SPECIAL NOTES ON 2026: THE YEAR OF THE BEAST (WITH VIDEO)

THEOLOGY

SCRIPTURE. “And in his place shall arise A VILE PERSON, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. And after THE LEAGUE [‘chabar,’ הִֽתְחַבְּר֥וּת – ‘a covenantal alliance’] is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time …

Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the Wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall EXALT HIMSELF [‘rum,’ וְיִתְרוֹמֵ֤ם – ‘heave upward’] above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with GOLD and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and DIVIDE [‘chalaq,’ יְחַלֵּ֥ק – ‘apportion by smoothness’] the land for gain.” – DANIEL 11:21-24, 36-39, NKJV

KEY TERM: “A VILE PERSON.” ‘Bazah’ [נִבְזֶ֔ה]: “A primitive root; ‘To disesteem, despise, hold contemptible, to scorn … Morally base or impure; sinful; depraved by sin; wicked; hateful in the sight of God and of good men.” NOTE: “The verb בָּזָה (‘bazah’) conveys the idea of treating someone or something as worthless, lightly esteeming, holding in contempt, or despising. Its forty-plus appearances trace a moral fault line running through Israel’s history: ‘To despise God, His word, His servants, or one’s neighbor so as to invite Judgment;’ yet God Himself does not despise the lowly and contrite, and the promised Messiah endures Mankind’s contempt to accomplish Redemption.” – Zodhiates, 2008; Webster, 1828; Strong, 1895; edited

QUOTATION. “For THE VILE PERSON [‘stupid, wicked, senseless, impious’] will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the Lord, to make empty the soul of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail. The instruments also of the churl are evil: he deviseth wicked devices to DESTROY THE POOR with lying words, even when the needy speaketh right.” – ISAIAH THE PROPHET, 32:6-7 KJV

COMMENTARY. ‘A vile person.’— The Moral Character of the ‘MAN’ is especially described. The words that follow explain more fully that he was not worthy of receiving royal majesty. This person is generally identified with Antiochus Epiphanes. The description certainly agrees with him very closely. In fact, just as his predecessors resembled in various points the kings spoken of in Daniel 11:1-20, so Antiochus resembles the person here described. The language of St. Jerome about early interpreters of the Book of Daniel is striking: ‘Cumque multa quœ postea lecturi et exposituri sumus super Antiochi persona conveniant, typum eum volunt Antichristi habere, et quœ in illo ex parte prœceperint, in Antichristo ex toto esse complenda.’ (And since many things which we are going to read and explain later on are agreed upon concerning the Person of Antiochus, they wish him to be a ‘TYPE’ [‘Precursor’] [of Antichrist,’ and that what they have prescribed in him in part, must be fulfilled in [the actual] Antichrist in its entirety.’” – CHARLES ELLICOTT, An Old and New Testament Commentary for English Readers, 1878, 1887; edited

II. TEACHING

“A shape with lion body and the head of a man, A gaze blank and pitiless as the sun, Is moving its slow thighs, while all about it Reel shadows of the indignant desert birds. The darkness drops again; but now I know That twenty centuries of stony sleep Were vexed to nightmare by a rocking cradle, And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” – WILLIAM YEATS, The Second Coming, 1921; edited

DAYS OF NOAH & LOT. America is living on the Edge of Eternity in this hour, beloved. ‘The Cusp,’ as it were, of the massive Transfer from the Age of Grace to the Age of Antichrist, and then Beyond. The Tragedy in all this is that America, and especially her Church seem to be ‘Vexed by Stony Sleep to Nightmare,’ in the words of Yeats.

Indeed, there were Prophetic Times at the very Dawn of human history when this was also the case. Here is how they were described by JESUS CHRIST Himself.

