The Ten Toes
When it was pointed out to a Southern Baptist pastor at one of those (now quaint) prophecy conferences they still insist on holding, that there were more than ten European nations in the EEC, he replied that however many there may be now, there will be exactly ten when the Antichrist comes to power.
The only reason this gospel age is possible is because Satan is prevented from deceiving the nations, prevented from uniting them for all-out war against the church. [1] This doesn’t mean that the church isn’t suffering or shouldn’t suffer. Serving and/or suffering is part of the church’s ministry. We fill up the sufferings of Christ before the watching world. [2] What it does mean is that the church cannot be wiped off the face of the earth. The church might be dwindling down to nothing in countries like Turkey, but it is booming in countries of the global south. [3]
This “Babel factor” has been described by James Jordan. See Confused Lip.
“There is hardly a dime’s worth of difference between Molech and Chemosh, but the Moabites and Ammonites did not think they were the same at all. There is hardly a dime’s worth of difference between Leninism and Maoism, but the Russians and Chinese did not think so. Until the nations turn to the true faith, God keeps them at war with one another in terms of their idolatries, and thus keeps them weak.”
Europe will not be united (however temporarily) by any future Antichrist. Europe will only ever be united by the Spirit of Christ—and it will happen.[4] The economic “unity” brought about under the Euro (manmade mortar) is breaking up as we watch. Nations that are righteous get exalted by God. Nations that turn their backs on God are scattered.
The economic crisis is global, and that is scary, even in cushy Australia. But as western culture dies, we know from the Scriptures that when God is breaking, dividing something, He is making something new. He only scatters to reap later. [5]
The ten toes of iron and clay are ancient history. The prophecy refers to the Herods’ attempt to mix–intermarry–their rule (they were Edomites, and edom means “red”) with Roman iron. What is interesting is that while they attempted this “state marriage” of Jew and Gentile, Paul was doing exactly the same thing by the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Ingathering. [6]
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[1] See the article series Amalek Debunks Hyperpreterism (scroll down till you see article 1).
[2] See Postmillennial Suffering.
[3] See The Coming of Global Christianity [PDF]. Related to this, see Dispensationalism is Racist.
[4] See Blood and Soil.
[5] I highly recommend James Jordan’s Crisis, Opportunity and the Chistian Future.
[6] See Heaven and Hell Hybrids, The Sons of God and the Daughters of Men and Counter-FEET.
June 26th, 2010 at 1:04 am
Ahhh….we Southern Baptist pastors are a rare breed indeed.
This gives me an idea though. I’m kind of strapped for cash, maybe I could come up with some flow charts and flannel boards and do a conference….
June 26th, 2010 at 5:19 am
Yes – Bible Matrix flow charts! A new kind of prophecy conference, although I think Gary DeMar just did one of these.