STAND FIRM: What if the Great Rebellion Isn’t What We Think?
One of the perks of my work through Stand Firm is that I’ve made a lot of friends with leading prophecy teachers and authors around the world. Through that we often share research developing interpretations. I have a manuscript in my inbox right now for review of a friend’s upcoming book. A few months ago, a friend shared a “working document” of a second look at the Great Rebellion or Great Apostasy found especially in II Thess. 2, but which is also addressed in other Scriptures. I was blown away with their Scriptural research, though I’m not sure if it is the case or not. Regardless, the current news cycle calls for us to lean into this possibility.
For this new understanding of the Great Apostasy to make sense, we must look back at the core narrative of the end of the age. Unfortunately, modern end-time movies have made this confusing. I encourage you to seriously ask yourself, what is the core conflict at the end of the age?
Recently, I completed a 12-part series of the Epic Story of Truth in Scripture. If look back at that story, the biblical end-time core takes shape. First, the return of Jesus is the fulfilling of the Gen. 3:15 promise that a Promised One would defeat Satan and make all things new. Then we saw that, like following the flood in Noah’s day, there will be a judgment on sin and the world will be made new. We discovered that, starting with the death and resurrection of Jesus, the nations or Gentiles who had been disinherited from God’s family at Babel were being brought back into that family, which would culminate in a redeemed representative of every tribe, tongue and nation gathered around the throne at the return of Jesus. This would create a completed family of God, redeemed Jews and grafted in redeemed Gentiles. Then according to the promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and given throughout history through prophets, this people of God would live in the land God set aside for them. That land includes Israel today. Along with having a specific foundation of people for this people of God (Jews) and a specific land for their home (Israel), there will also be a kingdom with the Messiah as King.
We also know that the Old Testament foundation for the end of the age is that God would bring Israel back to Him and into the land. All the major events of the end of the age take place in Israel, especially Jerusalem. The agreement that kicks off the final seven years involves Israel. The Antichrist takes up residence in Israel. The Antichrist turns against Israel. He abolishes the sacrifices in the Jewish temple. He sets up the Abomination of Desolation in the temple. The final showdown of Armageddon is in Israel. Jesus returns to Jerusalem. Our resurrected bodies follow Jesus into Jerusalem. The ultimate crescendo building now and climaxing at the end of the age is as the prophet Zechariah words, “they will mourn for the one they pierced” (Zech. 12:10).
The core conflict of the end of the age involves Israel.
Now that we’ve reflected on the core conflict at the end, let’s return to the Great Apostasy. Warning of this coming time has been central to my work with Stand Firm over the last 10 years. I’ve interpreted the apostasy or rebellion as Christians abandoning their faith. I do think there are other passages that would support this being something that happens. I now wonder if that is really what is the Great Apostasy though.
The new research I was given suggests that the Great Rebellion is a rebellion of professed Christians, the church, from God’s everlasting covenant made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In other words, the root of this Great Rebellion would be the church and individual believers saying that Israel doesn’t matter anymore or that the church has replaced Israel. Then the start of that rebellion would be to become Antisemitic (hating Jews) and taking a side against Israel. It would be to deny them the land or try to split it up — it would be to go against the covenant made with Abraham. It would be to chant, “From the river to the sea.” It would be calling for the end of sacrifices when they start. It would grow into action against Israel and Jews. It would lead to supporting violence or carrying it out. It would lead to remaining neutral or even supporting a final solution for Jews. It would be aligning with the mission of the Antichrist. It would be to align with the Beast. It would be to profess Christ but deny the Word of God.
That isn’t just a wild fanciful view because, in the context of the rebellion passage in II Thessalonians, it speaks of the Man of Lawlessness (Antichrist) coming against the things of God and the Temple
Also, like all prophetic New Testament passages, there is an Old Testament precedence for the idea of an end-time rebellion. It is found in Daniel 11, which tells of a King of the North, which I believe is the Antichrist. In these few verses notice what this King of the North (likely the Antichrist) wars against:
• Dan.11:28 — “…his heart will be set against the holy covenant. He will take action against it and then return to his own country.”
• Dan.11:30 — “Then he will turn back and vent his fury against the holy covenant. He will return and show favor to those who forsake the holy covenant.”
• Dan. 11:32 — “With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.”
Daniel 11 isn’t the only passage that refers to the villain at the end of the age coming against the Holy Covenant or people of the Holy Covenant. When we hear covenant, we tend to think of the New Covenant, but both Ezekiel and Jeremiah connect the New Covenant to the original covenant which is the Abrahamic Covenant. The two aren’t opposed but rather the New Covenant brings Gentiles in and makes the way for all who follow Jesus to experience the blessed promise of all that was promised to Abraham and his descendants both physical and, we know today, also spiritually.
— Jake is a state missionary and would love to share about the work in Northwest Arkansas and encourage your church to stand firm. (standfirmministries.com)
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Jake McCandless
Jake McCandless authors a weekly column titled, Stand Firm and Live Epic, through which he seeks to encourage the modern church to not just survive, but thrive in current times. He also addresses many end-times topics.
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