The False Ascension Of Antichrist

[kafka]

I have an interest in Eschatology. Here is what I learned so far concerning this subject with some of my own insights. I though it would be informative and interesting to discuss:

In the distant future, at the very end of the nearly seven year reign of Antichrist over nearly the entire world; in desperation he will attempt a false ascension into Heaven in order to be worshiped by the peoples of the world. First, in summary here are some of the major events in his life which lead up to his false ascension attempt:

*by military might and deception he comes into control the ten kingdoms of the world
*he bans all religion, proclaims himself as a god, consolidates his power, and begins to persecute Christians
*about halfway through his reign Christians recognize him as Antichrist and plan a resistance
*Antichrist amasses a huge military to crush the resistance but is intercepted by Roman Catholic warships(with a new weapon) from another part of the world. Antichrist, afraid for his life retreats and is humiliated.
*In retaliation, Antichrist with the help of the False Prophetess and fallen away Catholics devise and set up the abomination of desolation(the false, perverse imitation of the Eucharist) in Catholic Churches around the world. The churches reopen and the new religion & false worship begins seducing and damning the nations.
*The two prophets of Revelation, Enoch & Elias appear, preach the Gospel and are able to send plagues and sufferings wherever they desire by the power the God. Antichrist and the False Prophet are unable to stop them.
*Finally, Enoch & Elias are permitted by God to die, and are recorded live for the whole world to see. After 3.5 days, God raises Enoch & Elias from the dead and assumes them into Heaven.
*After this stupendous event Antichrist & the False Prophetess are discredited and begin tolose their influence over the world

At this point, after different approaches, Antichrist & the False Prophet decide to stage a false/fake ascension into Heaven in order to convince the world to begin worshiping him again. I'll use Scripture and La Salette to explain:

From paragraph 33 of the message of La Salette:
33. ‘Behold the time; the abyss opens. Behold the king of kings of darkness. Behold the beast with his subjects, calling himself the savior of the world. He will raise himself up with pride into the air in order to go even up to heaven; he will be smothered by the breath of the holy Archangel Michael.

~the beast refers to Antichrist. With the help of fallen angels and technology he together with the False Prophetess will stage a false ascension for all the world to see on the the future equivalent of live television. As Antichrist rises in the air the Archangel Michael smothers his ascent causing him to fall to the ground, and severely injuring him for all the world to see. Then, finally the world loses all belief in Antichrist and the False Prophet.

From Daniel:
{7:11} I watched because of the voice of the great words which that horn was speaking, and I saw that the beast had been destroyed, and its body was ruined and had been handed over to be burnt with fire.

~notice first he and his power is destroyed (by being thrown down by Saint Michael), his body is ruined, and last handed over to be burnt by fire (more on that later).

{8:25} according to his will, and treachery will be guided by his hand. And his heart will be inflated, and by the abundance of everything he will kill many, and he will rise up against the Lord of lords, and he will be knocked down without a hand.

~notice "rise up" meaning ascend in the air against the Lord of lords Jesus Christ, and thrown down "without a hand" since the archangel Michael smothers him.

From Isaiah:
{14:4} you will accept this parable against the king of Babylon, and you will say: “How is it that the oppressor has ceased, along with his tribute?

~here the king of Babylon is a metaphor and for Antichrist. The following sequence of verses ending in verse 17 is a parable referring to Antichrist (among other things) as if all the peoples of the earth are reciting it after his death.

{14:5} The Lord has crushed the staff of the impious, the scepter of despots,
{14:6} which struck the people in wrath with an incurable wound, which subjugated the nations in fury, which persecuted with cruelty.
{14:7} All the earth has become quiet and still; it has been gladdened and has rejoiced.
{14:8} The evergreens, too, have rejoiced over you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying: ‘Since you have slept, no one has ascended who would cut us down.’

~When there is great sin and evil upon the earth God permits nature to rebel against man. And so even nature metaphorically rejoices over the demise and death of Antichrist.

{14:9} Hell below was stirred up to meet you at your advent; it has awakened the giants for you. All the leaders of the earth have risen from their thrones, all the leaders among the nations.”
{14:10} Everyone will respond and will say to you: “Now you are wounded, just as we were; you have become like us.
{14:11} Your arrogance has been dragged down to Hell. Your body has fallen dead. The moths will be strewn beneath you, and the worms will be your covering.
{14:12} How is it that you have fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, who used to rise like the sun? How is it that you have fallen to the earth, you who wounded the peoples?

