The Tribulation (Part V) Series

“The Tribulation”

(Part V)

Did you ever have something happen that you just didn’t understand? We all have.

Illustration: Terrie’s spooky phone call.

John had the same experience while he was at Patmos receiving the revelation.

John was given visions but he wasn’t given names or exact details.

This morning we look at the Antichrist.

The streets of our country are in turmoil; the universities are filled with students rebelling and rioting; Communist are seeking to destroy our country, and the Republic is in danger, yes, danger from within and without. We need law and order!! Without law and order our nation can’t survive!!

Can anyone tell me who spoke those words? Adolf Hitler way back in 1932.

We know from history books and from some eyewitnesses just how evil Hitler was.

Yet to hear those words one would think that he wanted a change for the protection and better life style of all people.

He convinced millions that his way was the way to go but the longer he stayed in power the worse he got.

Some thought that at the time that Hitler could possibly be the Antichrist.

There were others before Hitler that thought that it was Caesar and as time goes on people will speculate as to whom it will be.

Many questions are being asked today; is the Antichrist alive, is the time ripe for his appearance, who is this Antichrist that will be able to convince the world that he is the ultimate peacemaker?

The 13th chapter of Revelation hints at the answers to some of these questions but John also reveals that there will actually be two Antichrists.

The Antichrist is called by many names in the Bible:

Isaiah 14:4 calls him the King of Babylon.

Daniel 7:8 refers to him as Little Horn.

In II Thessalonians 2:3 he is described as the Man of sin and the Son of Perdition.

I John 2:18 calls him what he is and that is the Antichrist.

Revelation 13 Read verses 1-10

With all the different names and ways to describe this evil person in verse 1 John calls him what he is and that is “The Beast”.

He calls him this because that is what he is like.

He is ruthless and his true nature will be seen in the last 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation.

John describes the Antichrist as rising out of the sea so does that mean he will come from the ocean? No, I don’t believe so.

If you refer back to Isaiah 57:20 God speaks of the wicked being like a troubled sea.

Illustration: Calm and rough waters.

So for the first 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation the Antichrist will be the calm and ever loving person but the final 3-1/2 years he will rise up to rule in a ruthless manner.

John says he had 10 horns with 10 crowns on the horns.

In the Bible horns almost always represented political power.

The beast’s 10 horns picture 10 nations that will form a confederacy, which the beast will rule during the Tribulation.

In the 7th chapter of Daniel we read of Daniel’s prophecy that 4 world empires would rise and fall, which were Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, And Rome.

When God is about to bring an end to the world ten nations will emerge from the people of the 4th empire, which is Rome.

Seven will come in willingly and 3 will be brought in unwillingly.

This will be accomplished by the Antichrist who will become a virtual dictator.

In the last 3-1/2 years of the Tribulation God will allow Satan to give the Antichrist tremendous ability.

He will seemingly have the solution to many of the world’s problems and people will follow him by all his wonders.

Illustration: Closing ceremonies of the Olympic games.

Verse 4 talks about the fatal head wound that the beast will have but it will be healed.

There has been much speculation through the years as to what the wound will be and how it got there.

Probably the most popular theory is that it is a gunshot wound from an assassination attempt.

But what ever it is or what ever causes it, the fact that it was healed will be miraculous and will persuade the world to follow him.

Some have questioned if this person will know he is going to be the Antichrist before the start of the Tribulation.

I don’t think so. I believe he will be sincere in his attempt to do good and gain the respect of the world. But as soon as Satan takes over him he will have no choice.

That is when he will blaspheme God and he will kill many of the Tribulation saints.

That is why John says in verse ten that people will suffer and die for their faith.