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Barack Obama and the Rise of the Antichrist

The words Obama and Antichrist, side-by-side, garner almost 1 million Google results. But why? Is this simply more evidence of shallow-minded, obama-messiah1 backwoods believers plying their paranoia? Or is there a fearful symmetry between those two figures that the world has yet to realize?

When it comes to “Antichrist Watch”, the Church has an embarrassing history… and a woeful record.  At one point or another, Reagan, Mikael Gorbachev, Hitler, Marilyn Manson, and the Pope (pick your Roman numeral), have been labeled The Beast. We’ve witnessed far-flung numeric schemes, prophetic calendars, conspiracy theories, and tabloid-like sensationalism, all in an attempt to identify this much-anticipated world leader who will, according to Scripture, usher in the end of this present age. So while the Bible clearly presents the Antichrist as a real historical figure, Christians are notorious for their tangents and gullibility concerning the matter.

Nevertheless, the Church’s history of paranoia and prophetic speculation does not invalidate the biblical prediction — someone, some day, will actually be the Antichrist. In fact, obama4202Scripture asserts that deceit will be one of the primary characteristics of this coming world leader. The Bible uses words like “lying wonders,” “unrighteous deception,” and “strong delusion” (II Thess. 2:9-11) to describe his assent and influence. “And he deceives those who dwell on the earth” writes the apostle John about the Antichrist in Rev. 13:14. Aided by global angst and outright demonic agency, he will trick the world into obeisance. This being the case, can anyone say with absolute authority that Obama IS NOT the Antichrist? I mean, if deception is the order of the day concerning the “Man of Sin”, then why couldn’t WE be deceived? Furthermore, and maybe this is a better question to ask, what exactly disqualifies President Obama from being the Antichrist?

One factor that has definitely stoked the Obama/Antichrist connection and contributed to the claims, has been the almost unqualified adoration of this political figure. Fawning reporters, celebrity endorsements, children’s choirs, YouTube lovefests, T-shirts, bumper stickers, media puff pieces, global celebrations, and the largest Inauguration of any American president, all reveal a head-over-heels infatuation with the man. But was this adulation simply fueled by the possibility of seeing our first black president, or were other factors at obama-4work?

Even more unnerving, especially to Christians, has been the messianic aura attached to Obama. In a recent Harris poll, Barack Obama beat out Jesus Christ as America’s number one hero. Yet being included in the same breath as Jesus Christ is not new for this politician. For instance, Art Institute of Chicago student/ artist David Cordero’s sculpture titled “Blessing” depicts President Barack Obama as Jesus Christ and the ever-colorful Louis Farrakan directly called Obama “the Messiah,” chronicling the “signs” of his coming (YouTube video HERE). Images of Obama in glowing garb, encircled by a halo, before adoring masses, abound. Couple this with his campaign’s slogan of Hope, and a surreal religious sentiment appears tapped. Whether intentional or not, Barack Obama’s rise to power has obama-1conjured more than just the typical political passion; something transcendent is summoned, as if “the world was waiting for this moment” (words apparently spoken by Obama himself on the campaign trail).

On our recent trip to Hawaii, I was struck again by this eerie convergence of politics and spirituality. I photographed several bumper stickers (including the one below) that associated the ushering in of world peace with the election of President Obama.

obama-2

For end-times watchdogs, this connection should raise a red flag. Why? World peace is a huge issue in the apocalyptic scenario. Not only will the Antichrist concoct some sort of Middle East peace pact, only to break it mid-tribulation, (a rather complicated prophetic set-up via Daniel 9:27 and Matthew 24:36-51)), Scripture warns:

When people say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape. (I Thess. 5:3 ISV)

In other words, the prelude to Armageddon is a climate of peace, at least an vapid aspiration or illusion of peace.

Okay, call it alarmist, over-zealous,  or flat out delusional. The point is that significant conditions are in place to raise concerns among Christians regarding Barack Obama’s place in the end-times circuit. Sure, there will always be nutjobs seeing the Devil behind every handshake and peace accord. But if the Bible is to be believed, then one day a handshake and a peace accord will launch the Apocalypse.

Furthermore, Scripture portrays the masses of humanity as flawed and empty; we hunger for something — someone — to fill that void. When Christ is rejected, we turn to anti-christs — mock messiahs who, we hope, will speak peace to the troubled sea. This affectation, this tide, is what will sweep the Last Great World Leader into power. The end of our age will be precipitated by a collective angst, an indiscriminate willingness to anoint a false messiah. Humanity is crying for that savior. And for many, Barack Obama currently fills that bill.

