'THE LIBYANS AND THE ETHIOPIANS:
THE LIBYANS AND THE ETHIOPIANS SHALL BE AT HIS STEPS”
Daniel 11:43
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Daniel 11:43: “He shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver and over all the precious things of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.”
Libya--Strong’s #H6316 Phut or Put – a nation and people of northern Africa; probably Libyans
Ethiopian---Strong’s #969a Kuwshiy-descendants of Cush – the southern most people of Africa
I have not understood why it doesn’t feel good to me that al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood-backed “rebels” took possession of Tripoli this week. Gaddafi is an evil dictator and should be over-thrown. However, the military leader of the rebels is called an Al Qaeda asset. The rebels are actively pursuing to take over the Libyan frozen assets. NATO nations are moving quickly to takeover the oil of Libya. The nuclear stockpiles and chemical weapons of Libya are now in the hands of unknown powers. The U.S. government supported this power grab of the treasures of gold and of silver and all the precious things of Egypt and the Libyans.
The UN is presently pushing for the recognition of a Palestinian state. The US is putting the pressure on Israel to give up land for peace. All of this is spiraling the world toward the Day of the Lord.
In Ezekiel chapter 30, following the judgment of Egypt described in chapter 29, Ezekiel is given a prophecy in marked contrast to Chapter 29. Chapter 30 does not date its prophecy. There is no chronological date to determine the date of this chapter. It is believed to prefigure the Day of the Lord in an eschatological sense at the time of the judgment of the nations.
30: 1-5: “The word of the Lord came again to Ezekiel saying, Son of man, prophesy and say, thus says the Lord God, Wail, Alas for the day! Even the day of the Lord is near; it will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. A sword will come upon Egypt, and anguish will be in Ethiopia. When the slain fall in Egypt, they take away her wealth, and her foundations are torn down. Ethiopia, Put, Lud, and all Arabia, Libya, and the people of the land that is in league will fall with them by the sword.”
This “league” could be the Arab League, NATO, U.N. and all other assemblies of nations that have set themselves against Israel.
This reveals a time in which the “Sword” ( the Word of God in judgment) will come upon the world and the carnal mind. “The pride of her power shall come down.”
This past week, the east coast has had two earthquakes and a hurricane. Mayor Bloomberg has arrogantly refused to have prayer at the 9-11 Memorial Services. The U.N. and this administration are in direct conflict with the Lord’s divine purpose for Israel. Anti-Israeli sentiments are escalating.
This past Tuesday I preached on “The Mystery of Iniquity” from 2 Thess. The “he’ of Daniel 11:43 is a future king or anti-christ.
Paul makes clear the events that must precede the Day of the Lord:
- A falling away or widespread rebellion against God known as the Great Apostasy.
- The man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition; who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God.
Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible:
21 Facts about the Antichrist:
- Called the man of sin because he will be the embodiment of lawlessness and leader of the great apostasy. (Rev. 13: 1-18; 14:9-13; 15” 2-4’ 16: 2-12)
- Called the son of perdition because of being destined to destruction by his rebellion, like Judas or any other man who sells himself to satan.
- He is to be revealed.
- He will be the opposer of God.
- Will exalt himself above God.
- He will accept worship as God.
- His worship will be carried on in the temple of God.
- He will claim to be God.
- He has a set time to be revealed.
- God has set supernaturally a power which now holds back or hinders his revelation.
- The spirit of lawlessness now works preparing for his revelation and has worked in the battle between good and evil.
- The mystery of iniquity, or spirit of lawlessness cannot reveal him until the hinderer of lawlessness be taken out of the world.
- When the hinderer of lawlessness is taken out of the world, then shall that wicked by revealed.
- When the wicked one is revealed, he will live until the second advent of Christ, will head the armies at Armageddon, and will be destroyed by Christ. (Rev. 19: 11-21, Dan. 7: 24-28; 8: 23-27; 9:27; 11: 36-45; 12: 1-7; Mt. 24: 15-31)
- Satan will embody a man because he will be killed by Christ at Armageddon (Dan. 7:11; 8:25; Isa. 11:4; Rev. 19: 11-21)
- He will be Satan’s agent and his last attempt to raise up a world dictator.
(Dan. 8:24; 11: 37-39; Rev. 12:2)
- He will have miraculous powers from Satan. (Dan. 8:24; 11:37-39; Rev: 13:2; 11-18; Mt. 24:24)
- He will be a deceiver.
- Those who are lost will follow him.
- The reason for men being deceived by him is that they have rejected truth, loved sin, and refused salvation.
- He will be a great delusion and a lie.
(Vs. 5-7) Do you not remember that when I was with you, I told you these things? Now you know what is restraining him from being revealed in his time. It is so he may be manifested (revealed) in his own (appointed time). For the mystery of iniquity (that hidden principle of rebellion against constituted authority) is already at work in the world, (but it is) restrained only until he who restrains is taken out of the way.
John speaks of many anti-Christs in 1 John 3:18: “Little children, it is the last time (hour, the end of this age). And as you have heard that the antichrist (he who will oppose Christ in the guise of Christ) is coming even now many anti-Christ’s have arisen, which confirms our belief that it is the last time.”
1 John 4:3: “And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God; and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now is already in the world.”
If the apostasy becomes so great that the church is dominated by the man of lawlessness, then we would cease to be a Christian church. The buildings of religion would no longer be used to worship Jesus, but gathering places for people to worship the anti-christ.
