Thanks for this wonderful forum to ask Biblical questions. I really appreciate it.
My question concerns the anti-Christ. I heard of one preacher saying he has to be Jewish or the Jewish people would never follow him as their Messiah at the end times. I heard of another preacher saying he will come from Europe with a mention of “the city of the seven hills,” possibly Rome, or at least the reference being to the emerging European Union. What are your thoughts?
One of the first things the Lord will do when He inhabits His Temple at the beginning of the Millennium is to accuse Israel of letting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart (not Christian) or flesh (not Jewish) have charge of the Temple services. (Ezekiel 44:7) Since this has never happened in history, it will have to happen during the Great Tribulation. It’s an indication that either the anti-Christ or the false prophet or both will be neither Jewish nor Christian.
Jesus warned all believing Jews to flee Jerusalem at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. (Matt. 24:15) That leaves only unbelievers to receive the anti-Christ. He also warned Israel that even though they rejected Him, who had come in His father’s name, they would receive another who would come in his own name. (John 5:43) Today they would take anyone who will promise them peace.
For many years scholars have assumed that the city on 7 hills is Rome, capital of the Western leg of the Roman Empire. But the capital of the Eastern leg is also known as a city on 7 hills. It’s Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople. The Eastern leg of the Old Roman Empire is made up of countries that follow Islam today, and the one that some believe is their messiah, al-Mahdi, bears a striking resemblance to the anti-Christ.