“And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the Flood came and destroyed them all.Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot’s wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left.” – LUKE 17:26-36, NKJV

COMMENTARY. “Jesus warned about FALSE SECURITY. We are to abandon the values and attachments of this world in order to: ‘Be Ready for His Return. It will happen Suddenly!’ And when He Comes, no one will have a second chance. Those who believe and follow Him will be ‘Taken’ to be with Him; everyone else will be ‘Left Behind.’ They will not have another opportunity to change their minds.” – RONALD A. BEERS, General Editor, Life Application Study Bible, 2022, p. 2316; edited

“TAKEN.” ‘Paralambanó’ [παραληφθήσεται]: “The verb family translated ‘take,’ ‘receive,’ or ‘take along’ appears fifty times in the Greek New Testament. Its nuance ranges from physically Escorting someone, to receiving Truth, to ‘Being taken by God’ at the Consummation of The Age. The contexts fall naturally into four spheres: Personal Accompaniment, Protective Care, Eschatological Hope, and Transmission of Authoritative Teaching.” – JAMES STRONG, Concordance, 1895; edited

THE RELUCTANT CHURCH. I clearly remember the 1980s-1990s as a time of Christian optimism alongside great enthusiasm for what I refer to as Political Eschatology: “The Fusion of Theology with cultural and geopolitical analysis” (Kelly, The Sixth Seal II, 2024, p. 17; edited). Authors such as Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, Jerry Jenkins, Salem Kirban, Richard Booker, Herbert W. Armstrong, and many others.

Today, a one-hour sweep of the Internet finds this literary field nearly barren, having been replaced by an ocean of works treating CHRISTIAN DUTY primarily as: ‘Participation in local, state and national Politics, with a distinct emphasis, direct or inferred, upon Obeying our Leaders’ (cf. Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17 etc.). Such names as David Jeremiah, Chuck Missler, and the ever-present Jonathan Cahn among the Leaders in the field today.

NOTE: None of these revered Christian thinkers has one single thing to say against President Donald Trump. Not. One! Even in churches where we can find smatterings about The Second Coming, not a mention of TWO ELEMENTS: (1) The Great Falling Away of the Last Days Christian Church; (2) ‘The Rise of the Biblical Antichrist’ in the midst of it.

Yet there it is, front and center in Paul’s Letters, especially that sent to the Church at Thessalonica:

“Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the FALLING AWAY [‘apostasia,’ ἀποστασία – ‘defection from faith’] comes first, and the MAN OF SIN is revealed, the Son of Perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” – 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-5, NKJV

DOCTRINAL FOOTNOTE. One of the principal reasons for massive American Christian ‘Indifference’ toward these two towering issues is due to FLAWED THEOLOGY.Whether taught directly from their home church pulpits or simply due to a careless cultural default position, The Church overwhelmingly believes that God’s Reveal of the Antichrist has not taken place yet, and that the Rapture must therefore come ‘Before’ that Great Event.

I have forcefully taught for the past two years that in order to Discernthat Revelation from the Holy Spirit, we must be deeply embedded ‘IN CHRIST’ and His Word – or we shall miss it! The data is overwhelming from studies by Dr. George Barna and others I have recently cited that the Church and American White Pastors are nearly criminally absent a rich, Biblical Worldview.

That is to say: ‘The Beast is already here, and his name is Donald John Trump. But the Church cannot ‘see him,’ due to their ignorance of the Orthodox Eschatology that they have rejected for the past decade.’ That is indeed the very essence of ‘The Great Falling Away of the Last Days, beloved.

THE FEARFUL CHURCH. You will note that much of the analysis for this Great Confusion on such urgent and vital matters is ‘Fear-Driven!’ But we are clearly not speaking about a healthy and reverent ‘Fear of God’ by any stretch, but rather a ‘Fear of Man.’

For an intelligent look at this Church-Wide Sin, I turn to Bible teacher STEVE MILLER, this time writing for an online Blog named Harvest Prophecy. His title: “Why Are Some Churches So Reluctant to Teach Bible Prophecy?” (ret. Dec. 18, 2025; edited).

FEAR OF CONTROVERSY [or ‘Being Wrong’]. “There are many different views about the End Times, and sometimes they lead to strong disagreements between people. For example, there are a variety of perspectives about the timing of The Rapture and Second Coming, the identity of the Antichrist, and whether End-Time Prophecies should be interpreted literally or symbolically. This leads some Pastors and Bible Teachers to think it is better to simply ‘Stay Quiet.’ They don’t want to risk generating controversy and division within their congregation.”