It may just be a precursor, a rehearsal for the real thing. But the tear-streamed faces at Obama’s Inauguration, the celebrity swoonings, the global acclaim, and the media compliance, all reveal a people and a power structure that is ripe for devilish picking;  a spiritual climate that is whetted for the ascension of a Leader, one with elegance and charisma who will woo the world and summon their allegiance; a collective mindset that will one day put a Devil in power.

For the record — I do not believe Barack Obama is the Antichrist. But what his election and the surrounded hysteria has proved to me, is that our world is inching, ever closer, toward its prophetic destiny.

{ 7 comments… add one }
  • Nicole February 25, 2009, 12:59 PM

    I agree, Mike. And while Obama might not be THE Antichrist, some of his policies fit the bill. He is pro-death, he is pro governmental control of the people and their “provision” which will usher in a dependent mindless crowd who will follow a leader to their cumulative deaths.

  • ericmsteen February 26, 2009, 8:35 PM

    It really bothers me that Christians are so crazy about this. I don’t mind having a president fighting bureaucracy and breaking political blockades while fighting for some hope in world peace, even if a couple books in the Bible mention that someday someone will deceive the world. I’d rather be surprised than to be able to say “I told you so” in the end. I’d rather do as Jesus said and be a peacemaker, to the extent of my capabilities and I want want a president who’s interested in peace as well.

  • Mike Duran February 27, 2009, 8:37 AM

    Eric said: “I’d rather be surprised than to be able to say “I told you so” in the end.” I think that’s where we disagree Eric. Not that I want to have an “I told you so” posture. But if Scripture is accurate, the people who are “surprised” are the ones who are destined for destruction… at least seven years of absolute hell. Being a peacemaker is one thing. But selling our souls in pursuit of a Utopian dream is another.

  • Nicole February 27, 2009, 10:13 AM

    Mike’s right, Eric. There is no peace to be found in our current state other than the false peace by the Antichrist. Man is incapable of perfection in this sinful body, and no man other than one allowed to be consumed by demonic power will be able to achieve anything resembling peace. The peace Christ established is between God and man. And when a man promotes peace at the cost of godly freedoms, he is NOT a peacemaker.

  • ericmsteen February 27, 2009, 1:44 PM

    I just recently watched the documentary Commune, which is about Black Bear Ranch in California and some of the back-to-the-land people who moved there together and worked together to create an autonomous community. While I can understand why Christians would condemn their behavior because of the way they understood sex, love, and family, I think it would be better if Christians could see the tremendous amounts of value that groups like this offer. They were modeling an alternative way of living, trying to rethink the way they had been raised and making something new from the ground up, even if it was born out of subversion and critique. They found ways of dissolving bureaucratic politics, and they learned more about community and working together while sustaining their living situation more than most people with “real” jobs could ever dream of.

    I think many Christians fail to realize that the hope for more peace is actually an incredibly great hope. Sure, world peace can never be created amongst humans, but it isn’t better to try to work as humans to address specific social and environmental needs, to work things out together while hoping that the work we do will dissolve barriers of war and hate? Isn’t it better to do that than it is to look at people trying to create world peace and say “I don’t think so, the Bible warns us that there will be an antichrist who will deceive us so I’m not going to buy that.” I think what I was trying to say earlier was that I am much more interested in the person who is working hard to address social needs. I would like to believe that they are doing it out of sincerity if that’s what they say they are doing.

    Now I just feel like I’m going in circles and don’t know how to say what i really want to say. oh well.

  • ericmsteen February 27, 2009, 1:47 PM

    oops, i made a big grammar error:
    should read
    Sure, world peace can never be created amongst humans, but ISN”T IT better to try to work as humans…

  • Ame March 13, 2009, 11:45 PM

    very well written … and i’m glad you did write this piece. the adoration people around the globe give this man from seemingly nowhere is … astounding. and it’s even more astounding when it seems so visually clear how hollow this man is. he is attempting to redefine religion and spirituality … wanting us all to hold hands, all across the world, and sway to the music of ‘world peace’ with ‘no real enemy’, and people are falling for it. i’m amazed at how many cannot ‘see’ the truth. truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

    also, i think it’s a cop-out for people to automatically claim the judgement of God to define every and any thing negative in this world, but i also think it’s ignorant to ignore that the truths of scripture are real … and that what God has stated will happen, WILL happen.

    the rain falls on the just and the unjust, and ‘fair’ and ‘equal’ are for fairytales.

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