopes the remainder of the prophecy far into the future, to the end of this age and the coming Tribulation Period.

Daniel further explains that “. . . the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; . . .” (Dan. 9:26). This coming prince (Heb., nagid), we believe, is the Antimessiah. He stands in opposition to the Anointed Prince (Heb.,Mashiach Nagid) mentioned in the previous verse. This helps us identify the ethnic heritage from which the Antimessiah will come because it says his people would destroy Jerusalem and the Temple in AD 70—a prophecy that was ultimately fulfilled by Titus and his Roman armies. The Antimessiah, then, will be a Roman, or European. That is, he will arise from the Mediterranean world, or from the region once ruled by the ancient Roman Empire.

The Antimessiah, or Beast, will be a world political figure (Rev. 13:1-18). He will work in cooperation with a world religious leader known as “the False Prophet” (16:13; 19:20; 20:10). Completing this counterfeit Trinity in the Book of Revelation is the old Serpent, Satan himself (12:9, 14-15; 20:2; see also Gen. 3:1-19).

So there is an almost uncanny continuity between the ancient Roman Empire and the global kingdom the Bible says will arise in the end times. All that separates the two is the divinely placed parenthesis between the 69th and 70th weeks of Daniel.

Setting the Stage for the End of the World

There are several ways in which the world is being prepared for the advent of these two prophetic figures—the Beast and the False Prophet.

Getting the World Ready—Religiously

A few decades ago, we thought our biggest enemies were the communists, atheists, and secular humanists. Now, however, we know that is not true. Satan’s work in the end times will be done by religious people—very religious people, in fact—many of whom will be professing “Christians.” The coming world government of the Antimessiah will come to power largely through its cooperation with a worldwide religious movement presided over by the False Prophet.

In Matthew 24, the disciples asked Jesus two questions. First, since He had just prophesied that the Temple would be destroyed and the Temple Mount platform leveled right down to the foundation stones (24:2), they wanted to know when these tumultuous events would occur. Their second question was, “ . . . what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (v. 3).

One key to correctly interpreting Matthew 24 is realizing that our Lord is answering both of these questions. Although His disciples did not know it at the time, His response incorporates two sets of events that occur nearly 2,000 years apart: the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 and His yet-future return in glory. In this Olivet Discourse, references to both events are masterfully woven into the fabric of the same passage. The result is a magnificent prophetic tapestry only fully appreciated by those who understand its design.

Note that the very first sign He mentions here is that of spiritual deception. He says: “. . . Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am [the Messiah]; and shall deceive many” (24:4-5). A few verses later, He warns about false prophets (v. 11) and even says they will attempt to subvert and deceive God’s chosen ones by performing “signs and wonders” (vv. 23-28).

Now you might say, “Gary, there has always been religious deception. So how can this be a sign of the end times?” And you would be right—there has always been religious deception. But remember, there is yet another key to interpreting Matthew 24 correctly, and that is the “birth pang” principle.

Jesus said these signs and trends in the world do not signify the end by themselves because they are only “the beginning of sorrows” (v. 8). The Greek word translated “sorrows” literally means “birth pangs.” In other words, these prophetic signs and trends are like a pregnant woman’s labor pains. That is, these signs and trends do not signify the approach of the end until (1) they begin to increase in frequency and intensity, like labor pains, and (2) they are all occurring simultaneously (“when you see all these things,” v. 33). When these two things are true, then and only then can we know the end is near.

The question we ask, then, is “Is each one of these phenomena increasing noticeably and measurably in frequency and intensity?” If so, this is clearly an indication that we are approaching the end of this age.

Now let’s think about this together. First, we realize that the future signs and trends our Lord describes in His Olivet Discourse will occur during the Tribulation Period. Must we assume, though, that these phenomena will not be evident until after the Tribulation begins? I don’t think so. After all, a trend, by its very definition, is something that develops over a period of time. We have every reason, then, to expect these prophetic trends to begin to unfold while the Church is still here, prior to the Rapture.

So let’s ask ourselves a question. Has there been a measurable increase in spiritual deception in our generation? Well, can you think of any time in the last 2,000 years when there has been more religious deception than there is today? True enough, there have always been false prophets and wolves masquerading in sheep’s clothing. Yes, there have always been showmen and charlatans like Elmer Gantry. And certainly we know there have always been cults and false religious movements. But here’s the important point: False religionists have never been as numerous and pervasive as they are today.

No wonder Jesus said the time will come when the deception will become so intense and widespread, even His own chosen ones, “the elect,” might be fooled by it (v. 24). Historically, false religious movements and heresies have been quickly identified and forcefully denounced. But in our generation, false teachings are infiltrating the true Church, the Body of the Messiah, on an unprecedented scale.

