A third of a million results for “Antichrist, August 30, 2016” on Google suggest widespread belief that end-times will begin in 2016, but searching several linked sources reveals no explanation for why antichrist appears Aug. 30, in spite of the date in Hagee’s YouTube title.
Hagee’s August date and assurance of a rapture first sounds like Harold Camping, but there are a dozen reasons to counter a pre-tribulation rapture that came from John Darby in the early 1800’s. Here are a couple examples.
The first is popularized from the book and movie series, “Left Behind” in which Christians are supposedly taken to heaven. But if one reads the parallel passage in Luke 17:36,37, when Christ says one will be taken, the disciples ask, “Where, Lord?” and He replies, “Where the body is, there will the eagles be gathered.” (not taken to heaven, but the dinner of the vultures at the end of the world, Revelation 19:17.
Another example is the use of Paul’s statement on the 2nd coming of Christ: “For the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout… with the trump of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up… ” 1Thessalonians 4:16,17.
But most Evangelical Christians do not compare Paul’s other comment on this–It’s “at the LAST trump, for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible.” 1Corinthians 15:52. There are seven trumpets, Revelation 8:6 that follow an earthquake in the previous verse and we haven’t seen that earthquake yet.
Earthquakes are happening around the world, but the ancient lukewarm church of Laodicea ended in an earthquake that destroyed the city. America has a lukewarm Christianity that is also materialistic as Revelation 3:15-21 describes, but the deeper meaning of the “knock” at the door is an earthquake that will surprise preachers who are saying rapture first.
Hagee also thinks Antichrist is coming by August 30. Antichrist may have more than one application.
#1. Antichrist can mean in place of Christ and for 1000+ years, millions of people have trusted a religion that claimed to forgive sin and promise salvation, even being able to pray a person out of purgatory (a word not found in the Bible) for money.
That system is plagued with child abuse and homosexuality but most people shrug it off rather than “repent” and “call no man Father” as Christ said. “Who can forgive sin but God?” This author once opened his home to an alcoholic priest for a week. The church took the daily experience for Christians away–no Bible study, prayer or witnessing, represented by the table of bread, altar of incense, and light of the candlesticks in the Holy Place of the sanctuary showing the experience of believers. Now it’s the mass and priest on Sunday or confessional instead of a believer’s daily experience. It’s antichrist-in place of Christ.
Hagee thinks the coming antichrist will be shot in the head and miraculously recover, but the deadly wound has already happened with the Protestant Reformation and Napoleon’s capture of the pope who died in exile, also in Revelation 13. Hagee mentioned the number 666 from Revelation 13, but didn’t mention the pope’s title, VICARIUS FILII DEI [vicar of the Son of God] as it adds up to 666 in Roman numerals (Google).
#2. There will probably be a Muslim leader who will arise to claim leadership to wipe out infidels for a coming Imam Mahdi–world ruler. This will be an obvious antichrist who will be conquered as Daniel 8 shows in the stomping of a militant Muslim ram with two horns broken. Gabriel said the vision is at the time of the end, so the Medes and Persians then (in this proven vision) are now Iraq and Iran, but Hagee preaches peace and safety for Jerusalem that doesn’t fit Zechariah 14. Its destruction may be the reason for the goat’s anger in Daniel 8.
#3. The imagery of Revelation 17 supports a New World Order (NWO) antichrist, papal leadership. A beast (government) is ridden by a harlot (unfaithful church) that has fornication with kings and is decked in gold (wealthy) and scarlet (color of cardinals), “mother of harlots” (mother church-her daughters no longer protest her), sitting on seven hills (Rome) and drunken with the blood of saints. Most history books have been laundered to no longer reveal the 50-100 million who died as martyrs for what they believed. America was founded, by Christians risking their lives to flee the Old World for freedom here.
In the context of a 7-year ending, near the end of the NWO beast’s power for 42 months (Revelation 13), Satan will appear as Jesus, to work miracles and deceive the whole world. Only a small minority will stand against the NWO and mark which brings the plagues of God (14th chapter) but those who do may be spared when Christ comes and “every eye shall see Him,” Revelation 1.