In order to justify
their sudden appearance in the 16th century, Protestants
invoke a prophecy of the Holy Bible regarding an
expected "apostasy", asserting that the Church had
apostatized in the first centuries, and that they
restored Her to Her proper state. In other studies of
ours, we have shown that
the Church did not
apostatize, but is always, (inseparably throughout
History), the Body and the Bride of Christ.
Herebelow we will show
what the prophesied apostasy is about.
1.
Apostasy: A future, limited event
The word:
"apo-stasy", is created from the Greek term meaning “a
standing away from”. Apo-states, are those who, by
standing away from the Church, are the creators of the
distance between themselves and the Church. And such
apostates have existed from the very beginning in the
Church. However the Bible prophesies something different
from the usual. Something particular.
The verse that
speaks of the "apostasy" is 2 Thess.2:1-4:
"And
we are asking you, brothers - regarding the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering to Him - to not
be quickly shaken in mind, nor be troubled -either in
spirit or by word or by a letter from us-
as if the day of
Christ has arrived. Let no one deceive you in any way;
for (that day will not come), unless the apostasy comes
first and the man of sin is revealed: the son of
perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all,
calling himself God or an object of worship, so that he
seats himself in the temple of God, to prove himself
that he is God."
In the above
passage, we first notice that "the apostasy" is
mentioned with a definite article. This means it is ONE
specific apostasy, and not many. It is a unique and
characteristic event, obviously a mass apostasy, (and
not a "schism" or "heresy"), that was to occur in the
History of the Church. BUT WHEN?
The second point that
we notice is that
it links "the
apostasy" with "the
man of sin", that is, the Antichrist. So it is until now
a FUTURE event, which will take place in the days of the
Antichrist, and not something that had already taken
place in the first centuries of Christianity, as
Protestants are wont to convince us.
Let us
therefore look at several elements of this prophesied
apostasy, so that those who do not know what it means
are not misled.
2.
Foreshadowing of the "Apostasy" in ancient Israel
In the prophecy of
Daniel, the historical dramatic struggle between God’s
people and the opposing forces of the world is described
in the form of visions. When the sins of the people
reach their ultimate extent (2 Macc.6:14), and indeed in
the form of apostasy from the covenant of the true God
and their conclusion of a new treacherous covenant with
the surrounding nations (1 Macc.1:11) when all the
people were sinning without fear - and in fact, despite,
the supervision and constant warnings of the prophets,
then God would be abandoning His people into the hands
of merciless enemies – however, again rescuing and
freeing them, as many times as they would sincerely
repent of their sins and ask forgiveness and mercy from
God.
The most terrible of
all the trials of the people is located by Daniel in the
Maccabbean era and is seen in the person of Antiochus IV
Epiphanes (175-164 BC) - that most heinous tyrant, who
cruelly persecuted the Jews and their religion,
desecrated the Sanctuary by abolishing daily worship,
and turned against all the gods: not only of Israel but
also his own; and then deified himself and his military
power.
However, it is obvious
that Daniel's prophecy cannot be confined within the
narrow limits of the Maccabbean era and in the sole
person of Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Daniel's prophetic
vision describes a much broader circle. Before his eyes
- alongside the historical events of the Maccabbean era
- other events are also hovering that pertain to the
future, in fact, even to the very end of the world, with
references to the historical adventures of the spiritual
kingdom of the Messiah that was to be established on
earth. The God-loathed opus of Antiochus IV will be
completely crushed by the “Ancient of Days” and the “Son
of Man,” that is, the Messiah, who would be establishing
a new spiritual kingdom on earth. But this kingdom (the
Church) would also be following the same historical
course through the centuries, of struggles with the
opposing forces of the earth:
"There
also came false prophets from among the people, just as
among you there are false teachers who will introduce
heresies of perdition, and who, by denying the Lord who
purchased them, will be bringing upon themselves a swift
perdition; and many will continue their lewdness,
through whom the way of truth will be blasphemed; and
they shall exploit you in avarice with forged words -
the judgment of whom from the past is not delayed, and
whose elimination shall not be drowsy." (2
Pet.2:1-3).
However, he is not
talking about THE apostasy here. These are not events
exclusively of the Antichrist’s era, in which the
apostasy will take place. They are events which take
place in every era, in every large group of people. They
are consequences of the Church’s historical struggle
with the world; it is the struggle that will culminate
eschatologically, that is, shortly before the second
coming of Christ.
During that time, there
will be a historical culmination of faithlessness and
sins among Christians. And because of the faithlessness
and the many sins of Christian people, God will allow
the advent of the Antichrist on earth, who will cruelly
persecute the Church and the saints; he will deify
himself and will replace - wherever he can - the
redemptive opus of Christ.
