Who is the antichrist?  What will he be like?  Well, that all depends on how you read the Book.  It could be that it turns out to be one of the larger non-events of history.  Kind of like Santa, the tooth fairy, and the Asthoreth bunny.  When it really comes down to it, if most of the prophecies of Revelation and Daniel have been fulfilled, then there really isn’t much left said.  And, that leaves the rest of the debate outside of the realm of scripture, and merely in speculation, which isn’t for theologians, but for arguments only.  Of course, this doesn’t meant there wont be evil men who submit themselves to the adversary, just has there have been throughout history, but are we expecting, Biblically, a great one-world ruler who will be a super-evil?  Not that I can find.

The Kingdom of God.  Is it now, or is it yet to come?  Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force.  This wasn’t a future statement, but rather it was fulfilled then.  Compare this to a popular scripture from the book of Daniel.

 But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Daniel 7:18, emphasis added

Clearly, the Law and the Prophets were until John (the baptist), and since that time the Kingdom of God is being preached (Luke 16:16).

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This brief look at Matthew 24 describes the 2-part layout of the Olivet Discourse.  Focusing on the explanation of two separate events, the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, occurring in fulfillment of the words “this generation” (Matthew 24:34), and the second coming at the end of “this age”, as described by Jesus (Mark 10:30).  Focusing especially on the translation of the first word in Matthew 24:29, “immediately”, which in the Greek does not always imply imminence of time, but rather sequence in narration, the case is laid out that the text clearly delineates between the two events, which, in Luke are described as being separated by the “times of the Gentiles”.  Because the second coming, “that day” is clearly explained as being of a time unknown to Jesus Himself, known only to the Father, we see, textually and logically, that Matthew 24:34 cannot apply to the second coming events, but only Matthew 24:9-28.  Matthew 24:29-31, then, are not under the restriction of “this generation”, being “that day” and not “these things”, as Jesus explains through Matthew 24:36, “that day”.

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