The Antichrist

1 John 2:22

AUDIO MP3

 

9 Jan 2011  PM

Pastor Craig Ledbetter

Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland

www.biblebc.com

 

I.       Introduction (1John 2:22)

 

A.    God warns of a world leader who will soon rise and grow in power. 

B.     This coming world leader has about 33 names and titles (which describe his characteristics) in the Bible (both in the Old and New Testaments) ...

C.     The Bible says this “man” will not be revealed until after the 'Restrainer' (the Holy Spirit - including the body of believers alive at the time) is 'removed'. 

D.    This coming world leader will begin by exerting control over the world through ten nations which were once part of the Roman Empire

E.     I am speaking of “the antichrist!”

F.      Who is this “man” and what are his plans?

G.    Tonight, let’s carefully examine all the revelation in the Bible about this powerful being, and let’s see if we can slow down his rise to power.

 

II.    Message

 

A.    A Fallen Christ (Rev 13:1)

 

1.      A beast

2.      The son of the fifth Cherub (Ezek 28:12-15)

3.      Has a lot of history behind him

 

a.       Seven kings

b.      Ten kingdoms

 

4.      A blasphemous beast – hates God

 

B.     An Integrated Christ (Rev 13:2)

 

1.      Mediterranean born

2.      Has the characteristics of three animals – three previous empires:

 

a.       Skin of a Leopard – full of spots (Greek)

b.      Feet of a Bear – strong, and capable of tearing in pieces (Persian, Iran)

c.       Mouth of a Lion – roar, and devouring (Babylon, Iraq)

 

3.      Therefore he is ROMAN – a product of the previous three world empires!!!

 

C.     A False Christ (Rev 13:2b; Matthew 24:23-26)

 

1.      Empowered by the DRAGON (Rev 20:2) by Satan himself! Not by God at all

2.      False Messiah – a false deliverer/saviour

 

a.       This man comes to take the place of Jesus Christ

b.      The whole world would have accepted Jesus IF ONLY He had come to conquer the world’s problems and kick out the Roman occupying army

c.       But because Jesus would not fight, they rejected Him

d.      Well, another “Christ” is coming, who WILL fight for you and your rights; who WILL stand up for the oppressed and poor

e.       But he is a FALSE Messiah!

 

3.      A Liar, Deceiver – we will see this more in a few verses!

4.      As “anti” Christ, he is…

 

a.       The Opposite of Jesus the Christ

b.      A Hater of Christ

c.       He is INSTEAD of Christ

 

D.    A Counterfeiting Christ (Rev 13:3,4; Isaiah 14:12-14; 2Cor 11:13-15)

 

1.      Rises from the dead – just like Jesus did!

 

a.       Is “killed”

b.      Then is resurrected (by the false prophet)

c.       Ends up with a dark right eye and a shrivelled up right arm (Zech 11:17)

 

2.      Brings “peace” (1Thes 5:2,3)

3.      Builds the Temple (2Thes 2:3,4)

4.      Has a “side-kick” like John the Baptist, who is called “the False prophet”!

5.      Accepts worship!!!

 

a.       First he is wondered after

b.      Then it turns to worship!

c.       Isn’t is strange how many people end up worshipping anything besides God?

 

1)      Money – love of money

2)      Man – accomplishments

3)      Musicians

4)      Movie Stars

5)      Moods – they worship their feelings, and anything that gives them a good feeling!

 

E.     A Conquering Christ (Rev 13:4b-9; 6:1,2)

 

1.      The anti-christ is the FIRST horseman

2.      Appears right after the Rapture

 

a.       Notice he is on a white horse – looks like a good guy

b.      He has a bow and no arrows – a man of “peace”

c.       He effectively conquers without killing (yet)

 

3.      Will settle for nothing less than absolute worship by the whole world

4.      No one will be able to stop him from taking over!

5.      Jesus did NOT fight (John 18:36)

6.      The anti-christ TAKES Control

 

a.       Through fair speeches

 

1)      By blaspheming God – mocking God – it makes you popular!

2)      By mocking Christianity – people in heaven are made fun of!

 

b.      Through blaming believers – makes war against them

 

1)      Like Hitler did with the Jews – made war against the Jews

 

c.       Takes control of every nation! NO ONE has been able to do THAT yet, but this man will!!!

 

7.      Jesus invites!!!

8.      Everyone not born again will worship this “man”

 


F.      A Helped-Out Christ (Rev 13:11-17)

 

1.      Here is “another beast”

2.      This “man” is a helper of the anti-christ, a forerunner, like John the Baptist was for Jesus

3.      He is meek like a lamb, but he speaks like the devil!

4.      He has all the same powers of the anti-christ (the first beast)

5.      He is known as the False prophet (Rev 19:20)

6.      His job is to get everyone to NO LONGER worship God, but to worship the anti-christ!

7.      Some people believe the pope is the anti-christ – not true. The pope is the false prophet

8.      How does the false prophet get people to worship the Beast?

 

a.       By healing the anti-christ

b.      By making fire come down from heaven

c.       By doing deceptive miracles

d.      By getting people to make an IMAGE of the beast (an IDOL)

e.       And then by giving LIFE to that image

 

1)      It will move and live

2)      And it will speak!

