Symptoms Of A Prevalent Antichrist Spirit!

Volume XXXI Issue X October 2012

Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916

Fax: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org

"I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive."  John 5:43

"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."  Matthew 24:23-24

"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."  II Thessalonians 2:3-4

"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."  I John 2:18

In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will shine a light on the spirit of antichrist, which has now risen up in these last days. This strange spirit, which often takes on a blasphemous messianic tone, has grown increasingly prevalent in these latter days, and with the 2012 presidential election in the United States set to take place in the coming weeks, this unclean antichrist spirit is manifesting again.

In the book of I John, chapter 2, verse 18, we are warned that many antichrists would rise up in "the last time." One such example of an antichrist is none other than the current president of the United States, Barack Obama. This fact became clear to all discerning Christians when Obama ran for president the first time in the 2008 election. While campaigning for the office of the presidency, Barack Obama made the following statement during a speech in New Hampshire on January 7, 2008, "A light will shine through that window, a beam of light will come down upon you. You will experience an epiphany… and you will suddenly realize that you must go to the polls and vote for Obama." (1) Despite his assertion that he is a Christian, Barack Obama has done nothing to discourage people from worshipping him. In one such example, an associate editor for a campus newspaper by the name of Maggie Mertens was quoted as saying, "Obama is my homeboy. And I'm not saying that because he's black - I'm saying that in reference to those Urban Outfitters t-shirts from a couple years ago that said 'Jesus is my homeboy.' Yes, I just said it. Obama is my Jesus." (2) It was also in 2008 when Louis Farrakhan, the leader of a religious group known as the Nation of Islam, declared that Obama was a "herald of the Messiah." "You are the instruments that God is going to use to bring about universal change, and that is why Barack has captured the youth. And he has involved young people in a political process that they didn't care anything about. That's a sign. When the Messiah speaks, the youth will hear, and the Messiah is absolutely speaking," Farrakhan declared. He further went on to say, "Brothers and sisters, Barack Obama to me, is a herald of the Messiah. Barack Obama is like a trumpet that alerts you to something new, something better is on the way." (3) Pop singer Gordon Sumner, who is commonly known as Sting, also expressed his admiration for Obama. In an article published in October 2009, Sumner was quoted as saying, "In many ways, he's (Obama) sent from God, because the world's a mess." (4)

Despite many broken campaign promises and a lackluster job performance since 2009, a large contingent of people still continue to offer their worship and devotion to Obama. One such example is a book entitled "The Gospel of Barack Hussein Obama According to Mark," written by Mark F. Bozzuti-Jones and published on March 20, 2012. Regarding the book, Bozzuti-Jones stated that it "is designed to initiate the reader into a meditation on what it means to be human, what it means to be a manifestation of God, and how Barack Obama is a unique and important manifestation of God's desire for human flourishing." (5) Yet another example of Obama-related idolatry was found at the recent Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. A sixteen-month calendar, entitled "Keep the Dream" and published by a man known as James Hickman, features a blasphemous page for the month of August. The page features a picture of Barack Obama's purported birth certificate and a caption with the words "Heaven Sent." Underneath those words, the text of John 3:16 is displayed, which reads, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life." (6)

First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has also used messianic overtones to describe her husband. Speaking at a campaign rally on April 17, 2012, Michelle Obama declared, "We have an amazing story to tell. The president has brought us out of the darkness and into the light." (7) In her statement the First Lady has taken an attribute of God and applied it to her husband. For as it says in I Peter 2:9, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

When we examine the facts, it becomes obvious that Barack Obama is an antichrist. Although I do not believe he is the "son of perdition," spoken of in II Thessalonians 2, I do believe that he is an integral part of Satan's plan to overtake the world and establish a new world order. As Christians, we must always be mindful that we should never give our worship and devotion to a man. For as Jesus told Satan in Luke 4:8, "… It is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve."

It is worthwhile to note that although there are many people with an unnatural and unholy devotion to Barack Obama, there are also many people in the United States who oppose him. In fact, a county judge by the name of Tom Head in Lubbock County, Texas, has warned that there could be serious repercussions if Obama is given another four years as president. "He's going to try to hand over the sovereignty of the United States to the UN, and what is going to happen when that happens? I'm thinking the worst. Civil unrest, civil disobedience, civil war maybe. And we're not just talking a few riots here and demonstrations; we're talking Lexington, Concord, take up arms and get rid of the guy," opined Judge Head. (8) Will there be civil unrest in America? Only God knows for certain, but when we consider the fact that so many people are discussing this potential danger in the United States, all discerning Christians should be prompted to fall to their knees and seek God all the more fervently as we watch and pray in the uncertain days ahead.

