Revelation 13:7 has been interpreted by many to mean the Antichrist will reign over the entire world – that his will be a one-world government. This is incorrect.
And it was given unto him to make war with the saints [Israel], and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Revelation 13:7
What Revelation 13:7 actually says is that the Antichrist will be more powerful than all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
Also, the proper translation is “power”, not “authority”, because elsewhere the Bible explains that some nations will resist and fight back!
The kingdom of the Antichrist, which is the fourth beast, or the beast with seven heads and ten horns, will be strong militarily because the Antichrist will wield the supernatural power of Satan himself, and that of the angels that are with him.
… and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
Revelation 13:2
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Daniel 8:23-24
So much so that at the height of the empire of the beast, they who are with the beast will boast, Who is able to make war with him?
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?
Revelation 13:4
Remember, Islamists have long claimed “Allahu akbar”: “Allah is greater”. Imagine how they will behave when it suddenly appears as if they are right.
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.
Daniel 7:23
Now, let me explain what this power is from a military standpoint. This is something that I figured out years ago.
Anyone who knows anything about modern warfare, or has played war games, knows that air power is a significant aspect of war.
Modern fighter jets and bombers are run by jet engines. All jet engines suck in air and combust the air to produce thrust. For this reason, the smallest debris can wreck the engine of a jet and bring down that plane. This is why volcanic ash is dangerous for planes.
Now, demons can carry objects and fly fast enough to put something into the air intake of a plane. Therefore, planes can be brought down by demons (ref. 1), and in fact planes have been brought down inexplicably in recent times. Remember, Satan himself is described in Ephesians 2:2 as “the prince of the power of the air”.
Of course, what a demon can do, an angel can also do, because demons are simply angels that have rebelled against God. By the way, angels outnumber demons two to one (ref. Revelation 12:4).
Now, let me show you an example of an angel bringing down something. On 4 August 2012, Serena Williams of the USA won the gold medal in women’s tennis at the Olympics, at Wimbleton, Britain. Maria Sharapova of the Russian Federation got silver. During the award ceremony, while America’s national anthem, the Star Spangled Banner, was playing, the flag of the USA fell down just as the anthem reached the lines “That our flag was still there. Oh say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave.” (ref. 2). America’s flag fell, yet the flag of Russia remained in place. That was no coincidence. It was a sign from God!
Here is another video recording of the moment (ref. 3).
The Star Spangled Banner, of course, celebrates the war of 1812 between the British Empire and the USA, the battle at Fort McHenry. The war of 1812 was also a war between good and evil. America thought that it could invade British Canada to help Napolean. But the British prevailed. In the end, the red-coats reached Washington DC and burned down the White House and the US Capitol.
Anyway, I was saying, the Antichrist will wield the supernatural power of Satan. For this reason, he will prosper, and for a while his kingdom will seem to be more powerful than every nation, per Revelation 13:7.
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
Daniel 11:36
At the appointed time, God will deny all nations the sky. Volcanoes everywhere, but especially around the ring of fire, will explode and cause pillars of smoke to darken the sky. At the sounding of the fifth trumpet, or the pouring of the fifth vial, a volcano somewhere in the Middle East, the bottomless pit, will also explode, and so the sky over the kingdom of the beast will be darkened.
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
Revelation 9:1-2
And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.
Revelation 16:10
The darknening of the sky means, when the time comes for Armageddon, which is the sixth trumpet and vial, the war will be fought on land, to the advantage of the army of horsemen, from the east.
A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations… The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
Joel 2:2-4
This is the same army that the LORD describes in Joel 2:11 as “his army”.
The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining: And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?
Joel 2:10-11
As for the problem of demons, Jesus Christ is the creator of all things, seen and unseen, so he will deal with them.
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psalms 2:9
Christians predestinated to rule, born again and imbued with the Holy Spirit, will do some of this work during the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ (ref. 1 Corinthians 6:3).
Know ye not that we shall judge angels? …
1 Corinthians 6:3
References:
1. “Jet engine explodes mid air: prince of the power of the air”, youtube.com/watch?v=XYvIYhabCEU, youtube.com
2. “U.S. Flag Drops During National Anthem for Serena Williams’ Olympic Gold Medal Ceremony at Wimbledon”, youtube.com/watch?v=COm3J2QXDv0, youtube.com
3. “USA flag falls during Olympic Wimbledon medal ceremony”, youtube.com/watch?v=b56O90GJR48, youtube.com