FEAR OF THE SENSATIONAL [or ‘Looking Foolish’]. “Tragically, much of what is said and written about Bible Prophecy is accompanied by Sensationalism and wild speculations about the Future. Wanting to distance themselves from those who are irresponsible, some Pastors and teachers distance themselves from Bible Prophecy altogether.” DK: A ‘legitimate concern’ since much of the early 20^th Century writing was, to put it kindly, reckless if not outright ludicrous. Nonetheless, a serious Shepherd must overcome the nonsense and become a Bible scholar in these “Perilous Times” in order to ‘PROTECT’ his flocks! Selah.

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. [or ‘Disclosing Ignorance’] “A Third Problem is the perception that Bible Prophecy is complicated and difficult to understand. While there are some points of Prophecy that are still mysterious to us, much of it is quite clear, and many great resources are available today to help with that. The fact there are some things we don’t understand doesn’t mean it’s better not to bring up Bible Prophecy at all. There are other mysteries in Scripture too—such as the Truths about the Trinity—and it is okay if there are some questions we cannot answer. We’re to teach ALL of God’s Word as best we can and leave the results in His hands.”

III. PUTTING IT ON THE LINE

In our last conversation I mentioned that I have sensed a ‘heightened urgency’ to be more specific about the Person of the Antichrist than ever before. Thus the subhead, “2026: The Year of the Beast.” Therefore am I driving straight down the Center Lane on the Identity of DONALD TRUMP as the ‘Lawless One,’ the ‘Man of Sin,’ who the Bible also calls: ‘ANTICHRIST.’

THEOLOGICAL MARKERS. Other Bible teachers and scholars have previously noted that there are no fewer than 45 Theological Markers that clearly tell us just what the Antichrist shall look and act like (cf. Brother Paul, Antichrist 45, 2025; W.W. Fareday, Characteristics of the Antichrist in Scripture, c. 1900).My own work presented ‘10 Features’ of this “Vile Person” (The Sixth Seal II, 2024, pp. 180-182).

But just this week I came across a gem of an article published on a widely circulated Facebook page named, ‘Texas Reporter.’ Its creator is DAVID FLASH, a well informed “Citizen Journalist” from the Pecos Region of Texas, regarded as a thorn in the side of Gov. Gregg Abbott’s blood red Trump’s Territorial Directorate.

The Title of his piece: “What Does the Bible Actually Say about the Antichrist?” (Dec. 11, 2025; edited). It is an excellent Primer for all those just getting introduced to this extraordinary Revelation. The following citations are cast in the New King James Version.

CLAIMS DIVINE AUTHORITY. “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the FALLING AWAY comes first, and the Man of Sin is revealed, the Son of Perdition, who opposes and EXALTS HIMSELF ABOVE all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” – 2 THESSALONIANS 2:3-4

USES DECEPTION. “You are of your father the Devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for HE IS A LIAR and the father of it … The coming of the Lawless One is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” – JOHN 8:44; 2 THESSALONIANS 2:9-10

APPEARS PEACEFUL. “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘PEACE AND SAFETY!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief.” – 1 THESSALONIANS 5:2-4

REJECTS CHRIST. “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that DOES NOT CONFESS that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.” – 1 JOHN 4:2-3

DEMANDS LOYALTY. “And I saw one of his heads AS IF [ὡς, hos; ‘appeared greatly like’] it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they WORSHIPED THE BEAST, saying, ‘Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”’ – REVELATION 13:3-4

LINGUISTIC POSTURING. “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a FORM OF GODLINESS but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” – 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5

MOCKS & PERSECUTES ‘THE FAITHFUL.’ “Then he opened his mouth in BLASPHEMY against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.It was granted to him to MAKE WAR WITH THE SAINTS, and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation.” – REVELATION 13:6-7

REQUIRES PUBLIC ADORATION. “All who dwell on the earth will WORSHIP HIM, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” – REVELATION 13:8

OPPOSES LOVE & EMPATHY. “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who DOES NOT LOVE does not know God, for God is love.” – 1 JOHN 4:7-8

CLOSE: “Scripture WARNS us that the Antichrist is not always obvious – often he looks powerful, convincing, and even religious. ‘Discernment matters. Character matters. Fruit matters.’ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.YOU WILL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.” – MATTHEW 7:15-20

DK NOTE. These are just a few of the Doctrinal Identifiers of the Lawless One, beloved. There are dozens more, but I don’t know of one single Preacher of Pastor or Teacher of the Law who is willing to name him.

