I was recently working with my daughter on some work she was doing for Sunday School. We started talking about the Messiah and what some people expected the Messiah to be. I explained that many people during the day of Jesus looked for a Messiah that would be a warrior and defeat the Roman Empire and finally free Israel and glorify her in the worlds eyes. When Jesus came as the redeemer and not the conquering warrior they did not believe that Jesus was the King of Kings. They did not accept his authority. To which my daughter replied "Well, when he comes back, won't they be surprised!"
That got me thinking.
During the tribulation, the antichrist will set up a world-wide government, a world-wide economy and a world-wide religion. He will establish a 7 year treaty with Israel and will, at least initially, establish a world-wide peace.
How many of these devout Jews and Gentiles will look to this antichrist and see the checklist for the messiah that man desires? They will see an exalted king, a charismatic leader, someone who appears to be devoted to peace, and someone who unifies religion and preforms miracles. He will put in place what mankind thinks that the Messiah should put in place.
In the eyes of the world, the antichrist will have it all! He will seem to be the ultimate king. Many will not see that that appearance will be a lie!
Contrary to the popular saying, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence. We are choosing to exchange the grass for sand. In our stubborn ways, we can not see what we already have been given. In our shortsightedness, we can not look beyond our present to see the eternity. We grab what we think that we want at the expense of what we truly need.
God new that we needed a savior and not a warrior. He knew we needed redemption and not emancipation. He knew we needed love and not vengeance. God knows that we need His desires and not our desires.
