Been Thinking About

Middle East Peace and Anti-Christ

Posted by Mart De Haan
January 6th, 2009
Filed in Prophecy
8 Comments » 

With regard to the emerging humanitarian crisis in Gaza, I wrote in a previous post about valuing the humanistic attempts of world governments to restore order and sanity to the region. I also expressed the conviction that “It is so important for the Body of Christ to rise above partisan alignments and to pray and speak out for some measure of justice, mercy, and humanitarian relief for both Jewish and Arab families…”

In response, one of the friends of this blog wrote, “The Bible tells us about a certain charismatic political leader… who will work for some kind of solution that will result in peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors… a peace that will enable the Jews to rebuild their Temple. Should we, the Body of Christ value his attempts? Sounds very scary to me…”

Let’s talk about that. Admittedly, such a scenario will sound like science fiction to some. But it is Bible, and the kind of issue that was important to Jewish prophets (Daniel 9:27; 11:36), Jesus (Matt 24:14), and his apostles (2Thess 2). (spoof pic off TV commercial)

As many of us know, the church is divided in its opinion about whether the Body of Christ (i.e. his people of all nations) will be on earth when the “man of sin” brings a false peace to the Middle East.

So in an effort to come together around an issue that divides us, I find it important to note some reassuring and unifying words that the Apostle Paul wrote in his second New Testament letter to the Thessalonians. In this letter, he writes to followers of Christ who, in the first century, were already confused and alarmed about where they were in relation to “the last days”. As fearsome as the subject is, Paul does not write in an alarmist way. Instead he asks, “Don’t you remember what I told you when I was still with you?” (Thess 2:5)

He wants them to remember that he had already tried to disarm unnecessary fears by saying, “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2Thess 2:2-3).

The Apostle goes on to talk about the great deception that will come upon those “who are lost” and who have refused the truth that could have saved them (v 10).

Then, and I think this is so important to see, Paul encourages his readers to take great confidence and comfort from their relationship with Christ (v 13-17). He contrasts them with those who have rejected the truth and who will therefore be vulnerable to the great lie of “the son of destruction” who will come.

The chapter ends with Paul’s “blessing”, “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.”

Seems to me that these words were written to calm unnecessary fears and prompt us to acts of faith and love rather than giving us an excuse to act “out of character.”

Worst case would be for us to use our own prophetic scenario either to divide us against ourselves, or to lure us into a self-protective partiality and detachment from the plight of anyone in the Middle East… or anywhere else.

Best case, I’m thinking, would be for us to be known as a people who find the kind of security in Christ that enables us, as we have occasion, to show love and good will to all. We do this, in part, because we see Anti-Christ as the great deceiver of all who reject “the truth” of the crucified, resurrected, and yet to return Messiah.

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