Even in the apostle’s day there existed a restraining power (well understood by his hearers, though not by us) which would prevent the revelation of anti-christ so long as it continued to operate. This power is referred to in Verse 6 and 7. I prefer to believe this power is the Holy Spirit. There again are all sorts of controversies:
- Governments
- The church.
- The Holy Spirit
If you are passionate about one or the other, I don’t know anyone who knows more than you do, and that includes the commentators. It seems clear to me that the restraining power would encompass all three entities.
- If a government of a nation denies the sovereignty of God over that nation, then it becomes lawless and ruled by lawlessness.
- If a church does not worship Father, Son and Holy Ghost making place for the Presence and liberty of the Holy Spirit, then it becomes apostate.
- If the Holy Spirit’s presence is lifted, then there is no restraining power against satan.
The forces of lawlessness, although operating beneath the surface of affairs, would not be revealed until the restraint of law and order disappeared. Then they would appear embodied in the man of lawlessness.
Quote from Bill Britton with regard to government that despises leadership whether a nation or the church. “…they claim to be government by the people…but what turns out is that the people’s government is more oppressive than a dictator government…there is a spirit coming against the Church…coming into a country that has not put up its sectarian walls…to do away with the leadership. They say, ‘we don’t want any elders…we just want to get together and have a government by the people.’ And so this spirit has moved against this end-time move of God. Do you know that one of the most destructive things against the efforts of the Holy Ghost to bring forth a people, to build His church, is this spirit that gets to people and says, ‘ This leadership is oppressive. You don’t need that. Just meet together in some place, in a home, or somewhere where there are no leaders…that spirit comes in, and the next thing your know, it is destructive. It tears down and its oppression is communistic in nature. It sets one against the other. It is a government by suspicion. It is a government of cruelty. And you’ll find hat it doesn’t work to…set the church in order.”
Paul passes over the career of the man of lawlessness, and gives no timetable of events, confining himself to asserting the great spiritual truth of the ultimate triumph of Christ.
(Vs. 8-9) “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. Even him whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
BRIGHTNESS OF HIS COMING: - Strong’s #G2015 “epiphaneia" “An appearing, appearance, used by the Greeks of a glorious manifestation of the gods; The presence and power of God.
1 Ti. 6:14: That you keep this commandment without spot unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Ti. 1:10: “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”
2 Ti. 4:1: “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.”
2 Ti. 4:8: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
2:13: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The brightness of His (epiphaneia) will be revealed when he comes (Parousia).
In April 2008, the Lord gave me a message, “The Opening of the Mouth in the Midst of them” from Ez. 29:21:
Ez. 29:21: “In that day will I cause the horn of the house of Israel to bud forth, and I will give you the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
This is Messianic and points to the victory of Jesus Christ over the man of sin “the opening of the mouth in the midst of them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.”
11 Thess. 2:8: 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.”
Rev. 19: 11-21: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he does judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called, THE WORD OF GOD. AND OUT OF HIS MOUTH GOES A SHARP SWORD, THAT WITH IT HE SHOULD SMITE THE NATIONS; AND HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; AND HE TREADS THE WINEPRESSE OF THE FIERCENESS AND WRATH OF ALMIGTHY GOD. And he has on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that you may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies gathered together to make war against him that say on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant was slain with the sword of Him that saw upon the horse which SWORD PRECEDED OUT OF HIS MOUTH; AND ALL THE FOWLS WERE FILLED WITH THEIR FLESH.”
II Thess. 2: 10-12: “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie; That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
Fully acquainted with the luring power of sin, the anti-christ will snare all those who prefer wickedness to the Truth of God. Consequently his offers will attract every heart that has refused to love the truth which could have saved them. He will be given superhuman might; as signs they teach some truth; as wonders, they will amaze men.
The anti-christ is the Little Horn of Daniel 7:
- Conqueror
- speaks blasphemies
- Prevails against saints
- Controls ten nations
- Changes the times and laws (7:11, 21-27)
- Exceedingly dreadful
- A mouth that spoke very great things
The fainthearted at Thessalonica are reassured---only those on the road to ruin will be deceived. In all this the justice and sovereignty of God are vindicated. Behind these verses lies the characteristic OT insight that all events, even the activities of the powers of evil, are ultimately in God’s control. Men are doomed because they refused to love the truth. In Romans 1, God ‘gives them over’, so here in His sovereignty, he allows them to be deceived, and they believe the lie as opposed to the truth.
But as for you, beloved brethren of the Lord, we are deeply moved to give thanks to God for you. We praise Him that you were among those chosen from the beginning to be saved and made holy---both by His Holy Spirit and your faith in the Truth.
He called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which you have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.
Christians living in the last hours will feel the charm of satan’s man. His deceptive powers will be so fantastic, even the very elect could be deceived (Mt. 24:24). Let us be faithful to encourage the faint hearted in these turbulent times.
To that end, may the Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who has so greatly loved us, faithfully supplying encouragement and unfailing hope go even further and by His grace, inspire you with the courage and confidence needed to make you active for Him in both words and deeds.
Daniel 7: 26-27: The judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and all dominions shall serve and obey him.”
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Scripture from K.J.V. and N.A.S.; quotes from sermons by Pastor Sissom; C. S. Lovett’s Lights on 2 Thess.; Bill Britton; Principles of Present Truth from Ezekiel; Kelley Varner; Matthew Henry; F. F. Bruce Bible Commentary, Peter E. Cousins; Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible; Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those from whom I have gleaned.