King Cyrus and President Trump?
In yesterday’s edition of Israel Today online a headline read “Israel Group Issues Temple tax Coin Featuring Image of Trump.” The article started with a quote from the Torah; “The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. (Exodus 30:15) and the article continued, “One of the various Israeli groups preparing for the building of the Third Temple has issued a half shekel Temple tax coin featuring the images of Persian’s King Cyrus and US President Donald Trump. Cyrus allowed the Jews to return to the Land of Israel following their captivity in Babylon, and facilitated construction of the Second Temple. The Hamikdah Betzion (The Temple in Zion) organization believes that Trump’s December 6 declaration recognizing Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem set him on a similar path. Professor Hillel Weiss, chairman of the group, told Israel National News. “This is a historic act for which the Jewish people is grateful,” But Weiss cautioned that Trump must not stop now if God’s full blessing on his administration is to be bestowed: “The Trump Declaration must continue with a declaration of the role of the Jews in establishing the Temple in its place. Only then will President Trump’s international ambitions come true in the Middle East.”
President Trump the Antichrist?
There are some today within Christendom who are now saying or implying that President Trump may be the antichrist. They said it of Obama as well when he was in office. Down through history they said it of Napolean, Mussolini and Adolph Hitler. Of course history itself reveals “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18) The Roman Emperors were all antichrists and so were most of the Popes of Rome. As yet the Antichrist has not been revealed. Now that President Trump’s image is being suggested for the Temple Shekel undoubtedly some will see this as prophecy being fulfilled in regards to the future Antichrist setting himself up in the Temple to be worshipped as God on earth. (2 Thessalonians 2:4)
A Middle-Eastern Potentate
Now President Trump is not the only one to relocate the American Embassy in Jerusalem but also Erdogan has publically stated that he wants to build a Turkish Embassy in East Jerusalem. This in fact would give the man from Turkey access to the Temple Mount and increase his power in the Islamic world, not to mention his ambition to be the supreme Caliph of a global Islamic community. Even as far back in 2012 members of the ‘revived’ Sanhedrin were in Turkey discussing the rebuilding of the temple. There is no doubt that what we see happening in the Middle-East today and in Israel and in relation to the rebuilding of the third temple is most certainly fulfilling Bible prophecy. But is President Trump the man of sin? In looking at this we must look at what the actually says about the one who sets himself up in God’s Temple and proclaims himself to be God. Is he a western man at all? Or is he middle-eastern?
A very brief overview…
Daniel mentions that the Antichrist will be one who will “do as he pleases. He will exult and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods.” (Daniel 11:36-37) this echoes of course (2 Thessalonians 2:4) It is the same character both Daniel and Paul describe. If you look at the context of Daniel 11:36-45 it is clear this man is a middle-eastern man and not a European potentate or American president for that matter. He is also called the King of the North and he fights the king of the South and attacks the mightiest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god (Allah) (Daniel 11:38-44) 1. He is described by Daniel in the character of Antiochus Epiphanes, a Middle-eastern Potentate and a major type of the Antichrist, who had an image of himself on a coin that conveyed the character of his name inscribed on the coin as “god-manifest” What he did in Israel; is what the Antichrist will do. This is all on the BTZ website. 2. The Antichrist is also called “The Assyrian” and the one in the character of the King of Assyria who invades Israel in the last days according to the prophet Micah (Micah 5:5-6) 3. The King of Babylon is also a major type of the Antichrist and he is described in the character of the King of Babylon. (Isaiah 14:9-17) 4. The King of Tyre is a reference to Satan and by extension the Antichrist in whom Satan will dwell. (Ezekiel 28) 5. Nimrod, the original founder and builder of Babylon and Assyria and the Tower of Babel was a middle-eastern potentate. The last ‘king’ or ruler of Babylon will be a middle-eastern man.
The Man from Turkey
In fact all of these kings mentioned are middle-eastern potentates. Instead of looking at President Trump it would be much more Biblically accurate to look at Erdogan, the man from Turkey. Why did the apostle John write to seven churches in modern day Turkey? The seven literal churches to which he wrote prophetically can apply to the Church in every age and especially to the Church of the last days. John also mentions that at Pergamum “Satan had his throne” and that it was “the city where Satan lives.” (present continuous tense) (Revelation 2:13) Also we notice that Antipas the Lord Jesus’ faithful witness was martyred at Pergamum. The Antichrist will behead Christians. (Revelation 20:4) an Islamic form of execution. Also at Pergamum Emperor Worship really took root in the Roman Empire with the Emperor Augustus having himself deified. If you look at what the man from Turkey is actually saying and doing and where he is headed with his revived Turkish Ottoman Caliphate and what Islamic clerics have said about him, you can see a very clear picture of the Antichrist described in the Bible. Even Erdogan’s character and demeanour exhibit the character of the Antichrist. Is he in fact the Antichrist?
“A No-Brainer”
We cannot as yet be certain but there is no doubt that he fits the bill Biblically. We also need to keep in mind what Daniel also said about the Antichrist; “He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the Holy Mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. ” (Daniel 11:45) When the Antichrist and his forces clash with the Rider on the White Horse accompanied by the armies of heaven the outcome of this final battle will most definitely be “a no- brainer.”
