The Antichrist. It’s a name that stirs both fear and curiosity. Who is this figure today? More importantly, what does this mean for us in the time just ahead?

This isn’t about rehashing familiar prophecies or chasing shadows. It’s about pinning down a clear answer—one that reveals the Antichrist’s identity and the system already taking shape around us. The battle of Armageddon is approaching quickly with the rapid pace of the bowls of wrath.^[1] Through Revelation’s lens, every follower of Christ may discern the nature of the enemy with certainty, and avoid his snares. What if the truth about the Antichrist isn’t quite what tradition has handed down, yet matches exactly what Revelation has foretold all along? This understanding isn’t just for speculation, it’s for standing firm when it counts.

By the end of this article, you’ll have a solid grasp of who the Antichrist is in our day, what to expect from this rising opposition, and how to hold your ground when it peaks.

The Roots of Antichrist

The term “antichrist” first emerges in scripture not as a lone, dramatic figure, but as a pervasive spirit.

Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)

In this context, “antichrist” applies broadly—anyone who denies that Christ came in the flesh^[2] embodies this opposition. It’s a spirit active across history, manifesting in various forms. Yet John also suggests something specific: a particular “antichrist” that his audience expected, hinting at a future, climactic figure tied to the last days.

It’s worth noting a common misunderstanding here. John offered a test for his era:

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist... (1 John 4:2-3)

In the first century, this distinguished true faith from Gnostic denials of Christ’s humanity. Today, however, most affirm that Jesus came in the flesh, and yet the spirit of antichrist endures, often in subtler guises. The modern challenge lies not in a simple confession, but in discerning what imitates Christ while twisting His truth. Revelation provides the insight to see through such deception.

For the ultimate Antichrist, we look first to Daniel, where the foundation is laid. In Daniel 7, four beasts emerge from the sea, each representing a large kingdom in a growing sequence of power and domain. First, a lion with eagle’s wings, symbolizing Babylon’s majestic rule. Then a bear, raised on one side with ribs in its mouth, depicting Medo-Persia’s uneven dominance. Next, a leopard with four heads and wings, reflecting Greece’s rapid expansion. Finally, a fearsome beast with iron teeth—a dragon-like force—crushing all opposition, standing for Pagan Rome.

That dragon is exposed in Revelation 12 for who he really is: “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.”^[3] He is depicted there as ready to devour the Savior as soon as He was born, identifying this dragon with the antichrist spirit of Herod, who directly sought to kill Jesus as a child. Beginning with this dragon, the beasts of Revelation continue the developing story of the beasts of Daniel’s vision. After the fourth beast, Daniel saw a “little horn”^[4] coming up, speaking blasphemies and opposing the saints—continuing in the spirit of antichrist.

In Revelation 13, the connection to Daniel’s vision is strengthened as those beasts and that growing little horn don’t simply vanish—they combine into one great “horn” of antichristian power. Revelation’s beast rising from the sea is a fusion, bearing the lion’s mouth, the bear’s feet, the leopard’s body, and the ten horns of that dreadful fourth beast. The table below outlines this blending:

What does this mean? The Antichrist of the last days isn’t a fresh face—it’s a culmination. The “little horn” is the offspring from that bloodline of beasts that later fully matured and received power from the dragon.^[5] Showing its genetic relationship, the beast of Revelation 13 inherits traits from every empire Daniel described, merging them into a single entity. This isn’t mere repetition of history; it’s a convergence, suggesting a modern power that draws from the worst of its predecessors. If so, the Antichrist may not be a single individual, but a system—a fusion of forces—emerging even now in plain sight.

The Antichrist’s False Prophet

The papacy is a system that’s twisted Christ’s truth into a human-centered power for centuries. It offers its own priesthood and teaches that Christ’s sacrifice must be repeatedly reenacted in the Mass, implying His death on the cross wasn’t enough to fully atone for sin—a counterfeit gospel that demands human works like prayers, gifts, and penance to appease God, denying the biblical truth that Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all. That’s an antichrist spirit at work, exalting itself against God. But Revelation 13 doesn’t stop at one beast. A second beast rises, and it’s not a rival—it’s another face of that same antichrist spirit, partnering with the first to deceive the world.

