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Daniel's Dreadful Fourth Beast
Here is an accurate, albeit alarming, picture of the state of the world just before Jesus comes back to earth. By Ken Raggio "Prophecy Illiteracy" is perhaps the biggest obstacle to people knowing the truth of the matter. In this so-called "Christian" nation, in-depth Bible Prophecy teaching is almost non-existent. A small number of prophecy preachers are recognizable in the television ministries, but tragically, many of their insights are not scriptural at all, and are woefully misleading. Understanding Bible Prophecy is not a simple matter. You cannot comprehend the real picture of what God says will take place in these end-times unless you take the time to study the scriptures in depth. Probably the biggest reason there is so much "junk" teaching is because people do NOT take the time to study it out thoroughly. It is easy to draw the wrong conclusions unless you have a thorough knowledge of scriptures on these subjects. Consequently, most people simply avoid the subject. You would not believe how many pastors and believers have written me to say that they "never really pay any attention to prophecy", or "never teach it", or they think that churches should just get on with saving souls and don't worry about prophecy issues. I believe that is a very serious problem. One-third of the Bible deals with prophetic issues. To categorically ignore the subject of Bible prophecy is to turn a blind eye to an enormous amount of what God is saying to the church. That cannot happen without losing something of great significance. Most people HAVE NO IDEA what all the Bible says about the days we are living in. They want to believe that Jesus is going to come back to a world that is running full-speed ahead, making money, prospering, feeling good, everybody happy, blah, blah, blah. They want to believe that the church will be running wide open with revival, and that churches will be building mega-buildings with mega-budgets and mega-programs. But I see an entirely different scenario in the Bible. BIBLE PROPHECY PAINTS A VERY GLOOMY PICTURE ABOUT THE STATE OF THE WORLD BEFORE JESUS COMES BACK. Read Daniel 7, which contains a description of the world under rule of the dreadful beast government. BEFORE the Little Horn (presumably the Antichrist) rises in verse 8, the dreadful fourth beast of endtime world government rises up. Take notice of what it does: Daniel 7:7 - "After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns." Let me comment on this endtime world government (AKA New World Order), using this verse as a reference. 1. New World Order is DREADFUL and TERRIBLE. 2. New World Order is STRONG EXCEEDINGLY 3. New World Order has GREAT IRON TEETH (as in Communism/Socialism) 4. New World Order DEVOURS and BREAKS IN PIECES 5. New World Order STAMPS the RESIDUE with its FEET I believe that virtually everyone of us will live to see the World Government that Daniel foresaw. (Yes, I do believe that the Church will go through the Tribulation. See the list of articles on e home page.) New World Order will be Dreadful. Terrible. Strong. Iron. Devouring, breaking in pieces and stamping the residue of everything that does not comply with its agenda (including churches and Christians). That calls to mind the Apostle Paul's prophecy in 2 Timothy 3:1, "This know also, that in the last days PERILOUS TIMES shall come." PERILOUS is defined as "hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage." Hence, the days ahead are going to be "hard to bear, troublesome, dangerous, harsh, fierce, savage". JESUS CHRIST himself said in Matthew 24:6-9, "And ye shall hear of WARS and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be FAMINES, and PESTILENCES, and EARTHQUAKES, in divers places. Friend, I ask you to answer for yourself what these statements mean. You may say that it refers to the EARLY CHURCH! I say it doesn't. Look at Revelation 6:11, at the souls of the early church martyrs waiting for the endtime saints to die like they did. "And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." Jesus continued in Matthew 24:10, "And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." I have been criticized for causing panic. I deny the charge. I don't know of one Pastor or Christian who is in a true state of panic or alarm over coming events. All things continue as they have for years. By NO MEANS have I yet seen anyone PANICKING. I fully expect to see a great deal of mud slinging and ultimately heinous acts of betrayal among Christians as the two sides polarize: those who think we should only be POSITIVE, REVIVALIST, and GROWTH-MINDED versus those who believe that we should prepare for the TRIBULATION. Why? Because JESUS prophesied that there would be an atmosphere of offenses and betrayals before he returns. I do not wish it to be so, except that I know God warned of it. Why do I feel these things should be said? Because the BIBLE says them!! I don't have the freedom to pass over them or ignore them! A minister of the gospel is a DEBTOR to preach the whole counsel of God - not just the easy parts! If you aren't ready to meet God, then read the Great Doctrines of the Apostolic Faith Series . They will show you the way to prepare for eternity. God bless you, Ken Raggio I am continually writing new content for this site. Please return often for more material, and tell your friends about www.kenraggio.com, too! THANKS! And God bless you! Ken Raggio 
ALL ARTICLES WRITTEN BY KEN RAGGIO, Copyright 1988-2008
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