~Traditionally this verse is interpreted as referring to Satan and his fall. Yet I on another level of meaning it refer to the fall of Antichrist at the event of his fake ascension. When the word “Lucifer” is applied to a king, it is not that the king’s name is Lucifer, but it is a metaphor, meaning he is the preeminent king of his times, just as Venus is the brightest(preeminent) star of the morning.

{14:13} And you said in your heart: ‘I will climb up to heaven. I will exalt my throne above the stars of God. I will be enthroned upon the mountain of the covenant, on the northern parts.
{14:14} I will ascend above the tops of the clouds. I will be like the Most High.’

~the last two verses refer his false ascension and in general to his all consuming pride.

{14:15} Yet truly, you shall be dragged down to Hell, into the depths of the pit.

~Antichrist and the False Prophetess are thrown alive body and soul into Hell.

{14:16} Those who see you, will lean toward you, and will gaze upon you, saying: ‘Could this be the man who disturbed the earth, who shook kingdoms,
{14:17} who made the world into a desert and destroyed its cities, who would not even open a prison for his prisoners?’ ”


Shortly after this event of the false ascension, Jesus Christ accompanied by the Blessed Virgin Mary return to the earth. The River Euphrates(Armeggedon) is dried up, and the evil kings of the earth including Antichrist and the False Prophetess gather there to make war on Jesus Christ and the Saints. They are defeated by the presence and truth of Christ without a battle. Then Antichrist and the False Prophetess are thrust body and soul into hell.

[CatherineM]

It might help you to read up on when Revelation was written, by whom, for which audience, and the style of writing that was used. You're trying to put your own interpretation on images and imaginary in the writing that wasn't intended by the author.

[dairygirl4u2c]

yes that stuff is fairly well predicted

[url="http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/index.htm"]http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/index.htm[/url]
[url="http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/Christ-Returns-2437.htm"]http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/Christ-Returns-2437.htm[/url]

that we're discussing this on the internet etc makes me think it won't come true. it'd be too predictable etc.
never know though.

[kafka]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1498125' date='Apr 12 2008, 04:55 PM']It might help you to read up on when Revelation was written, by whom, for which audience, and the style of writing that was used. You're trying to put your own interpretation on images and imaginary in the writing that wasn't intended by the author.[/quote]
that is a given. I realize all those things. I think you are placing a limit on God's Sacred Scripture. I've been studying Revelation for years, have been taught by esteemed scholars. It is clear to me and others that is describes a sequence of events (not necessarily in chronological order) of the Tribulation culminating in the rise of Antichrist and Return of Christ. The symbols, the imagery, the words and style point to the events and the men involved in them. If you are referring to Scott Hahn and his intrepretations of Revelation, I disagree with him. And I disagree with you.

[Legend Chaser]

Here's the question though: Are you trying to pass this off as Catholic truth or not?

[kafka]

[quote name='Legend Chaser' post='1498236' date='Apr 12 2008, 07:18 PM']Here's the question though: Are you trying to pass this off as Catholic truth or not?[/quote]
it is Catholic speculative theology. Little has been defined by the Magisterium concerning the end times, so the subject is open for speculation and development by Catholics seeking truth via Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture and in such books as Revelation, Daniel, the Prophets, etc which express truths concerning the end times or the Fathers of the Church such as Saint Iraneus, and Saint Appolinaris, etc. So I dont quite understand your question, and I would not bother starting the post if I didnt think it were true.

[Galloglasses]

Isn't there a passage in Revelations where we're given a strick warning not to fool around with the Scripture in particular? I think its something that would mean the creators of the Left Behind series are in trouble.

[CatherineM]

The Magisterium has said little about the end times because Jesus himself said that no one can know the exact hour or day, not even him, only the Father. His word is good enough for me, so I guess we will have to agree to disagree.

[Hirsap]

[quote name='dairygirl4u2c' post='1498128' date='Apr 13 2008, 07:58 AM']yes that stuff is fairly well predicted

[url="http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/index.htm"]http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/index.htm[/url]
[url="http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/Christ-Returns-2437.htm"]http://www.catholicplanet.com/future/Christ-Returns-2437.htm[/url]

that we're discussing this on the internet etc makes me think it won't come true. it'd be too predictable etc.
never know though.[/quote]

Despite its name, this can hardly be considered a Catholic website, at least in terms of what I saw in the second link (the only one I bothered to check). Its heresy to suppose there will be two "Second Comings", in between which there being a thousand year Kingdom-of-God period on earth. And of course, no-one can predict the date and hour of Christ's return.

