Erroneous Translation of the Bible
Causes Misunderstanding Regarding
Anti-Christ and World Power
Erroneous Translation of the Bible
Causes Misunderstanding Regarding
Anti-Christ and World Power
By Jan Lilleby
*Edited and ‘upgraded’ October 3, 2022.
Perhaps you are among those who have noticed how the issue of Anti-Christ and the belief of that person to become a ‘One World Government’ dictator have caught much attention among Christians? Some are also teaching that Anti-Christ is going to have ‘Ten Kings’ under him to assist his future regime. Many think that those ten will be leaders with him in that supposed ‘One World Government’ – but it is not true. (The ten kings will only be governors inside Israel in due time, see Rev. 17 – some kind of false tribal system as opposed to the 144 000 in Rev. 7).
Great parts of Christianity seem to have come to such conclusions – and there are a host of pastors, preachers, teachers, eschatologists and Bible expositors that go for such a view. They believe and they preach in all gullible honesty, that Anti-Christ will come and have the entire world fall down and following his rule, having Revelation chapter 13 in mind, as it says in Amplified Bible,
“And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone who’s name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain (in sacrifice) from the foundation of the world.” Verse 8.
“And he compels all (alike), both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription (stamped) on their right hands or on their foreheads.” Verse 16.
These are but just two verses, but it says a lot. It speaks of immense power and might over the people in this world. Well, if we assume it is speaking of all the people in this world. But is Rev. 13 really speaking of all the people in this world?
Hardly!
To you believers over in America: Do you really believe that Anti-Christ will overpower or persuade the American president and his government, the Congress, the Senate, the armed forces….the works, to let him rule America? Please, you better think this through once more! Of course he is not. There is no way possible that such a vile person would ever be allowed into USA to take over the rule. It’s never going to happen, believe me!
To you over in the UK: You cannot possibly think and seriously believe that this Anti-Christ person of the Bible would just arrive in London one day, walk out of a cab at Number 10, bust in the door and telling your Prime Minister to pack up and leave. Because ‘I the mighty Anti-Christ will from now on rule the UK!’ Folks, it’s never going to happen. Not ever!
Or you folks in Russia: If this Anti-Christ try to enter for a take-over, Putin or whoever is in charge at that time, will throw him under a tank at the Red Square or something like that. There will absolutely be no world rule by Anti-Christ, nor will there ever be a ‘One World Government’ – believe me.
And I shall be glad to explain why this is so.
REPETITIVE ERRORS IN THE USE OF
CERTAIN WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
The quoted verses says so – that is right, but are these verses…and eventually other verses of the same category, correctly translated in our Bibles?
I am afraid not. Many passages, words, and expressions are translated in much error; which leads readers into misunderstanding of the topic and issues at hand.
These errors are repetitive to a great degree, being used over and over again.
Words like, eternal, forever, all the world, all the people, all the inhabitants of the earth, all men slaves and free, and related words/expressions. These are the most frequent ones used and misunderstood because Christians do not really scrutinize this. They often forget to check out the context for the words used.
Here it is the issue of the coming prophesied Anti-Christ – and it says that he shall make all people taking that ‘Mark of the Beast’ on their right hand or their forehead. And all the inhabitants of the earth will fall down and obey this man, the Anti-Christ of the Bible.
In the English speaking world, mainly USA and United Kingdom, there have been certain evangelists/TV-preachers and pastors who have gone in the forefront as flag-carriers of such a Bible view.
The ‘king of apocalyptic preaching and prophecy’ is no doubt Harold Lee Lindsey, born in Texas November 23, 1929 – and at an age of 92 still going strong, and can be seen and heard on YouTube with his ‘Hal Lindsey Report’.
It was his book, published a few decades ago – ‘The Late Great Planet Earth’ – which really got things going. Almost overnight Hal Lindsey became America’s fresh new Christian celebrity preaching apocalyptic and eschatological topics.
And one of those topics, namely, the Anti-Christ, was held forth as a coming gruesome world-dictator and a type of ‘messiah’ to take over both the world and Israel.
I am just using Hal Lindsey’s view on the Anti-Christ to make that announced point of Christians having been ‘had’ regarding translation errors. But this is a fact. Translation errors found in Revelation Book, for instance in Rev. 13 and the issue of a coming terrorizing Anti-Christ, have made laymen as well as theologians/professors, and also evangelists and pastors misunderstand the whole topic at hand.
But having said this: Why haven’t these Christian preachers done what they should have done: Checking out the Bible also from the point of whether translations are correct? They have in a most gullible manner just taken the wild erroneous translations as ‘The Word of God’ – and thus it must be perfect and true.
