IS ANTIOCHUS EPIPHANES THE ANTICHRIST??

 Updated 05/08/2003: Made easy to print out; Updated 03/02/2006: Took off bold off of lettering.

Declaring that Antiochus Epiphanes is the Antichrist is not only an incorrect assertion but it is a ludicrous one.  That alone is enough evidence to show that we cannot follow in the footsteps of any who presents such a point.  We should be content to "suffer" with the seeming "discrepancies" and "inconsistencies" of Ellen White which are typically labored upon day and night by these among us demanding change.  Will they be able to see the absolute discrepancies of the idea that Antiochus Epiphanes is the Antichrist?

The very purpose of the book of Revelation was to show a terrible conflict in the future.  This conflict is of utmost importance to the saints.  The conflict is with an extremely powerful organization that permeates every portion of the lives of mankind.  The Scriptures even show us the rewards of those who overcome this Antichrist Beast power soon to make his appearance.  It says:

Revelation 15:2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

We here see that a great honor is conferred upon the Saints for overcoming the Beast.  This shows how terrible is the power of this entity called the Beast.  The Scriptures also show us that when Christ comes, he will deal with this Beast power:

Rev. 19:20  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.
21  And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

From this scripture we also see the great collaboration between the Beast and the False Prophet, and how Christ will deal with them when He ultimately arrives.  Where now is Antiochus Epiphanes?  The very purpose of all these prophecies was to show important events to take place at the end of time.  When Jesus first gave the book of Revelation to the Apostle John, he made John to pen these words:

Rev 1:1  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
3  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are
written therein: for the time is at hand.

The book of Revelation was created to show the saints what will take place in the future.  But Antiochus Epiphanes lived more than a century before Christ--almost two centuries.  To tell us that Antiochus Epiphanes is the Antichrist is to commit blasphemy in cutting down the entire message and prophecy Christ took the time to reveal.  Christ did not reveal himself to John the Revelator in order to show his people the terrors posed against themselves and the truth by an emperor who had died more than a century previous.  Such a premise is actually making Christ out to be the most grandiose of idiots.  The message was to show things that must come to pass in the future.  This emperor (Antiochus Epiphanes) was not even all that great.  The Antichrist will be great, and will rule the entire world.

Rev. 13:7  And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Rev. 13:3  And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Here we see that "all the world" will wonder after and worship the Beast.  This gives full explanation for why the scriptures of Isaiah and Jeremiah tell us that the earth will be "UTTERLY" broken down and "SPOILED" when Christ comes back the second time.  The Antichrist becomes so powerful, that people would even ask who would be greater than him!  Did people ask that such a question when looking at Antiochus Epiphanes??  Antiochus Epiphanes himself was subject to a more powerful ruler who ruled the world at that time!

Here are more points to show how ridiculous it is to even consider that the Antichrist is Antiochus Epiphanes by the late Dr. Mervyn Maxwell.  The following weblink leads you to an excerpt from his book, God and His Sanctuary, copyright 1980.  Please go and read it now, and then come back and continue.

[Sorry!  We lost the link and the information, but we're trying to recover it!]

WELCOME BACK!

We therefore have some idea of what has happened.

When did the Investigative Judgment start?  It started in 1844.  Why is it that it started then?  It could not really start earlier, for the Dark Ages had practically just ended.  That is what was meant when the scripture stated:

Daniel 8:13  Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden under foot?
14  And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

This scripture was talking about the abomination of desolation where a satanic force united and infiltrated Christianity, and the result was that the truth was effectively withheld and suppressed for centuries.  That particular prophecy traced the genealogy that would identify the Antichrist.  It first talked about the ram representing Medo-Persia, and then the He-Goat that would fight against it and trample it underfoot.  It then showed how that He-Goat would be broken after which four horns would arise, and then the Little Horn would arise among them and would ultimately rule the world.

In those centuries of the Dark Ages, it was literally unfair for the Lord to start the judgment then.  Only after the light of the Gospel shown out through Protestantism was there a message pre-dating the actual event of the Investigative Judgment and a call for all to prepare for the inauguration of the event.  All this knowledge and unsealing of the books of Daniel and the Revelation came about directly after the Dark Ages.  It could not have been done sooner.  The Lord allowed Rome to dominate the scene for well over a millenia.  The Lord therefore stated that after 2300 days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.

In that statement, Christ is not telling us that the process of the cleansing of the Sanctuary will be completed.  He is telling us that the process will begin at that time, for the cleansing of the Sanctuary is a process.  Christ could not and would never tell anyone when the process of the cleansing of the Sanctuary will be over, for to do so will be to reveal when He will ultimately come back.  The rituals show us that the process of the cleansing of the Sanctuary is actual judgment, and that after that process, whosoever was not found afflicting his soul and confessing and repenting of all his sins, was put to death.  So in Revelation 15, it is shown what happens after the sanctuary is cleansed:

Rev. 15:1  And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
2  And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3  And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
4  Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
5  And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened:
6  And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.
7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.
8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.
16:1  And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Notice that the angels carrying the wrath of God come out of the very temple that was to be cleansed.  At this time the cleansing had been complete.  This process is more directly described by the following words:

Rev. 22:11  He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12  And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Since the work of our Great High Priest is then ended, the Atonement is now complete and there is no more forgiveness for anyone.  While there was an High Priest continually bearing the prayers of the saints in His censer as smoke before the face of the Father, we know that the Atonement was still in progress.  Forgiveness is still a possibility.  The declaration above shows us what happens when that benefit is finally taken away and the Atonement is complete.

What happens then??

CHRIST COMES BACK WITH HIS REWARDS TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORKS, OF COURSE!

Why isn't Christ back yet?

He is not back yet because the Atonement is still going on, and you can pray and have forgiveness of your sins.  When the Seven Last Plagues fall, know for sure, that you no longer have that benefit, for the Atonement would be complete.

It is a prime mandate for those working for Rome to show us that the Atonement was completed already at the cross, so that they can destroy the 1844 Judgment scenario.  That way, they can halt all special preparation for the stupendous and awesome event about to transpire.  All those who repent of their sins and afflict their souls in preparation for the withstanding of the actual presence of God as had happened in the times of Ancient Israel, would be able to withstand the imminent and well-planned inquisition about to take the world by surprise.  When Christ comes the second time, the entire earth will become one great Most Holy Place.  Anything which is not perfectly holy before His face will be swept away most dreadfully.  In order to help His people overcome this test, God permits persecution to again enrapt the world.  His people are then forced to call out to Him continually, and it is by that means that many among them will conquer.

The other side therefore wants to make sure that no one withstands the inquisition or the stealthy but forced takeover of all the governments of the world and the churches.  They are therefore sent to tell us that the Atonement has been completed already, that there is no such thing as an Investigative Judgment, or that we cannot eliminate sin from our lives, or that we must celebrate and not worry about tomorrow.  All this is done to prevent us from being empowered against the devastation of the whole globe about to occur.  That is the essential difference between the message from heaven, and the message from hell among the ranks of the saints.  You couldn’t tell the Israelites that they were not to earnestly plead with God and afflict their souls in order to make preparation to meet His holy presence.  You couldn’t get them to be dumb enough to celebrate at that time.  They heard what the Lord had told them, and understood that before them was a most trying time.  As the end approaches, we must be the same!
 

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