Last time we began looking at eight truths about the ruthless Antichrist in Revelation chapter 10, particularly verses one through four. But thus far, we've seen the first four truths. The Antichrist is summoned by Satan. The Antichrist is empowered by Satan. The Antichrist is wounded and admired. And then in verse four, we saw where the Antichrist and Satan are worshiped. This morning, I want us to look at the remaining four truths about this ruthless beast or monster that God reveals to us in his word. The fifth truth, is what I call the Antichrist blasphemes God and believers. The Antichrist blasphemes God and believers. Look what John says in verse five. And there was given to him, a mouth speaking great boast and blasphemies, an authority to act for 42 months was given to him. It's rightly been said that pride is the only disease that makes everyone sick, except the one who has it. Throughout history to today, there have been countless, countless, extremely prideful and arrogant, egotistical, narcissistic or self-loving people But the future Antichrist will far surpass all of them. He's like his master Satan who said in his heart, in Isaiah 14, 14, I will make myself like the Most High. John says the Antichrist, here in verse five, has a mouth speaking great boasts and blasphemies. Antichrist's great boasts show his huge arrogance, his extreme sense of self-importance. His blasphemies refer to his degrading, denigrating, and defaming of God. The word speaking here is in the present tense in the Greek, indicating that these things about him, these great boasts, these blasphemies, happen as a continual, habitual, ongoing pattern throughout his entire career. Daniel characterizes the Antichrist in chapter 7 verse 8 and verse 20 as a man having a mouth uttering great boasts. Chapter 7 and verse 11 has speaking great boastful words In chapter seven, verse 25, is speaking words against the Most High. And in chapter 11, verse 36, is one who will exalt and magnify himself above every God and will speak astonishing things against the God of gods. Now notice twice here in verse five that John uses the phrase, was given to him. Whereas in verses two and four, John used the active verb gave. It's in the active mood when he was speaking about Satan giving his power, his throne, as well as his authority to the Antichrist. But here, here in verse five, he uses divine passive verbs, not active. verbs, but passive. He uses the passive verb was given to indicate that it's God himself. God himself sovereignly permits or allows or decrees the Antichrist to arrogantly blaspheme him and to have authority to act for 42 months. God's the one who is causing this to be. This authority refers to Antichrist's reign of terror as the final world ruler, which God sovereignly decrees to last 42 months. Obviously, Satan would not limit Antichrist's rule to 42 months. If it was up to him, he would grant that for an eternal rule. So this is God. God is the one who is sovereign. And we see that in this passage, how over and over, how God is sovereign over this time in history that is unprecedented in its evil. But here God limits Antichrist's career to 42 months. This is the same time period that we've already seen in chapter 11 and 12 as 1,260 days, as well as in chapter 12, a time, times, and half a time, which again, all mean the same thing. It refers to the last three and a half years of the seven year tribulation. Daniel's 70th week. Now this last three and a half years is also called the time of Jacob's trouble or distress. Jesus called it the time of the great tribulation. Tribulation is the seven year period, but the last half is this time when the Antichrist comes forward and he has his reign of terror. But never forget that although he cannot sin, God is in sovereign control of this time. God cannot sin. There is no sin in him. But he is in sovereign control of this very evil person in this very evil time, whereby he permits Antichrist to carry out his evil reign. God alone removes kings and establishes kings, as we see in Daniel chapter 2 verse 21. Daniel declares four times in chapter 4 and 5 God's absolute sovereignty over the world's governments. when he says, the Most High is the powerful ruler over the kingdom of mankind. And he gives it to whomever he wishes. God's in charge over everything. And John is just bringing that home to us. as we will see in the first few verses, because this is a horrific time, unprecedented evil. And yet he wants us to get the perspective that even though that's happening, God's still on the throne. He is in control. John further describes the Antichrist's blasphemies in verse six. Look what he says, and he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God. to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle, that is those who dwell in heaven. To blaspheme is to speak irreverently of God, to denigrate, to degrade, to defame him. The Antichrist blasphemies against God include his name. God's name represents all that he is in his attributes. and in all of his works. His attributes are perfect. His character is perfect. His works are perfect. And again, all of that is summed up in God's name. And here we see the Antichrist blasphemes his name. He blasphemes God's