100512w Introduction to the Antichrist Pt2
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· The last two weeks we studied the Return of Babylon. We looked at the characteristics of Babylon and what made Babylon famous. We also saw how the presence of Babylon is all through the scriptures and its grand finale is Babylon the Great in the Book of Revelation. We also discovered that some of the key attributes of Babylon are very present in our day, so studying Babylon in essence begins to prepare us for possibly lies ahead in days to come. It challenges us to ask the question ‘what must I do?’
· In Discovering Your Ministry Identity, we look at how God has made each of us unique. We have differing values, gifts, leadership styles, and personalities. If you know all those things about me then you have to ask the question: “This is who he is, how am I going to deal with him?”
· This is one reason to study the antichrist. The spirit of the antichrist is already present. It has not been released in full measure. So if I know who he is, what he is about and how he operates I can therefore ask my, “This is the antichrist, how am I going to deal with him?”
· I want to introduce us to the antichrist as we see him in scripture, ask why God allows him to be raised up and why we need to understand what the Bible has to say about the antichrist.
1. The Last Hour
A. The Antichrist is coming
i. 1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. NKJV
ii. John was speaking of the last hour just a few decades after Christ’s death and resurrection. Why? Jesus taught about it, the Apostle Paul understood. What did they understand? They understood that at the end of the age there would occur two very import events. One, Jesus is going to return and establish His world wide Millennial Kingdom. Two, Satan does not want this to happen so he is going to set up his counterfeit evil worldwide empire. John knew the antichrist was coming and that Jesus was returning therefore we need to prepare ourselves for both—embrace truth 1Jn 2:24-ff, and purify yourselves 1 Jn 3:2.
B. Defining the Word Antichrist
i. Antichrist comes from two words: one, anti-which means to substitute, to be in place of or in opposition to or against. Two Christos-which means the anointed one. Therefore the antichrist is a substitute for or in opposition to the or against the anointed one.
ii. It therefore describes people or religious systems that act as a counterfeit in opposition to Jesus—God’s anointed one. Jesus speaks of their coming—Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22.
iii. In scripture it refers to the people a false anointing or spirit of the antichrist that is at work in every generation to oppose Jesus. It also refers to a literal man in the end times called the Anti-Christ.
C. John uses the name ‘Antichrist’ to refer to the enemy of the faith that he himself had seen (Rev 13:1-8), that Daniel was warned about, and that Paul described (2 Thes 2:3.)
i. Because he understood these things he urges unbelievers to immerse themselves in truth and to be led by the Spirit into all truth.
ii. With this understanding he is able to address the crisis in the church where so many were being led away from the faith because of deception (an antichrist spirit). The Spirit of Truth gives believers the edges to resist and to stand in the midst of opposition if they abide in him.
iii. Other names of the Antichrist:
a. Man of sin 2 Thes 2:3
b. Son of perdition 2 Thes 2:3
c. Seed of Satan Gen 3:15
D. His Nature
i. He will literally be a man. Fully man and fully demonic. A counterfeit Jesus. He will be the final ruler of the world in this age. He will oppress Israel and the church. He will ascend from the bottomless pit.
a. Revelation 11:7 The beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them. NKJV
b. Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. NKJV
c. Rev 17:8 The Beast you saw once was, is no longer, and is about to ascend from the Abyss and head straight for Hell. (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
ii. Paul calls him a ‘man’ and a ‘son’. 2 Thes 2:3. He has a lineage of ‘fathers’ in Dan 11:37. And he is called the Assyrian in Micah 5:5. He longs to be worshiped.
iii. He will be launched into the spotlight by being mortally wounded and healed in such a way that the whole world will be amazed. Many will follow him as a result of this event.
iv. He will be the most powerful and evil political leader in history. He will be a genius in economics, politics, war, etc.
v. His most prominent name in scripture is the Beast. He will reason like a beast and be the most cruel man in history. He is called the beast 36 times in Revelation.
vi. Paul calls him the lawless one. 2 Thes 2:8.
vii. His pride will demand the worship of the world.
a. Revelation 13:4 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?" NKJV
2. God Raises Up the Antichrist
A. Jesus shall raise up the antichrist and grant him authority for 3.5 years over the nations.
i. Zechariah 11:16-17 For indeed I will raise up a shepherd (antichrist) in the land who will not care for those who are cut off... But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces. 17 "Woe to the worthless shepherd… his arm shall completely wither… NKJV
ii. Revelation 13:5,7,15 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months.. 7 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. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. NKJV
iii. Daniel 7:25-27 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, ... Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. 26 'But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion… 27 Then the kingdom and dominion… shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. …' NKJV
iv. Understand this: In the great tribulation pressure comes from four different sources. 1. God’s wrath Rev. 15:7. 2. Satan rage against the saints Rev 12:12. 3. Man’s sin against each other. Rev 9:21. 4. Natures convulsions. The thrust of these activities are against the Antichrist Empire. IT IS NOT AGAINST THE SAINTS. 1 Thes. 5:9 God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through Jesus.
B. The Devil also give the antichrist his power.
i. Revelation 13:2 ... The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. NKJV
ii. He is empowered for two things
a. End time worship movement—of himself.
b. To exterminate the Jewish people so that Jesus cannot return to Jerusalem.