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1498286' date='Apr 12 2008, 07:45 PM']The Magisterium has said little about the end times because Jesus himself said that no one can know the exact hour or day, not even him, only the Father. His word is good enough for me, so I guess we will have to agree to disagree.[/quote]


When, that is what time end will come vs how, what will events are two complete different things, saints through out time have studied how because they are wise. The word of Christ deals also of how and the signs of things to come, but many christians today are not wise, they do not know that the Church and scripture teach how Christ will return, and how to tell him apart from the Anti-christ. When the Anti-christ comes he will deceive many, because at first at least he will mockingly act as if he is Christ, and will even deceive the elect. Knowing that it would be good for us as followers of Christ to study all of the words of Christ, and the written word of God, even those that deal with the end. So that we may be wise. [i]Rev. 1:7[/i]

God speaking to Daniel of the end said..

[color="#8B0000"]Many shall be chosen, and made white, and shall be tried as fire: and the wicked shall deal wickedly, and none of the wicked shall understand, but the learned shall understand. [/color]

[CatherineM]

John's anti-christ has come and gone. His name was Nero. Our anti-christs are all around us.

[KnightofChrist]

Mother Church does not agree. The Anti-christ of the Apocalypse of St. John is [u]the[/u] Anti-christ, not Nero.

To believe the Apocalypse of St. John does not revel the end times is in fact heresy. The book of the Apocalypse like many books of the Bible has more than one meaning.


------

[quote]The Apocalypse is a revelation of the things that were, are and will be. We are actually witnessing some of the events foretold in this book, but many still lie in the future. It is Christ who commands John to write to the seven churches, opens the seven seals, reveals the sufferings of the saints, opens the little book, overcomes the beast, reigns during the period of the first resurrection, judges the dead, both great and small, according to their works at His Second Coming, rules over all things from the beginning, presides over all the changing scenes of earth's history, and is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The book presents Christ as the Coming One: it reveals the dealings of Him who com, and who is to come. Ti opens with the solemn hope that the Coming One will come quickly.

The book is one of hope, but also one of warning; its aim is to assure the Church of the advent of her Lord in victory. The precise time of this victory lies hidden with God, but it is certain, although the crown will not be won without a struggle. Heaven will be stormed and carried away through suffering and conflict. And all who keep the words of this book will take part in the conflict and share in the victory.

The conflict is presented under the form of symbols. It is not easy to give a full interpretation of all the types, but the general symbols are not difficult to understand. Jerusalem stands and the type of the good cause, and this is the Church of Christ. Babylon appears as the type of the evil cause, and this is the world power. The heavenly Jerusalem has the assistance of the divine power. The earthly Babylon has the help of evil powers, the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. The scenes in the great conflict arrange themselves around theses types of good and evil. The numbers, the seals, the trumpets and the bowls are phases in the development and consummation of the conflict.

John has arranged the scenes in a sevenfold structure; even in the subordinate vision he keeps to the arrangement.

The book was written in Greek by St. John the Evangelist, on the island of Patmos, about the year 96 A.D.


Source

New American Bible
Introduction to The Apocalypse of St. John the Apostle

IMPRIMATUR

✠ Francis Cardinal Spellmen
Archbishop of New York
New York, June 24, 1958[/quote]

Edited April 13, 2008 by KnightofChrist

[CatherineM]

Well, I guess both my undergraduate and my graduate seminary New Testament professors were all wrong. I yield to your superior knowledge.

[KnightofChrist]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1498394' date='Apr 13 2008, 12:27 AM']Well, I guess both my undergraduate and my graduate seminary New Testament professors were all wrong. I yield to your superior knowledge.[/quote]


Yield to the teachings of Mother Church, I am nothing.

[goldenchild17]

Yes, the Church has infallibly declared (in one way or another) that their will be one particular antichrist and that he will be a real person, not an organization or a church or anything of that nature. [url="http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm"]http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01559a.htm[/url]

Edited April 13, 2008 by goldenchild17