To become better informed regarding Hal Lindsey, since he is the leading celebrity in this case, you may enter the website - pbs.org (click a link at the end of this article) - which issues a pretty well written analysis and commentaries regarding Apocalypticism seen from an American perspective. I shall at the end of this article quote some from the first paragraph of an article in that website, written by Prof. Paul Boyer, professor of History of Wisconsin, Madison. His article is titled “America’s Doom Industry”.
Hal Lindsey, needless to say – is in his full rights to interpret the Bible or parts of the Bible as he pleases, and according to his own understanding and ability. As are all Christian pastors, preachers and evangelists.
But then, yours truly has the same rights. And I am here going to point out to you how we can read the Bible, and actually avoid grave misunderstandings at the same instance! It all has to do with correct translation of the Bible.
THE MISUNDERSTANDING ON THE ANTI-CHRIST
Jesus left two clues on Anti-Christ in John 5 and John 10, which tells us that this vile person shall be presenting himself to Israel only. He is not going to enter UN in New York or any other international forum, no, he will set course for Israel and Jerusalem. He shall become a false ‘messiah’ and he shall install himself, in due time, in the third temple to be raised. And that temple is not far into the future.
John 5:43,
“I have come in My Father’s name, and with His power, and you do not receive Me: but if another comes in his own name and his own power and with no authority but himself, you will receive him and give him your approval.”
John 10:10,
“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance.”
Here Jesus spoke of a thief, in singular tense, and it can only be this future falsehood, Anti-Christ.
In Matt. 15:24 we find Jesus lecturing the people present,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel”.
And Paul, in Rom. 15:8 confirming this,
“…Christ the Messiah became a servant and a minister to the circumcised (the Jews) in order to show God’s truthfulness and honesty by confirming the promises to our fathers.”
Jesus speaking of Anti-Christ as one who shall be coming, is related to the fact that Jesus had already come, - and to whom? The Jews of course. Jesus had come to Israel, and as He told the people – likewise shall there come another person, to the very same people: The Jews, Israel. Jesus said this in the capacity of having been sent by God to ISRAEL ONLY. This we must understand.
Anti-Christ as a man who shall seduce and terrorize and rule the entire world is out of the question. There shall be no such thing.
In what circumstances and what kind of times for Israel will the coming of the Anti-Christ happen?
The Bible says clearly that he will be part of the ‘Great Tribulation’ – thus we find him in the Revelation Book, a book dedicated to show what will take place during that 7-year period of time. He was even prophesied in Daniel’s Book. Check out my separate article ‘Daniel 9 and the Seventy Weeks’ here on the website.
And to whom shall the tribulation come? It will come upon Israel, and not the world as such.
Jer. 30:7 clearly pin-pointed this tribulation to punish Israel, no other,
“Alas! For that day will be great, so that none will be like it; it will be the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he will be saved out of it.”
Compare to Jesus in Matt. 24:21 with Jer. 30:7 “…so that none will be like it…”,
“…great tribulation such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now – no, and never will be again.”
He says same thing as what Jeremiah had prophesied. A tribulation for ISRAEL AND NOT THE WORLD!
And Anti-Christ is an important figure into and inside this tribulation – a tribulation to hit Israel only, and not the world. Not USA, not Great Britain, not Scandinavia, not France, not Italy, not Canada, not China, not India, not Iran, not Iraq, not Africa, not Australia, …not not not…..
Knowing that it is only a tribulation to occur inside Israel, we have a solid frame-work with which to decide the proper context for the described problems in Revelation Book, for instance Rev. 13 and the mark of the beast and people falling down to adore this beast.
This will take place only inside of Israel. The 7 meter tall concrete wall has already been raised to accomplish this (it will be completed soon enough). This is not a wall just to keep enemies out, but it will become the tool of Anti-Christ with which he shall manage to lock up the entire population of Israel in due time, and then enforce his mark upon them. They cannot escape because of that wall. And it will be guarded by heavily armed police, I assure you.
Rev. 13:8 is thus standing corrected, and shall now hereafter be read,
“And all inhabitants of the LAND inside the wall around it will fall down in adoration and pay him homage, everyone whose name has not been recorded in the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world.”
Be aware of the fact that the word earth in Rev. 13:8 was translated from ges, the Greek word used to describe the earth, the land, the province, the area, the district, the universe….all of the creation seen.
*In Strong’s dictionary (1093) ges (Greek for earth) has four meanings, all depending upon the context. “Earth” comes from SOIL, REGION, THE SOLID PART or THE TERRENE GLOBE. So, the translators should have used SOIL or REGION, rather than the terrene globe. Context is extremely important to get things right!
