"Antichrist, the Man of Sin!"
"Left Behind" series Part 3 of 4
Text: Rev. 13:1-9 & Selected
Cross Creek Community Church
Pastor Dave Martin - Jan. 21, 2001
www.crosscreekcc.org
God’s Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Life Changing!
Remember some years ago when you used to hear on TV, "Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no it’s Superman"? On our televisions, we would watch a super human perform amazing feats as the people stood in awe. In the third book of the best selling series, "Left Behind" entitled "Nicolae" tells the story about a powerful leader who comes upon the world scene during the seven-year tribulation period. The Bible speaks much about this end time world leader. He is introduced in Revelation in 6:2, I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown (authority), and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. He is riding a white horse, signifying peace, a global peacemaker. His weapon is a bow with no arrows, signifying he gains victory by diplomacy or bloodless tactics. He comes as the superman of the human race to bring peace to the Middle East by signing a seven-year treaty with Israel (Dan. 9:27). He goes into the world as a conqueror bent on total conquest - total domination of the world. This morning we are going to look at this leader, the "Antichrist - the Man of Sin".
Rev. 13:1-9 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. 2The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. 3One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" 5The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. 6He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world. 9He who has an ear, let him hear.
Background of the Antichrist
* The Bible records over 20 different names for the Antichrist, such as:
Is. 14:4 "King of Babylon", Is 14:12 "Lucifer", Dan 7:8, 8:9 "Little horn", Dan 8:23 "King of fierce countenance", Dan 9:26 "The prince that shall come", Dan 11:36 "The willful king", 2Thes 2:3-8 "Man of sin", "Son of perdition"; "That wicked one", 1Jn 2:18 "Antichrist", Rev 13:1 "Beast"
* He will arise as a result of the rapture vacuum. 2Thes. 2:6-7
2 Thes. 2:6-7 And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. 7For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
* His nationality will possibly be a gentile with Jewish blood. (Dan 11:36-37; 8:8-9; 9:26; Rev 13:1)
Daniel 11:36-37 "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place. 37He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the one desired by women, nor will he regard any god, but will exalt himself above them all.
* The "Little Horn" of Daniel - He will rise up out of the revived Roman Empire (today’s European Community). Dan. 7:3-8
God tells us about four major world powers in the book of Daniel:
1) Babylonian (lion / gold - Nebuchadnezzar),
2) Media-Persian (bear / silver - Darius),
3) Grecian (leopard / bronze - Alexander the Great),
4) Roman (dreadful, terrible, different from all the others / iron - Revived Roman Empire with a little horn arising up out of the ten nations. (European Union today - ten toes mix of iron and clay)
The fourth empire embodies the prior empires:
Rev. 13:2 The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion.
Notice the fourth Kingdom is different from all the others...
Daniel 7:7-8 "After that, in my vision at night I looked, and there before me was a fourth beast--terrifying and frightening and very powerful. It had large iron teeth; it crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the former beasts, and it had ten horns. "While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.
Daniel 7:23 "He gave me this explanation: ’The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
* The current Israeli / Palestian / Moslem conflicts will be resolved.
* The Antichrist will bring "solutions" to the world’s problems, a seven-year peace treaty.
Daniel 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ’seven.’ In the middle of the ’seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
* An eloquent man ultimately possessed by Satan. Rev. 13:2
* A worldwide "religious" figure will help elevate him. Rev. 13:11
Rev. 13:11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon.
* Turns savage the last 3 1/2 years of his reign. Rev. 13:7
Rev. 12:12 Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short."
Rev. 13:7 He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.
Daniel 7:21 As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them,
The Antichrist will...
1. Be a FALSE imitator of Christ. v3
2 Thes. 2:9-10 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
* The resurrection of our Lord Jesus - truly nailed Satan’s doom.
* The great deceiver and imitator will come as the false messiah, with many miracles.
* He will trick & deceive the world into believing he came back from the dead.
The Lord mentions the deadly wound three times - it will a be significant event.
Rev. 13:3, 12, 14 One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.
The Unholy trinity:
* Holy Trinity -Father, Son, Holy Spirit
* Unholy Trinity - Satan (Father), Antichrist (Son), False Prophet (Holy Spirit).
* Even attempt to change natural & moral laws, even times and dates. Maybe BC / AD / work week
Daniel 7:25 He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.
False Prophet (another beast in Rev. 13:11-17)
* The antichrist is the political head, the false prophet is the religious head who exalts the beast.
He will perform wonders, signs and miracles in full view of the people.
Rev. 13:13-14 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. 14Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.
