I do hope you have your Bibles. Tonight the topic is Antichrist the person. We have in our confession of faith at article 23 the subject of Antichrist, the Antichrist. Let me read that. There are a string of about 10 or 11, 12 scriptures that if you have any time, we post this document online and you have access to it. If you don't have it, I think there's even some available in the back. Look at that and see what we believe. Here concerns the person of the Antichrist. It says, The Antichrist is a person who shall arise in the last days, also called the son of perdition or the beast. He is also called the abomination that makes desolate. He shall oppose all that is called God and shall sit in the temple of God, showing himself to be God and requiring all who dwell on the earth to worship him. Those who will not worship him shall be killed. He shall require all persons, small and great, to take a mark in their foreheads or in their right hands. Without receiving this mark, there can be no buying or selling, no commerce. He shall gather all the armies of the earth in a final assault against the Lord Jesus Christ, but he and his armies shall all be destroyed at the coming of Christ." That's the article. It's a good article. It says a lot. It's based on a number of scriptures. I want to define, first of all, the word. It's a noun, antichrist here is a noun that comes from a compound Greek word, antichristos. Anti is preposition. It means in the room of. It tells you, gives you an idea of what this word means. In the room of or place of. It also means to be against, to contradict or oppose. And in Christos, you can recognize that readily as Christ. It means the anointed. The verb for Christos is krio, and it is translated to anoint. Now you might be interested, and maybe incidentally know this, but the Hebrew equivalent for Christos is mashiach. You can recognize it's Messiah. It's an adjective. It describes a person from which we have the English Messiah. The verb of this, mashiach, masach, mashach, it refers to the act of pouring. For example, Jacob poured oil. Yatsach, He poured oil on a stone that he used for a pillow in Genesis 28 verse 18. Jacob rose early in the morning and took the stone that he had for his pillows and set it up for a pillar and poured oil upon the top of it, yatsakh. The act though of pouring is the verb mashach. In Genesis 31, 13, describing the same act, I am the Lord, speaking of Jacob, I am the God of Bethel, where thou anointest the pillar, and where thou vowest a vow unto me now arise, and he goes on. The act of pouring was to anoint. The idea that a man or men were anointed of the Lord is found very early in the history of the nation of Israel. It was first applied to Aaron and to his sons. In Leviticus, chapter four, verse three, if the priest that is anointed, Mashiach, do sin according to the sin of the people, then let him bring for his sin, which he had sinned a young bullock without blemish, unto the Lord for a sin offering. Everything, as a matter of fact, we might remember in our studies in Leviticus, everything that was special, holy, and devoted to the service of the Lord, be it person or thing, was anointed. The tabernacle is furniture, the priesthood, the prophets, the kings. We're all anointed with oil. Everything that was anointed as a matter of fact of those things all points to Jesus Christ. Interesting. That brings us to our topic here. Antichrist is understood of one who stands in the room of Jesus Christ as if he is Jesus Christ. For anyone to stand in the place of Christ as if he is the Christ is anti-Christ. And this is what that man will do. This person stands against the Lord. He opposes him and contradicts him. Though there are many antichrists, the Bible tells of a certain person coming that is the antichrist. There is coming a man who is absolutely persuaded that he is the Christ of God. And there is a coming a day when those who are not of God's elect shall believe his false claims. In Revelation chapter 13, verse eight. Revelation 13, verse eight. If you don't know Christ, you're gonna fall for this man. I don't care what you might know of the scriptures, you'll fall for this man. All that dwell on the earth shall worship him. whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Now my opinion is that there have been men of this sort since man's fall in the sin. These men presented themselves as a kind of savior for mankind. And it's certainly worth noting that since the first one world government of Babylon, since that time, there began the prophecy of the coming of this one, this notable man called Antichrist. Very interesting. It was written that this man, the Antichrist, in Daniel chapter 2, beginning at 37, that this man would rise at the last week of Israel's 70 weeks. In Daniel chapter 2, Isn't it interesting that this prophecy comes up in the first one world order, which was the Babylonian government, its system, Nebuchadnezzar was raised up, and it was a government that ruled the whole known habitable world at the time. And the next one that comes will be of the same sort and rule a one world government. The parallel is just remarkable. And here in Daniel chapter 2, verse 37 and 38, and then we'll turn to Daniel 9. Thou, O King, Daniel speaking to Nebuchadnezzar, art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory, and wheresoever The children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art," and he describes, he's