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Revelation 13:11-12)

Despite its lamblike appearance, the words of this beast betray its false image, echoing the dragon—the devil himself. As a prophet speaks for God, so this deceitful beast speaks for Satan, deceiving people into worshiping the Antichrist at the Vatican. Many misunderstand the symbols and believe the pope to be this false prophet. But the false prophet is described as deceiving by its miracles of technology, and the Vatican just doesn’t fit the bill. And remember how President Bush saw the pope. To conclude a 2008 interview, he was asked, “When you look into Benedict XVI’s eyes, what do you see?” And without hesitation, he revealingly answered, “God!”^[6] He didn’t just see him as a mere prophet but knew the pope’s role as his highest authority!

Scripture uses symbols with purpose. The first beast rises from the sea, which is defined as “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues”^[7]—a crowded, established world. The second beast comes from the earth, a quieter, less populated place. Think of America’s beginnings: a new nation emerging from a sparsely settled land, built on liberty and faith. That’s the lamb-like appearance. But its voice would soon clearly carry the dragon’s tone, enforcing ideas that defy God’s design.

This beast deceives through signs and wonders, bringing “fire down from heaven.” Consider 1945: the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This fire from heaven wasn’t just a weapon—it was a statement of power that reshaped the world’s order. That’s the kind of technological “wonder” this prophecy points to, amplifying this beast’s influence and convincing the world to make an “image to the beast.” How did it accomplish that? Here’s where the prophecy gets especially striking.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. (Revelation 13:15)

This second beast gives life to the image, so it can speak, and causes those who won’t worship it to be “killed.” Consider this carefully. Giving life to the image means empowering it to speak—to spread its message. The logic is simple but powerful: if speaking is life, silencing is death. The killing, then, isn’t literal death; it’s silencing those who resist. We’ve seen this play out clearly in the U.S.

God made man in His own image, male and female.^[8] The Vatican broke this order with its centuries-old commitment to celibacy, which led to untold cases of homosexuality among the priesthood, as was exposed multiple times in the last several years. So when same-sex marriage was legalized in the United States in 2015, it publicly mirrored the closet homosexuality fostered among the clergy. It formed an image to the first beast.

The U.S. didn’t just permit this; it demanded acceptance and used its influence to lift up the image throughout a large part of the world. Media, laws, and social platforms enforced everyone to “bow” to the equality paradigm. If you spoke out, refusing to “worship” or honor this new image, you weren’t just disagreed with—you were silenced. Businesses faced fines, people lost jobs, and voices were shut down. Social media companies, search engines, and news outlets flagged dissent as “hate speech” or suppressed it, while international partners were swayed with financial incentives. The beast gives life by letting its image speak, and it kills by muting anyone who won’t conform. Maybe you’ve felt this pressure yourself, where only one voice gets heard, and it’s not God’s.

The antichrist spirit is active here and now, in ways we can see if we look. The U.S. president, as a global leader wielding this deceptive influence, becomes another channel for the antichrist spirit, its voice echoing the dragon’s defiance. You might point to Donald Trump’s declaration that the government would only recognize male and female sexes, thinking it contradicts him having role in this antichrist system. But that’s not how the devil’s deception works. If Trump appears to dismantle the image of the beast by conceding one (small) area of society for publicity, it’s only to pave the way for something far worse—the mark of the beast across the entire nation. The country is turning sharply to the right, cloaking itself in religious rhetoric, but Trump is no follower of Christ, so any mark of loyalty will not be toward God.