Incidentally, my father, Pastor David J. Meyer, produced a DVD in 2008 on the subject of Barack Obama entitled Profile of An Antichrist. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this DVD, you may write to our postal address and request one. As with everything we offer, there is no price for the DVD. We operate entirely on donations and have done so for nearly thirty-two years.

A Film To Incite The Islamic World!

On July 1, 2012, a mysterious film appeared on the video-sharing website known as YouTube. This video, which has been known by various titles, including The Real Life of Muhammad and The Innocence of Muslims, depicts the man that the Islamic world consider to be their prophet as a murderous child-molesting buffoon. (9) The fourteen-minute film was later dubbed into Arabic, and on September 8, 2012, an excerpt was broadcast on the Egyptian Islamist television network known as Al-Nas TV. (10) In the wake of the release of the film, violent protests have swept throughout the Middle East, and at least forty-seven people have been killed. (11) Followers of the Islamic faith consider any depiction of Muhammad, whether on film, in drawings, paintings, or any other method, to be blasphemy and a crime punishable by death. Numerous figures in the Islamic world have now called for retaliation against the United States and Israel, while others have called upon the United States to outlaw blasphemy against their prophet. "The offense caused to the messenger (Prophet Muhammad) will put all American interests in danger and we will not forgive them for that," declared Qais al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib al-Haq militia in Iraq. (12) In several countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesia, protestors set American flags on fire and chanted, "Death to America!" The protestors, which sometimes became violent, did not shy away from expressing their hatred for the United States. "We will defend our prophet until we have blood across our bodies. We will not let anyone insult him. Americans will pay for their dishonor," said one protestor in Kabul, Afghanistan. (13) In Beirut, Lebanon, leader of the terrorist group Hezbollah Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah made the following proclamation to thousands of Lebanese people who gathered in protest of the film, "Prophet of god, we offer ourselves, our blood, and our kin for the sake of your dignity and honor." (14) The government of Iran also condemned the film and promised to pursue the filmmakers who are responsible for it. "Certainly we will search for, track, and pursue this guilty person who has insulted 1.5 billion Muslims in the world," First Vice-President of Iran, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, stated. (15) Meanwhile, Hafiz Saeed of the Islamist organization known as Jamatud Dawa called on the United States to outlaw blasphemy against their prophet at a protest rally in Pakistan. "The US must make a law against blasphemy - or we will not let the US consulates in Pakistan function," Saeed declared. (16)

The Islamic rage of recent days has also resulted in attacks against American Embassies in certain countries, such as Libya, Yemen, and Egypt. One such incident occurred on September 13, 2012, in Yemen when an angry mob stormed the Embassy of the United States, smashed windows, burned the American flag, and replaced it with a black banner declaring, "There is no god but Allah." (17) Sadly, another attack, which occurred on September 11, 2012, in Benghazi, Libya, resulted in the death of United States Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. (18) The terrorist group known as Al-Qaida rejoiced over the slayings of the Americans and urged Muslims to take further action, declaring the need to "purge our land of their filth in revenge for the honor of the prophet." (19)

In the United States, government officials have criticized the anti-Islamic film and have attempted to persuade Google, the company which owns YouTube, to remove the video from circulation. However, Google has rejected the request, choosing rather to censor it only in countries where it is illegal. "We've restricted access to it in countries where it is illegal such as India and Indonesia, as well as in Libya and Egypt, given the very sensitive situations in these two countries," Google stated. (20) The refusal of Google to censor the film has raised the ire of Islamic figures such as Khalid Amayreh, a prominent journalist in Hebron. "Yes, we understand the First Amendment and all of this stuff. But you must also understand that the prophet (for us) is a million times more sacred than the American Constitution," Amayreh stated. (21)

It is unfortunate that a fourteen-minute film is capable of sparking such anger, hatred, and violence around the world. The Islamic position of avenging the honor of their prophet stands in stark contrast to the principles which Christian people adhere to. In Matthew 5:43-45, Jesus instructed us as follows, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." The Apostle Paul also admonished us not to seek vengeance in Romans 12:18-21, which states, "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."