going to begin to describe the statue that he saw in a vision the Lord had brought to Nebuchadnezzar. Turn to Daniel chapter nine now, beginning at verse 24. Here is the prophecy, in it is the prophecy concerning the coming of the Antichrist in the last week of the 70 weeks where God deals with the nation of Israel, or that are determined upon the people of Israel. Beginning at verse 24. It says outright, 70 weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most holy. So it all leads up to the coming of Christ. just to sum it all up very easily. Verse 25, know therefore and understand that from the going forth of the commandment, virtually by Cyrus the King, to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah, the Prince, shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks, the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times, And after three score and two weeks, 62 weeks, shall Messiah be cut off, referring to our Lord, but not for himself, not for anything that he had done. And the people of the prince, that refers to one that was coming in AD 70, and there will be the reference again to the prince, which will be at the end. And the people of the prince that shall come, to what, destroy Jerusalem, shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and the end thereof shall be with a flood, until the end of the war, desolations are determined. And he, by context, referring to the coming of the prince, but at another time, and he, shall confirm the covenant with many for one week, and in the midst of the week, he shall cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease in offering." And for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate." It says a lot, but simply wanting to see the prophecy concerning the coming of this one came at such a time as was a one world order back in the days of Nebuchadnezzar. But it will be like that in the end. The apostle John wrote, that the end of Christ would come in the last days. Referring to the same man in 1 John 2, verse 18. 1 John 2, verse 18. Very simple statement, it's not hard to understand. Little children, it is the last time. And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come, literally that the Antichrist is coming, even now there are many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time, but we know that Antichrist, the Antichrist is coming. There's a certain one that he perceived by the Spirit of God, he wrote of in the Word of God, but he must have seen it in the old scriptures, the Old Testament. The time of the one world order and the rule of the Antichrist go hand in hand. In Revelation chapter 13 verse 7. I can't get into it, Lord willing, sometime I will, but he's called a number of names, we'll talk about that in a moment. He's called a beast, but he's also called a horn, and so forth. And so there are some things about that. But here I believe referring to Antichrist, in Revelation 13, seven, it was given unto him to make war with the saints and overcome them, and power was given him over all kindreds. and tongues and nations, a one world order that he will govern. Now I want to quickly point out a number of names. We read some of them in the article. I have seven that came to mind here. The Antichrist is known by seven different names. He's called the Prince that shall come. We just read of in Daniel 9, 27. So we need to read that again. In 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3, he's called, 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3, he's called the man of sin and the son of perdition. I wish we could, I wish we will all read this chapter. Write it down, track the train of thought. It's amazing what people add to this very, very important chapter. But here, let no man deceive you by any means. Paul writes to the Thessalonian church, for that day, but what day is it? Verse two, he's referring to the day of Christ and his coming. That day shall not come except there come a falling away first or an apostasy. And that, here's his name, man of sin, be revealed, meaning be revealed for who he is. I think he's already here, in my estimation, my opinion. Things are setting up so well. Be revealed, and also the next name, the son of perdition. He's a destroyer, a waster. In the same chapter, verse eight, he's referred to once again as that wicked, and it's understood wicked one. And then shall that wicked one be revealed. He's called the abomination that makes desolate in Daniel 12 verse 11 and Matthew chapter 24 verse 15. Let me read Matthew 24 verse 15 just for an example. When you therefore see The abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place. It says, whoso read it, let him understand. And with reference to that, still in 2 Thessalonians 2, 4, what does he do? It's noted that he opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped so that he, as God, sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. You see what I mean? That's the Antichrist. He's called the beast in Revelation 13, 18. Here is wisdom. Let him that understandeth count the number of the beast. It's the number of a man. And his number is 600, three score and six. You know, the world mocks this. They've all heard about this number and they make a big joke of it, but it ain't no joke. It's a matter of fact, it's coming. He's also called the beast of Revelation 19 and verse 20 as well. And one more, he's called the little horn. Very descriptive about how he rises