* The deception will be overwhelming, people will be zealots for the antichrist, and chaos will reign.
* The False prophet will lead a worldwide religion, called the harlot church - mystery Babylon.
* Just as the Holy Spirit always glorifies Christ, the false prophet glorifies the Antichrist.
* John 16:14 Jesus said, "He (Holy Spirit) will bring glory to me..."
* That is exactly what the false prophet will do - exalt and bring glory to the antichrist.
The Antichrist will be a false imitator of Christ. The Antichrist will...
2. Be a blasphemer who demands WORSHIP. v4
2 Thes. 2:4 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 (Rev. 11:1-2), proclaiming himself to be God. (Mt. 24:15)
* In the middle of the tribulation, he will commit the "abomination of desolation".
* He desecrates the temple and demands the world to worship him.
Matthew 24:15-16 "So when you see standing in the holy place ’the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel--let the reader understand-- 16then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.
Daniel 9:27 He will confirm a covenant with many for one ’seven.’ In the middle of the ’seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."
* The whole world is amazed and deceived then follows him, because of his miracles, etc.
* Those who reject Christ suffers the consequences, they are set a delusion from God.
2 Thes. 2:11 For this reason (refusal to be saved), God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie (the Antichrist).
* He slanders God, His saints, Jews, Christians, anyone or anything that stands for truth or holiness
People worshipped both Satan and the Antichrist.
Rev. 13:3-4 "One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. 4Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast ..."
* Who’s the dragon? Satan himself, look at Rev. 12:9
* This was Satan’s goal during his rebellion in heaven in Ez. 28:12-17 and Is. 14:12-14
Isaiah 14:12-14 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."
* He finally after thousands of years of trying arrives at controlling the earth as "god", only fitting into God perfect plan to close out the age we now live.
* The great deceiver lifted up in pride, demanding the world to worship him - and they do!
* For only a few short years of utter chaos, disasters and ruthless slaughter. His end will come.
The Antichrist will be a false imitator of Christ, who demands worship. The Antichrist will...
3. Be GIVEN tremendous power and authority. v5
Daniel 8:24 He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy the mighty men and the holy people.
* Notice in verse 5 & 7 "was given a mouth to utter proud words", "was given power to make war",
"was given authority"
* A mere man could not accomplish all this - his power is supernatural.
Rev. 13:2b "...The dragon (Satan - see 12:9) gave the beast (Antichrist) his power and his throne and great authority."
* Remember when Satan offered this to Jesus at His temptation?
Luke 4:5-7 The devil led him (Jesus) up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."
Rev. 13:4 "...and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" - No one, for he is too powerful.
* He will set up a one-world government, coming up from the European Community (the old Roman Empire).
* His regime will exert power over all people & nations demanding worship and to receive his mark.
* They will set up an "image" an idol for the world population to worship. Even giving breath so that the image speaks! Next week we’ll look more at this technology.
Rev. 13:15 He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.
* They will institute a mark or number on the right hand or forehead in order to buy or sell.
* Next week we will look in more detail about the advances in technology.
Rev. 13:16-17 He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, 17so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.
* With the total upheaval of nature, wars, pestilence, death, - now the only way to survive with food is to take his mark. He forces people to receive his mark or die.
Look at the consequences both ways:
Rev. 14:9-10 "...If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, 10he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb."
Rev. 20:4 "...And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands...."
Outbreak of Sores - Rev. 16:2 The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly and painful sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped his image.
The Antichrist will be a false imitator of Christ, who demands worship, with power and authority...
4. Ultimately be cast into the LAKE of FIRE.
Rev. 19:20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.
Rev. 20:10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
* Jesus returns as King of kings and Lord of lords to this earth with His armies from heaven. Rev. 19:11-16 - The ultimate doom of the unholy trinity. The lake of fire for eternity.
* Deception today is on the increase. Be cautious, be on guard, watch out - your soul’s enemy, Satan is on the prowl. Trying to damn and deceive the whole world even today.
* Are you going to heaven? Are your sins forgiven through the blood of Jesus?
Celebrate Jesus today by receiving Him into YOUR LIFE!
1. God LOVES you and has a purpose for your life. Jn. 3:16; 10:10
2. Our SIN stands in the way of God’s PURPOSE. Rom. 3:23; 6:23
3. JESUS Christ is the ONLY way to Salvation. Jn. 1:1,14; 1Pet 3:18
4. We MUST respond in FAITH to Jesus. Jn. 1:12; Rom. 10:13
Why not trust Jesus Christ today?
Let’s pray
Please don’t wait until you’re "Left Behind" - Be saved today!
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