Is there a connection between the Antichrist, nations and God’s Sovereignty? Does the future Antichrist appear of his own volition? What about the nations and God’s sovereignty?
In his seminal book on the rapture Marvin Rosenthal asserted that, “To attribute the emergence of the Antichrist to God is obviously preposterous. It is to have a divided house – to have God opposing himself -and a house divided cannot stand.”
The great tribulation in the second half of Daniel’s 70th week is sometimes referred to as “Antichrist’s Tribulation” by futuristic premil posttribulationists. Based on Rev 12:12 (and other assumptions) it is thought that this period is Satan’s wrath – hence, God’s wrath is yet to come. In the same vein, many refer to man’s wrath in the first half of the 70th week of Daniel.
It has also been pointed out to me that it is oxymoronic to say that God’s wrath is present in Revelation’s 5th seal (or before) – that God does not murder His saints. Alleged problems related to the 5th seal have been answered before (recap below).
These objections are generally advanced in order to locate God’s eschatological wrath within the trumpets and bowls of Revelation. In fact God has historically used numerous secondary means as instruments of His wrath. God uses Satan as well.
On secondary instruments of wrath, Dr. Renald Showers (Maranatha: Our Lord, Come) cites Johannes Fichtner:
…Yahweh delivers up the people of His anger to the Assyrian…The nations are also instruments of His wrath against other nations to execute judgment. (p 113)
Commentators note the hundreds of Old Testament allusions in Revelation (e.g., 278 according to Henry Barclay). In turn, Showers notes that Revelation’s 4th seal draws from wrath and Day of the Lord language located in Ezekiel 5:15, 17; 7:3-19. This use of OT wrath language demonstrates that God’s wrath is, indeed, present in the 4th seal.
Dr. Showers cites Gustav Stahlin. What he says is interesting:
[In Revelation] God’s wrath is also against devils and powers which oppose God, as is made plain by the revelation of God in Christ…and in this connection of two antithetical forces of wrath. The devil with his great wrath – Rev. 12:17 has the image of the angry dragon – and along with him the angry nations (11:18) fight against God and His kingdom. This is the great eschatological wrath which opposes the wrath of God. It is described in colours taken from the Psalter. The drama of revelation can thus be understood in large measure as a battle between two wraths. (p 111, Emphasis mine)
In his book, The Identity and Attributes of God, Terry L. Johnson confirms God’s use of Satan and nations as instruments of His sovereignty and wrath to achieve His divine purpose. He observes, “When nations attack nations, we should know that God controls world politics (Psa. 22:28-29; 47:9). (p 122) See also Romans 13:1. According to Johnson:
Through the prophet Isaiah God likens Assyria to a horse which he rides. God mounts the horse and swoops down on Israel in destructive judgment. (Isaiah 37:29)
Both Showers and Johnson observe that, while God used Assyria as His rod of wrath, He held it accountable for that action and subsequently punished it (Isaiah 10). Furthermore, Terry Johnson writes that Satan only does what God allows him to do:
The apostle Paul refers to Satan as the ‘god of this world’ who blinds ‘the minds of unbelievers’ (2 Cor. 4:4). Yet elsewhere he attributes this blinding activity to God, saying, ‘Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false’ (2 Thess. 2:11; see also Matt 13:14-15). ~ The Identity and Attributes of God (pp 126-127)
In a “striking example” of God using and acting concurrently with Satan, Johnson cites 2 Sam 24:1 and its parallel in 1 Chron 21. In the former, God’s anger is kindled against Israel after God incites David to number Israel and Judah. Yet in Chronicles we read that Satan stood against Israel and incited David.
Johnson affirms that this isn’t a contradiction: God was the first cause of the incident while Satan was the secondary, immediate cause. God’s reasons were righteous and holy while Satan’s were vicious and destructive. See Matthew Henry’s commentary on 1 Chron 21.
Johnson’s citation of 2 Thess 2:11 is important to our discussion. The subjects of 2 Thess 2:8-12 are the Lawless One and Satan. The reasons for their arrival and activity are the cessation of God’s restraint and His judgment on those who resist the truth. God sends them a deception via the Antichrist. We see this ultimately work out in Revelation where many become enthralled with the Beast (Rev 13:1, 4-5, 7-9).
Another example of this synergism is found in Rev 16:12-14 and Zechariah 12 & 14. The angel pours his bowl over the Euphrates drying up the river, facilitating passage for the kings of the east. The unclean spirits coming out of the Dragon and Beast then gather the kings of the whole world for war. Yet we also read in Zechariah 12:3, 9; 14:2-4 that it is God who gathers the nations against Israel. And that He, in turn, will fight against them.
Note – In his book “Theophany” Vern Poythress comments on Revelation:
The entire sequence of judgments in 6:1-8:1 resides within the framework of theophany, and the actions all issue from theophany. Moreover, the specific judgments with the first four seals take place in response to orders coming from the living creatures (6:1, 3, 5, 7). The living creatures, as we have seen, reflect the character of God. The passages describe judgments from God, not merely random instances of unaccountable suffering. They reflect the anger and justice of God. In a broad sense, the visions are instances of judgment reflecting the justice of God. This justice is executed through the Lamb and the “seven spirits” (the Holy Spirit). (p 140)
Earlier I mentioned the 5th seal martyrs. While this has been addressed before, I want to recap some points…
The 5th seal does not cause martyrdom. It reveals a past action. Van Kampen inserted the 4th sand 5th seals in the latter half of the 70th week of Daniel as part of Antichrist’s Great Tribulation. He thought the 4th seal was exclusively directed at the Jews and the church, not God’s wrath. Why, then, are OT expressions of wrath used in the 4th seal?
We’ve already seen that one of God’s purposes for the Antichrist is God’s judgment on unbelievers (2 Thess 2:8-12). These martyrs suffer under conditions where God’s wrath is being poured onto the entire world. It is a testament to God’s sovereignty and grace that people will still be saved under these circumstances.
That these martyrs ask to be avenged of their blood does not mean the world isn’t undergoing wrathful conditions (see above). God isn’t delaying His wrath. Non-pretribs assume this without biblical warrant. As in Assyria and Israel, there are two different elements in operation – current wrath and future vengeance. The martyrs will be ultimately avenged after Christ’s return, with the deaths of their oppressors (Rev 19:20-21).
Interestingly, the 5th seal martyrs use the word despotes. It appears five times in the New Testament. The term connotes the idea of a Master with Supreme Authority. And while it is true that God does not murder His saints, we saw an example of His divine sovereignty when He allowed Satan to kill Job’s children (Job 1).
Ironically, a prominent prewrath rapture teacher confirms that people will be saved after the rapture. This would occur during conditions of God’s wrath. Would we then call these posttrib-wrath-saints?
In summary:
Like Assyria, the Antichrist is God’s horse. Antichrist doesn’t act independently – he is an instrument of God’s judgment on the world. God is sovereign over all things and does not oppose Himself when using of Satan and the Antichrist. God also uses nations, wars and pestilences as instruments of His judgment and wrath. See Renald Showers’ book “Maranatha” for more on this subject.
If the observations above are correct, and if our futuristic premillennial assumptions are also correct, then we can look to the promise in Rev 3:10 with confidence and comfort. The hour of trial isn’t merely a period (Day of the Lord?) following the so-called Antichrist’s Tribulation; it includes all the seals of Revelation.
Maranatha!
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