to power. Daniel chapter seven, verse eight. Be careful as you read Daniel, not every place that refers to the beast necessarily is talking about this particular time. There are other prophecies that were to be fulfilled in Daniel's day that now to us are past. the Persian Empire, Greece, and all that. It's there, so you have to discern chapter 10, 11, whatever, 8. Here's 7, verse 8, says, I considered the horns, those 10 horns, that came out of that fourth dreadful and terrible beast in verse seven, the preceding verse. I considered the horns and behold, there came up among them another little horn. before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots. And behold, I want you to notice what this hornet does. In this horn there were eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things. Now that's notable. Now, the world's gonna receive this man. Before our very eyes, we watch perhaps with amazement as this nation and all the nations of the earth turn away from the most fundamental truths of the word of God and into greater and greater error. I mean, obvious things that should be there, that God has manifested himself through creation, his omnipotence, his Godhead. Fundamental, you know what I mean here. evolution, climate change, safety of human life, life after death, and a sovereign, unchangeable, and eternal God. This turning among the nations is an evidence that God has, I believe, my opinion, but that God has begun pouring out upon the earth a spirit of delusion or seduction God has so that they might or it might, the earth, believe a lie. Second Thessalonians 2 verse 11. You know, I kind of expect that the Pope's going to want to change this verse because it says that the God of the Bible is doing something that he's got to deny. He's just changed the, model prayer, where you can't have God, you can't have a prayer lead us not to temptation. It's got to be, certainly God doesn't do that. You know, we got to believe the Bible here. And I'm telling you, there are things about the scripture that need to be explained. But here is one where God pours out a delusion upon the world so that they can believe a lie, so that in the end they can be destroyed and removed from the earth. That's God. That's the God of the Bible. It's not the God I'm making up. I'm going to read the scripture. You have to deal with that. In 2 Thessalonians 2, 11, for this cause, for this reason, God shall send them strong, effectual, fervent delusion. That they what? should believe a lie. You say, well, I won't. Yes, you will. If you don't know Christ, you will. You can't stand against the God of the Bible. You can't. You fall for it. Verse 12, that in order that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." Now, those are hard words, but not to the people of God. They're only hard to those that are without Christ. I mean, I must believe I must believe that God is who he says he is by this account. I have to believe that. But what's this do? This prepares those without Christ for receiving the Antichrist when he comes. There must come a one world order, Revelation 13, 7. It must come. Power was given to him over all kindreds and tongues and nations, and all that dwell on the earth shall worship him." We read that earlier, whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation world. There must come. There must come. a kingdom on this earth unlike any other kingdom previous to this time." Daniel 7, 7. He saw in the night visions, behold, the fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly, and it had great iron teeth. It devoured and breaking pieces to stamp the residue with the feet of it, the rest of the other kingdoms. And it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it, and it had 10 horns, and he was describing it. There has to come a one world order, because the Bible says so. God has decreed it to be so. It must come. Antichrist must come. The notion that the world, so many in the religious world, the notion that the world's getting better and better, and that the world shall one day turn to Christ is a lie proposing a false hope. What is Antichrist going to do? In so many words, let's look at that. Turn to Daniel chapter 7. You've already been to 2 Thessalonians 2. I want to look at verse 4 again, and we'll see revelation. We'll go to a couple of texts of revelation. What is Antichrist going to do? He stands out for a number of things. He will be infamous for his speech against God, his rebellion against the true Christ of God. the Lord Jesus Christ, and is animus to both the people of Israel and the churches of Jesus Christ. You talk about delusion. I can't remember the percentage, but so many Christian faiths, I don't remember if it was 75 or 80 or even upper 90 percent, have this doctrine called replacement theology. Israel is not what they, it's not supposed to be there. They reject the fact that Israel is a nation anymore and a people of God completely, that the church is replacing. In the main, these are moving to antisemitic doctrine. Antisemitic, if you ever see Replacement Theology, right, coming right up, if you're not already there, they're putting out statements. Christian faiths are putting out antisemitic statements. It's amazing how this can be. But here, he's known for this kind of thing, against the people of God, the people of Israel, and the churches, particularly the churches of Jesus Christ. And this man, the Antichrist, is going to move the