His personal conduct reveals a deeper prophetic role. Scandals that would have ended a career a few decades ago—allegations of sexual misconduct, not to mention hush money payments that led to criminal charges—are now shrugged off as acceptable or irrelevant by many. Scripture, however, judges differently:

…the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot [the lowest members of society] even unto the head [the president] there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. (Isaiah 1:5-6)

When the American people elected Trump, fully aware of his sexual sins and financial fraud, they openly chose a man of sin. Soon, it will become evident that this leader, who proudly called his estate the “center of the universe” when the first bowl of wrath was poured out, is himself a plague—a source of the very “putrefying sores” afflicting the nation.

The second beast, then, isn’t a rival to the first but a collaborator; a distinct yet allied bloodline of antichrist power. The papacy distorts the Christian faith; the U.S. promotes and enforces the distortion. Together, they’re building a system that lifts human ideas above God’s truth, setting the stage for a final rebellion.

Falling Away to the Antichrist

A global rebellion isn’t the work of just two beasts. Revelation unveils a third, found in chapter 17:

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

This one uses its horns to take the antichrist spirit to its ultimate end: direct war against Jesus at His return.

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. (Revelation 17:14)

This beast has the same anatomy as the dragon with its seven heads and ten horns. However, its other characteristics are unique to itself. Thus, it is its own antichristian entity, rallying the world against our returning Lord. Its role in the falling away is critical, drawing the world into a spiritual collapse that makes such a war possible.

We have long understood this final beast described in the Revelation to represent the United Nations^[9] with its subsidiary agencies, especially the World Health Organization. In Who is Sitting on the Beast, we saw the whole picture of this beast with its seven heads and ten horns including the whore who rides it, captured at one table as the Pope (representing the whorish church, Babylon) visited the G7 summit (of the seven heads of state) where the EU is an additional member (as the ten horns, which stand for the ten nations that enforce religious laws respecting Sunday^[10]). Antonio Guterres was present as an invited guest representing the United Nations (as the beast itself).

The Pope relies on these political entities to promote and enforce his agenda, creating a fusion of spiritual and temporal power. This pairing of church and state is a hallmark of the Antichrist’s system, where religious authority and political power are intertwined to achieve global control.

The World Health Organization (WHO) falls under the auspices of the UN and serves a special prophetic role with respect to the Antichrist. Its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, carries a name replete with significance. Tedros means “Gift of God,” Adhanom means “He saved them”, and Ghebreyesus means “Servant of Jesus”. On the surface, this sounds humble, even Christian—yet his actions serve the antichrist, not the true Savior.

The profound spiritual implications may be seen especially considering his role in promoting “equitable” COVID-19 vaccine distribution throughout the world. In his pandemic declaration on March 11, 2020, Tedros expressed the need to “innovate and learn” as part of the strategy to overcome the coronavirus.^[11] Leading biotech companies immediately responded by putting their mRNA vaccine development in high gear.^[12] 

The depth of evil that that represents is incalculable, when you consider that far from serving our Lord Jesus by leading people to choose life, he entices the world to search for death as for hidden treasure, diligently searching for five months.

And to them [the coronavirus locusts] it was given that they should not kill them [the people], but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. (Revelation 9:5-6)

The spiritual ramifications of receiving this unprecedented genetic technology can best be understood through the temple. The temple in Scripture is not only a physical structure but also a symbol of the human body, which Paul expected his audience to understand was the temple of the Holy Spirit.

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

It was an abomination to bring the blood of an unclean animal into the Jewish temple. In fact, many in Jesus’ day understood Daniel’s prophecy about the abomination of desolation to refer to the act of Antiochus Epiphanes when he desecrated the temple by sacrificing a pig on the altar.

Only the blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, cleanses sin. The blood offerings of clean animals at the temple represented the blood and DNA of His unblemished life, which we receive by faith, and an unclean animal was not so much as to be eaten by anyone of Israel. They were to be holy as priests to present the light of the Savior to the world.