Skyrocketing operating costs have prompted many large ministries to water down the Gospel to avoid offending potential donors. These dollar-driven organizations avoid controversy at all costs because, after all, they have to meet their yearly budgets. Meanwhile, the evangelical ship of state is being sucked into a deadly whirlpool of compromise, and the only ones left to sound the alarm are a few “voice-in-the-wilderness” ministries like CJFM.

It should be no surprise, then, that the first thing Jesus warned His followers about in Matthew 24 was false religionists. On another occasion, as recorded in Matthew 7:21-23, He declared:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Note that these are professing Christians. They call Him “Lord” and they use His name. Yet, He says He never knew them. How tragic!

The End-Time, Global Church In the Book of Revelation

We are introduced to the end-time religious leader, the False Prophet, in Revelation 16:13. His global, counterfeit religious movement is portrayed with vivid symbols in Revelation 17. She is seen in this stunning passage as a prostitute “With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication” (v. 2). This ecumenical monstrosity, evidently, is headquartered in Rome.

Historically, this has prompted Reformers and other non-Catholics to identify this end-time, global religious system as Roman Catholicism. After all, they say, if the shoe fits, wear it. And, admittedly, the shoe fits the Vatican rather well.

Several important benchmarks in this chapter point to the Vatican—including (1) her immense wealth (v. 4), (2) her historic persecution and martyrdom of non-Catholics (v. 6), for which Pope John Paul II has apologized repeatedly, (3) her forging of alliances with the leaders and nations of the world (v. 2), as evidenced even today by the fact that the Vatican is the only religious center in the world that maintains an active, governmental diplomatic mission, and (4) the reference to the seven hills (v. 9).

We saw earlier in this study that some of the world’s most erudite scholars, writing in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, identify Rome as “the city on seven hills.” This is not fundamentalist propaganda, but a simple statement of fact.

However, it is misleading to pin this whole thing on the Catholics. In fact, we’re not even sure the Antimessiah will be Catholic. He could be from some other religious tradition entirely. The indications are that the end-time, global religious system will encompass much more than just Roman Catholicism. Also included will be apostate Protestantism, pseudo-Christian cults (like the Mormans), New Age and eastern religions, Islam, and a host of other religious groups—including even some Methodists, Baptists, Episcopalians, and members of other mainline denominations.

Not far from where we live, in fact, there is a large Baptist church where the pastor does not believe in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture, the virgin birth of our Lord, or almost any other cardinal doctrine of the historic Christian faith. Yet he is very popular because of his winsome and charismatic personality. We see this preacher on television from time to time, and he will no doubt be one of the first to jump on the Antimessiah’s ecumenical bandwagon when the time arrives. Ironically, I have more in common with some Catholic priests I have met than I do with this apostate Baptist clergyman.

Nonetheless, the leadership role of the Catholic Church in this end-time, inclusive, global religious movement is undeniable. In a trip to the Middle East, Pope John Paul II made overtures to Islamic leaders, speaking of the need for unity and cooperation among the major religions of the world.

At an “Interreligious Meeting” held in Jerusalem on March 23, 2000, the Pope delivered a speech to Jewish, Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Muslim clergy, telling them: “We are conscious that closer ties among all believers are a necessary and urgent condition for securing a more just and peaceful world . . . We all agree that religion must be genuinely centered on God, and that our first religious duty is adoration, praise, and thanksgiving. The opening sura of the Qur’an makes this clear: ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of the Universe’ (Qur’an, 1:1).” (The complete text is available on the Internet at www.ewtn.com/holyland2000/words/Jerusalem_Interreligious.htm.)

Note the Pope’s reference to adherents of the world’s major religions as “believers.” According to the Bible, however, it is not enough merely to believe. The New Testament points out that even the demons tremble with fear at the realization that God exists (James 2:19), and they obviously have no part in God’s salvation. So belief alone is not enough.

What really matters is what you and I believe about Yeshua of Nazareth and the redemption He wrought on Calvary 2,000 years ago. If this is not the focus of our faith, we are lost!

Poor John F. Kennedy Jr., along with two other precious souls, perished because he believed he was flying at the correct altitude in the darkness of a cool, moonless, summer night, when in fact his small plane was plunging blindly toward a watery grave in the Atlantic.

If he had paid attention to his instruments rather than trusting his instincts, he would have been alerted to the danger. At the moment of impact, his belief—no matter how sincere—could not help him, because he believed the wrong thing.

Likewise, imagine two “believers” standing side by side. However, they do not believe alike. One believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and the other believes in Confucius. So which of these individuals is truly saved? Who has the truth, and whose eternal destiny is secure? The answer is, the one who believes the right thing—the Gospel of our
blessed Messiah. Faith must be focused on the correct object or it’s not true, biblical, saving faith.

In fact, faith in the wrong thing can put you in more peril than no faith at all. That is why our Lord continually warned His followers about the deadly reality of spiritual deception. This is only one way in which the current religious scene is unfolding exactly as the Prophets said it would.

Concluded Next Week