 

f.       By killing everyone that won’t bow down and worship the image – how will they be killed? By beheading (Rev 20:4)

g.      By taking control of all economies (13:16)

 

1)      Linking up all economies so he can control access to foods, and to distributions

2)      Tagging everyone so that there is no more money – only numbers (credits)

 

a)      And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his MARK in his forehead, or in his hand, Rev. 14:9

b)      And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the MARK of his name. Rev. 14:11

c)      And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his MARK, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. Rev 15:2

d)     And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the MARK of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image. Rev. 16:2

e)      And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the MARK of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Rev. 19:20

f)       And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his MARK upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Rev. 20:4

 

3)      Putting that tag INSIDE people’s bodies – not just ON them like a tattoo

 

G.    An Exposed Christ (Rev 13:17-18). God takes the time to tell us all about this “man”

 

1.      His Name

 

a.       He has a name

b.      It is a part-Hebrew name

c.       His name at his first coming was “Judas Iscariot” (John 6:70,71; 17:12)

d.      Muslims have Ibraham or Mohammed or Abdul or Yusuf in the names

e.       The Jews have Yacob, Aaron, David

f.       His name in the Tribulation will be “Judah something!” Judas = Judah

 

2.      His Number

 

a.       666 - Three sixes

b.      It is the number of his name

c.       Only a few languages have numbers associated with their alphabet

 

1)      Hebrew

2)      Roman Numerals

 

d.      Ways this number are put on people

 

1)      UPC symbol – just getting us all ready

2)      Verichip

 

3.      His Mark

 

a.       A mark is an identifying mark of ownership

b.      We are spiritually marked

c.       Everyone in the Tribulation will be forced to take the Mark of the name of the antichrist

 

1)      On the forehead

2)      Or on the right hand

 

4.      His Nationality

 

a.       Part Jewish

b.      Part Assyrian (Micah 5:5,6) – from Syria – Muslim – from Nimrod’s rebellion against God

 

5.      His Plan and Purpose

 

a.       To replace Jesus Christ

b.      To get worship (2Thes 2:3,4)

c.       To get the whole world destroyed with him

d.      He KNOWS what’s ahead, and only wants to bring you down with him

 

6.      His Power

 

a.       Great power

b.      Given to him by Satan himself

c.       Just as Jesus was given power by His Father

d.      Isn’t great power what EVERYONE wants?

 

7.      His Time

 

a.       A sort time

b.      Seven years

c.       First 3 ½ are arranging peace, and ascending to power

d.      The last 3/12 years are him crushing everyone under his rule

 

8.      His forerunners

 

a.       Nimrod of Babylon

b.      Pharaoh of Egypt

c.       Alexander the Great

d.      Nero of Rome

e.       Hitler of Germany

f.       Stalin of Russia

 

9.      His End (Rev 19:20)

 

H.    An Active Christ – active right now (1John 2:18-22; 4:3)

 

1.      The spirit of the antichrist is alive and well today

2.      Mocking Jesus Christ

3.      Rejecting Jesus as the only begotten Son of God

4.      Denying that He is God

5.      WHY?

6.      So that people would be ready to accept the anti-christ AS God

 

I.       He is a Finished Christ! He IS and WILL BE Overcome (1John 4:4)

 

1.      Jesus defeated the devil (Heb 2:14)

2.      Jesus will next defeat the anti-christ (Rev 19:11-2)

 

III. Conclusion

 

A.    God warns of a world leader who will soon rise and grow in power. 

 

1.      This coming world leader has about 33 names and titles (which describe his characteristics) in the Bible (both in the Old and New Testaments) ...

2.      The Bible says this “man” will not be revealed until after the 'Restrainer' (the Holy Spirit - including the body of believers alive at the time) is 'removed'. 

3.      This coming world leader will begin by exerting control over the world through ten nations which were once part of the Roman Empire

 

B.     He is “the antichrist!”

C.     We have learned a bit of Who is this “man” is, and what his plans are

 

1.      That what’s ahead for the world is dark days

2.      Thankfully, Christians will disappear

3.      But the whole world will have to endure this wicked man’s rule

4.      Are YOU going to miss it?

5.      Is there anyone you would like to help miss it too?Thankfully, child-like faith in the LORD Jesus CHRIST can defeat him, and can even slow down his ascent to power!

 

D.    Let’s get busy spoiling his plans, and winning more souls away from his grip!

E.     Until the trumpet blows!