So it is obvious that it cannot be used at random. It can only be used to describe something in the visible creation, and this will be the LAND OF ISRAEL (soil or region) since we have established that this Anti-Christ is operating inside of that land, and he shall take a seat inside the coming new Third Temple – says Paul in 2 Thes 2.
Knowing that Anti-Christ will be seducing the Jews and be present inside Israel, we cannot translate with earth. Yes, of course, Anti-Christ will be upon this earth, but those things he will do will take place at a special cite, a piece of land on earth – soil or region - called Israel. This isn’t rocket-science; we only have to be awake when reading our Bibles.
Also the Rev.13:16 on the mark of the beast, shall stand corrected from here on, and shall read,
“Also he compels all Jews in Israel, both small and great, both the rich and the poor, both free and slave, to be marked with an inscription on their right hands or on their foreheads.”
The ‘Mark of the beast’?
What is that? Is it 666 as many thinks?
No, it has been ‘hidden-in-plain-sight’ for decades, right before our noses. You can see this mark (or rather, logo) if you look at the Israeli flag – here to the left.
The Hexagram with its six tags has an occult magical value of the number 666. This occult mark stems from the Jew’s time in Babylon, from where all sorcery and magic witchcraft have come. It was brought into Europe with the Jews, and history-experts in occultism and sorcery can testify on a scientific basis that this is so. It all comes from Babylon in olden times. The founders of Israel wanted to have the Menorah as symbol in their flag, but the money-elite had them choose the Hexagram, and they called it the Star of David. But it is not, it is really the Star of Rephan (see Acts. 7:43 and Stephens speech). The star has a history of being a part of the idolatry in the dessert as the people carried with them the tent of Moloch and the star of the god Rephan. All Satanic idolatry and symbolism.
The beast, Anti-Christ will be in Israel, and will keep the people inside the land using that 7 meter tall wall, and he shall use the Hexagram in Israel’s flag as a mark to have each one subdued to his commands and rule. John saw in his visions on Patmos that the Babylon Harlot had it written on her forehead – and we read of Anti-Christ making the entire Israeli people take this mark on their forehead. Hello there, is any of you awake and sober?? (Rev. 17:5)
Think of this when reading Rev 17 – the description of God’s judgement upon Babylon the Great Harlot, which really is the Zionist Israel of today and up to the time of the great tribulation.
Rev. 17:6 tells of Babylon Harlot being drunk with the blood of the saints,
“I also saw that the woman (Zionist Israel and Jesus-haters, my remark) was drunk, with the blood of the saints and the blood of the martyrs who witnessed for Jesus. And when I saw her, I was utterly amazed and wondered greatly.”
Babylon Harlot is same as the city which has seven hills, and in Biblical terms, only Jerusalem has seven hills/mountains. Some have mentioned Rome, but Rome has more than seven hills. (Rev. 17:9).
The end of Rev. 16 mention Babylon as she is split in three parts due to an earth quake, verse 19,
“The mighty city (Jerusalem) was broken into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And God kept in mind mighty Babylon, to make her drain the cup of His furious wrath and indignation.” Here we see that the mighty city, Jerusalem is the same as ‘mighty Babylon’.
The earth quake seems to afflict certain cities nearby Israel, but no names are given. We can only make guesses in this case.
Nowhere in Revelation Book can we find judgements upon nations around the world, but only the one nation which has been blaspheming God for centuries and killed the saints of God and Christ. Israel has it coming!
THE NATIONS SHALL BE WITNESSES TO HOW
GOD PUNISHES AND RESTORES ISRAEL
BACK TO HIMSELF AS HIS NATION
There is a prophecy in Ezekiel’s Book of God in the end times as He will vindicate His holy name, and the nations shall be witnesses to this process, Ezekiel 36:19-23, which is yet another proof of the fact that the world will not be having any apocalyptic disasters/wars as any part of the Great Tribulation. They shall not become victims, but witnesses to what God does with Israel. What a difference! We read,
“And I scattered them (Israel) among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; according to their conduct and their deeds I judged and punished them. 20: And when they came to the nations to which they went, they profaned My holy name in that men said of them, These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go forth out of His land. 21: But I had regard, concern and compassion for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they went. 22: Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sakes, which you have profaned among the nations to which you went. 23: And I will vindicate (revenge and restore) the holiness of My great name (Jesus Christ) and separate it for its holy purpose from all that defiles it – My name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them – and the nations WILL KNOW, UNDERSTAND, AND REALIZE THAT I AM THE LORD, when I shall be set apart by you and My holiness vindicated in you BEFORE THEIR EYES AND YOURS.”
