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Shadows of the Beast
Shadows of the Beast is unlike any other work on the Antichrist. This book does not attempt to name a specific person or over-emphasize a single aspect of the Antichrist, but examines the whole of Scripture to fulfill the goal of the book’s subtitle, "How the identity of the coming Antichrist will be revealed to the faithful church". This is a good-faith effort to present what the whole of Scripture has to teach about the Antichrist and how this information is supposed to be used and practically applied by the true followers of Christ. This is not a textbook work in the classic sense.
Most books on the Antichrist overly focus on a few characteristics provided in Scripture or on a single aspect of his background. This is why at varying times throughout church history, and even to this present time, there are those who assert the Antichrist must be the pope, or that he must come from Rome, or that he must be Islamic, just to name a few of the apparent paradoxes. One of the critical teachings provided in Shadows of the Beast is how these elements are all pieces of the puzzle and that there is actually no contradiction in stating that they are all partially correct. The seeming contradictions have come about because authors and scholars have taken their one piece of the puzzle and tried to make it the solution to the whole puzzle instead of realizing they are only in possession of part of the solution. As Jacob states in the book, they are correct in what they are saying but incorrect in what they fail to say.
To begin with, when it comes to the topic of the Antichrist, Scripture clearly depicts three aspects: the spirit of antichrist which has been and is at work during every period of history, the "many" antichrists who appear throughout Scripture and history as figures who teach something about the final one to come, and the final person of the Antichrist who is the ultimate fulfillment in the two Beasts of Revelation 13 which we most often refer to as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. (Make no mistake, however, there are two persons involved.) Therefore in order to piece together the entire puzzle it is necessary to study each of these in depth in order to know exactly what the picture looks like that we are trying to assimilate.
In Shadows of the Beast the twenty or so chapters are divided into six major sections:
Part One: The Spirit of the Antichrist.
Part Two: The Many Antichrists—Biblical
Part Three: The Many Antichrists—Historical
Part Four: The Milieu of the Antichrist
Part Five: The False Prophet
Part Six: The Final Antichrist
The goal of this book is not to name a specific person and declare him to be the Antichrist and the reader will find none. There are greater purposes at work here that have come as the result of Jacob’s many years of prayerful consideration and preaching where the person of the Antichrist is concerned.
Why do some say the Antichrist must and only can be Islamic, while others categorically maintain he will be a ruler from Rome, while others still say he would have to be a Jew in order to successfully deceive the Jews? Jacob painstakingly employs the whole counsel of God’s Word to show that each of these positions provides a part of the answer, but by not taking into consideration the whole of God’s Word they are each falling short in providing a conclusive answer. Instead of these factors all being mutually exclusive as some might maintain, the scriptural truth is that many of these things are actually complementary to each other.
Most books on the Antichrist overly focus on a few characteristics provided in Scripture or on a single aspect of his background. This is why at varying times throughout church history, and even to this present time, there are those who assert the Antichrist must be the pope, or that he must come from Rome, or that he must be Islamic, just to name a few of the apparent paradoxes. One of the critical teachings provided in Shadows of the Beast is how these elements are all pieces of the puzzle and that there is actually no contradiction in stating that they are all partially correct. The seeming contradictions have come about because authors and scholars have taken their one piece of the puzzle and tried to make it the solution to the whole puzzle instead of realizing they are only in possession of part of the solution. As Jacob states in the book, they are correct in what they are saying but incorrect in what they fail to say.
To begin with, when it comes to the topic of the Antichrist, Scripture clearly depicts three aspects: the spirit of antichrist which has been and is at work during every period of history, the "many" antichrists who appear throughout Scripture and history as figures who teach something about the final one to come, and the final person of the Antichrist who is the ultimate fulfillment in the two Beasts of Revelation 13 which we most often refer to as the Antichrist and the False Prophet. (Make no mistake, however, there are two persons involved.) Therefore in order to piece together the entire puzzle it is necessary to study each of these in depth in order to know exactly what the picture looks like that we are trying to assimilate.
In Shadows of the Beast the twenty or so chapters are divided into six major sections:
Part One: The Spirit of the Antichrist.
Part Two: The Many Antichrists—Biblical
Part Three: The Many Antichrists—Historical
Part Four: The Milieu of the Antichrist
Part Five: The False Prophet
Part Six: The Final Antichrist
The goal of this book is not to name a specific person and declare him to be the Antichrist and the reader will find none. There are greater purposes at work here that have come as the result of Jacob’s many years of prayerful consideration and preaching where the person of the Antichrist is concerned.
Why do some say the Antichrist must and only can be Islamic, while others categorically maintain he will be a ruler from Rome, while others still say he would have to be a Jew in order to successfully deceive the Jews? Jacob painstakingly employs the whole counsel of God’s Word to show that each of these positions provides a part of the answer, but by not taking into consideration the whole of God’s Word they are each falling short in providing a conclusive answer. Instead of these factors all being mutually exclusive as some might maintain, the scriptural truth is that many of these things are actually complementary to each other.
- GenresChristian
601 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2011
75 people are currently reading
80 people want to read
About the author
James Jacob Prasch
13 books36 followersJames Jacob Prasch is Director of Moriel Ministries.
