If one listens to all the hype about the rapture, it comes down today to mean that there is some kind of one world government that will be formed. There will be one money or banking system and all the world will be under one roof. Today many are confused and their belief in God’s control of the world is quickly fading away. The best way to counter this is to return to the first century world and make some observations there. Daniel prophesied that in the days of the fourth world power God would set up His kingdom on earth (Daniel 2:44). Those today preaching the rapture look to some kind of nation being formed in Europe which, according to them, is the fourth world power of Daniel 2:44.
The wise men came to Herod and are desiring to worship the king of the Jews (Matthew 2:2). Herod consults with the religious leadership in Jerusalem. What does he want to know? He wants to know where the Messiah was to be born (Matthew 2:4). They gave him the correct answer; that is, Bethlehem is where the Messiah would be born. When the Messiah comes, what would He do? He would set up a kingdom based on Daniel 2:44. Did Herod ask when or did he ask where? You see, if the kingdom was going to be set up in this the twenty first century, then Herod would have asked, “when is He to be born?” When Herod asked “where”, he validated that Rome was the fourth world power.
How could there be “false Christs” unless the time of the first century was the correct time? Simon, in Acts 8, had fooled the people for a long time (Acts 8:11). This Scripture said he did it with sorceries. The warning from Christ about false Christ’s had to do with men claiming they were the Messiah. If the time for the coming of the Messiah (the fourth world power) was in the first century, there were those who could deceive people into thinking they were the Christ. Some things could not be so easily used to deceive people. His birth in Bethlehem, soldiers gambling for His garments or Judas betraying Him for 30 pieces of silver were things beyond His control. Beyond His control if He was just a Man. Jesus was approved of God by miracles, wonders and signs (Acts 2:22). Jesus was and is the only begotten Son of God. The false Christ’s were those trying to deceive people in the first century.