What Israel’s ‘Glory Days’ and Solomon’s Penchant for Taking Credit Can Teach Us

The nation of Israel is making headlines again, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition government last week. Now, Israel’s parliament has voted to dissolve and called for a new election.

Author Mark Biltz writes about the Israel of thousands of years ago in his new book, Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times: What the Bible Says and What the Future Holds. Specifically, Biltz discusses how King Solomon, during Israel’s “glory days,” was eager to take the credit for the developments and accomplishments in Israel.

“Have you ever had a boss who took all the credit for others’ work when he or she had very little to do with it?” Biltz asks. “Or imagine how a bride would feel to have someone else steal all the attention at her wedding. King David was humble and gave all the credit to the Lord for his work. But his son, Solomon, was quick to take the credit for himself. Do we see instances like this in our present-day American culture? Absolutely.

“So many people strive to achieve wealth, power or fame,” Biltz also writes in Decoding the Antichrist. “They believe if they reach the top, they will feel complete. Not Solomon. He was the epitome of success. He had all the wealth, power, fame and women he wanted, and he was still miserable. He is the perfect example of how those things will never bring satisfaction.”

Biltz asks: Is this the type of king the world is seeking to bring peace to the Middle East?

“No wonder many will be deceived,” he said. “Instead of trying to figure out who the Antichrist will be, we need to study what he will be like. Solomon was a total narcissist, and the Antichrist will be as well. Solomon had it all—power, wealth and fame—yet he was completely miserable. We also see a similarity with Haman in the book of Esther, a man who had it all but was so unhappy.

“Prophetically, this could all unfold again,” Biltz continued. “Remember that prophetic patterns repeat themselves over and over in history. Haman was an Amalekite. His ancestry even showed he was from the royal line of Agag, the king of Amalek. In Exodus 17:16, after the initial battle with Amalek, God states that from generation to generation He will have war with Amalek. This means that in every generation there will be a nation wanting to destroy Israel or the Jewish people. Hitler was the Amalek of his day, and today we have the Amalek leaders of Iran proudly boasting of their desire to destroy Israel.”

Biltz added that he believes historical patterns will be repeated in other aspects as well.

“Someone who will seem to be wiser than everyone else will try to achieve a false peace by entering into ungodly covenants with all the foreign nations,” he said. “They will try to achieve a land for peace agreement in Israel, thinking it wiser to cut the baby in half and create two nations as two people groups are claiming the land of Israel as their own. This will only result in killing the baby that is alive! They will have no regard for God’s covenants with Israel, believing that the covenants have been done away with, replaced or have already been fulfilled, and it is now time for a new era!”

Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times, which was released this spring, takes an in-depth look at some of the deepest questions surrounding our culture and the coming Antichrist, such as the following:

• What does the Bible say about the Antichrist’s tactics and his motivation?
• Will he be a Muslim, a Jew or a professed Christian—or something else?
• Will the Antichrist work through modern technology to seize control?

Mark Biltz is founder of El Shaddai Ministries and a well-known and popular commentator on the feasts of the Lord. In fact, he has produced a series of DVDs on the feasts that have gone around the world. Biltz is also the author of Blood Moons and God’s Day Timer. His research and theories have led to guest appearances on both radio and television as well as being featured on the covers of magazines.

Decoding the Antichrist and the End Times is published by Charisma House, which has published books that challenge, encourage, teach and equip Christians, including 14 New York Times‘ best-sellers.