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The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

The Abomination of Desolation - St. Marys Coptic Orthodox Church

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HIS END<br />

139<br />

with which he deceived them that had received the mark <strong>of</strong> the<br />

beast, and them that worshipped his image. <strong>The</strong>se both were cast<br />

alive into a lake <strong>of</strong> fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant<br />

were slain with the sword <strong>of</strong> him that sat upon the horse, which<br />

sword proceeded out <strong>of</strong> his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with<br />

their flesh.<br />

Here once again, one is tempted to believe that this is it, <strong>The</strong> Lord<br />

comes, the Beast (Antichrist, <strong>Abomination</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Desolation</strong>) as well as<br />

the false prophet are thrown into the lake <strong>of</strong> fire and their followers are<br />

“slain with the sword <strong>of</strong> Him that sat upon the horse (the Lord).” Well,<br />

not quite! For in Revelation 20:7-10 we are told:<br />

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out<br />

<strong>of</strong> his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in<br />

the four quarters <strong>of</strong> the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them<br />

together to battle: the number <strong>of</strong> whom is as the sand <strong>of</strong> the sea.<br />

And they went up on the breadth <strong>of</strong> the earth, and compassed the<br />

camp <strong>of</strong> the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down<br />

from God out <strong>of</strong> heaven, and devoured them. And the devil that<br />

deceived them was cast into the lake <strong>of</strong> fire and brimstone, where<br />

the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and<br />

night for ever and ever.<br />

You see, even after Armageddon, the world does not end, but there is<br />

a final assault on the <strong>Church</strong> by Satan even after he loses his right hand<br />

man (Antichrist) and his left hand man (the false prophet). It is at this<br />

final assault that the world will end by “fire coming down from heaven,”<br />

the devil will be cast into the lake <strong>of</strong> fire to join his two lieutenants, and<br />

the elect will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> Revelation is likened to a telescope with three<br />

segments; each one is “telescoped” inside the other. If you look at it<br />

while it is folded you can determine a beginning and an end. But, as<br />

you reach the end, you discover that there is another segment hidden<br />

inside. You open this segment only to find that there is a third segment<br />

hidden inside the second. Only after you open the third segment that<br />

the picture becomes clear. <strong>The</strong> first segment <strong>of</strong> the telescope<br />

corresponds to the seven seals, as one reaches the end, he discovers the<br />

seven trumpets (the second segment <strong>of</strong> the telescope). At the end <strong>of</strong>

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