name by speaking evil of it, taking it in vain, claiming God's attributes for himself. Because as we've seen, he exalts himself and claims to be God. The Antichrist also blasphemes his tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. He speaks evil about God's dwelling place in heaven, as well as those who dwell in heaven with him, being all of the glorified saints and the holy angels. Again, nothing is held back. He's the most arrogant, the most self-obsessed person who has ever lived. and he blasphemes God and everything associated with him. The sixth truth is what I call the Antichrist puts believers to death. The Antichrist puts believers to death. Look what John says in verse seven. And it was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. Just as we saw in verse five, twice here in verse seven, we again see the phrase was given to him. As I said, John is hammering the point about God's sovereignty. These are also what they call divine passive verbs. It's in the passive mood. And again, it's a divine passive. It refers to God, indicating God himself is the one who sovereignly permits the Antichrist to kill believers and to rule the world. Look at the first again in verse seven. And it was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And since believers in the one true God will refuse to worship the Antichrist at that time, the Antichrist perceives them as a threat, and he pours out all of his murderous fury upon them. The word overcome here means to kill. He kills those that he is after, pursuing, hunting, killing God's people. God's sovereignty allows the Antichrist to slaughter his people on an unprecedented scale for three and a half years. Daniel predicted this worldwide massacre in Daniel chapter seven, verse 21, when he said, I kept looking and that horn, you remember we talked about the little horn last time, referring to Antichrist, was waging war with the saints and overcoming them. The prophecies that Daniel wrote that God gave him are referring ultimately to the final Antichrist. in Revelation. Also in Daniel chapter seven, verse 25, we read, he will speak words against the most high and wear down the saints of the highest one. And he will intend to make changes in seasons and in law, and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. Again, a reference to those three and a half years, the last part of the tribulation where the Antichrist has a reign of terror. We've seen earlier in our study that this persecution begins at the midpoint of the tribulation, halfway through. When the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, sets up the abomination of desolation that desecrates the temple, and then he demands everyone to worship him as God, and then begins to go after the Jews as well as God's people, all tribulation believers. God not only sovereignly permits the Antichrist to kill the saints, but notice also he permits him to rule the world at the end of verse seven. An authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him. The word authority refers to the Antichrist's reign of terror as the final world ruler. And that authority is over every tribe, people, and tongue, and nation, which is just another way of talking about the entire world. God's sovereign allows Antichrist to accomplish what every evil ruler or dictator has only dreamed of. Total world domination. There is coming a time when there is gonna be one world government up underneath the final world leader and ruler, and that's Antichrist. Theologian John Wolvard, I believe, accurately states, and I quote, the dream of world conquest achieved in part by the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Macedonian, and Roman empires, is now, for the first time, realized completely, and is the satanic counterfeit of Christ's millennial reign, permitted by God in this final display of the evil of Satan and wicked humanity." Now remember that although God cannot sin, he uses evil to accomplish his good purposes. For example, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the greatest sin ever committed. And yet it was all part of the predetermined plan of God for the salvation of man, as we see in Acts chapter two, verse 23, chapter four, verse 27 and eight. Even though sinful man crucified the Savior, Jesus came for that very reason, and it was all part of God's predetermined plan for man to be saved. That brings us to the seventh truth, which is the Antichrist is worshiped by unbelievers. The Antichrist is worshiped by unbelievers. John says in verse eight, and all who dwell on the earth will worship him. Everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. Now we already saw the Antichrist being worshiped back in verse 4. But John now shows his success in getting the entire world to worship him. The phrase, all who dwell on earth, or earth dwellers, this term is used throughout the book of Revelation. It's a technical term to describe unbelievers. who are the objects of God's wrath. And I've said it already, but God does not protect unless he has made it very clear that he is giving protection from the Antichrist. God does not protect believers, tribulation believers at that time from being killed from the Antichrist and all the Antichrist associates