Preparations For War!

For many months, the countries of Israel and Iran have traded threats of war back and forth, and much speculation has been made regarding when and if a military conflict might begin. These "rumours of war" have not abated, and many figures involved on both sides of the conflict make the notion that there will soon be a war between these two nations sound like a forgone conclusion.

Recent reports have now surfaced indicating that the Obama Administration has sought to distance itself from Israel in recent weeks. The shaky relations between Obama and Israel were highlighted in a report by a Jewish newspaper known as Yedioth Ahronoth, which made the claim that the United States had used back-channels to communicate a message to Iran that indicated that it would not back Israel in an attack as long as Iran refrained from targeting American interests in the region. However, the United States has flatly denied these allegations. "I can tell you that there is absolutely no daylight between the United States and Israel when it comes to the necessity of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon," insisted White House spokesman Jay Carney. (22) It is worth noting that Barack Obama rejected a request from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to hold a meeting in the United States ostensibly to discuss potential military options. (23) This rejection came after Netanyahu launched a thinly-veiled verbal attack against the Obama Administration when he declared, "The world tells Israel 'wait, there's still time.' And I say 'Wait for what? Wait until when? Those in the international community who refuse to put red lines before Iran don't have a moral right to place a red light before Israel." (24)

Meanwhile, according to a report by Channel 2 News in Israel, Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak have "almost finally" reached a decision to attack Iran. (25) Former American Ambassador to Israel, Martin Indyk, has also declared that there is a high likelihood that war will break out within the next six months. "There is still time, perhaps six months, even by Prime Minister Netanyahu's own time table to try and see if a negotiated solution can be worked out," Indyk said. However, he warned that if negotiations fail there will likely be war in 2013. "I am afraid that 2013 is going to be a year in which we're going to have a military confrontation with Iran," Indyk told reporters on the CBS news program "Face the Nation." (26)

As various public figures have continued to express their thoughts on the possibility of war, the nation of Iran has made attempts to flex its military might. On Friday, September 21, 2012, the Iran military paraded thousands of military personnel, plus tanks and missiles, for the public to see during a celebration of the anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War. (27) Iran has also deployed a Russian-made submarine to the Persian Gulf, even as the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei, announced upgrades to Iranian military forces. "The armed forces should be upgraded in a way that no one will be able to violate the reinforced fortress of Iran," Khamenei declared. (28) One such upgrade to the Iranian military is the new Meshkat Cruise Missile, which reportedly has a range of 2,000 kilometers, or 1,242 miles. Such missiles are reportedly capable of striking many cities in Israel, including Jerusalem. (29) The government of Iran has made it clear that they are expecting Israel to attack. "Their threats only prove that their enmity with Islam and the revolution is serious, and eventually this enmity will lead to physical conflict," stated Mohammad Ali Jafari, commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. He further went on to say, "A war will occur, but it's not clear where or when it will be. Israel seeks war with us, but it's not clear when the war will occur." (30)

The nations of Israel and Iran may soon be at war. The repercussions of such a conflict could be far more devastating than many people anticipate and even lead to a third World War. I pray that such a tragedy can be avoided; however, both sides seem more determined than ever to destroy each other. In fact, Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi has great anticipation for the conflict, because he believes it will lead to a great war, and the reappearance of an Islamic religious figure known as the twelfth imam Mahdi. This imam, according to certain Islamic traditions, is expected to kill all who oppose Islam and raise the flag of their religion in all corners of the world. (31) With so much uncertainty in the days, it is of the utmost importance that we continue to watch and pray.

A New Conflict In Asia!

Even as we see the Islamic world assembling in violent protests and a buildup to a possible war between Israel and Iran, a conflict has now surfaced in Asia as well. Tensions have flared between Japan and China over a disputed chain of islands, which each country claims as their own. The controversy began when the Japanese government purchased three islands in the Senkaku island chain (Diaoyu Islands in China) from private owners, which effectively nationalized them. (32) In response, China sent six surveillance ships into the disputed area and issued a warning to the Japanese ships located near the islands. "The actions of your ships violate China's sovereignty and rights. Any unilateral act from your side regarding the Diaoyu Islands and its affiliated islands is illegal and invalid. Please stop any infringing acts. Otherwise, your side will bear the consequences caused by your actions," declared a Chinese Marine Surveillance officer in a radio message to the Japanese ships. (33)