If the Holy Spirit dwells within the believer’s body as a temple, what does it mean to introduce man-made genetic creations into that sacred space of the protected micro-environment of every cell of the body? The offering of unclean pig’s blood served as a type for the ultimate desecration of the temple in the last days: the introduction of the number,^[13] or genetic code of life (the “blood”), of the unclean beast into the temple of the Holy Spirit. Many who would recoil at the thought of an RFID chip being implanted under their skin did not hesitate to receive injections that have caused many to continuously produce spike protein years after their last vaccine.^[14] Isn’t that evidence that their genetic blueprint has been altered? But would an apology from Dr. Fauci help now? Or Trump’s reversal of vaccine mandates?

God designed our genetics to be a central component of our physical operation, and to directly tamper with its operation is to offer unclean blood—the work of man’s hands—on the altar. The Holy Spirit could no longer dwell in a temple thus defiled.

The development and distribution of mRNA vaccines, which introduces synthetic genetic code into the body, is therefore an attack directed especially toward Christians, in whom dwells the Holy Spirit. Do you perceive the antichristian spirit motivating this desolating but unrecognized holocaust against Christians? An unbeliever’s body is not the temple of the Holy Spirit, and is not clean to begin with, but it is death for the believer in Jesus, in whom dwells the living Holy Spirit, to be “vaccinated” against His presence. It is a conscious decision (even if made under duress) to evict the Holy Spirit, and how shall such a decision be reversed?

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

There has never been a harsher reality to face than what has befallen Christians of this generation. By this great falling away, you may know that the day of Christ is at hand.

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4)

In how many former temples of God is the work of man’s own hands now sitting where it ought not? Nowhere more than in the “remnant church” of Laodicea does the devil flaunt his thorough success in usurping God’s throne by his deceptive practices. In such as them, our Savior is put to open shame.^[15] Do you understand that he is an antichrist who promoted those mRNA “vaccines” that were nothing less than spiritual weapons targeting God’s people?

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6)

The Unholy Trinity

Tedros, while influential, could only offer guidance and advocacy for carrying out the Vatican agenda. The actual implementation required political power, and this is where Donald Trump led the way. As the president of the world’s largest economy, Trump spearheaded Operation Warp Speed, which accelerated the development and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. By positioning the US as the biggest financial contributor to mRNA vaccine development,^[16] Trump became the king of this global spiritual destruction.

And they [the coronavirus “locusts”] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. (Revelation 9:11)

In this verse, the king over the coronavirus is named “Destroyer”—Abaddon for the Hebrews, or Apollyon for the Greeks or Gentiles. Trump facilitated the widespread desecration of the temple of the Holy Spirit in the bodies of millions of Christians—spiritual children of Abraham^[17]—during his first term reign as Abaddon. He may appear to be a savior, but his actions speak like a destroyer.^[18] No sooner than he assumed the office of President again, he made it very clear that he intends to continue, and even dramatically escalate, his dominion as Apollyon.

Could it be that the Antichrist of the apocalypse is not a single individual, but a cohort of evil leaders masquerading as “ministers of righteousness”?^[19] The Bible answers us when we understand its application.

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:13-14)

Here is a vivid image of these leaders who go through the world with a singular purpose: to gather for battle against the Lord on the “great day of God Almighty” when He returns. This imagery represents the spirit of Antichrist as three spirits who oppose Christ and seek to deceive humanity to unite against Him.

Satan seeks to imitate God’s throne in detail. The Godhead consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and so the enemy manifests the spirit of Antichrist in three distinct yet interconnected figures: the last pope (in place of the Father), Donald Trump (in place of the Son), and Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (in place of the Holy Spirit).

The leading figure in this unholy trinity is the pope, who comes from a long line of priestly “fathers.” While the papacy practices celibacy, contrary to God’s design, who said it is not good for man to be alone,^[20] it positions itself as a paternal authority over the faithful, claiming a role that belongs to God the Father alone. The papacy is a prostitute inspired by a serpent to lead man in rebellion against God. It’s the same playbook as in Eden. He who submits to her usurped authority, places himself under the banner of Satan.