In other words, the
advent of the Antichrist is the CONSEQUENCE AND
CULMINATION of that en masse apostasy that will be
taking place in the future.
In fact, this is where
the prophetic statement in Daniel is eschatologically
fulfilled:
"30
[...] And he shall return and
shall be enraged over the holy covenant; and he shall
act and return and shall gain an understanding with
those who abandoned the holy covenant.
31 And seeds
from him shall arise and profane the sanctity of the
dynasty, and they will abolish the careful offering and
will give an abomination to the obliterated ones.
32 And the
lawless will introduce a covenant in their moral lapses,
and the people who knows their God will prevail and will
take action. 33
And the prudent ones of the people will understand many
things, and they shall be weakened by sword and by flame
and by captivity and by plunder of days.
34 And when they
become weak, they will be aided with a little aid, and
many will be added to them who are in lapses
35 And some of
those who understand shall become weak so as to be
refined and selected and be revealed until the time has
passed, because it is not yet time.
36 And he shall
act according to his will and the king will be exalted
and magnified above every god, and will utter oversized
things and will direct things until the wrath is
completed, for it is being done for completion.
37 And he will
not be understanding of all the gods of his ancestors
and of the desire of women, and of any god he will not
show understanding, because he will be magnified above
all." (Daniel 11:30-37).
In the above prophecy,
we notice not only the events that occurred in the time
of Antiochus, but also those of the Antichrist’s time.
Just like the
past times, likewise in the future, the apostates from
the New Testament of Christ will make agreements with
the Antichrist, and he will be using them for his own
plans. In fact, he will be using them to persecute the
remnant of the faithful Christians who will not be
accepting him as god in place of Christ, whereas the
apostates will be accepting him.
3.
The "Apostasy" and the False Prophets
It is not by chance
that
the Book of
Revelation links the
Antichrist to a "False Prophet" (Revelation 19:20). This
is a religious leader, who will be pointing
out the Antichrist as the Messiah - as the Christ that
everyone is waiting for.
At the time that these
were written, the forerunners of the bishops were "the
Order of the Prophets", in contrast to the False
Prophets, who were the false bishops. Obviously, then,
this False Prophet will be a leading and generally
accepted FALSE BISHOP of the Church. But there will not
be just one. This False Prophet, a religious leader,
will have many other accomplices. Jesus Christ himself,
speaking about the time of the apostasy of Christians,
links that time with more than one FALSE PROPHETS:
"And
then many will be scandalized and will betray one
another and hate one another.
And many false prophets will arise and they will deceive
many.
And because lawlessness will have multiplied, the love
of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end,
he will be saved."
(Matth.24:10-13).
This is the culmination
of the apostasy, where the greatest enemy of Christ will
be presented by religious leaders of the Church as the
Christ!!! But
even so, this apostasy will not be complete, because
despite the persecutions they will suffer (as seen
above, in Daniel 11:11), “And
the prudent ones of the people will understand many
things.” Not
only will the prudent
not be led astray - they will also understand many things!
Therefore it will
not be a total apostasy.
The Church will NEVER
be wholly defeated. We saw in the above words of Christ
that some will endure to the end. But immediately after
this brief supremacy of evil against the Church, things
will be reversed.
After his brief reign,
the Antichrist will be overthrown by the Messiah Christ,
and the victory of the Gospel and the Second Coming will
ensue. Pursuant
to the words of Christ that we saw in Matthew 24, in
verses 14 and 15, it says: "And this gospel of the kingdom
shall be preached in all the world as witness to all
nations, and then will the End come. So, when you see
the abomination of desolation - that was spoken of by
Daniel the prophet - as standing in the holy place..."
Christ here (with the
word: "so", which means: "therefore"), links Daniel's
prophecy about the Antichrist with what he said above
about the apostasy, indicating that AFTER the time of
the apostasy of the Antichrist, the Gospel will be
preached everywhere, prior to the End.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes
is the most important historical precursor of the
Antichrist
who is to appear in the
future, in the last days,
and the apostasy of the
Israelites during the time of Antiochus are a foretaste
of the Christian apostasy during the days of the Beast
Antichrist.
*****************
But more about this
foreshadowing of the Antichrist by Antiochus Epiphanes,
and the barbaric exploits of this ancient Greek pagan
ruler, will be expounded in another article.
Compiled by N.M. and
Thanasis Anastasiou
Elements
were
borrowed from the book “On the idea regarding the
Antichrist” by Andreas
Theodorou,
Athens 1970.
Translation: A.N.