Japan's decision to purchase the islands has sparked a nationalistic fervor in China with thousands of Chinese citizens gathering to protest against Japan. One such protest occurred at the Japanese embassy in Beijing, China, on September 15, 2012. Riot police were called to the scene to control a crowd of an estimated two thousand angry protestors, some of which were throwing stones and other items at the Japanese building. (34) Due to dangerous conditions and threats against Japanese people and companies, numerous businesses were forced to temporarily shut down their operations in China. Some of these companies include Mazda Motor Corporation, Nissan Motor Company, Canon, and Panasonic. (35) Regarding the massive protests which occurred in China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei issued the following statement, "The gravely destructive consequences of Japan's illegal purchase of the Diaoyu Islands are steadily emerging, and the responsibility for this should be borne by Japan." (36) United States Defense Secretary Leon Panetta expressed great concern over the conflict between China and Japan. "Obviously we're concerned by the demonstrations and the conflict over the Senkaku Islands. It is extremely important that diplomatic means on both sides be used to try to constructively resolve these issues," Panetta stated. In another grave statement issued to reporters, Panetta also declared, "It raises the possibility that a misjudgment on one side or the other could result in violence, and could result in conflict. And that conflict would then have the potential of expanding." (37) Panetta also made it clear that the United States would support Japan in the event of a conflict with China. "Obviously we stand by our treaty obligations. They are longstanding, and that does not change," Panetta said. (38)

The Impact Of Obama's Economic Plan!

In July 2012, Barack Obama spoke at a fundraiser in Oakland, California, where he declared while speaking of his economic policies, "We tried our plan - and it worked." (39) If Obama considers his economic policies successful, we must stop and ask ourselves what exactly he was hoping to accomplish in the first place. In fact, there are numerous news reports which have surfaced in recent days indicating that the American people are far worse off than they used to be.

Although the official unemployment rate fell from 8.3 percent to 8.1 percent in September 2012, the decrease was mainly caused by Americans leaving the labor force rather than new jobs being created. In fact, a news report published by Bloomberg stated that 368,000 Americans stopped looking for work in August 2012. (40) Amazingly enough, more Americans were employed during the recession than those who are employed right now, according to a report by The Weekly Standard. At this present time, only 58.3 percent of all working-age Americans are employed. This percentage was 59.4 percent during the recession. (41)

If one of Barack Obama's goals was to transform the United States into a poverty-stricken welfare state, he has succeeded in that regard. Sadly, 265,000 Americans were added to the food stamp program from April to June 2012. This is a figure which exceeds the amount of Americans who were able to find a job in that same time period. (42) The total recipients of food stamps reached 46.7 million people in June 2012. (43) Meanwhile, homelessness in New York City has risen to 41,000 people, with 19,000 of those people being children. This sad state of affairs prompted Patrick Markee of the Coalition for the Homeless to say, "Not since the grim days of the Great Depression has New York City had 20,000 children sleeping homeless each night." (44)

Even as the United States government continues to increase the national debt at a staggering pace, warnings around the world are being sounded, declaring that the future in the United States could be very bleak. "Ahead of the election in the United States there is great uncertainty about the course American politics will take in dealing with the U.S. government's debts, which are much too high. We need to remind ourselves of that sometimes and the global economy knows that and is burdened by it," stated German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble. (45) With the national debt in the United States now exceeding sixteen trillion dollars, (46) credit rating agency Egan-Jones has once again downgraded their credit rating for the United States. One of the reasons given for the downgrade was a decision by Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke to institute another round of quantitative easing, which will pump forty billion dollars into the American economy each month for an undetermined duration of time. (47)

In closing, I know there is much more that could be said about these uncertain times in which we live, and we will cover some of those topics in subsequent issues of the Last Trumpet Newsletter. One thing I am certain of is that we must look to God and put our hope and trust in Him. I would not want to face the challenges of this world without the guiding hand of our Saviour, and thankfully we know that He will never forsake us. For as Jesus told us in John 14:16-18, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." If you have not yet fully given your heart to God, I encourage you to do so now.