The second unclean spirit is in Donald Trump, who has been likened to a savior in the context of American politics. A video campaign ad for his presidency famously depicted the sun being eclipsed by his silhouette, with onlookers exclaiming, “Oh my God!” The ad concluded with the declaration, “We will save America.” This portrayal mimics the role of the Son of God, the true Savior of humanity. But Trump, who posted a vision with a golden image of himself^[21] like the king of Babylon, is better described as the son of perdition.

The use of Richard Strauss’s “Also sprach Zarathustra” (“Thus saith Zarathrustra”) in the ad further underscores Trump’s role as the biblical false prophet. Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, was an ancient prophet who envisioned the heavens as a battleground between the forces of good and evil—not out of harmony with the Bible’s own war in heaven between the dragon (Antichrist) and the woman (God’s people).^[22] But the melody as used in the ad, known as the “Sunrise” fanfare, lauds Trump’s rising in place of the sun. Given the Bible’s use of the sun as representing Christ, the church’s Bridegroom,^[23] the allusion to Antichrist is clear.

The third unclean spirit is with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. As the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros wields significant influence over health policies all around the globe. His role is characterized by a “still, small voice” that guides and directs, much like the Holy Spirit does in the lives of believers. The WHO has 194 member nations—essentially every nation on earth—imitating the attribute of omnipresence. However, his influence is not in service of Jesus but in the Antichrist agenda, making him a counterfeit of the true Comforter. These three figures—the last pope, Trump, and Tedros—carry out the work of the unclean spirits of Antichrist, each playing a distinct role in the deception of humanity into warring against God Almighty and the Lamb.

Seeking Whom He May Devour

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8)

Ultimately, it is Satan embodied in the Antichrist, who will assume the supreme position within the Antichrist beast trinity,^[24] manifesting as a papal “father”. Several months ago, we interpreted the prophecy of the kings in Revelation 17 as delineating two distinct counts.^[25] First, “there are seven kings”. This count imposes a strict limit, even specifying “the other” following the sixth, confining it to precisely seven.

And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. (Revelation 17:10-11)

To remain faithful to the text, “the eighth” must pertain to a separate, unrestricted count, distinct from the first, which is capped at seven. This distinction brings clarity. Given that the Antichrist is a religiopolitical entity, there exists a religious count (limited to seven kings) and a separate political count (with no specified limit).

This prophecy reveals that the eighth king will achieve the fusion of the religious and political spheres. This king is identified as the global, religiopolitical beast that once “was” but, until Christianity is reunified under the pope, “is not”.

The Vatican Council initiated this religious unification, though the First Vatican Council was interrupted in 1870 and left incomplete due to the conflict that stripped away the Papal States. It was not until Vatican II in 1962 that the process of religious unification could begin, paralleled by the political reunification sparked by the Lateran Treaty, which restored the small yet sovereign Vatican City in 1929.

Pope Francis is identified as the one who “is” because the context of the chapter—the woman sitting on the beast—was realized when he participated in the G7 summit alongside the ten horns of the EU and the UN beast. To embody the ultimate Antichrist, one must eradicate those who refuse to submit to his authority: faithful Christians. It is thus no coincidence that, just prior to his appearance at the G7 summit, Pope Francis released a church document titled, The Bishop of Rome,^[26] which outlines strategies to unite Christian denominations under the papacy, culminating in a section boldly titled, “Towards an Exercise of Primacy in the 21st Century.”

Do you see how Trump through his “Operation Warp Speed,” and Tedros advance the agenda of the ultimate Antichrist, leading unsuspecting Protestants to receive the number of the beast and thereby submit to his authority? Or how Christians have bowed to the image of the beast in embracing LGBT marriage equality and egalitarian principles? Who, then, are the remnant who honor God’s authority by upholding His design for marriage—the image of God—by refusing human interference with the function of their God-given genetic code (the number), and by bearing the seal of His authority as their Creator and Redeemer?