as we see here. What God does is he protects his people from his wrath that is being poured out in the judgments And John here is using these chapters to explain, to kind of pull the curtain back so we can see behind the scenes what is going on during this last three and a half years of the tribulation. But God's wrath is being poured out on a rebellious, sinful world during this time. All these unbelievers are the objects of God's wrath, and the word all here shows the worldwide scope of Antichrist worship. All of these unbelievers are worshiping the beast, the Antichrist. Unbelievers worldwide see Antichrist, the one who has defied death itself. They see him as their last hope. with all of the judgments, the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments, and now the bowl judgments being poured out, God's wrath upon a rebellious, sinful world. They're looking for someone to step up, someone to save them, and He's their man. He's their Savior. But notice that the name of all unbelievers has not been written from the foundation of the world, which is a synonym for eternity past, has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life. Since unbelievers have not repented of their sin, they refused to put their faith in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior, as their Lord. they will perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. However, seven times in the New Testament, believers are identified with those whose names are written in the Book of Life. The Book of Life refers to eternal life. It's the registry where God inscribed the names of those He has chosen or He has elected for salvation from the foundation of the world. In other words, from eternity past, before He even created the world. Notice this book of life is of or belongs to the Lamb who has been slain. The Lamb is Jesus Christ. He's the one that was worthy to take this seven seal scroll. He's the one who is opening the seals and then opening the trumpet judgments. He's the one that is pouring out the bowl judgments upon the world. The Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, the glorified Son of God, And notice, it's referring to the fact that he has been slain, which goes back to his atoning death on the cross. 1 Peter 1, verses 18 and 19, we read, knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold from your futile conduct inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And this book of life belongs to him. In fulfilling God's eternal plan of redemption, Jesus humbled himself, the eternal Son of God, humbled himself, he stepped out of heaven to become a man, to take on human flesh, for the purpose of going to the cross, to take upon himself all of the holy wrath of God, the father against sin, towards everyone who has ever existed, ever lived, Jesus, as our substitute, went to the cross. He took upon himself God's holy wrath against sin. He paid in full the penalty for our sin that we deserved. He broke its power. Three days later, he rose from the dead, not only to prove that he is God, but that God the Father had completely accepted his once for all sacrifice for sin. In fulfilling God's eternal plan of redemption, Jesus purchased the salvation of all those whom God had chosen or elected in eternity past and in time will draw or effectually call to himself so that they will repent of their sin. They will believe in Jesus alone to be saved. You see, salvation is all of God, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, apart from works. There is nothing that we can do to earn, to merit salvation. It has to be all of God because of the total depravity of man. Doesn't mean that we are as absolutely bad as we can possibly be. That's not what total depravity means. It means that sin, depravity, has impacted every part of who we are. It affects every part of us. Our mind, our will, our emotions, every part of us. because of man's total depravity, the fact of the bondage of the will to sin, the fact that everyone is spiritually dead and trespasses and sins, and that absolutely no one seeks God on their own, as we see in Romans 3.11. No one. The mind of unregenerate man Romans 8, 7 says, is at enmity toward God, for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so. An unbeliever will never come to the one true living God, Jesus Christ, on his own. God has to draw him, as we see in John 6, 44. No one comes to the Father unless he draws him to himself. He works in his heart and in his mind. Therefore, unless God had chosen or elected some, out of the mass of sinful humanity, every single person who has ever lived would go to hell. because they would be in the place of having to take upon themselves the holy wrath of God being poured out upon a sinful world. That shows how infinite the holiness of God is, that he cannot even look at sin. That's why Jesus came. That's why Jesus came. God became man for the purpose of going to the cross to be our substitute. He took upon himself all of the wrath that we deserved. No one would be saved unless God had chosen or elected some. But praise God he did. Ephesians chapter 1 verses 4 and 5 tell us that it's according to the good pleasure of His will. It has nothing to do with us. Not because of any good works