inhabitants of the earth and everything, everyone, against God and the Christian. In Daniel 7.20, And of the 10 horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, referred to the little horn, and before whom three fell, even of that horn that had eyes and a mouth that spake great, very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows, I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them. I want you to notice what he did. He spoke great things, it's blasphemous what it is, against God and the people of God and anything Christian. And he makes war with the saints, verse 25, and he shall speak great words against the Most High. And shall what? It's just parallel with making war with the saints. Wear out the saints of the Most High and think to change times and laws. And they shall be given into his hand, that is the people of God, until the time and times and the dividing of a time. Three and a half years, 42 months, 1260 days. All of those days. Watch for that time. It's threaded throughout the prophecies in the last days. In 2 Thessalonians 2, 4, what does he do? He opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped in verse 4, 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, so that he as God sits in the temple of God showing himself that he is God. Now notice in Revelation chapter 12 verse 17, particularly here, brings out the woman, the nation of Israel and the people of God. Those that believe in Christ, I believe especially refers to the churches of Christ. Now the dragon is the one that's moving. Dragon is the serpent, the Satan. He's the devil. He's real. And he's moving this man, Antichrist, to do something here. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, national Israel, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Now, Israel hadn't received Christ yet. He hates the Israelites, but I believe it refers to the Christians here as well. In the next chapter, verse 5, chapter 13, verse 5, so that we know what kind of speech he has, there was given unto him the beasts becomes personalized. There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies and power was given to him to continue. There's that number again, 42 months, three and a half years, 1260 days, a time, times and dividing of a time. And he opened his mouth and blasphemy against God to blaspheme his name and his tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven. and break in pieces, am I reading that right? I was gonna pick up on another text. Revelation chapter 17, verses 12 through 14. The 10 horns which thou sawst are 10 kings, which have received no kingdom as yet, but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power straight to the beast. These shall make war with the lamb, and the lamb in the end shall overcome them, for he is the Lord of lords and king of kings, and they that are with him are called and chosen and faithful. And one more text here in Revelation 19, 19, Again, what's he do? John says, I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse. And that refers to our Lord Jesus Christ. He even would think to battle against Christ himself as he comes from glory and against his army. He and those of his Worldwide confederation will make war with the saints and let's just understand it and overcome them for a time. If we're in that day, a lot of us, most of us are going to die. That's just a fact. Daniel 7, 21, I beheld, and the same horde made war with the saints, and prevailed against them. That's right, he does, he prevails. It's a hard thing to read, but as a matter of fact. In verse 25, he shall speak great things against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High. In 13, seven, he made war with the saints, and it was given to him. Now, that's really good, because we need to understand what the Lord is doing, too. It was given to him. He couldn't do anything if it weren't given to him. It was given to him, the beast, to make war with the saints and to overcome them. There's a reason for this. A greater reason than you and me. There's a bigger reason. Antichrist will make war with the saints. That means that we can see him. that if we're living in his day as Christians, part of one of the Lord's churches, we will see him. That's important. Second Thessalonians chapter two, verse three. We read it, we read it one more time. Let no man deceive you. The Thessalonian saints, by any means, focus on the word of God. For that day, the day of Christ, shall not come, except there come a falling away, an apostasy, a great forsaking. I think a twofold forsaking. First of all, the world falls away from anything that they ever knew about God. The truths that they had are gone, they forsook them. They don't like that, but there's also forsaking that I see among the people of God. It shall not come except there's first this apostasy and that man of sin be revealed, revealed for who he is, the son of perdition. Now, good news. We gotta have this. This is the best. But we overcame him. by the blood of the lamb. There's no question that the saint shall suffer greatly at his hands. We cannot ignore that. But the text says in Revelation 12, 11, they overcame him. It didn't mean that they weren't killed. It doesn't say that. They overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they loved not their lives unto the death. Here's the bottom line. No matter what you might think, dear saints, because Christ died for you, you have overcome Him and all