Not one!

Therefore, it is UP TO US, beloved, to do the work, and no longer rely on our Pastors who have overwhelmingly chosen either Silence or Accommodation toward the Donald Trump Juggernaut to Hell. Selah.

IV. LAST THOUGHTS

I shall close our conversation with the eminently rational recommendations of Mr. Miller once more, who offers FIVE REASONS (and I shall add a SIXTH) for studying Prophecy in this hour of history.

OPEN. “‘Christ’s Second Coming and the End Times are major themes in the Bible.’ Twenty-three of the 27 New Testament books contain End-Time Prophecies, including some taught by Jesus Himself. And God clearly wanted His people to know about What is to Come, or He wouldn’t have ended the Bible with the Book of Revelation. Even the Old Testament Books of Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Zechariah offer substantial Previews of the End Times.”

EMULATION. “‘Jesus Himself taught Bible Prophecy.’ This alone should be reason enough. Our Lord spoke at length about the End Times in Matthew 24–25. There, He gave Five Warnings for people to be alert and ready (Matthew 24:36, 42, 44, 50; 25:13). How can anyone be alert if they aren’t informed?”
EQUIPPING. “‘We must teach all of Scripture so believers can be Equipped for every good work.’ Second Timothy 3:16-17 says, ‘All Scripture is…profitable for teaching…so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.’ That includes Prophecy, which Equips us in at least these Three Ways: (1) Prophecy motivates us to be holy in preparation for Christ’s Return, which could happen at any moment: (2) It reminds us of the Urgency of sharing the Gospel with the lost before time runs out; and (3) It teaches us to live with an Eternal Perspective.”
WISDOM. “‘Prophecy enables us to know more about God.’ God’s perfect track record of Fulfilled Prophecy confirms that He is Sovereign over all things, and the Future is in His hands. Also, through Prophecy, God’s Wisdom, Power, and even Compassion are on display. Every time God Prophesied about the Savior Who would redeem us, He was affirming His love for people and His desire to bring them to Salvation and Eternal Fellowship with Him.”
CHRISTOLOGY. “‘Prophecy enables us to know more about Christ.’ There are many things we can learn about Jesus as we look to what He will do in the Future. Matthew 24–25 and Revelation 19–22 are filled with many wonderful details about Christ’s Mercy, Justice, Faithfulness, Power, and Majesty.”
PRIORITY. “‘Prophecy encourages us to Focus on the things of Heaven and Eternity.’ The more we learn about Heaven and Eternity, the less we are inclined to love the things of this world. Colossians 3:2 commands, ‘Set your mind on the THINGS ABOVE, not on the things that are on earth.’ Bible Prophecy has a marvelous way of helping us to develop an Eternal Mindset.”

PASCAL’S WAGER. French mathematician, physicist, philosopher, and Catholic writer (and child prodigy) BLAISE PASCAL published his famous Logical Polemic in Pensées (1670). In simplified form it argues thus:

“Pascal’s Wager simplified is a Pragmatic Argument suggesting it’s a better bet to believe in God because the potential Reward (Heaven, Infinite Happiness) far outweighs the finite costs of believing, while the risk of Disbelief (hell, eternal damnation) is too great, even if God’s existence can’t be proven. ‘Essentially, you Bet on God to Gain everything (Eternity) or Lose little (Finite Earthly Pleasures), making Belief the Rational Choice for Self-interest.’” – AI Overview, ret. Dec. 19, 2025; edited

DK’S SIXTH CHALLENGE. Beloved, the most Compelling Reason of all is the very simple, dramatic and Existential Truth that ‘Antichrist is Here!’ He walks the Earth right now – in our Politics, in our Churches, in our Homes, in our Workplaces, in our Military and Police Forces, in our massive Media Companies, in our Commercial Centers, in our Schools, ‘and in our very American Soul.’

Believe it, or don’t believe it. BUT MARK THIS: ‘Everything that takes place in the Year 2026 will have everything to do with President Donald John Trump.’

JESUS WARNS: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” – MARK 8:36-38, NKJV

Think about it, beloved. Pray much about it. Then DO exactly what the Lord requires of you. ‘And absolutely nothing less than that.’

SELAH.

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/3a248YBCFK0