There it is. Proof of God, as one who will not send any tribulation on the whole world, like many apocalyptic TV preachers are blabbering out to their audiences. But He shall instead have the world/nations standing as on-lookers, as witnesses to what He shall do with Israel as He sends the Great Tribulation upon them, including Anti-Christ, and everything we see in Revelation Book.
The prophecy in Ezekiel 36 has nothing to do with Israel as He had them taken to Babylon. It has to do with what happened as the Roman armies scattered the nation in the world in 70 A.D. They were scattered among the nations…which is plural tense. While as He sent them to Babylon in 586 B.C. they were just taken to one single nation, Babylon.
Ezekiel 36:19-23 has not yet happened, but it will as God send Israel the Great Tribulation. This also corresponds to Is. 61:2 and the last half of that verse, which Jesus avoided to quote when in the Synagogue at Nazareth, remember? That verse which speaks of doom,
“….and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn.”
This is hard evidence that ONLY Israel will have the Great Tribulation. The TV-evangelists who specialize in apocalyptic preaching, threatening with Anti-Christ and a nuclear holocaust, are all entirely wrong in their assertions. They have misunderstood the Bible due to the many bad translations, as I made a few examples of above.
There will never come any evil man, Anti-Christ, to rule through a so-called ‘One World Government’ with a staff of ‘Ten Kings’ and enforcing the world to take the mark of the beast on their right hand or their forehead. He shall only try to gain power inside Israel. And he will.
There will never come any ‘Great Tribulation’ – including a world-wide ‘Armageddon’ to ruin the whole world and killing millions and millions of people in a nuclear nightmare.
Christian teachers and preachers have been fooled by bad and erroneous translations of the Bible, and also reckless treatment of the written Word of God.
Also they suffer from the lack of proper and correct dividing of the Word of God, learning what is written to whom, and why.
You can sleep tight and be at ease if you were afraid of Anti-Christ to come knocking on your door to put upon you the ‘Mark of the Beast’. It will never happen.
I do not suggest that guys like Hal Lindsey are liars in a classic sense, who deliberately lie to their audiences via YouTube or TV, for they themselves have been fooled because of bad translations, thus creating misunderstanding of the Word of God. Thus they deliver lies from their pulpits, but unawares. If you are one among these, here is your urge to let go of that. Just simply stop preaching what you are preaching. Get on with Biblical truth and the Grace Gospel of Paul instead!
Just be aware to sift out things like errors in Biblical topics, don’t be fooled by whatever any preacher throws out from his pulpit. Exercise some discernment.
In this article I have concentrated on the Anti-Christ issue; but the very same errors in the translations/misunderstanding also goes for such Biblical phenomenon as ‘The Rapture’ (see 1 Thes. 4) which only was promised the Jewish believers/proselytes in the times of the apostles, and which now is dismissed by God since Jesus did not return in their life-time; as well as ‘Armageddon’ (Rev. 16:16) – often taught by televangelists as something that will hit America in the form of nuclear bombing!
But the Revelation Book says that Armageddon is a farmland plain, with a Kibbutz in its vicinity in the northern parts of Israel (named Megiddo in Hebrew) – and it is only slightly larger (in square km) than Manhattan island in New York City! – Has a triangular shape, 58 kilometers long and 24 kilometers average width. You have Mt. Tabor (which you can see in the image, see Mat. 17) on the northeast, Mt. Gilboa on the south and Mt. Carmel on the northwest. In ‘real non-fictional life’ the‘Armageddon’ does not really exist outside of Israel.
How foolish will those apocalypse preaching televangelists going to be feeling if or when they get this correction on their desks?
All that non-sense and lies served to America’s people (and in other nations as well) over the YouTube and TV Medias! For decades! And just because these preachers didn’t check out their sources seriously enough. Bad Bible translations are nothing new I assure you.
I HEREBY INCLUDE AT THE END OF MY CONCLUSION
A QUOTATION FROM PROF. PAUL BOYER:
“What we see in contemporary American mass culture really is that apocalyptic belief has become big business. It’s become an industry. It’s a subset of the publishing industry. And books that become successful literally sell millions of copies. And what we’re seeing is a kind of synergistic process where a successful televangelist will publish a book which is successful, which will then spin off into videotapes and movies and sometimes prophecy magazines, and even we have bumper stickers and wristwatches and other kinds of material, all of which reinforce popular belief and interest in Bible prophecy.”
Paul Boyer mentions Hal Lindsey and the writers of the ‘Left Behind’ books, Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins….very interesting observation.
You can read the entire article by visiting website,
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/explanation/doomindustry.html
