Paul wrote to the early church to not be “soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (2 Thessalonians 2:2-4) This antichrist power is the one with which every one of us living in these last days will have to contend and oppose if we are to meet Jesus in peace. It is a power that claims to be God on earth and demands all the world pay homage to it (Revelation 13:3, 8) under the penalty of boycott and eventual death (Revelation 13:15-17). The identity of this power is so intricately detailed in the prophetic books of Daniel and Revelation that none need be confused or uncertain as to who it is, when it is to arise, how long it is to rule, what it will do, and what will eventually become of it. It is imperative that everyone understands fully who this power is and what constitutes its mark of power and authority to which all must obediently submit or face death. This is a most important issue with which every individual upon this earth should give deliberate consideration to, for whether or not one submits to this power and receives this mark shall determine whether they shall receive eternal life or eternal damnation. Revelation contains the most awesome warning concerning the punishment to be handed out by God upon those who receive this mark and thus submit to the professed power of Antichrist. “If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” (Revelation 14:9-11) Joe Gresham PB 52 pg