Thank you to all who so generously support this ministry. It is a humbling thought to know that we are deemed worthy of your consideration, and we thank God for the resources and the abilities He has given us to carry out this ministry. If you have any prayer requests, small or great, please feel welcome to send them our way. We know from experience that God truly hears every prayer. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.Samuel David Meyer

Acknowledgments
01. WorldNetDaily, October 10, 2008, By WorldNetDaily, http://wnd.com.
02. WorldNetDaily, October 16, 2008, By WorldNetDaily, http://wnd.com.
03. WorldNetDaily, October 10, 2008, By WorldNetDaily, http://wnd.com.
04. WorldNetDaily, October 29, 2009, By WorldNetDaily, http://wnd.com.
05. Amazon.com, The Gospel of Barack Hussein Obama According to Mark, Official Book Description, By Mark F. Bozzuti-Jones http://amazon.com.
06. Breitbart, September 3, 2012, By William Bigelow, http://breitbart.com.
07. The Weekly Standard, April 17, 2012, By Daniel Halper, http://weeklystandard.com.
08. Fox 34 News, August 23, 2012, By Fox 34 News, http://myfoxlubbock.com.
09. Wikipedia, Innocence of Muslims http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innocence_of_muslims.
10. Ibid.
11. Associated Press, September 21, 2012, By Associated Press, http://news.yahoo.com.
12. Reuters News Service, September 13, 2012, By Suadad al-Salhy, Baghdad, Iraq.
13. Reuters News Service, September 17, 2012, By Mirwais Harooni, Kabul, Afghanistan.
14. Ibid.
15. Ibid.
16. The Express Tribune, September 17, 2012, By Rana Tanveer, http://tribune.com.pk.
17. Associated Press, September 13, 2012, By Associated Press, Sanaa, Yemen.
18. Ibid.
19. Associated Press, September 18, 2012, By Maamoun Youssef, Cairo, Egypt.
20. Reuters News Service, September 17, 2012, By Gerry Shih, San Francisco, California.
21. Associated Press, September 18, 2012, By Gillian Flaccus, Cerritos, California.
22. Associated Press, September 14, 2012, By Daniel Estrin, Jerusalem, Israel.
23. Reuters News Service, September 11, 2012, By Jeffrey Heller, Jerusalem, Israel.
24. Ibid.
25. The Times of Israel, August 11, 2012, By Times of Israel Staff, http://timesofisrael.com.
26. The Times of Israel, September 17, 2012, By Michal Shmulovich, http://timesofisrael.com.
27. France24, September 21, 2012, By Blade, http://france24.com/en.
28. Associated Press, September 18, 2012, By Nasser Karimi, Tehran, Iran.
29. The Washington Free Beacon, September 10, 2012, By Adam Kredo, http://freebeacon.com.
30. Reuters News Service, September 22, 2012, By Yeganeh Torbati, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
31. WorldNetDaily, By Reza Kahlili, September 20, 2012, http://wnd.com.
32. Associated Press, September 14, 2012, By Malcolm Foster, Tokyo, Japan.
33. Ibid.
34. AFP News, September 16, 2012, By Neil Connor, http://news.yahoo.com.
35. Reuters News Service, September 17, 2012, By Kazunori Takada and Chris Buckley, Shanghai/Beijing, China.
36. Ibid.
37. AFP News, September 17, 2012, By Dan De Luce, http://news.yahoo.com.
38. Ibid.
39. The Washington Examiner, July 24, 2012, By Joel Gehrke, http://washingtonexaminer.com.
40. Bloomberg News, September 7, 2012, By Shobhana Chandra, http://bloomberg.com.
41. The Weekly Standard, September 10, 2012, By Jeffrey H. Anderson, http://weeklystandard.com.
42. The Weekly Standard, September 21, 2012, By Daniel Halper, http://weeklystandard.com.
43. Bloomberg News, September 4, 2012, By Alan Bjerga, http://bloomberg.com.
44. The Huffington Post, September 10, 2012, By The Huffington Post, http://huffingtonpost.com.
45. Reuters News Service, September 11, 2012, By Reuters News Service, http://reuters.com.
46. Fox News, September 4, 2012, By Greg Wilson, http://foxnews.com. 47. CNBC, September 14, 2012, By CNBC, http://cnbc.com.

Special Note: A new tribute website for Pastor David J. Meyer can now be accessed at http://pastormeyer.org.

Comments regarding this newsletter or topic suggestions may be submitted to editor@lasttrumpetnewsletter.org.
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