Antichrist: The Evil One

Antichrist: THE EVIL ONE

Scripture: Revelation 13:1-13:10 Revelation 12:1-12:12 (add scripture)

The movie world seems to be obsessed with the end of the world. There has been a steady stream of films coming out of Hollywood around the theme of end time events and takeoffs on the book of Revelation. Films like “End of Days,” “Armageddon,” “Deep Impact,” and “Independence Day” are just some examples. One series of films that came out a few years ago was the “Omen” trilogy. The films specifically centered around the antichrist of the book of Revelation

One of the striking revelations about the end times is a person whom the Bible calls “the man of lawlessness.” Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, speaks of the antichrist when he says, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-4). The apostle John writes in his letter, “Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour” (1 John 2:18).

Who is the antichrist, and what is his purpose?

What role will he fill?

His main purpose is to acquire power and turn people away from God, directing worship toward himself. The way he will try to do this will be by doing three main things.

I. He will create a one world government.

A. He is the anti-Christ. He is against Christ and everyone who belongs to him.

1. He will be Satan’s tool for corrupting the world and turning people away from God.

Thessalonians 2:9New International Version (NIV)

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satanworks. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,

2. He is the false messiah who desires to replace and mock the rule of the true Messiah, Jesus Christ. In fact, we have here in Revelation 13 an evil trinity: Satan, symbolized by the dragon who is standing on the shore of the sea; the antichrist, symbolized by the beast that comes out of the sea; and the false prophet, the head of the one world religion — the beast who arises out of the earth and causes people to worship the antichrist.

3. Satan, the antichrist and false prophet: these three unite in a desperate attempt to establish their own government and overthrow the kingdom of God — but their efforts will ultimately fail.

B. The reason given for the need of a one

world government will be that problems like

global terrorism and international conflict

cannot be controlled by the United States

alone, or any other nation.

1. The United Nations and its forces have been largely ineffective because of their limited jurisdiction, and the problems the world faces will call for increased authority and military power.

2. The person who heads this organization will ultimately grow in power through personal charm and an increasing use of force.

3. He will disguise his true motives in the beginning and greatly appeal to the masses.

4. (2 John 1:7). 7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christas coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.

5. The antichrists of the world have always used the same methods: intimidation and persecution.

6. Throughout the Old Testament the prophets were persecuted and put to death. In the New Testament, men like John the Baptist and Stephen were put to death.

7. . During the early life of the church it was the Caesars who wanted to dominate the world and persecuted the church of God

8. And in the deaths Christians they were also made the subjects of sport; for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and, when day declined, burned to serve for nocturnal lights. . . .they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but victims to the ferocity of one man.”

C. And so, down the corridors of time there have been