3. Why Does God Do This?
A. The church needs an adversary to resist as par to the process of becoming wholehearted worshipers. The combination of the four elements in point #2 provide the best context necessary to prepare the church in glory. For example in our day: the church in China has prospered under great pressure. I understand the church in Iran is also prospering under pressure.
i. Daniel 11:33-35 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity ... 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. NKJV
ii. Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. NKJV
B. The tribulation provides the best context to bring in the great harvest—Including Israel!
i. Revelation 7:9,14 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne.
ii. 14 And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. NKJV
C. God will use the tribulation to purify His church as a Bride (Eph 5:27; Rev 19:7), to usher in the great harvest (Ro 11:26; Rev 7:9-14)and Israel’s salvation, to expose false believers in the church (2 Thes 2:3-12; 1 Tim 4:1-2), and to cleanse the earth from sin before the millennial kingdom (Is 24:1-6; Zech 13:1-2).
4. Why We Must Understand What the Scripture Says About Antichrist
A. Daniel prophesied that the wise would understand in the End-times.
i. Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. NKJV This wisdom will help us to navigate (ie. Compass) through troubled times. This understanding will be an issue of life and death. It will help us to brace for impact and to walk in glory in the midst of external and internal pressures.
B. Those with understanding know what to avoid or what not to do. Ie. Avoid Babylon. Avoid the mark of the beast
C. Those with understanding will be at peace instead of in fear. Medical personnel who do their job well brief their patients on what is going to happen, what they are going to feel, and what they can expect. Having that knowledge eliminates the fears that so often accompany medical procedures. This also is important in keeping us from being offended at God.
i. 2 Peter 3:10-14 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief … both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. …Therefore, be diligent to be found by Him in peace… NKJV
D. Those with understanding of End time Scriptures will intercede in a way that minimizes evil and increase victory in specific areas (Joel 2:12-18). Our prayers will change history and bring many to salvation and protection. Ie. Moses prayers released and stopped judgment (Ex 7-12.)
E. Those with understanding about the inevitable rise of the antichrist’s terror will urgently cultivate spiritual depth in God now before the time when the pressure escalates. Ie. If the media announce hurricane, people in Florida get prepared.
F. The church has a spirit of blindness (denial) related to the Antichrist and the coming struggle.
i. 2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. NKJV
ii. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. NKJV
G. We must have understanding so that we are not deceived into worshiping him.
i. Revelation 14:9-11 "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." NKJV
H. We must understand that the Antichrist, the beast and the false prophet will be defeated by Jesus and thrown into the lake of fire.
i. Revelation 19:19-20 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him 20 Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet... These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. NKJV
5. The Unholy Trinity
A. At the end of the age we see three figures of which the antichrist is one part.
i. Satan—the dragon
ii. Antichrist-the first beast Rev. 13:2 The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. NKJV
iii. False Prophet-the second beast. Rev 13:11-17 The second beast also called the false prophet cause supernatural signs to be done in the presence of the Antichrist. He causes men to bow down and to worship the Antichrist.
B. The three work together on the earth to create the darkest most sinister world history has ever seen.
i. Daniel 8:23-25 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. 24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. 25 "Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; and he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. NKJV
a. Transgressors reach their fullness. Sin reaches its greatest heights in the generation that the Lord returns. Ie. Star war: Force vs. dark side. Sin actually becomes the intercession the makes room and calls for the antichrist. Sin aligns the heart with the evil one.
b. A king shall arise: the antichrist will be a political leader.
c. The later time of the kingdom: is a prophecy about the end times.
d. He will have fierce features: ‘the beast’ is a name used 36 times alone in the book of revelation. He will be the most cruel person the world has ever seen and we have some very cruel historical records already.
e. His power shall be mighty but not his own. Rev. 13:2
f. He shall kill in ways that create great fear.
g. He will prosper vs. 24-(Rev.13:4)
h. He shall destroy the mighty and holy people. Vs 24-world leaders and the remnant of Israel
i. He shall rule with deceit and cunning back by signs and wonders. Vs 25—2Thes. 2:9
j. He will exalt himself
k. He will destroy many in their prosperity.
l. He will even rise against the Price of princes-Jesus.
C. Satan’s Rage at the end of the age.
i. Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." NKJV
a. This realization cause the increase of darkness rapidly at the end of the age.
b. The very power behind the antichrist terrifying reign is Satan himself.
c. All of these strategies that we have briefly seen are to maintain control of the earth and take it into unprecedented darkness.
d. The revived Roman empire as shown to John in Rev 7:7,10-11 is the eighth empire built on its predecessors (Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Nazi Third Reich?), is to give us insight to the final empire lead by the antichrist. He seeks to rule. To rule cruelly. And to stop the purposes of God.
e. Knowing these things gives us the urgency about the seriousness of the coming crisis that will not go away but will encourage us to study.
ii. Three major events with profound impact are
a. The bowls are full. Rev 5:8
b. The war in heaven: Satan is cast to the earth. Rev 12:7-12
c. This war is continued on earth. Antichrist reveals his true nature to the earth. Rev 6:1-2; 13:1-8. The antichrist and the false prophet are release with no restraints.
iii. Restraints removed.
a. Birth pains
b. Spiritual harlotry on a global scale. Babylon arises.
c. Antichrist arises. Appeals to man’s self worship and leads to Antichrist’s demanded worship
d. False worship movement separates sheep and goats.
e. Satan declares war on the church and Jews
Conclusion:
· God does not tell us this to scare us. Like a good physician he step by step tells us what is happening and will happen so that we are not fearful and confused.
· By knowing who the antichrist is, it allows us to answer the question: “This is who he is, now what am I going to do about it?”
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