He can do is kill the body. And after that, he can't do anymore. You say, well, that's enough. No, it's not. Our God will raise up that man to do his work. If we believe the Bible, Romans 13 one, let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power, let's talk about authorities, there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God. That man was ordained of God to do what God had sent him here to do and he'll do it. But we're overcomers. The worst of the worst can't change that because Christ died for us. He only has power to kill the body. This text really stands out in this light in Matthew 10, 28. Fear not them which kill the body. I don't like the thought of dying. We get a heart palpitation or something like that. Bobby, you probably know what that feels like. When you have that, it's sobering. It's a sobering experience. Is this the moment? You know, you think about the old, you remember the old, the black comedian, was his name Red Fox? And he, ah, it's the big one coming on and he's staying around and it's kind of a joke. It's a sobering experience. But we haven't anything to worry about. Nothing. Fear not them, which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul. but rather fear him, which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Like our Lord Jesus, it says in Hebrews 5.8, though he were a son, yet learned the obedience by the things which he suffered. We learn obedience to God through suffering. Now, Antichrist has an end. When he has served that purpose for which God has sent him to do, he will be removed out of his place of authority, but that's not the end. And he'll be cast into a lake of fire and brimstone to suffer eternal punishment. Daniel 7-11, Revelation 19. Let me read Revelation 19-20. That's where he spends eternity. The beast was taken, and with him the false prophet. See, there are two that work, cohorts, they work together in the last days. The false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that had worshiped his image. These both were cast into a line, notice that, into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Christ shall rule the earth and the saints shall rule with him. Now our confession of faith includes in it this statement concerning Antichrist. Because the Bible teaches it. I wouldn't doubt that he, Antichrist, is alive even at this very time. If we know him, if we know Christ, his death made us overcomers. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God and Christ, nothing, nothing. Romans 8, 37 through 39, nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Paul says, I'm persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, he included all, it includes this. Nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. But I need to say this. If you don't know Christ to the saving of the soul, you're gonna be deceived by this man. You're gonna agree with his program. You're gonna follow his leadership, hook, line, and sinker. You're gonna take the mark. You'll receive it in your forehead or in your right hand. As a matter of fact, the Bible says so. I wanna ask you something, a few questions. Because it's very searching, a study like this, you might be wondering, do I really know the Lord? How do I know that I know him? Well, Let me ask you, do I love him? Do I love his word? If I love his word, I'll be in it. Have I truly repented of sin and believe in the gospel of Christ? Have I said so? Have I, after that confession, received baptism, a complete immersion in water, a watery grave that typifies that I died with Christ. When He died for me, I was buried with Him. When He was buried, put away in that tomb, and when He raised from the dead, I was raised with Him. Do I know Him? Have you? Do I love the people of God? Am I walking in fellowship with Christ and his people in one of his churches? One of the truest marks of love for the Lord is to be a proper church member. It's so simple. What we're saying here is we're trying to remove the doubts. As you draw closer, the doubts become less and less. If we're not in any of these, there's a lot of reason to doubt what's going on. Am I walking in fellowship with him? Am I living in a holy expectation of the Lord's return? These are the marks of one who has faith in Christ. What we do is not what saves us. What we do is what shows our love for him. Let me close with it, you know, faith works. I need to write these couple of down just before we came tonight. Close the service, look at 1 John. Do I know him? John put it so clearly. Do I know Christ through the saving of the soul? 1 John 2 3. Not let's not fool ourselves. Let's see what it says here. Hereby. That means in this way. We do know. That we know him. How? If we keep his commandments. Verse 5. Who so keeps his word? in him verily is the love of God perfected. Hereby, in this way, we know that we are in him. You see, you start having the confidence of that salvation. Chapter three, finally, verses 18 and 19. He's saying virtually the same thing, my little children, Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And hereby, in this way, we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him we'll have the confidence. Do we know him? You can only answer that yourselves. Do you know him? And that's an important question to ask ourselves. Do you know Christ? If so, because he died for you, you have overcome this man and the whole world system for that matter. Thank you for your attention.