on our part. Not because we're worthy in any way. And since Jesus is infinitely more powerful than Satan and his Antichrist, all true believers are eternally secure in Christ. Absolutely nothing and no one can cause us to lose our salvation when we have been truly saved by God. We are in Christ's hand. Christ is in the Father's hand. We're in the middle. We are totally protected. Let me ask you this morning, is your name written in the Lamb's Book of Life? Have you repented of your sin? Have you put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone for your salvation? Then the eighth truth. The eighth truth is what I call believers endure Antichrist's persecution against them. Believers endure Antichrist persecution against them. Notice that John warns believers in verse nine, if anyone has an ear, let him hear. This is very similar to each of the seven churches in Asia Minor back in chapters two and three that all ended with that statement. But it says there, he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. because he's talking to the churches. But the phrase, what the Spirit says to the churches is omitted here. And I believe it's because the church has been raptured to heaven before the start of the tribulation, as we saw back in chapter three in verse 10. John uses this warning to motivate these believers, again, these tribulation believers, those living that have put their faith in Christ at this time when the Antichrist is ruling. He's trying to motivate them to understand and obey the following proverb, which describes how to respond to Antichrist persecution that they will face. Look at verse 10. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes. If anyone kills with the sword, he must be killed. Let's stop there. Here we see two forms of persecution that believers alive at that time will face. The first form is if anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes. The word captivity here is a reference to imprisonment. John's point is that since God is in sovereign control, and he's already made that very clear in verses five and seven, if God is in sovereign control of all that Antichrist does, which he is, those believers who are imprisoned at this time are to humbly submit and accept it without complaint as God's sovereign will for them. This is gonna be a horrific time for believers to be alive. But God is saying, if imprisonment is what I have sovereignly willed for you, you need to submit to that and accept that. The second form is, if anyone kills with the sword, he must be killed. Notice John doesn't say that all believers will die for their faith, or that they shouldn't flee and hide if they can. Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 24, verse 16, when we're looking at Revelation 12 and verse 6, when you see the abomination of desolation taking place. He said, flee to the wilderness. In Matthew 24, he said, flee to the mountains. It doesn't mean you can't get out of there. Again, John's point is that since God is in sovereign control of all that Antichrist does, those about to be killed at this time or to humbly submit and accept it without complaint as God's sovereign will for them. We need to understand that the worst someone can do to true believers is kill their physical body, which merely sends their eternal souls home to be with the Lord in heaven. That's the worst that can take place for the believer. to be released, to be with the Lord. Jesus said in Matthew 10, verse 28, do not fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul, but fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. And He promises, He promises never to do that if we belong to Him. We are eternally secure in Christ. Therefore, in both of these cases, believers are not to retaliate against their persecutors with militant, aggressive force and violence. Instead, believers are to follow Jesus' example. We're told in 1 Peter 2, 19-24, for this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience towards God, a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unrighteously. Why? Because I'm a Christian. Just because I'm a Christian, now I'm suffering. For what credit is there if when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it, you endure, this finds favor with God. For to this you have been called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in his steps. who did no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth, who being reviled was not reviling in return. While suffering, he was uttering no threats, but kept entrusting himself to him who judges righteously, who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that having died to sin, we might live to righteousness by his wounds you are healed." And notice that by following Christ's example, Peter goes on to say in chapter 3 verse 16, having a good conscience so that in the thing which you are slandered, those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. And then again in chapter four, verse 14, if you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. When believers face Antichrist persecution of imprisonment or death, John tells them to exemplify Christ. By following the two qualities he lists at the end of verse 10, look what it says. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints. The first quality is perseverance of the saints. Perseverance is patient endurance and steadfastness in the midst of persecution. I like to envision it as the ability to be able to remain under a heavy weight without collapsing. Trials, persecutions bring a heavy burden, a heavy weight into our life. John knows the temptation during this time to avoid suffering and to enjoy economic benefits because at that time, You will be killed if you don't have the mark of the beast, as we will see shortly. And so to avoid all the suffering, to enjoy economic benefits, it'd be easy to just cave in. And John says no. He calls them to continue to persevere. It's in the present tense. Keep on persevering, enduring during this difficult time. Remain faithful to the Lord. James chapter one, verse two through four says, consider it all joy, my brothers, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith brings about endurance. Let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. God never allows a trial into believers' lives that they cannot endure with a joyful attitude by His grace, His enabling strength and power. This doesn't mean that the trial itself is joyful. It could be horrific. Or that we feel joyful. That's not always true. It's knowing that God has sovereignly allowed the trial into our lives, and that through that, he will cause all things, all things, the good and the bad, to work together for our greatest good and his highest glory. And what is good for us, according to God's definition of goodness, is increased endurance and increased Christ-likeness in our lives. This enables us to have a joyful, thankful perspective in our hearts. And the second quality is the faith of the saints. The word faith here means trust, belief, reliance upon. but it can also be translated faithfulness, since true faith leads to faithfulness in how we live our life. In the midst of our trials, it is only as we exercise faith and trust in the Lord that we will experience the peace of God instead of anxiety and worry and fear. Isaiah 26, verses three and four says, the steadfast of mind you will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in you. Trust in Yahweh forever, for in Yah, Yahweh himself, we have an everlasting rock. As we close here, let me just give two practical lessons I believe that we can learn. and apply in our lives from this passage. First of all, although God cannot sin, God cannot sin, He uses even the unprecedented time of evil during Antichrist's reign of terror to accomplish His good purposes. And if He can do that then, He can do that now. Therefore, we as believers must choose to persevere in trusting that God is sovereign and He's good in whatever trials we may be going through in our lives right now. He is lovingly working out His perfect will in each one of our lives to make us more like Jesus for His glory. Charles Spurgeon said it well. And I quote, had any other condition been better for you than the one in which you are, divine love would have willed it. End quote. What situation, what condition are you in right now? If there was anything better for you than what you're dealing with right now, God's love would have willed it. To the fact that we are where we are, God has lovingly brought that into our life and he wants to use that for our betterment, to make us more like Christ. This faith enables us to remain faithful to him. If we believe that, we cling on to that, that faith will enable us to be faithful to him in the middle of our trial. Then second, although God sovereignly allows such terrible and painful things, he doesn't want us to be anxious and fearful or angry. He wants us to submit ourselves, to surrender our wills to his sovereign will for us and accept it without complaint, without complaining and grumbling. Because when there's complaining and grumbling taking place, it's showing that we're upset at God for allowing that to happen. But since he is the potter and we're the clay, we are to accept whatever he chooses is best for us. You know, that's a whole lot easier said than done. But that's what we must do, to surrender and then trust. Someone has accurately said, and I quote, acceptance is taking from God's hand absolutely anything he chooses to give us, looking up into his face in love and trust, even in thanksgiving and knowing that the confines of the hedge within which he has placed us are good, even perfect, however painful they may be. simply because he himself has given them. End quote. You see, that's how we have peace in our trials. Let me ask you, are you submitting to and accepting God's will for you? I close with a poem by Hannah Hernard entitled Peace. In acceptance lieth peace. O my heart, be still. cease thy restless murmurings and accept his will. Though this test be not thy choice, it is his. Therefore, rejoice. In his plan, there cannot be ought or anything to make thee sad. If this is his will for thee, take it. and be glad. Make from it some lovely thing to the glory of thy king. Cease from sighs and murmurings. Sing his loving grace, for this thing means thy furthering to a wealthy place, a Christ-like place. From your fears take his release, for only in acceptance lieth peace.