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)

Pope Francis is old and in poor health, having been hospitalized for over a month as of this writing. He has facilitated the religious and political unification under the Antichrist trinity, but is he physically capable of ruling over the world? If our analysis is correct, a new pope will be installed as the antichrist spirit of Satan discards Francis’s frail form for a more vigorous one. Satan has long coveted this position, desiring to subjugate all nations under his sway. He will not relinquish this supreme authority to another. It will be a grim era for the world and Christianity when Satan, masquerading as an angel of light,^[27] governs a united religiopolitical Antichrist system with strength. But the Bible offers hope: contrary to the traditional teaching of a seven-year Antichrist reign, his dominion is permitted only “a short space”.

Standing in the Time of Trouble

In ancient times, God chastened His wayward children, using the Assyrian as an instrument of His indignation:

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (Isaiah 10:5)

So it is with the bowls of wrath. God gives power to the kingdom of darkness to persecute His people, refining them as an ancient smith would refine precious metal in a furnace.

But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: (Malachi 3:2)

With the outpouring of the fourth bowl of wrath, two major lines of prophecy will converge that foretell destruction. The angels bearing the bowls of wrath will be permitted to inflict harm, and at the same time—marked by the hour, day, month, and year of the sixth trumpet prophecy—the angels who were loosened from the Euphrates will be ready to inflict the catastrophic event that is prophesied to occur. This will be a game-changer, and a sudden paradigm shift coming as an overwhelming surprise for the world that few will be prepared for.

In this way is initiated the burning of Babylon in three stages, which would fit the following outline after the delay due to the angels who were forbidden from doing harm until God’s servants are sealed:

The symbolism of the fourth, fifth, and sixth bowls of wrath suggests an increasingly bleak time on earth. During this period, triggered by the events of the second woe (the sixth trumpet), the three-part Antichrist system will lash out fiercely against those who want to be faithful to God.

The fourth bowl describes the scorching heat of the sun, likely symbolizing power granted to Trump, who portrayed himself as “the rising sun,” to oppress God’s people. As Babylon faces judgment, she will unleash her prideful fury, devouring like a lion. Since the sun biblically represents Christ, this bowl’s outpouring on the sun may indicate a distorted form of Christianity wielded to persecute the faithful. With the religious elements in Trump’s administration, this could well be manifested by their enactment of religious laws, such as mandatory Sunday worship, the mark of the beast.

The fifth bowl is poured out on the seat of the beast—the Vatican—and the kingdom is filled with darkness. Linked to the smoke of the sixth trumpet plague, this darkness may suggest a papal vacancy. His kingdom being full of darkness may even signify when Satan, in some guise, personally ascends the throne as the “lord of the world”, “who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations.”^[28] This would unfold during Babylon’s second hour of destruction, when “so great riches is come to nought”.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

The darkest hour arrives with the sixth bowl, poured out on The Great River Euphrates, symbolizing the Holy Spirit’s ministry, which has endured since Eden. When it dries up, every person will have chosen for or against the Lord, and the Spirit will cease striving with those who reject Him. His withdrawal (on June 4, 2025) stems from humanity’s rejection, allowing an unholy spirit to seize unrestrained control in the world.

In this hour, Babylon’s global kingdom is “made desolate”, just as the Jewish temple was left desolate when Jesus departed, never to return to it.^[29] This desolation relates to the brimstone of the sixth trumpet, because a land burned with brimstone no longer supports life, but is like Sodom and Gomorrah.^[30] 

Ultimately, we will not know the interpretation with certainty until it happens, but the sequence of these bowls may parallel the three components of the Antichrist system as described above. First Trump would begin to scorch men with the fire of great persecution. Next, an unholy father—the ultimate Antichrist—is elected at the Vatican to rule with power.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (Revelation 17:12)

With Satan leading a fully operational Antichrist beast, could this hour point to the sixth bowl, when the three frog-like spirits gather the kings for battle? Then the Spirit of God departs and an unholy spirit, likely through Tedros, joins the other two to deceive and rally the world against the physical presence of Jesus during His final descent to the atmosphere.

