PROPHECY HEADLINES: Severe quakes hit Ecuador, killing over 500 people | Russia warns U.S. against intimidation as tensions rise in Baltics | Bus bomb explodes in Jerusalem, wounding over 20

PROPHECY BOOTCAMP: Our topic for today is titled "The Rise of Antichrist (Part 6)" from Dr. Ed Hindson's book "Revelation: Unlocking the Future."

A thorough study of the Apocalypse reveals that the beast is both an individual leader and a political system. He is a king who is also emblematic of the kingdom he rules. Both he and that kingdom collectively are the beast of the Revelation. Even his symbolic number (666) does not equate perfectly with any historical figure, though both pagan Rome and papal Rome have been suggested. The earliest candidate was Nero, but in order to make the computation work, the calculation required using a Hebrew transliteration of the Greek form of the Latin name. Even that method required adding an n (Neron Caesar) to add up to 666. "Nero Caesar" in Latin adds up only to 616. We must also remember that John's readers did not know Hebrew for the most part.

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OCCUPY TILL I COME: We are continuing our journey through the book, "Coming Events and Present Duties," by J.C. Ryle. This section is titled, “Occupy Until I Come!” (Part 1) based on the parable of the nobleman who went away and left talents for his servants to use in his absence in Luke 19:11-13. J.C. Ryle writes:

Luke 19:11-13 says, “And as they heard these things, he added and spoke a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God would immediately appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, OCCUPY UNTIL I COME!”

I will first speak of the mistake into which the disciples had fallen.

What was this mistake? With what feelings ought Christians in the present day to regard this mistake?

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