(Micah 5: 5-6) “When the Assyrian comes into our land and treads in our palaces, then we (The Triune God) will raise against him seven shepherds and eight princes of men; They shall shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod (Antichrist’s empire) at its entrances; and he (the Messiah) shall deliver us (Israel) from the Assyrian (Antichrist) when he comes into our land and treads within our border.”
Nimrod and the Tower of Babel
In the Book of Genesis we read about Nimrod who built the Tower of Babel and the original cities of Babylon and Assyria. In Mecca today in Saudi Arabia, the home of the Muslim world, you have the huge clock Tower overlooking the Kaaba housing the black stone worshipped by millions of Muslims around the world and this tower is called “Mt Babel.” The symbol of the Crescent moon stands at the top of the highest pinnacle. In the Bible Nimrod, the Kings of Babylon and Assyria are all types of the Antichrist to come. The modern ‘Babylonians’ today is the empire of Islam that traces its roots all the way back to Nimrod the arch rebel against God. The Crescent moon was the symbol of the Mesopotamian moon-god of war and an emblem representing Nimrod who saw himself as a god to be worshipped.
A Rebel in God’s face
We are told in the original Hebrew that Nimrod was a rebel in God’s face. Literally in Genesis it reads “Nimrod was a mighty hunter in the face of God “ (Genesis 10:9). According to Daniel chapter 11:36ff the Antichrist honours a God of fortresses (Islam demonstrates this with their insigmia of the crossed swords) and he will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god (Allah) (Daniel 11:38-39). We also read “But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction” (Daniel 11:44).
The earth is the LORD’s
Now God has never allowed any man or Satan for that matter to have complete domination of the entire planet. Even though Satan is “the god of this world” in that he rules over the sinful plans, desires, ambitions, words and actions and rebellious people in the world he does not have control over the whole earth. The Bible says that “the earth is the LORD’S and the fullness of it” (Psalm 24:1). It may not look like it at present humanly speaking but God still has everything under control including Satan.
Only within the boundaries of his empire
When we read in Revelation about the extent of the Antichrist’s beast empire we do read; “And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it”(Revelation 13:7b). However, we need to keep in mind that this is only within the boundaries of his empire. For example we read concerning Nebuchadnezzar and what he did when he commanded all nations and people on earth to worship his golden idol. We read; “And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up” (Daniel 3:4-5). The same phrase is used again by Nebuchadnezzar. “King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth…” (Daniel 4:1). His kingdom did not include the peoples of nations such as Korea, Japan or Red China. So when we read that the whole earth worships the Antichrist and his Beast Empire it applies to the boundaries of his empire which will be vast. If Erdogan of Turkey has his way then He will have a Caliphate stretching across the Middle East into parts of Europe as Suleiman the Magnificent had in his day. Of course everyone knows who Erdogan has in mind for the supreme Caliph of Islam. Erdogan of Turkey has already been given titles that express divine attributes by some leading clerics in the Muslim world.
Turkey and Iran
Turkey will lead the Sunni crescent and Iran the Shiite Crescent. They will join forces. According to scripture Persia (Iran) will join forces with Gog from the land of Magog (Turkey) and with other Islamic nations seek to get Israel in a pincer attack. (Ezekiel 38) Even though Jerusalem will be taken and ruled for three and a half years by the Antichrist, his forces will still be under attack by other nations during this period.
The Valley of Decision
When the Lord Jesus comes back all of the nations that have attacked and divided Israel will be gathered together in the Valley of Jehoshaphat to be judged by the rider on the White Horse accompanied by the armies of heaven and the glorified saints (Joel 3:1-3) (Revelation 19:11-21). It will be for those armies “the valley of Decision.” Israel will also be at Jerusalem fighting alongside their Messiah (Zechariah 12:5-9). The Antichrist’s beast empire will be vast but not a global one as his forces will be resisted. God will raise up nations to fight the Antichrist. These nations “will shepherd the Land of Assyria with the sword and the land of Nimrod at its entrances;.” God will say to the Antichrist; “So far and no more!” as He did in the case of Job when he was being afflicted by Satan. In Micah’s prophecy we also read who it is that will bring about the final and ultimate victory for Israel and save them out of the hands of Antichrist’s forces… “and he (the Messiah Himself) shall deliver us from the Assyrian (Antichrist) when he comes into our land (Israel) and treads within our border” (Micah 5:6). The Antichrist will meet his demise at Jerusalem with no one left to support him. As Daniel writes; “And he (Antichrist) shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain (Jerusalem). Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him” (Daniel 11:45).