Jacob was born near New York City in the USA where he became a Christian while studying science in university in February of 1972, after trying to disprove the Bible with science, history, and archaeology. He found so much evidence in support of the claims of Jesus and the Bible that it required more faith to reject it than to believe it.
Already frustrated by the failures of the hippie generation to build a better world, disillusioned by the Marxism to which he subscribed, and with the drug culture that claimed the lives of some of his friends and nearly his own, he put his faith in Jesus.
Jacob’s family is a combination of Roman Catholic and Jewish. (In his youth he was forced to attend a Catholic school, but also attended the Jewish Community Centre.) Jacob’s wife Pavia, also from a science background, is a Romanian-born Israeli Jewish believer who is the daughter of holocaust survivors. Pavia was an atheist and Jacob was an agnostic. After coming to faith both switched from study in scientific fields to theological fields in Israel and in Britain. They have two children both born in Galilee.
Jacob is a Hebrew-speaking evangelist to the Jews and a Bible teacher elaborating on the original Judeo-Christian background and hermeneutics of the New Testament, and his emphasis is on church planting and missions. He and Moriel have also been a conservative voice for biblically-based discernment among moderate Pentecostals and Charismatics opposed to the seductions of the ecumenism, money oriented preaching and hype artistry, "charismania" and psycho-babble prevalent in today’s church.
Jacob and Moriel are committed to the conviction that we are in the Last Days approaching the return of Christ and that contemporary events in the Middle East, the moral deterioration of society, the destruction of the environment, the globalisation of the world economy, the rise of a pseudo-democratic federal Europe and, above all, the apostasy in the contemporary church, are all events of prophetic significance eschatologically.
Jacob was born near New York City in the USA where he became a Christian while studying science in university in February of 1972, after trying to disprove the Bible with science, history, and archaeology. He found so much evidence in support of the claims of Jesus and the Bible that it required more faith to reject it than to believe it.
Already frustrated by the failures of the hippie generation to build a better world, disillusioned by the Marxism to which he subscribed, and with the drug culture that claimed the lives of some of his friends and nearly his own, he put his faith in Jesus.
Jacob’s family is a combination of Roman Catholic and Jewish. (In his youth he was forced to attend a Catholic school, but also attended the Jewish Community Centre.) Jacob’s wife Pavia, also from a science background, is a Romanian-born Israeli Jewish believer who is the daughter of holocaust survivors. Pavia was an atheist and Jacob was an agnostic. After coming to faith both switched from study in scientific fields to theological fields in Israel and in Britain. They have two children both born in Galilee.
Jacob is a Hebrew-speaking evangelist to the Jews and a Bible teacher elaborating on the original Judeo-Christian background and hermeneutics of the New Testament, and his emphasis is on church planting and missions. He and Moriel have also been a conservative voice for biblically-based discernment among moderate Pentecostals and Charismatics opposed to the seductions of the ecumenism, money oriented preaching and hype artistry, "charismania" and psycho-babble prevalent in today’s church.
Jacob and Moriel are committed to the conviction that we are in the Last Days approaching the return of Christ and that contemporary events in the Middle East, the moral deterioration of society, the destruction of the environment, the globalisation of the world economy, the rise of a pseudo-democratic federal Europe and, above all, the apostasy in the contemporary church, are all events of prophetic significance eschatologically.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 12, 2025
I found the book to be very informative. Answered many questions and drove me to further questions and study. I had to have a dictionary with me to help some of the words used however it was not a problem. I will be looking into other writings from Jacob Prasch.
December 16, 2019
Great read
Makes you think of the reality which will come. There will be an anti Christ whether we want to believe or not. Why not get a better understanding on signs to look for
Makes you think of the reality which will come. There will be an anti Christ whether we want to believe or not. Why not get a better understanding on signs to look for
March 28, 2021
Why you should read "Shadows of the Beast".
Many people see the conditions of the world and wonder what is going on? They instinctively know that things are not right but can not understand just what it is that is making them so uneasy. I have found that the continent in Shadows of the Beast gave me the solid foundation I needed to actually start to really understand why I feel this uneasiness deep in my soul. Yes, It is true, this book has had a impact on my soul.
Any one seeking to gain a deep understanding of why they feel so uneasy these days, should consider exploring the most intriguing concepts within this book.
Many people see the conditions of the world and wonder what is going on? They instinctively know that things are not right but can not understand just what it is that is making them so uneasy. I have found that the continent in Shadows of the Beast gave me the solid foundation I needed to actually start to really understand why I feel this uneasiness deep in my soul. Yes, It is true, this book has had a impact on my soul.
Any one seeking to gain a deep understanding of why they feel so uneasy these days, should consider exploring the most intriguing concepts within this book.
September 6, 2016
Great book with biblical insight
I liked this book for its thorough explanation on the bibles use of midrash and how we can understand what we would be looking for to know who the antichrist is when he will be revealed and identified to the faithful.
I liked this book for its thorough explanation on the bibles use of midrash and how we can understand what we would be looking for to know who the antichrist is when he will be revealed and identified to the faithful.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews