Page 142 - Satan in the Sanctuary

144 Satan in the Sanctuary

moment for the Antichrist to step in with his solution for
the crisis in Israel.
Let's put it this way: if the rapture came right now—be-
fore you finished reading this sentence—and the Temple
site were to be cleared and a new Temple put up in the
next three years; and Armageddon (World War III) were
to come about after seven years, it would not surprise
Christians.
That would put the Messianic kingdom at ten years
from today.
Ready?

THE TRIBULATION
This is the seven-year period marked by the entrance of
the Antichrist into world affairs. He won't look like an An-
tichrist when he first appears, of course. In fact, his work-
able Middle East solution and his generally endearing per-
sonality will cause him to be regarded as a great statesman.
And perhaps at the beginning he really will seem to be a
warm and loving leader.
But it will not take long—three and one-half years in
fact—for his powerful position to go to his head. He will
enter the Temple and put a stop to the sacrifices and obla-
tions, claiming that he should be the one to be worshiped.
He will finish out the tribulation period—three and one-
half more years—virtually ruling the earth.
But in the end he will not get the adulation he counted
on. He will get Armageddon.
So, the tribulation runs from the first entrance of the
Antichrist to the great war—a seven-year span.
Where does the third Temple stand in all this? Right on
its famous site in Jerusalem. It must be standing there for
the Antichrist to desecrate.