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:13-14)

The fate of those three entities connects the outpouring of this bowl with the brimstone, where they ultimately land:

And the devil [the dragon] that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (Revelation 20:10)

Described as frogs, these spirits emerge as the spiritual Euphrates dries out, a fitting image since frogs thrive in receding waters. Where the Holy Spirit is unwelcome, unholy spirits take up residence. That these unclean spirits have global influence signals the Holy Spirit’s absence, who then no longer restrains evil.

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth [the Holy Spirit] will let, until he be taken out of the way [in the sixth bowl]. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8)

Yet, as these unclean spirits rally “the kings of the earth and of the whole world” for battle, the way is also prepared for “the kings of the east”:

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. (Revelation 16:12)

Who are these kings of the east? They must be distinct from the “kings of the earth and of the whole world”, and their advance is enabled by the withdrawal of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus had to depart the earth before sending the Holy Spirit, so too must the Holy Spirit withdraw before the Kings of the east may return to deliver the remnant from the earth and resurrect the sleeping saints.

The 144,000 will be equipped for that hour, their human vessels filled with the oil of the Spirit. They walk victoriously through the valley of the shadow of death, even as the Spirit of God fully departs from the rest of the world. This final generation will testify that it is possible to uphold God’s commandments by faith, even amidst the direst circumstances. This is their time to shine with God’s glory.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)

When they have faithfully endured the trial and the world’s battle against the Lord collapses, it fully exposes the empty promises of a prosperous future as the wicked nations see the redeemed depart in glory. Truth prevails over him who sought supreme power for himself, and the nations turn against the whore of Babylon who deceived them:

These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.… And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast [the EU nations that strictly enforce Sunday laws], these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:14,16)

Until that point, they have cooperated behind the scenes, despite any outward appearances to the contrary (indeed, regardless of political views, all presidents pay their homage to the pope of Rome and submit to his authority). But when the reality of their failure sets in, an internal betrayal within the Antichrist system reveals a divided kingdom, destined to fall:

And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? (Matthew 12:26)

The world is then desolate, stripped of all goodness. With the influence of the Spirit-filled faithful absent, sin’s true fruit can be seen for what it really is: utter misery, chaos, and death. The whole earth becomes a winepress of wrath, trodden without the city of God^[31] as the unbridled, hysterical rage of evildoers turns upon themselves. This continues briefly, until the seventh bowl is poured out on the air, life’s most vital element.

Essentially, the seventh bowl represents the loss of life-support for this dying biosphere called Earth. Yet it is an act of mercy to put an end to the meaninglessness and misery of existence without the presence of the Spirit of God to bring the light of hope. Satan is then bound, left with no living agents to do anything in the physical world. He reigns over rubble as king of the dead for 1000 years. Meanwhile, the saints inherit that which eye had not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered the mind until Jesus then freely bestows it.

Sin may initially allure, promising better things than obedience would seem to offer, but its end reveals the truth and confirms God’s word:

But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:22-23)

Choose now to become a faithful servant of God, freed from sin through Christ while the Holy Spirit still dwells in the world. Seek truth, that you may stand among the 144,000 and lead many to righteousness during that fast-approaching time of trouble such as never was.

Now it is high time to come out of Babylon and prevail over the enemy’s deception. Reject any human health intervention that would manipulate your genetic machinery, placing your trust wholly in God—and so overcome the number of the beast. Do not bow to the societal pressures to compel you to exalt LGBT relationships to an equality with God’s order—and so overcome the image of the beast. Above all, remember your Creator and Redeemer by resting in Him as He rested. He sealed His finished work of creation with the seventh-day Sabbath, and His work of redemption on a High Sabbath. Enter into His rest and let His works burn as oil in your lamp—and so overcome the mark of the beast. For risking your spiritual life for others, He will safeguard your physical life—and so you will overcome the beast.

And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. (Revelation 15:2-4)